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FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

QB Strength of Schedule

Thu May 23 11:12am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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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Player Notes
Evan Hull Oct 12 1:30pm ET
Evan Hull

The Indianapolis Colts signed running back Evan Hull from the practice squad to the 53-man active roster on Saturday with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) missing his second straight game due to a high-ankle sprain this Sunday against the division-rival Tennessee Titans. The Colts need extra RB depth this weekend behind Trey Sermon, who will be starting for the second straight week, and Tyler Goodson. The 23-year-old was on the active roster last week as well in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars but didn't play a single offensive snap. The former fifth-round selection in 2023 out of Northwestern played in just one game in his rookie campaign and had one carry for one yard and caught his only target for a gain of six yards. Hull remains well off the fantasy radar and may only play if one of Sermon or Goodson get injured on Sunday against the Titans.

From RotoBaller

Kayvon Thibodeaux Oct 12 1:30pm ET
Kayvon Thibodeaux

The New York Giants will place linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) on Injured Reserve on Saturday, according to source. Thibodeaux broke the scaphoid bone in his wrist in last week's win over the Seattle Seahawks and will now miss at least the next four games. A source said Thibodeaux has a four- to six-week timeline. If he only misses the required four games, Thibodeaux could return for a Week 10 date against the Carolina Panthers. But with the Giants having their bye in Week 11, there's a better chance that we don't see him again until Week 12 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 23-year-old had surgery on his wrist on Wednesday. The former fifth overall pick in 2022 out of Oregon had only 12 tackles (eight solo), two sacks, three tackles for loss and seven QB hits in five games into his third NFL season before getting injured. Azeez Ojulari and Patrick Johnson will be expected to step up with bigger workloads with Thibodeaux out for the G-Men.

From RotoBaller

Cordarrelle Patterson Oct 12 1:20pm ET
Cordarrelle Patterson

Pittsburgh Steelers running back/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) missed practice all week and was ruled out for the Week 6 contest this Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Patterson hurt his ankle in the Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and missed the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 33-year-old hasn't practiced in the last two weeks, so he could be in danger of missing another game in Week 7 against the New York Jets. His absence will be felt more for Pittsburgh on special teams than it will on offense, and the backfield will be getting a boost with Jaylen Warren (knee) returning after sitting out last week. Patterson, a four-time Pro Bowl kick returner, has seen only 16 carries in four games this season in his first year in Pittsburgh for 92 rushing yards, also catching five passes for 34 yards. He belongs on the waiver wire in most fantasy formats.

From RotoBaller

James Cook Oct 12 1:10pm ET
James Cook

Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl running back James Cook (toe) will practice on Saturday despite his toe injury and plans to play on Monday night against the division-rival New York Jets in Week 6, according to his agency LAA. Head coach Sean McDermott said that Cook will be listed as questionable on the final injury report. As long as the 25-year-old doesn't suffer a setback at practice on Saturday, it's looking like fantasy managers will be able to keep him in their starting lineups. Cook didn't practice on Thursday and Friday and was looking more likely to miss the Week 6 contest before this news. It's good news that he's expected to play, but fantasy managers should expect more bust potential from Cook this week, as both Ty Johnson and rookie Ray Davis could spell him more often, and the matchup against a tough Jets defense doesn't help matters.

From RotoBaller

Khalil Shakir Oct 12 1:10pm ET
Khalil Shakir

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) will be listed as questionable for the Week 6 divisional showdown on Monday night against the New York Jets. Shakir was unable to practice on Thursday and Friday, so he's apparently going to return to the practice field on Saturday in order to give himself a shot at suiting up in primetime on Monday. The 24-year-old pass-catcher injured his ankle in the Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and sat out of the Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans. It's good news that he's made some progress, but he's firmly in danger of missing his second straight game and is an extremely volatile fantasy option this weekend with Buffalo's game being on Monday night. If Shakir misses another game, rookie Keon Coleman, Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel will be more involved in the passing game, as well as tight end Dalton Kincaid against a stout Jets defense.

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Younghoe Koo Oct 12 11:20am ET
Younghoe Koo

Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo ranks near the top in fantasy points at the position so far in 2024, with his last seven makes coming from 40 yards or more. The Atlanta offense really got rolling last week and gets another favorable matchup in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have been terrible against both the pass and run, so the Falcons should have no problem moving the ball down the field which should provide Koo with plenty of opportunity. The drawback perhaps is that Carolina has been too forgiving, which could lead to touchdowns and only extra points for the 30-year-old kicker, but with one of the higher projected totals on the board (46.5) and beautiful weather conditions projected in Charlotte, this game sets up nicely for the seven-year veteran.

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Tyler Allgeier Oct 12 11:00am ET
Tyler Allgeier

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier has yet to accumulate double-digit rush attempts in a game this season, but with Bijan Robinson popping up on Thursday's injury report with a hamstring injury, perhaps this is the week he helps spell Robinson a few extra snaps. The Falcons will square off with the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, a defense that has yielded a league-worst nine touchdowns on the ground through five weeks. In addition to Robinson's injury, albeit minor, Atlanta is favored by six points in this contest, so if the Falcons are playing with a lead late in the game, Allgeier could stand to benefit. The 24-year-old has shown in the past that he's a capable back, and with 5.4 yards per rush on average this season it shows he still is, but while he's a strong handcuff for Robinson managers, without more opportunities the BYU product is merely a low-end FLEX play this week.

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Mike Williams Oct 12 10:10am ET
Mike Williams

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams had been trending up in recent weeks but he took a step back in Week 5, catching just two balls for 25 yards in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He will look to bounce back at home against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game. It isn't a great matchup for Williams, however, as the Bills are allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers this year. Williams could benefit from the extra defensive attention paid to Garrett Wilson and, to a lesser extent, Allen Lazard, but he is still not a strong fantasy option heading into Week 6. Treat him as a WR5 this weekend.

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Ray-Ray McCloud Oct 12 10:10am ET
Ray-Ray McCloud

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III corralled six passes for the second consecutive game in last week's clash with Tampa Bay, and in Week 6 he's gifted the Carolina defense that has allowed a league-high 11 scores through the air. McCloud is Atlanta's No. 3 wideout and registers just a 7.5 aDOT but has managed to turn his looks into 229 yards receiving, which is more than higher-rostered players like Courtland Sutton (224) and Amari Cooper (208). The 27-year-old has yet to find the endzone, which limits his production, but he is also somewhat involved in the run game (two rushes for 23 yards), and the Panthers are charitable on the ground as well. The Clemson product can also provide points in the kick return game for leagues that reward those stats. The five-foot-nine receiver should be viewed as a FLEX option this week with WR3 upside, especially in PPR formats.

From RotoBaller

Greg Zuerlein Oct 12 10:10am ET
Greg Zuerlein

New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein has made six of his eight field-goal attempts in 2024, working out to an average of just 1.6 attempts per game. He will look for more work heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. The Bills have been tough on kickers this season, allowing just the 26th-most fantasy points per game to the position through five games. Zuerlein isn't seeing enough volume to be trusted as a top-15 fantasy option heading into Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Allen Lazard Oct 12 10:00am ET
Allen Lazard

New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard has been a pleasant surprise in 2024, catching 20 balls for 240 yards and four touchdowns over five games. He will look to keep it going against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game. The Bills may cool him off, however, as their secondary is allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to receivers this season. This downgrades the entire New York passing attack for Week 6, leaving Lazard as a boom/bust flex option heading into Monday night.

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Luke Musgrave Oct 12 9:50am ET
Luke Musgrave

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (ankle) was placed on the injured reserve according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. As a result, Musgrave will be sidelined for at least the next four games due to an ankle injury. The 24-year-old has had a slow start to the campaign catching only five passes across the first four weeks with just 22 yards. Fantasy managers should expect 23-year-old Tucker Kraft to see the majority of opportunities at the position going forward. Kraft has enjoyed a nice breakout campaign and has caught ten passes for 141 yards and three scores over the past two weeks. Kraft remains a TE1 going forward and has a favorable matchup this weekend against a week Arizona secondary.

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Trey Palmer Oct 12 9:40am ET
Trey Palmer

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer (concussion) will miss his second straight game this weekend due to a concussion. The sophomore wideout was unable to participate in any team practices this week and will now set his sights on returning in Week 7. After catching only one pass through the first three weeks of the season, Palmer enjoyed a nice bounce-back performance in Week 4 when he caught three passes for 26 yards and a score. Fantasy managers should expect rookie wideout Jalen McMillan (hamstring) to serve as the No.3 option this weekend if he is able to suit up. If not, veteran Sterling Shepard will take that role and could be worth a look as a high-risk option in DFS as he found the end zone last week.

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Braelon Allen Oct 12 9:40am ET
Braelon Allen

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen has been quiet over the past two games, rushing for 47 scoreless yards while catching just two passes. It isn't just Allen as Breece Hall has also struggled to find room to run over that same span. The Jets and Allen will look to change that in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo can be beaten on the ground as they are allowing the 15th-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season. That is in stark contrast to their lockdown pass defense, which is allows the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to receivers. The Jets could lean heavily on their running backs in Week 6, giving Allen a good shot at seeing double-digit touches for the first time since Week 3. That places him on the map as a solid flex option heading into Monday night.

From RotoBaller

Curtis Samuel Oct 12 9:30am ET
Curtis Samuel

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (toe) remained a limited participant in Friday's practice. Samuel was limited during Thursday's initial session with a toe injury. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during Saturday's practice as it should provide clarity on his availability for Monday's game. However, seeing him participate in a limited capacity earlier in the week is a promising sign that he might be able to suit up. No.1 wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) and No.1 running back James Cook (toe) have not participated in a practice session this week which could open the door for Samuel to see more opportunities. If Samuel sees an increase in playing time due to the other injuries, he could be worth a look as a flex option in deeper formats on Monday evening.

From RotoBaller

Garrett Wilson Oct 12 9:30am ET
Garrett Wilson

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson turned in his best game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, catching 13 of his 23 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. He will look for another big performance in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo's secondary should provide more resistance for Wilson than Minnesota's as they have been tough against wide receivers, allowing the 26th-most fantasy points per game to the position. Tough matchup aside, Wilson reinforced last week that he is still the top target in New York despite Aaron Rodgers' strong rapport with Allen Lazard. Fantasy gamers should temper expectations for the entire Jets passing game in Week 6 but Wilson can still be started as a mid-range WR2.

From RotoBaller

Chauncey Golston Oct 12 9:20am ET
Chauncey Golston

Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) will not suit up this weekend when the Cowboys face the Detroit Lions. Parsons suffered a high-ankle sprain in their Week 4 victory over the New York Giants and will now miss his second consecutive game. Fantasy managers in IDP leagues should continue to monitor his status as the star edge rusher could be eligible to return in Week 8 as the Cowboys are off on a bye in Week 7. This weekend, DeMarvion Overshown and Erik Kendricks should see most of the linebacker snaps while Chauncey Golston and Tyrus Wheat will be deployed on the line. With both DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and Parsons not playing, the Detroit offense should have much easier time moving down the field.

From RotoBaller

Breece Hall Oct 12 9:20am ET
Breece Hall

New York Jets running back Breece Hall has struggled greatly over the past two weeks, rushing for just 27 yards on 19 carries over that span. He will look to turn things around against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game. The Bills have been average against running backs this season, allowing the 15th-most fantasy points per game to the position through five games. Buffalo is also very tough against the pass, which could lead to a more run-heavy game plan for the Jets heading into Monday night. Hall hasn't been great for fantasy of late but he's still an explosive player who does plenty of damage in the passing game. That keeps him in the conversation as a low-end RB1 in fantasy in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Matt Prater Oct 12 9:10am ET
Matt Prater

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Prater was kept sidelined during last weekend's game with a knee injury. However, he was able to log three consecutive limited practice sessions this week which is a promising sign for his status as he was only able to log one heading into Week 5. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status ahead of kickoff. If Prater is able to suit he should be started in all formats given his offensive situation. If Prater is unable to play, Chad Ryland will likely be activated from the practice squad and is a worth a look as a deep league streamer.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Oct 12 9:00am ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (knee) has been upgraded from his questionable status and no longer carries an injury designation for Sunday's game. Warren was dealing with a knee injury and had to miss the past two games. Warren was able to log three consecutive limited sessions during this week's practice and will now make his return on Sunday afternoon. The 25-year-old is coming off a career year where he ran for 784 yards and added 370 yards through the air with four total scores. Even though the 25-year-old has battled injuries this season, he remains a high-upside flex option in PPR formats given his skills as a pass catcher.

From RotoBaller