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FFL: Week 5 | NFL: Week 5

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
Demarcus Robinson Oct 4 9:20am ET
Demarcus Robinson

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (hip) has been dealing with a hip issue which caused him to be a limited participant at practice on Wednesday. The good news, for the injury-riddled Rams, is that he was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday and he's trending in the right direction. With Cooper Kupp (ankle) still not practicing, Robinson is in line for added opportunities alongside Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington. In the Week 4 matchup against the Chicago Bears, Robinson finished with three targets, two receptions, and 37 yards. The matchup against the Green Bay Packers presents a better situation this time around though.

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Bucky Irving Oct 4 9:20am ET
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving wasn't able to capitalize on the field during Thursday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie back rushed nine times for 44 yards while adding two receptions for 12 yards in the receiving game. This marked the first time this season that Irving has been outrushed by fellow back Rachaad White. Irving also lost a critical fumble late in the game. It's unclear if this lackluster performance is going to hurt his stock going forward, but he should still remain in a committee with White. That being said, Irving is worth stashing, but won't have a ton of starting appeal for the Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

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Rachaad White Oct 4 9:10am ET
Rachaad White

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White put together his best performance of the season on the ground during Thursday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. White rushed the ball 10 times for 72 yards in what ended up being an overtime loss to Tampa Bay. It's worth noting that 56 of the yards came on one play, so White struggled throughout most of this game. Fellow back Bucky Irving didn't do a whole lot better with a fumble and getting stood up at the goal line. It remains clear that the Bucs are going to use a committee approach at running back. That being said, White will likely only have flex appeal for the Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Oct 4 9:00am ET
Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was more efficient on the ground this week but was unable to turn it into a big fantasy outing as the team grabbed a hard-fought win in overtime over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Robinson finished the game with 61 yards on 12 carries while hauling in all three of his targets for 16 yards. The 5.1 yards per carry is a great stat to see, but with one less reception in this game and no touchdowns, he was unable to bounce back from a lackluster week against the New Orleans Saints. Tyler Allgeier was a bit more involved in this contest as he received nine total touches, but the story of this game was the passing game as Kirk Cousins threw the ball 58 times for 509 yards. Robinson's next chance to find the end zone will be against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6.

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Jonathan Taylor Oct 4 8:50am ET
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) has not practiced at all yet this week as he's dealing with what everyone is calling a "mild high-ankle sprain." The star back injured his ankle against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 4 matchup, and Ian Rapoport believes that he's "likely to miss some time" moving forward. He noted that Taylor suiting up for their Week 5 game would be a big surprise. His status past this week will be something to monitor, especially since they don't have a bye week for added rest until Week 14. Trey Sermon is the next man up with Tyler Goodson ready to take some snaps in relief.

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Ray-Ray McCloud Oct 4 3:03am ET
Ray-Ray McCloud

Atlanta Falcons WR Ray-Ray McCloud had six catches (on nine targets) for 66 yards versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Fantasy Spin: When you pass the ball 59 times, a lot of guys are gonna see action. That included McCloud, who has now been targeted five times or more in four of Atlanta's five games. He looks to be filling the WR3 slot behind Drake London and Darnell Mooney, but the veteran doesn't offer much to fantasy owners with his 66 yards tonight representing a new career high.

From TheHuddle

Kirk Cousins Oct 4 1:53am ET
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins connected on 42 of his 58 passes for a franchise-record 509 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception during an overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, Oct. 3. Cousins was sacked four times.

Fantasy Spin: Uneven for most of the first four games, Cousins morphed into Kirko Chainz on Thursday night, lighting up an injury-depleted Buccaneers secondary for 509 yards, which included a game-tying drive in the final seconds and a game-winning drive on the first possession of overtime. Obviously, this was a once-in-a-lifetime type performance from Cousins, but just go back to his days in Minnesota to remind yourself that he'll have weeks where he tops 300 yards with multiple TDs. He remains a nice QB2 for fantasy owners, though anyone that had him active tonight most definitely LIKED THAT!

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Chris Godwin Oct 4 1:33am ET
Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin had five receptions for 64 yards versus the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Oct. 3. He was targeted seven times.

Fantasy Spin: After a red-hot start, Godwin has gone back-to-back weeks with less than 70 yards and no touchdowns. He hasn't had a truly bad game, yet, but it feels like he's settling into more of that WR3 spot he's typically filled over the years for fantasy owners. Godwin had two of his better games of last season against the Saints (8-114-0 in Week 4, 3-81-1 in Week 17), so make sure he's in your lineup when those clubs renew acquaintances in Week 6.

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Mike Evans Oct 4 1:13am ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans caught five passes (on seven targets) for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns versus the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Oct. 3. They were the 99th and 100th touchdowns of Evans' 11-year career.

Fantasy Spin: While he still hasn't hit the 100-yard mark this season -- in fact, he's finished with less than 65 yards in all but one game -- Evans continues to demand a spot in your lineup by pushing his touchdown total on the year to five. On deck is the renewal of his legendary rivalry with Marshon Lattimore. Get your popcorn ready.

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Darnell Mooney Oct 4 1:00am ET
Darnell Mooney

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney caught nine of 16 targets for 105 yards and two touchdowns during Thursday's overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was Kirk Cousins' most-targeted teammate as the quarterback attempted 58 passes for a franchise-record 509 yards through the air. Mooney delivered one of the best fantasy performances of his career, and he would've added even more points had he been able to catch a fourth-quarter pass that ultimately went through his hands and hit his chest. The 26-year-old seems to be enjoying a resurgence after leaving the Chicago Bears in free agency. Over his last four contests as a Falcon, Mooney is averaging 18.4 fantasy points per game. He ranks as an appealing WR3/FLEX for Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers.

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Kyle Pitts Oct 4 1:00am ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts converted eight targets into seven catches for 88 yards during Thursday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The young tight end still hasn't blossomed into a consistent fantasy option, but his productive showing in Week 5 was a step in the right direction. Of course, it was aided by a historic performance by Kirk Cousins, who attempted a whopping 58 passes and tallied a franchise-record 509 yards through the air. This type of yardage likely isn't sustainable for Cousins, but it's possible that his rapport with Pitts will hold strong moving forward. He remains a mid-to-low fantasy TE1 for Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Drake London Oct 4 12:50am ET
Drake London

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver caught 12 of 13 targets for 154 yards and one touchdown during Thursday's overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. London was one of the main benefactors as quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards in Week 5. He's now averaging 20.5 fantasy points (PPR) per game over the last four weeks, vaulting him into the high-end WR2 territory with WR1 upside. The 23-year-old can finally be trusted in fantasy lineups week after week. He's a must-start option heading into Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers.

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Dee Alford Oct 4 12:40am ET
Dee Alford

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (head) was diagnosed with a concussion on Thursday night and did not return. He finished the Falcons' Week 5 game against the Buccaneers with three tackles, bringing his season total up to 28. Typically, players who enter concussion protocol miss at least one game. However, since the Falcons have 10 full days until their next contest, there's still a slight chance we could see Alford suit up for Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers. On the other hand, if he can't play, Antonio Hamilton would earn more snaps in the secondary.

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Baker Mayfield Oct 4 12:33am ET
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield completed 19 of 24 passes for 180 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions in a Week 5 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He added 42 yards on six carries.

Fantasy Spin: It was a tale of two halves for Mayfield, who did most of his damage before halftime with the Bucs scoring 24 points. In the second half, he did little, and the offense bogged down, resulting in Tampa Bay falling short at the end. The veteran continues to function on the edge of QB1 territory, accounting for three or more total TDs in three of five games this year but finishing with less than 200 yards passing three times as well. He averaged 278 yards, 2.5 TDs, and 1.5 INTs per game in two meetings with New Orleans in 2023. That should make him a viable starting option for Week 6.

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Kirk Cousins Oct 4 12:20am ET
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 42 of 58 passes for 509 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception during Thursday's overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cousins was truly dominant, setting a single-game franchise record for passing yards while leading his team to a come-from-behind victory. The veteran quarterback seems to have adapted quite well ever since a shaky Week 1 showing at home. It was a historic fantasy performance for Cousins, and while we can't count on him to throw for 509 yards and four touchdowns every week, he certainly inspired much-needed confidence in managers. Equally important was his impact on Atlanta's pass-catchers. Drake London had one of the best games of his career, catching 12 of 13 targets for a whopping 154 yards and one touchdown. Kyle Pitts found his groove with seven catches for 88 yards. Darnell Mooney turned 16 targets into nine catches, 105 yards, and two touchdowns, and he would've likely scored a third had he not dropped a pass that hit him in the chest in the final quarter. The Falcons' offense is trending upward with one quarterback, two running backs, three receivers, and a tight end all on the fantasy radar heading into Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers.

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Rasheen Ali Oct 3 11:00pm ET
Rasheen Ali

Baltimore Ravens rookie running back Rasheen Ali (neck) was set to return to practice on Thursday, which opened his 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve. The fifth-round selection made the 53-man roster out of training camp but was moved to IR due to a neck injury in Week 1. Ali wasn't exactly wowing the coaches in training camp in August with his play, so we wouldn't be surprised if the Ravens took the whole 21 days to evaluate him in practices before adding him to the active roster as RB depth behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. The Marshall product also dealt with some injuries in college and primarily relies on speed in open space. Unless Henry or Hill miss time with an injury later in the year, Ali is probably going to primarily one to stash in dynasty/keeper formats.

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Jordan Whitehead Oct 3 10:53pm ET
Jordan Whitehead

Tampa Bay Buccaneers SS Jordan Whitehead (groin) is questionable to return to the Week 5 game against the Atlanta Falcons after exiting with a groin injury.

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Tyler Badie Oct 3 10:40pm ET
Tyler Badie

Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) missed practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday, and head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that could "possibly" be a candidate to go on Injured Reserve, which would cost him at least four games. Badie injured his back in the Week 4 win over the New York Jets and was carted off the field. The 24-year-old will almost certainly miss the Week 5 game against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, with the Broncos likely officially ruling him out on Friday. Badie had nine carries for 70 yards in the Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and might have been in line for a bigger workload before his back injury. For now with Badie likely out for multiple weeks, Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin should have safer roles as the 1A and 1B in Denver's low-scoring offense. Badie should stay on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Kendrick Bourne Oct 3 10:30pm ET
Kendrick Bourne

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Receiver K.J. Osborn (shoulder) missed his second straight day of practice. Bourne, who is still on the Physically Unable to Perform list, said he "feels good" and that his knee has responded well to being back at practice this week. The Patriots aren't rushing the 29-year-old pass-catcher back, so it feels unlikely that he'll be activated from the PUP list in time to make his 2024 debut this Sunday in the divisional contest versus the Miami Dolphins. When Bourne does return, he'll be battling for targets with Demario Douglas and rookie Ja'Lynn Polk mostly in a pretty punchless offense led by veteran QB Jacoby Brissett. Bourne's best year came in 2021, when he had a 55-800-5 line in 17 games. He's currently rostered in just 1% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

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Ricky Pearsall Oct 3 10:30pm ET
Ricky Pearsall

The San Francisco 49ers are not opening the practice window for rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (chest) this week, but it won't be long until they do. "I know he is really close," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. "When he's good to go, we'll be pumped to have him back. Ricky is a hell of a player." Pearsall missed a bunch of valuable time in training camp due to a recurring hamstring issue and was then shot in the chest during a burglary right before the start of his rookie season. The 24-year-old remains on the Non-Football Injury list. The good news is it sounds as though he's close to getting on the practice field to work his way back. However, Pearsall has a lot of ground to cover and might need the full 21-day window before the Niners decide to put him on the active roster. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues probably shouldn't expect much, if anything, in 2024. Pearsall is currently rostered in only 8% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller