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
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- Week 10 Inactives
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) is doubtful to return against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10. Kincaid exited in the third quarter. Assuming his day is done, Kincaid finishes Sunday's contest with five targets but just two catches and 24 receiving yards. The second-year tight end has been held to single-digit fantasy points in 70 percent of his games this season and will likely fall out of the TE1 tier going forward. Even if he's healthy enough to play next week against the Kansas City Chiefs, fantasy managers can justify benching him.
From RotoBaller
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers believe that left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) suffered an MCL sprain during Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Wirfs had only missed three snaps over the first nine weeks of the season, but it now sounds like he's bracing for an extended absence. The good news is that MCL sprains typically aren't season-ending, and depending on the severity, it's possible that he actually avoids an injured reserve stint. Nevertheless, losing Wirfs for any period of time is far from ideal for Baker Mayfield, Rachaad White, Bucky Irving, and the rest of Tampa Bay's offense. With that said, Tampa Bay should have confidence in its backup left tackle, Justin Skule, temporarily taking over on the end of the offensive line.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers defensive ends Khalil Mack (groin) and Joey Bosa (hip) are officially active for Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans. Both players had been listed as questionable. Mack is suiting up despite missing all three days of practice this week. He hasn't missed a game this season, amassing 26 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery through eight contests. Bosa, meanwhile, was limited in practice all week long. Injuries have held him to reduced snap counts all season long, and he's still looking to return to his Week 1 form. In that season opener, he played 40 percent of the defensive snaps, registering seven tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Perhaps this week's game against subpar quarterback Will Levis will be a great opportunity for Bosa to get back on track.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (ankle) is officially active for Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals. He had been listed as questionable despite practicing in full all week long. Conklin has appeared in all nine games this season, catching a modest 27 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He is 19th in tight-end fantasy points this season and will continue to rank in the TE2 tier on Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut (foot) is officially active for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He had been listed as questionable after logging a limited practice on Friday. Chestnut saw additional opportunities over the last few weeks with Tyjae Spears (hamstring) inactive. However, now that Spears is healthy, Chestnut will return to the No. 3 running back role in Tennessee, keeping him off the fantasy radar in all leagues.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal (coach's decision) and tight end Stone Smartt (ankle) are both inactive for Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans. Vidal had not appeared on the injury report but is evidently the odd man out now that Gus Edwards has rejoined the backfield following an injured reserve stint. Vidal totaled 93 scrimmage yards and one touchdown in his four-game run as J.K. Dobbins' backup. Smartt, meanwhile, had been listed as questionable after logging three consecutive limited practices. He has just two catches this season, remaining a non-factor in fantasy football. In his absence, Tucker Fisk will step up as the Chargers' No. 3 tight end behind Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. He had been listed as questionable but was expected to play after being activated from injured reserve on Saturday. Edwards spent the minimum four games on injured reserve and is now back for his first contest since Week 4. Through the first four weeks of the season, he had mustered just 38 carries for 113 yards (2.97 YPC) in the No. 2 running back role behind J.K. Dobbins. Edwards is an uninspiring handcuff option and will not have any fantasy appeal as long as Dobbins is healthy.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) has been ruled out for the remainder of the game against the San Francisco 49ers. The fifth-year All-Pro has been one the most consistently healthy linemen on the team and an important piece to the pass protection. With Wirfs out against one of the better defensive units, it could mean even more trouble for Baker Mayfield with a thin receiver corps. Justin Skule is the next man up on the depth chart.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (calf, illness) and linebacker Micah Parsons (ankle) are officially active for Week 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Both players had been listed as questionable. Diggs had missed practice on Friday but was widely expected to play this weekend. He has 31 tackles and one interception this season. The 26-year-old will be tasked with slowing down the connection between quarterback Jalen Hurts and his top receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Parsons, meanwhile, is returning to play in his first game since Week 4 against the New York Giants. The star 25-year-old had amassed 14 tackles and one sack through his first four games. His return provides a major boost to Dallas' defense ahead of this week's divisional contest.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (coach's decision) is inactive for Week 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had not appeared on the injury report. However, given that Mingo was acquired from the Carolina Panthers just five days ago, we can assume that he simply needs more time to learn Dallas' system. CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Tolbert will continue to be the top wide receivers in the Cowboys' Cooper Rush-led offense.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins (ankle) is considered questionable to return to their game against the New England Patriots. The fourth-year guard appeared on the injury report leading up to this contest with a knee injury but was cleared to participate until he suffered the ankle injury in the first half. The next left guard on the depth chart is on IR, so they'll have to shuffle around the line who is already struggling to protect Caleb Williams.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) left Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts in the first half due to a knee injury. At the time, he accounted for two receptions for 24 yards on four targets. The team has officially deemed him questionable to return to the game, so they'll likely perform some tests through halftime to see if he can take the field in the second half. Dawson Knox should see an uptick in snaps and targets while Kincaid is sidelined.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson led the team in receiving yards in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, hauling in five catches for 51 yards on eight targets. Robinson averaged a solid 10.2 yards per reception, including a 23-yard catch that showcased he can catch deeper passes. He made a few key first-down catches to keep drives alive, showing his value as a reliable option in the Giants' passing game. While he didn't reach the end zone and finished with 7.6 fantasy points, Robinson's consistent reception totals make him a potential fantasy asset in deeper leagues.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Wanya Morris (knee) has been listed as questionable to return against the Denver Broncos with a knee injury on Sunday. The next left tackle on the depth chart is rookie Kingsley Suamataia, but the offensive line has been pretty suspect so far this week. Morris is an important piece to Patrick Mahomes' protection, so it could be tough sledding against a solid Broncos defense if he can't return.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson continued to build on his momentum in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, catching four passes for 37 yards on six targets. Averaging 9.3 yards per reception with a 13-yard long catch, Johnson showcased his reliable presence in the Giants' offense. Coming off a breakout Week 9 performance that saw him score his first career touchdown, Johnson has emerged as the team's most dependable tight end option. While he didn't reach the end zone this week and finished with only 5.7 fantasy points, his consistent target share and solid yardage suggest a growing role that fantasy managers should keep an eye on as he becomes a go-to option for quarterback Daniel Jones.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. turned in an impressive ground performance in Sunday's 20-17 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, rushing for 103 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. Tracy's dynamic 5.7 yards per carry, including a 32-yard burst, provided a spark for the Giants' offense and kept them competitive throughout. However, his strong outing was marred by a costly fumble on the Giants' opening drive in overtime, which the Panthers recovered and quickly converted into a game-winning field goal. With 14.9 fantasy points, Tracy showed his potential as a lead back, though his late-game miscue underscores the need for ball security.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones had a challenging day in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, completing 22 of 37 passes for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Jones struggled to find a rhythm in the first half, missing multiple open targets and throwing for just 54 yards, including a costly red-zone interception. Despite his rough outing through the air, Jones salvaged some fantasy value with a rushing touchdown and 26 yards on the ground, finishing with 14.2 fantasy points. He took two sacks and averaged only 5.1 yards per attempt, underscoring his difficulties moving the offense. Jones' inconsistency remains a concern for fantasy managers, as turnovers and missed opportunities continue to limit his upside.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann (knee) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Bills. The Colts offense has struggled, with Joe Flacco already throwing two picks in the first half, one which resulted in the Bills defense taking it back for six. In the meantime, Matt Goncalves will presumably take over.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers led the team in receptions during Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, recording six catches for 50 yards on 10 targets. Nabers averaged 8.3 yards per catch, with his longest reception stretching for 19 yards, though he was kept out of the end zone. Quarterback Daniel Jones missed Nabers on a couple of open looks that could have bolstered his fantasy output, leaving him with 7.8 fantasy points on the day. Early in the fourth quarter, Nabers briefly exited the game for a concussion evaluation after a hard fall, but he returned to the field later in the drive. His heavy involvement and target share suggest a continued role as a top option in the Giants' offense moving forward.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers LB Jadeveon Clowney (leg) exited Week 10's game against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter after sustaining an apparent left leg injury.
From TheHuddle
