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
The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan reports that New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was informed on Saturday that he may not play on Sunday in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears as the coaching staff prioritizes playing time for their younger players, according to a source. Bourne had played 78 percent of the team's offensive snaps the last two games, but he was the only receiver not to see the field through the first five offensive drives, and he finished the 19-3 victory with no targets. In last week's overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Bourne had his best game of the season, catching four of six targets for 41 yards. The 29-year-old got a late start to the season due to injury and just hasn't regained any fantasy relevance in an offense that has struggled under both quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) returned to the Week 10 divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys after leaving with a tweaked left ankle early in the first quarter. Slay injured his ankle on the first defensive series of the game and was initially deemed questionable to return to Sunday's game. It's good news for the Eagles defense while going up against an offense that could be without starting quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the rest of the season. With Slay back on the field for the second half, he'll return to trying to keep Cowboys leading receiver CeeDee Lamb in check. Going into this one, the Eagles defense/special teams unit was a popular DFS pick in quarterback Cooper Rush's first start of the 2024 campaign.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-37 passes for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Jones not only missed open receivers, he flat-out failed to even throw to them at times. After the game, the Giants went on record saying they were evaluating the position. With Jones looking this bad against one of the league's worst defenses and the Giants sitting at 2-8, it would be no surprise to see Drew Lock under center here soon. With just eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year, the Jones era in New York is surely coming to an end and the Giants may very well be players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had six catches for 50 yards in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Nabers had a quiet day and that included leaving briefly to be evaluated for a concussion. The Giants are considering a quarterback change and it certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact Nabers has been able to post the numbers he has this season with the offensive struggles the Giants have endured is a modern day miracle. He remains a solid WR1 regardless of who may be under center for the G-Men.
Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 24-of-38 passes for 241 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Darnold was white hot at the beginning of the season but has just three touchdowns and five interceptions the past two weeks. To make things worse, Darnold's interceptions were all deep inside Jags territory and those red zone turnovers were nearly killers for the Vikings. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward as he essentially auditions for other teams this season with JJ McCarthy waiting in the wings.
Dynasty | Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had 44 rushing yards, one catch, and -1 receiving yard in a loss against Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: Tank Bigsby was hurt in the game and that opened up the door for Etienne for more touches. Unfortunately, a Mac Jones-led offense just didn't do much in this one and Etienne couldn't get on track. This has been a tough season for Etienne, who clearly has talent but the Jaguars aren't committing much to him and he's playing on a team that just isn't very good. A lost season isn't a death knell for Etienne, but he's hardly a lineup lock at this point in the season. His dynasty value is continuing it's slow descent as a result.
Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14-of-28 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Wilson isn't putting up vintage yardage totals this year, but it's hard to argue with six touchdowns, one interception, and all three games won at the helm of the Steelers thus far. Wilson was fairly efficient today and while he did make one mistake, it's hard to look at this game and say Justin Fields could make some of the same throws Wilson did. While more a QB2 than a QB1 this year, Wilson looks like he could be in the midst of a comeback season. His dynasty value has stabilized and is starting to tick up this year.
Dynasty | Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams had one catch for 32 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Williams caught just one pass in his Steelers debut, but it was the biggest catch he's made in some time as it sealed a huge win against Washington. Williams will likely be integrated more in the offense moving forward, but this was certainly a good sign. He remains a bit of a roster clogger at the moment, but we'll see if he can build on this performance.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed just 17-of-34 passes for 202 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: Leave it to Mike Tomlin to be the Coach who finally cracks the code and keeps Daniels contained. While this was a disappointing performance, it's hardly an indictment on his fantasy value. He'll remain on the QB1 line moving forward and he's solidified himself as an elite-level dynasty asset already.
Dynasty | 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 39 yards and added six catches for 68 receiving yards in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: McCaffrey didn't score in this one, but he looked as good as ever. While dynasty managers may be a little disappointed in the lack of a touchdown, there's a silver lining here and that's the fact he entered and left the game healthy. Expect McCaffrey's workload to increase as the weeks move forward, but he should be an elite-level player the rest of the way. His dynasty value will likely never see top-five value again based on his age, but he's still a weapon like no other.
Dynasty | Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving had 73 rushing yards and a touchdown in a loss against San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: Irving continues to post solid numbers whenever he sees an opportunity. The only problem here is the fact his 16 touches on the day matched those of Rachaad White. It may take an injury for Irving to truly emerge, but he's clearly one of the most promising rookies in this year's class. His dynasty arrow continues to point up.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson led the offense with 20 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns, adding three catches for 28 yards as well, but his team still fell to the Saints 20-17 on Sunday afternoon. Robinson was nearly not afforded the opportunity for his first score, as the Falcons decided to hand the ball off to Tyler Allgeier three straight times from the 1-yard line, only to be stuffed on all three tries. However, Atlanta went for it on 4th-and-1, with Robinson cashing it in for a TD. It was the fifth consecutive contest in which the 22-year-old went over 100 total yards rushing and receiving and seventh straight that he's caught at least three passes, making him even more valuable in PPR formats. The former first-round draft pick now has six rushing TDs on the season along with a receiving TD as well. The Falcons may lean more on the ground game again in Week 11 against a tough Broncos pass defense and Robinson will once again be locked in as an RB1.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver caught 4-of-6 targets for 52 yards in the team's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. The 27-year-old now has back-to-back weeks with at least four receptions and 50 yards, ironically the first two contests for which teammate T.J. Hockenson has been active. Oliver's yardage total was second on the team to his fellow tight end (who was superb in his own right with an 8/72 line), and the six targets were good enough for the same mark. Whether this kind of usage is prescriptive moving forward remains to be seen, but Jacksonville did an excellent job clamping down on the Vikings' wideouts in this one. Minnesota will get another tough test in Week 11 when they line up against the Tennessee Titans.
From RotoBaller
According to Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, quarterback Joe Flacco will remain under center "until he says otherwise." With Anthony Richardson benched, Flacco threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns off 26-for-35 passing in Sunday's loss to Buffalo. However, he also tossed three interceptions, with one resulting in a pick-six. With that in mind, the signal-caller hasn't been terrible in his starts this season, so he should continue to have sporadic value in multi-QB fantasy setups moving ahead as long as he remains starting, including against the Jets in Week 11, even more so if Michael Pittman Jr. (back) can suit up after missing Sunday's contest.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys. The 33-year-old entered Week 10 with 27 tackles, one forced fumble, and five passes defensed. But after missing the Week 9 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars because of a groin injury, he lasted just three plays in this one before going down with an ankle injury. If he doesn't return, he'll finish without making any statistical contributions on the defensive end. Isaiah Rodgers could see more time on the field if Slay can't make it back.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 15-of-25 passes for 126 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: He added 30 rushing yards. Young has looked far from dynamic recently but he's also not looking like a complete bust, either. At this point, Carolina is likely going to give him the rest of the season to prove he can be counted on and he's been doing much better of late. Young made some difficult throws today and managed the game well, even having a second touchdown pass wiped off due to a penalty. His dynasty value has been crushed, but he's still roster worthy at the moment.
Dynasty | Giants running back Tyrone Tracy had 103 rushing yards and a touchdown, but also a costly fumble in a loss to Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Tracy put up another solid day of running, including a 32-yard touchdown scamper in the second half. Unfortunately, he coughed the ball up deep in Giants territory in overtime and that set up the Panthers for the game winner. He was visibly upset on the sidelines and it marred an otherwise solid performance. Tracy has supplanted Devin Singletary as the starter and that shouldn't change. His dynasty value is still pointing up, despite the miscue.
Dynasty | Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard had 153 rushing yards, four catches, and 16 receiving yards in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: Hubbard isn't going away, folks. The Panthers rewarded him with a solid contract extension and while Jonathon Brooks is waiting in the wings, Hubbard is still going to likely operate as the primary running back or "1A" in the offense when Brooks makes his debut. This has the makings of an ugly timeshare at some point, but Hubbard has been borderline amazing this season and the Panthers are going to keep riding him moving forward. He looks like a relative bargain at this point in dynasty leagues.
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson reeled in 8-of-9 targets for 72 yards in Sunday's 12-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was anticipated that his usage would begin to tick up as he got further out from his knee injury, but the former Iowa Hawkeye pulled out an excellent performance in just his second game back from the IR. Hockenson's reception and yardage total both led the team, while his nine targets tied wide receiver Justin Jefferson for the most on the squad. The only thing missing from his line was a touchdown. Fellow tight end Josh Oliver was still decently involved (4/52), but this performance from the 27-year-old should put any feelings of unease about his workload moving forward to rest. The Vikings will hit the road in Week 11 to take on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 308 yards on 23 of 38 passing, but failed to throw any touchdowns and tossed one interception in the 20-17 loss to the undermanned Saints. Bijan Robinson recorded both of the Falcon touchdowns on the ground, with many drives stalling and leading to four field goal attempts for kicker Younghoe Koo, only one of which he converted. There have been just two games this season in which Cousins was held without at least one TD pass, and both have come against the Saints. Now averaging 263 yards passing per game through the first ten weeks with a 17:8 TD:INT, the 36-year-old will look to get back on track next week, although it won't come easy against a strong Broncos pass defense. Look for him to be in the QB2 range in Week 11.
From RotoBaller