Thu May 23 11:12am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Prescott setup for big success
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the quarterback position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the quarterbacks with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the quarterbacks that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
QB SOS | ||
1. | Miami Dolphins | 313.6 |
2. | Cincinnati Bengals | 314.77 |
3. | Los Angeles Chargers | 317.32 |
4. | Denver Broncos | 317.38 |
5. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 320.33 |
6. | Houston Texans | 320.74 |
7. | Buffalo Bills | 321.01 |
8. | Philadelphia Eagles | 323.71 |
9. | Kansas City Chiefs | 325.08 |
10. | Washington Commanders | 325.12 |
11. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 326.4 |
12. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 328.45 |
13. | New York Jets | 329.06 |
14. | New England Patriots | 329.64 |
15. | Cleveland Browns | 330.31 |
16. | Los Angeles Rams | 330.72 |
17. | Arizona Cardinals | 331.54 |
18. | Indianapolis Colts | 331.69 |
19. | Seattle Seahawks | 332 |
20. | Atlanta Falcons | 332.73 |
21. | Baltimore Ravens | 333.05 |
22. | San Francisco 49ers | 333.05 |
23. | Detroit Lions | 334.13 |
24. | Las Vegas Raiders | 334.38 |
25. | New York Giants | 334.72 |
26. | New Orleans Saints | 336.27 |
27. | Minnesota Vikings | 337.2 |
28. | Dallas Cowboys | 339.64 |
29. | Chicago Bears | 340.70 |
30. | Tennessee Titans | 343.69 |
31. | Carolina Panthers | 345.54 |
32. | Green Bay Packers | 349.53 |
The Packers have the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks. Jordan Love already had a breakout season last year and could take his game to an even higher level this season. Love is shaping up to be a really intriguing QB1 this season. He is a player on the rise and seems setup for even more success this year.
A couple second-year quarterbacks have really favorable schedules, Will Levis and Bryce Young. Both seem like good No. 2 fantasy quarterbacks to take a chance. Their teams did well in upgrading the talent around them this offseason and a favorable schedule bodes well for them to take some steps forward this year.
Caleb Williams was the No.1 overall pick and the Bears gave him plenty of firepower to work with in year one. Williams has a lot of good going for him this year and could be the C.J. Stroud of this year’s rookie class. And having a favorable fantasy schedule helps Williams even more.
A couple veterans with favorable schedules are Dak Prescott and Derek Carr. Prescott is the one that stands out the most. The Cowboys are lacking top options at the running back spot, so it would not surprise if the Cowboys are really pass-heavy offensively. Prescott could really rack up the numbers this year.
There are some big-name quarterbacks on the opposite side of things, having very tough fantasy schedules. Tua Tagovalioa has the toughest schedule of all. He struggled a little down the stretch last year and now has the most unfavorable schedule for any fantasy quarterback. This is a little concerning.
Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and whoever is starting in Pittsburgh, likely Russell Wilson, are other veteran quarterbacks that have a top-five unfavorable schedule for fantasy quarterbacks. Burrow is not a huge concern for us because we think they will still have success throwing the ball and he has a ton of talent around him at receiver. Herbert is a concern. The Chargers lost their top two receivers and could be a lot more run-heavy with a new coach in place. Herbert has some red flags for him this coming year, making him a bit of a risky pick for fantasy teams. Wilson is another veteran with a tough schedule. He also has Justin Fields pushing him to play, so Wilson is going to be a boom or bust fantasy pick.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy quarterbacks. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the quarterbacks with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.
QB PLAYOFF SOS | ||
1. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 292.02 |
2. | Houston Texans | 299.33 |
3. | New York Giants | 301.93 |
4. | Miami Dolphins | 307.48 |
5. | Los Angeles Rams | 308.45 |
6. | Detroit Lions | 312.4 |
7. | Arizona Cardinals | 313.15 |
8. | Kansas City Chiefs | 313.45 |
9. | Buffalo Bills | 313.6 |
10. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 317.53 |
11. | Cincinnati Bengals | 318.03 |
12. | Baltimore Ravens | 318.25 |
13. | Green Bay Packers | 322.48 |
14. | Indianapolis Colts | 322.83 |
15. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 328.78 |
16. | Philadelphia Eagles | 331.23 |
17. | Cleveland Browns | 331.95 |
18. | Minnesota Vikings | 334.68 |
19. | Atlanta Falcons | 336.18 |
20. | Carolina Panthers | 338.62 |
21. | Seattle Seahawks | 338.65 |
22. | Las Vegas Raiders | 341.18 |
23. | Los Angeles Chargers | 341.22 |
24. | New York Jets | 344.3 |
25. | New Orleans Saints | 346.68 |
26. | Chicago Bears | 347.07 |
27. | Tennessee Titans | 348.42 |
28. | New England Patriots | 355.23 |
29. | Denver Broncos | 355.35 |
30. | Dallas Cowboys | 359.62 |
31. | Washington Commanders | 359.92 |
32. | San Francisco 49ers | 363.47 |
There is just a team that makes both the top-five favorable quarterback schedule for the regular season and playoffs. That team is the Cowboys. So Dak Prescott has the third easiest playoff schedule in addition to having the fifth easiest regular season schedule. Prescott was a player looking pretty good even before seeing these schedules, so you might want to bump him up a few spots in your rankings after seeing this. Prescott could be a league winner in 2024.
The 49ers actually have the easiest fantasy quarterback schedule for the playoffs. So Brock Purdy could have a great run during the fantasy playoffs. He always has a high weekly ceiling, so things are looking great for him this postseason.
Now some rookie quarterbacks round out the team of having top-five fantasy quarterback playoff schedules. Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and Drake Maye are all likely starting for their teams later in the season, so they should help fantasy teams during the playoffs. They all have some question marks surrounding them but could be worth the gamble, especially if you have a dependable starter already on your roster. These rookies could make some noise late in the season.
On the opposite side of things, the Dolphins are the only team to have both a top-five unfavorable fantasy quarterback schedule for the regular season and playoffs. We already had a few concerns for Tagovalioa even before these schedules were released. And now seeing he has very challenging schedules for both the regular season and playoffs make him a player you might want to avoid come draft day.
Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars have the toughest schedule for the playoffs. Lawrence has not lived up to expectations to date. He could have his best season to date this year, but his schedule during the playoffs is concerning. Lawrence could struggle when it matters most.
C.J. Stroud is the biggest name of any quarterback with a top-five unfavorable playoff schedule. We aren’t too concerned about this because some players can rise above the challenge. Stroud is one of those players. Things will be tougher for him in year two, but he will also progress and get better. Plus, he has Stefon Diggs added to the mix, which should improve that passing game even more.
Daniel Jones is another quarterback with a challenging playoff schedule. He is another fringe draft pick to begin with, so seeing him possibly have struggles down the stretch causes more trepidation when it comes to possibly drafting him. He might be another player to just steer clear of come draft day.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (ribs) could be limited in practice early in the week after injuring his ribs in the Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but head coach Kevin O'Connell said he feels good about having Jones available for this Sunday's Week 11 game at the Tennessee Titans. Jones got X-rays, which came back negative, on his chest in the second half of the game against the Jags but eventually returned and should be fine to play this coming weekend against the Titans. Don't be surprised if the 29-year-old veteran does a whole lot in practice this week, though. He's quietly having a strong season in his first year in Minnesota and is currently the RB15 in half-PPR scoring with 142 carries for 653 rushing yards and two touchdowns, adding 28 receptions for 258 yards and another score.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said he doesn't have anything definitive as to whether quarterback Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) will be able to play on Sunday in Week 11 versus the Detroit Lions. In addition, Pederson is unsure where talk of surgery for Lawrence surfaced. Lawrence was inactive for the Week 10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his left (non-throwing) that could keep him sidelined for the rest of the year. However, the 25-year-old former first overall pick put in some limited practices last week, leading us to believe there's a chance he'll be able to return in 2024. If he's forced to miss another game this weekend, former Patriots QB Mac Jones would make a second straight start. Jones didn't look great in the 12-7 loss to Minnesota and will be a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues for however long Lawrence is out.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (hamstring) is dealing with some "hamstring irritation," according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, and the team will monitor him this week as they prepare to face the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 on Sunday. Kittle has been banged up with multiple injuries in 2024 but has only missed one game -- back in Week 3. The 31-year-old's practice statuses will be monitored closely, but we'd be surprised if his hamstring irritation keeps him from playing against Seattle this weekend. Running back Christian McCaffrey is finally back to take away plenty of offensive touches, but Kittle remains a high-end TE1 in fantasy when he's active. Through the first 10 weeks of the NFL season, Kittle leads all TEs with 119.5 half-PPR fantasy points on 43 receptions for 560 yards and a league-high seven touchdowns on 53 targets.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said he expects wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) to return to practice on Wednesday. Macdonald remains "optimistic" that Metcalf can end a two-game absence and play in Week 11 against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers this Sunday after coming off a bye week. The 26-year-old suffered an MCL sprain back in Week 7 and hasn't played since, but the expectation all along was that he'd be able to return to the field this weekend to face San Fran. Metcalf's return will make both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and veteran Tyler Lockett less attractive as flex options for fantasy managers, but it will make Seattle's offense much stronger as a whole. Before the injury, Metcalf had 35 catches for 568 yards and three touchdowns in seven games played. He has averaged 13.2 half-PPR points per game, which ranks 13th among all wideouts.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Amari Cooper (wrist), who has missed the last two games, is improving, but the team will continue to evaluate him leading up to the Week 11 contest against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills could really use Cooper back as they look to give the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs their first loss of 2024 since they will be missing rookie Keon Coleman (wrist) for the second straight game. Buffalo is on bye in Week 12, so that could influence their decision to hold Cooper out for a third straight game. The 30-year-old caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in his debut with the team on Oct. 20 against the Titans but was injured in the next game. If he returns to the field this Sunday against KC, Cooper should have a significant role, albeit in a tough matchup.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert (hip) remains on the team's injury report and was listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated practice report. The Commanders conducted a walkthrough on Monday and didn't hold an official practice. Seibert injured his right hip in Week 9 and didn't play in the Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the 27-year-old is not able to return to practice on a short week, he figures to miss a second straight game this Thursday against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. In eight games before his injury, Seibert connected on a league-leading 25 of his 27 field-goal tries while making all 22 of his extra points, so he was firmly on the fantasy radar. In his first NFL game since 2021 while filling in for Seibert in Week 10, Zane Gonzalez made both of his field goals and all three of his extra points.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) was listed as limited during the team's walkthrough practice on Monday. The team didn't actually practice, so Robinson's status is an estimation. Robinson missed his second straight game in the Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and could be in danger of missing a third straight contest if the team doesn't clear him to play on Thursday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. However, if the 25-year-old is able to get back to a full practice in the next two days, he could have a shot to return to Washington's backfield. However, if B-Rob is active on a short week, he could see a smaller workload as he works his way back into the fold. With Robinson out again this past Sunday, Austin Ekeler led the backfield yet again and found his way into the end zone two more times.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was listed as a non-participant on the team's estimated practice report on Monday. The team didn't actually hold a practice. Smith has been dealing with a hamstring injury but didn't carry an injury designation into the Week 9 blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, where he had a disappointing two receptions for 14 yards. The 25-year-old didn't appear to aggravate the injury on Sunday, so the Eagles are likely just resting him on a short week before he'll play on Thursday night against the division-rival Washington Commanders. Smith had a season-high 87 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and is fully capable of breaking out again in Week 11 if he's fully healthy. The Commanders have had issues in their secondary this year, too. Smith has already scored four times in 2024.
From RotoBaller
The Philadelphia Eagles listed tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) as a non-participant on Monday's estimated practice report since they didn't actually hold an official practice. Goedert missed three games due to injury but returned in the Week 10 blowout win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys to catch two of his three targets for 25 yards and a touchdown. With the 29-year-old not reportedly suffering any setbacks on Sunday, he's likely just being rested on a short week before playing again this Thursday night against the division-rival Washington Commanders. Check back on Wednesday for Philly's final injury report before Thursday's game. Goedert is at least in the low-end TE1 conversation when healthy, but volume could be an issue with all of the team's receivers healthy at the moment. If Goedert's ankle is an issue this Thursday, Grant Calcaterra could step into a bigger role again.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) apparently felt good during pre-game warmups and is officially active for Monday night versus the Los Angeles Rams to close out Week 10 action. Hill missed some practice time this week and was listed as questionable coming into the game, but he'll suit up and should be good for his typical heavy workload as Miami's WR1. The Cheetah could have some issues securing contested catches if his wrist is bothering him, but now that we know he's active, he should stay locked into all starting fantasy lineups. He has not caught a touchdown pass since the season opener but has looked better the last two games with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa back, catching 10 of 14 targets for 152 yards. The Rams present a nice matchup for Hill to revisit the end zone.
From RotoBaller
The New Orleans Saints are not ruling wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion) out for the rest of the season. However, Olave was placed on Injured Reserve over the weekend, meaning he'll have to miss at least three more games before being eligible to return in Week 15 against the Washington Commanders on Dec. 15. The 24-year-old has already suffered two concussions (four in his career) in 2024, though, so the Saints aren't going to rush him back right away if he's still not 100 percent. Fantasy managers with a shot to make it to the playoffs should probably keep the former first-rounder stashed in an IR spot, but don't be surprised if he doesn't end up making it back later this year. Rookie Mason Tipton has not been able to capitalize so far with both Olave and Rashid Shaheed (knee) out, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling went over 100 yards receiving with two scores in the Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
From RotoBaller
The Seattle Seahawks signed free-agent wide receiver/tight end N'Keal Harry to their practice squad on Monday. Harry opened the 2024 campaign on the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad but found himself back on the open market after being cut last month. The 26-year-old former first-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2019 out of Arizona State proved to be a bust in Boston, catching 57 of 103 targets for 598 yards and four touchdowns in 33 games (18 starts). He played in nine games with the Vikings last year but didn't see a single target while playing only 20 snaps on offense. DK Metcalf (knee) has missed the last two games for the Seahawks, so Harry will give the team some more depth at the position moving forward. Harry can continue to be ignored in all fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
The Seattle Seahawks surprisingly released linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who has started every game of the season in 2024, on Monday. Dodson was also quite productive for Seattle's defense in his nine starts, collecting a team-high 71 tackles (41 solo), two sacks, five tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. The 26-year-old played all of the team's defensive snaps in seven of their nine games and shouldn't be on the open market for long. Dodson made his NFL debut for the Buffalo Bills in 2020 after going undrafted and he spent his first four NFL seasons with the team, picking up 143 tackles (102 solo), 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, seven QB hits, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 59 games (15 starts).
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy announced on Monday that the team is sticking with Cooper Rush as their starting quarterback moving forward. It means that Rush will make a second straight start in Week 11 against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football with Dak Prescott (hamstring) most likely done for the rest of the season. The 30-year-old veteran was pretty dreadful in the 34-6 loss to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10, going 13-for-23 passing for 45 yards while also losing two fumbles. The Cowboys had packages for backup Trey Lance and even had him replace Rush late in the game, but Lance will remain the backup for at least another week. Rush isn't anything more than a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues, and it almost seems like a matter of time before Lance is making starts to play out the string in a lost season for Dallas.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) is considered day-to-day after suffering an AC joint sprain in his shoulder in the Sunday night win over the Houston Texans and is "hopeful" he can play in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. LaPorta didn't suffer a serious shoulder injury on Sunday night, but it could still affect his status for Detroit's next game. We'll have a better idea of the 23-year-old's Week 11 status after the Lions resume practicing on Wednesday. Fantasy managers would hate to see the second-year tight end lose his momentum after catching three of his six targets for a season-high 66 yards and his third TD of the year against the Texans before getting injured. LaPorta remains a TE1 in fantasy when he's active, but managers might have to go in another direction this week.
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins activated wide receiver River Cracraft (shoulder) off Injured Reserve before their Monday night game against the Los Angeles Rams and also signed defensive tackle Neil Farrell to the active 53-man roster and placed offensive lineman Austin Jackson (knee) on IR. Cracraft will be making his 2024 debut on Monday night against the Rams, although he's expected to have a minimal role on offense, even if No. 1 wideout Tyreek Hill (wrist) isn't cleared to play. It remains to be seen if Cracraft's activation means that the Dolphins are preparing to be without Hill for this primetime contest. The 30-year-old Cracraft can remain on the waiver wire in fantasy leagues. In his two years with Miami in 2022 and 2023, he caught 18 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns in 21 games (one start).
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has ruled out rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman (wrist) for the Week 11 game this coming Sunday against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Coleman will miss his second straight game and won't be available again for fantasy managers until the Week 13 contest against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 1 with the team's bye coming in Week 12. Amari Cooper (wrist) missed his second straight game in the Week 10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, and tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) was also injured on Sunday, so Buffalo's pass-catching options are running thin. As a result, Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel all saw increased usage against Indy. The 21-year-old Coleman was starting in three-wide sets before his injury and brought in 22 of his 36 targets for 417 yards and three TDs in his first nine NFL games.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (quadriceps) will continue to be considered day-to-day through practices this week, according to head coach Zac Taylor. Higgins missed his third straight game in last Thursday night's loss to the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, and it's unclear if he'll make enough progress this week in order to suit up on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11. We'll have a much better idea of his status for Week 11 once the Bengals begin officially practicing again on Wednesday. When healthy, the 25-year-old Higgins has WR2 upside in Cincy's high-octane passing offense, but he has already missed five games this year due to injury. If Higgins misses a fourth straight game this Sunday, Andrei Iosivas and rookie Jermaine Burton would see more targets again, with tight ends Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson also having elevated fantasy ceilings.
From RotoBaller
According to Pat Leonard of the team, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll would not commit to quarterback Daniel Jones as the team's starter coming out of their Week 10 bye. Per Leonard, Daboll and the coaching staff are "evaluating everything" during the bye week. Despite the Giants scoring 17 points in the final two frames to tie the game and send it into overtime in Week 10, a costly fumble by rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. on New York's ensuing possession would lead to an Eddy Pineiro field goal. That would ultimately sink the G-Men, handing them their fifth straight loss as they fell to 2-8 on the year. Jones has completed 63.3% of his pass attempts in 2024, totaling ten touchdowns while racking up nine turnovers. New York has averaged the eighth-fewest pass yards per game this season. Stay tuned.
From RotoBaller
Per Rich Cimini of ESPN, New York Jets offensive tackle Tyron Smith (neck) will have an MRI exam early this week, according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. Smith picked up a neck injury in the Jets' 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals this past Sunday. As reported by Cimini, the 33-year-old had played every snap for the Jets this season before picking up the injury. The severity of the veteran's ailment is unknown at this time, but if he were forced to miss more action, it'd be a massive blow to New York's offensive line. Rookie offensive tackle Olu Fashanu took over for Smith when he went down, and the first-round pick projects to stand in for the eight-time Pro Bowler again if he cannot suit up for the team's Week 11 home tilt against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller