QB Strength of Schedule
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.
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The Paur Report
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett is once again not on the fantasy radar in Week 17 when Seattle travels to Chicago to play the Bears. Lockett has received very little target volume since Week 7. Even in Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, Lockett could only earn two targets despite quarterback Geno Smith throwing the ball 43 times. The Seahawks have consolidated their targets among the running backs and their top two wide receivers. Lockett is a great veteran presence for this team, but he is not integral to the game plan at all. Despite the Bears being a solid matchup for opposing wide receivers in recent weeks, Lockett should remain on waivers.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (elbow) looks to be in line to receive the majority of the running back workload in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears. With Kenneth Walker III (ankle) dealing with another injury, Charbonnet should step in as a high-end RB2 or even an RB1 against a Bears team with issues stopping the run. Charbonnet has delivered high-end fantasy output in each of his four starts in relief of Walker this season. The highlight of those starts was a 38.3 PPR fantasy point outburst in Week 14 against the Arizona Cardinals. Despite only logging four starts and receiving limited volume in his other games this season, Charbonnet is the RB26 on the season. Charbonnet should have solid running lanes all night long and will continue to be a significant factor in the passing game as well. Charbonnet has been banged up this week with an elbow injury. However, he has been practicing fully and appears to be in good shape to receive a heavy workload in a must-win game for Seattle.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (knee) is not a player you can trust to lead your team to a fantasy championship this week. The Seahawks play the Chicago Bears in Week 17 who are middle-of-the-road against opposing tight ends in fantasy. Fant receives solid target volume in Seattle's offense, but his yardage is often capped, and his touchdown upside is limited. Rookie tight end AJ Barner seems to be the team's preferred tight end target in the red zone. Fant has not scored a touchdown since 2022. Fant has earned at least four targets in seven straight games. However, he has only exceeded 26 yards in three of those games. If their yardage is limited and touchdowns are scarce, then it is difficult to trust a tight end in fantasy football. Leave Fant on waivers this week.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (finger, concussion) did not practice in Wednesday's estimated injury report. Hurts exited Sunday's loss against the Washington Commanders early with a concussion and did not return. The 26-year-old is also dealing with a broken finger. He is in concussion protocol and will need to be cleared by Saturday to have a chance to suit up in Sunday's contest versus the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles are banged up at quarterback as Kenny Pickett (ribs) was also limited Wednesday with a rib injury. Philadelphia did bring in former quarterback Ian Book for a team visit on Wednesday. Hurts will need to be cleared and practice in some fashion in order to be active against Dallas. Fantasy managers will need to monitor Hurts' status for the week but should have a backup plan in case the star quarterback is ruled out for fantasy championship week.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints Chris Olave (concussion) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. Olave was ruled out for Monday's game against the Green Bay Packers and has been sidelined since Week 9 due to a concussion. The 24-year-old was designated to return from injured reserve last week and is trending in the right direction toward playing in Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He will need to be officially activated later this week in order to have a chance to suit up in Week 17. Olave would give the banged-up Saints wide receiver corps a boost after catching 32 passes for 400 yards and a touchdown over eight games. The former first-round pick would be a low-end WR3 this week if active. The Saints were recently shut out, and New Orleans' offense has been downgraded, with Derek Carr (hand) sidelined. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation and hope Olave can return to action for fantasy championship week.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears running back Travis Homer (hamstring) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Homer will miss his second consecutive game after injuring his practice in last Friday's practice, missing the Week 16 game versus the Detroit Lions. The 26-year-old did not practice this week and was eventually ruled out. Homer hasn't had much of a role as Chicago's No. 3 back, with three carries and three catches over his last two games. D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Darrynton Evans will lead Chicago's backfield with Homer sidelined. Swift is the only realistic fantasy option this week, while Johnson is more of a deep-league flier in Week 17.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears. Walker was not able to practice this after injuring his ankle during the Week 16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. With the short turnaround, the Seahawks are deciding to play it safe and rest Walker for Week 17. Zach Charbonnet (elbow) should see the bulk of the carries, while Kenny McIntosh will back him up. Charbonnet has played well in the last two games with Walker was inactive, rushing for 188 yards on 30 attempts and three touchdowns while catching eight of 11 targets for 71 yards. The 23-year-old becomes a must-start against Chicago and a borderline RB1 for fantasy championship week.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs) is questionable to return in Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pacheco injured his ribs during Wednesday's contest and exited in the second half. With just under six minutes to go and a 19-point lead, Pacheco will likely be done for the day. The 25-year-old rushed for 18 yards on six carries and wasn't targeted in the Christmas game. Pacheco has been outplayed by Kareem Hunt recently, but the Chiefs continue to use a backfield by the committee. Hunt should see the majority of touches with Pacheco sidelined. The 29-year-old has already found the end zone and is currently the team's leading rusher with 20 rushing yards. If Pacheco doesn't return on Wednesday, his next chance to return will be the regular season finale against the Denver Broncos.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Nelson Agholor (concussion) is officially inactive for Wednesday's game against the Houston Texans. Agholor was placed in concussion protocol on December 15th and still hasn't been cleared heading into the Christmas game. The 31-year-old will miss his second consecutive game. Agholor has caught 14 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns over 14 games in 2024. Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Tylan Wallace, and Devontez Walker will lead Baltimore's wide receiver crew against Houston. Wallace should see an uptick in targets with Agholor out but is not on the fantasy radar with Flowers active for Wednesday's contest.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (shoulder) is officially active for the Christmas game against the Houston Texans. Flowers was initially listed as questionable, heading into Wednesday's contest after logging a limited practice on Tuesday. The 24-year-old will suit up after dealing with a shoulder injury during the week. Flowers caught five of eight targets for 100 yards in Week 16's 34-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, he has been excellent for the Ravens this season, catching 71 passes for 1,016 yards and four touchdowns over 15 games in 2024. Fantasy managers can safely start Flowers as a low-end WR2 for the fantasy championships. Flowers is the 25th-ranked wideout in the latest RotoBaller rankings and can be started in all leagues.
From RotoBaller
The Seattle Seahawks defense/special teams is a solid streaming option in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears. The Bears' offense has been notoriously bad in the first half of games this season. Additionally, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has been sacked a staggering 60 times this season. He has only turned the ball over ten times, but the constant sacks are a great way for opposing D/STs to rack up fantasy points. The Seahawks have experienced solid defensive success lately. They are causing turnovers and finding ways to get to the quarterback in the backfield. Expect this unit to push for three or more sacks in this game. If they can force a turnover, they will certainly end up with a solid day in fantasy. Additionally, the Bears have only scored more than 20 points once over their past nine games. It is part of the reason why they are on a nine-game losing streak. The Seahawks should be a fine start in Week 17.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith checks in as a QB2 in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears. Smith has a chance to put up solid numbers against a Bears defense that just got torched by Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions. The Bears have not played particularly well over the second half of the season given the turmoil in the organization and the multiple coaching changes. The Seahawks must win on Thursday to keep their playoff hopes alive. The offense should be aggressive both on the ground and through the air as a result. Smith should reach 200 yards passing without issue. The question is whether the touchdowns will flow for him. He has only thrown multiple touchdowns in a game on three occasions this year. That has limited him to the QB2 range despite being third in the league in passing yards. He is a great option for two-quarterback leagues, but he should remain on benches in leagues that only start a single quarterback.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers is a solid option in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears. The Seahawks should be in plenty of great positions to score this week. In Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, Myers missed his first field goal since Week 5. That came on a 60-yard attempt. Myers has been primarily reliable when given the chance. The Seahawks should not have any issues moving the ball against the Bears on Thursday. That should give Myers plenty of chances to kick field goals and extra points. With the Seahawks in desperation mode, they will likely be aggressive on offense. Look for Myers to push for double-digit fantasy points this week. He could be a key piece to your championship lineup.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in another great position to succeed in Week 17. The Seahawks will travel to Chicago to face the Bears this week. The Bears started the season as one of the best passing defenses, but they have faltered lately. This matchup is a lot better than the raw numbers would suggest. JSN has been a target hog for several weeks and that should not change in a must-win game for the Seahawks. Smith-Njigba has racked up 1,089 receiving yards and six touchdowns this season. He has scored 18.3 or more PPR fantasy points in six of his last seven games. He is on a complete tear and should be a valuable addition to championship lineups this week.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has been a difficult fantasy asset to trust lately. In Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, Metcalf scored his first touchdown since Week 7. His target volume has been solid lately, but his production has not flowed. The Seahawks face the Chicago Bears in Week 17. The Bears have not been a scary matchup for opposing passing games in recent weeks. Still, Metcalf is a risky play. His catch rate of 60% is primarily contributing to his poor production. His downfield targets are a high-risk, high-reward. Additionally, the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a true No. 1 wide receiver in the offense is not helping Metcalf's case. The Seahawks are in desperation mode and must win on Thursday to have any chance of advancing to the playoffs. As such, expect them to be aggressive offensively. That could play to Metcalf's advantage. He checks in as a high-end flex play with upside this week.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones (calf) is officially inactive for Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This comes as no surprise, as the Chiefs announced this morning that Jones was not expected to play. The 30-year-old injured his calf during Saturday's win over the Texans and only logged a limited session on Tuesday. Jones has been a defensive force for the Chiefs, racking up 37 tackles, five sacks, and a forced fumble over 15 games in 2024. Jones' next chance to suit up will be the regular season finale against the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs DST without Jones takes a slight hit, but fantasy managers can start Kansas City's defense in most leagues, as they are currently ranked ninth among all DSTs for Week 17.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent S Eddie Jackson (Ravens) was signed to the practice squad of the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday, Dec. 23. RB John Kelly was released to make room for him on the practice squad.
From TheHuddle
Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (ankle) was able to get through a full practice session on Tuesday. Franklin popped up on the injury report to begin the week, but the fact he was a full participant on Tuesday suggests that he'll be fine for the Week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Franklin hauled in two of his three targets for 25 yards during last week's loss. The rookie wideout hasn't finished with more than two receptions in a single game since Week 7. That being said, Franklin won't be an ideal streaming option for Saturday's game against the Bengals.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back JaMycal Hasty (ankle) was a full participant during Tuesday's practice session. This is good news after Hasty was forced to miss last week's loss to the Buffalo Bills due to an ankle injury. The 28-year-old as mainly been used as the third-down back while also operating as the primary kick returner. His status won't make a difference for fantasy purposes, but having Hasty out there would be a benefit to the Pats special teams unit ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (knee) was a full participant during Tuesday's practice session. That is good news after Fant was limited during Monday's walkthrough. It sounds like Fant should be ready to go for Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears. Fant has been dealing with a lingering knee issue for weeks, but has suited up in each of the last four games. Over that span, Fant has 12 receptions for 109 yards, which means he'll be a low-end TE2 for Week 17.
From RotoBaller
