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FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

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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Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 7

Player Notes
Rhamondre Stevenson Oct 16 2:20pm ET
Rhamondre Stevenson

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) is not practicing on Wednesday ahead of the Week 7 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. The fourth-year pro missed last week's contest with a football injury, and his status for Sunday's contest appears to be in doubt. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but if he cannot go, Antonio Gibson will draw another start. In Week 6 against the Houston Texans, Gibson only produced 19 rushing yards on 13 attempts and 24 receiving yards on three receptions (four targets). However, the Jaguars present a much friendlier matchup for running backs, so Gibson could bounce back if he's in the RB1 role once again.

From RotoBaller

Jonathon Brooks Oct 16 2:10pm ET
Jonathon Brooks

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is practicing for the first time this season following the team opening his practice window earlier this week. The Texas product has missed the first six games of his rookie season following an ACL tear in November of last year, but he is trending toward making his NFL debut soon. Brooks was selected as the first running back off the board in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft after his final collegiate season which saw him post over 1,400 yards from scrimmage in just 10 games. He should be expected to be involved in Carolina's offense when he is activated to the gameday roster, but there is speculation that he could have to wait until Week 8 or 9 to play in his first game at the NFL level. Fantasy managers with Brooks stashed should monitor his status, but it would be surprising if he plays against the Commanders in Week 7. For now, Chuba Hubbard remains a strong starting option in fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Oct 16 2:00pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said that quarterback Aaron Rodgers (ankle) will play in Week 7 on Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he won't take part in the team's walkthrough practice on Wednesday. Rodgers suffered a low-ankle sprain in the Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London but didn't miss any time and played in the Monday night loss to the division-rival Buffalo Bills, throwing for a season-high 294 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The matchup on the road against the Steelers defense isn't a great one, but Rodgers will be reuniting with All-Pro receiver Davante Adams after the Jets acquired him from the Raiders this week. It certainly raises Rodgers' fantasy ceiling the rest of the way, but fantasy managers will want to temper expectations this week for Rodgers as a low-end QB2.

From RotoBaller

Tyjae Spears Oct 16 1:40pm ET
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said that running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring) will not practice on Wednesday, and he's considered week-to-week after getting hurt in the Week 6 loss to the division-rival Indianapolis Colts. The Titans aren't officially ruling Spears out for their Week 7 contest this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, but it doesn't look good for the 23-year-old. He will need to return to practice on either Thursday or Friday to give himself a chance to play. Spears' injury is good news for Tony Pollard's fantasy value moving forward after he has basically served as the team's lead back through the first six weeks of the season. If Spears is unable to go this weekend, expect Julius Chestnut to have a bigger role. However, Chestnut only saw one carry after Spears' injury last Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Davante Adams Oct 16 1:30pm ET
Davante Adams

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) will be a full-go in his first practice with the Jets for their walkthrough on Wednesday. Adams missed the last three weeks with the Las Vegas Raiders due to a phantom hamstring injury as he sought a way out of town and to the Jets so that he could reunite with his buddy Aaron Rodgers. Now that the trade has gone through, the 31-year-old veteran is no longer injured and expects to make his Jets debut on Sunday night versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. In three games with the Raiders to begin the year, he caught 18 of his 27 targets for 209 yards and one touchdown. Adams must learn the Jets' offense quickly, but fantasy managers should be comforted by the fact that he should see steady targets from Rodgers. He's a must-start in fantasy when he's active.

From RotoBaller

Devon Achane Oct 16 1:30pm ET
Devon Achane

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that running back De'Von Achane (concussion) is progressing through the league's concussion protocol "with all things positive." "We feel good where he's at," McDaniel said. During practice on Monday, Achane was seen on the field wearing a non-contact jersey. Things are looking up for the 23-year-old coming out of the bye week, but he's still up in the air to play in Week 7 versus the Indianapolis Colts and must receive clearance from an independent neurologist later in the week in order to play. For now, fantasy managers should consider him questionable to play. If Achane doesn't gain clearance to play on Sunday, expect the Dolphins to roll with some sort of timeshare with Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright against the Colts.

From RotoBaller

Trey Sermon Oct 16 1:20pm ET
Trey Sermon

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Wednesday that running back Trey Sermon (knee) is dealing with a knee injury. This is a concern for the Colts with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) missing the last two games due to a high-ankle sprain. It's unclear exactly how serious Sermon's knee injury is, but we should know more based on his practice status on Wednesday. If the 25-year-old is unable to play in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins and Taylor misses a third straight game, Tyler Goodson and Evan Hull would be in line to split the backfield work this Sunday. The Colts added Salvon Ahmed to their practice squad as extra RB depth. Sermon was very inefficient in the Week 6 win over the Titans, carrying the ball a season-high 18 times for just 29 yards. His time as an RB3/flex streamer will come to an end as soon as Taylor returns.

From RotoBaller

Salvon Ahmed Oct 16 1:20pm ET
Salvon Ahmed

The Indianapolis Colts signed free-agent running back Salvon Ahmed to their practice squad on Wednesday with both Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Trey Sermon (knee) dealing with injuries. Taylor has missed the last two weeks with a high-ankle sprain, while Sermon apparently banged his knee up in the Week 6 win over the division-rival Tennessee Titans. For now, Ahmed will give the Colts extra depth at the position behind Tyler Goodson and Evan Hull. Ahmed has 163 career carries with five touchdowns and 3.6 yards per carry in his four years in the NFL, all with the Miami Dolphins, the Colts' Week 7 opponent. Last year in Miami, he had 22 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown and caught 16 of his 23 targets for 88 yards and another touchdown. Ahmed remains off the fantasy radar for now.

From RotoBaller

Terrace Marshall Jr. Oct 16 1:10pm ET
Terrace Marshall Jr.

The San Francisco 49ers have released fourth-year wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. from their practice squad. Marshall Jr. failed to be activated to the 53-man roster despite the injuries at the position. He is a former second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers who has struggled to find his footing since his rookie contract expired. In his career, he has recorded 64 catches for 767 yards and one touchdown. This release does not impact the 49ers' passing game, as they appear to be fully healthy again. Marshall Jr. will look to land on another team looking for wide receiver help, but the former Carolina Panther is mainly a stash in deep dynasty formats for now.

From RotoBaller

Aidan Hutchinson Oct 16 1:10pm ET
Aidan Hutchinson

The Detroit Lions have officially placed defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (leg) on injured reserve Wednesday. Hutchinson suffered a gruesome leg injury in the Week 6 win over the Cowboys. The official diagnosis is a fractured tibia and fibula, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Up to this point, Hutchinson led the NFL in sacks with 7.5, and his absence will be a huge loss for the Lions' pass rush. He is expected to make a full recovery and could potentially return at some point during the 2025 season.

From RotoBaller

Anthony Richardson Oct 16 1:10pm ET
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) should be a full participant in practice on Wednesday. Richardson injured his oblique in the Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and has missed the last two games as a result. The 22-year-old second-year signal-caller was close to returning this past Sunday, but the Colts held him out as a precaution in the Week 6 win over the division-rival Tennessee Titans. Veteran Joe Flacco has looked much better under center the last two weeks, but the Colts are adamant that Richardson remains their starter moving forward, and he's expected to start this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, barring a setback with his oblique. Richardson has elite rushing ability but has developed an injury-prone label quickly and leaves a lot to be desired as a passer. Consider him a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 if he plays in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Taylor Oct 16 1:10pm ET
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said it's possible that running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) is able to return to the practice field on Wednesday. "We'll see how week goes with Jonathan Taylor." It's 'possible' he will practice today," Steichen said. Taylor is dealing with a minor high-ankle sprain and has missed each of the team's last two games as a result. A return to practice would be a good sign for the 25-year-old, although it wouldn't guarantee his return in Week 7 versus the Miami Dolphins. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on his status the rest of the week. Trey Sermon (knee), who has filled in as Indy's lead back with Taylor out, is dealing with a knee injury and could be up in the air for this weekend. If both Taylor and Sermon are unable to play against Miami, Tyler Goodson could be the next man up in the Colts' backfield.

From RotoBaller

Cedric Tillman Oct 16 1:00pm ET
Cedric Tillman

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman is expected to take on a more significant role moving forward. The Browns traded starting wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills, creating a void in their receiver room. Tillman, a third-round pick in 2022, recorded 21 catches for 224 yards in his rookie season. With a significant portion of the target share opening up, Tillman may have real upside in the Browns' passing offense. However, that offense ranks near the bottom of the NFL, and fantasy managers should avoid investing in the Cleveland Browns' passing game. The 24-year-old is a speculative add-in to deep leagues, as he should see an increase in the target share with Cooper shipped to Buffalo.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Oct 16 1:00pm ET
David Njoku

The Cleveland Browns traded their top wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, opening up a significant void in their passing game. Current Browns tight end David Njoku is most likely to fill that void. The 28-year-old has hauled in 10 of 15 targets for 89 yards over three games in 2024. Njoku has ranked second on the team in targets over the past two weeks and has the trust of quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns are frequently trailing in games, forcing them to throw the ball more. However, the passing game has not been efficient. Given fantasy's current tight-end landscape, Njoku is valued as a mid-to low-end TE1 and a sold TE option in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Oct 16 11:50am ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (concussion) is expected to advance in the concussion protocol and be a non-contact participant in Wednesday's practice, according to team reporter Art Stapleton. The rookie out of LSU missed each of the last two games after suffering a concussion in the Week 4 contest against the Dallas Cowboys. In his first four professional bouts, Nabers racked up 35 receptions for 386 yards and three touchdowns. He saw a whopping 52 targets, which still ranks ninth in the league despite his two absences. If he returns in Week 7, he's a must-start fantasy option against the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to wideouts, and Nabers has already established himself as a clear starter in all matchups. Fellow wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson will have a lower floor and ceiling with the return on Nabers, but he's still firmly on the fantasy football radar in PPR setups. Nabers ranks second among WRs in PPR fantasy points per game (22.9) so far this year.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Oct 16 11:00am ET
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) could be out a few weeks due to a hamstring injury. Goedert was injured in the third play of last Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns and did not return. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Goedert will be "out a few weeks." The 29-year-old will likely miss Sunday's matchup against the New York Giants and could potentially miss more games. Goedert is having a solid season, catching 24 of 29 targets for 301 yards across five games in 2024. Grant Calcaterra replaced Goedert in Week 6 and would see an uptick in snaps and targets with Goedert sidelined. Fantasy managers searching for a replacement for Goedert or need tight end help in deep leagues can add Calcaterra as a streamer for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Joshua Kelley Oct 16 12:13am ET
Joshua Kelley

Dynasty | The Titans have signed running back Joshua Kelley to their practice squad. Dynasty Analysis: This could be an indication Tyjae Spears is going to miss some time with a hamstring injury. Kelley was having a hard time finding a home after never really turning out to be a difference maker with the Chargers. He could have some value should the Titans call him up, but he's not a player to spend your free agent money on at the moment.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Aaron Rodgers Oct 16 12:13am ET
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | The Bills have released wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Dynasty Analysis: The Bills needed to make a move after trading for Amari Cooper, and MVS gets the axe. He had just two catches for 26 yards on the season, so this comes as little surprise. With Davante Adams being traded to the Jets, it's also unlikely he has a home there as a retread with Aaron Rodgers. Instead, MVS will need to look elsewhere for employment. He should be picked up by a receiver-needy team, but he's well off the dynasty radar.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Cam Akers Oct 16 12:13am ET
Cam Akers

Dynasty | The Texans have traded running back Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings. Dynasty Analysis: Houston will get a conditional sixth round pick in exchange for Akers and a seventh round conditional selection. In other words, Minnesota grabs Akers on the cheap for the second straight season and will hope he can help out should Aaron Jones miss time. Akers could be a decent fill-in but his career has clearly reached "journeyman" status. Akers could carve out some short-term value in Minnesota, but time will tell.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Marquez Callaway Oct 16 12:13am ET
Marquez Callaway

Dynasty | The Tampa Bay Bucs are signing wide receiver Marquez Callaway. Dynasty Analysis: Once a fairly sought after dynasty asset, Callaway was last seen attempting to make the Steelers roster. He'll add some depth to a suddenly explosive Tampa Bay offense but will need an injury or two to make any kind of an impact in fantasy or reality.

From Dynasty League Fantasy