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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- Week 10 Inactives
Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (foot, ankle) is considered doubtful to return for Sunday's Week 10 matchup against the New York Giants. It appears Sanders suffered some type of leg injury during the first half of this game. After further evaluation it sounds like the Panthers are likely going to hold him out for the rest of the game. Before exiting, Sanders rushed the ball twice as the primary backup to Chuba Hubbard. The absence of Sanders should mean a few more snaps for Hubbard during the second half of this game.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) has been activated from the Injured Reserve ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Collins missed the minimum four games on the IR after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4. The Texans could desperately use Collins on the field with Stefon Diggs (knee) done for the season. Currently, Collins is listed as questionable and considered a game-time decision for Sunday's game. Fellow wideout Tank Dell (back) is also banged up, but is expected to play. If active, Collins would likely be on a snap count and could be a risky option for Week 10.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) will suit up for the Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McCaffrey is set to make his season debut after missing the few first months due to a lingering Achilles issue. The return of McCaffrey should mean that Jordan Mason falls into the backup role which will decrease his value. There was uncertainty around how many snaps McCaffrey would play during his first game. It doesn't sound like he's going to be limited, so fantasy managers can get McCaffrey back in their lineups ahead of this Week 10 matchup.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass struggled early in the season, but has cleaned it up over the last few weeks. In fact, Bass has six straight field goals and 9-of-10 extra point attempts over the last three games. The 27-year-old knocked down a 61-yard field goal during last week's win over the Miami Dolphins. It appears the early struggles for Bass are behind him. Fantasy managers should restore faith in him ahead of the Week 10 against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers appears to have moved into the primary backup role in the backfield. Last week, Akers rushed six times for 46 yards in the win over the Indianapolis Colts. Fellow back Ty Chandler appears to have moved into the third string role now. That means, Akers should see a handful of carries behind Aaron Jones most weeks. Akers is unlikely to have reliable value while being the backup, but is worth holding in deep leagues and dynasty formats as he's only one injury away from being the starter. The 25-year-old can be avoided for Week 10, but is worth a stash.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) is being considered a game-time decision ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Hill re-aggravated a wrist injury earlier in the week and was held out of practice on Friday and Saturday. Now, Hill's status is currently up in the air as they will likely wait until warmups before making a final decision on him. Jaylen Waddle figures to be the primary receiving option if Hill is unable to play. Both Odell Beckham Jr. and Malik Washington see should more snaps as well, but they aren't exactly reliable fantasy options. It sounds like fantasy managers are going to be forced to wait until Monday to know Hill's final injury status.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. could see a decent dose of targets if Tyreek Hill (wrist) is ruled out for Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams. Beckham could be a vocal point against his former team if this game turns into a shootout. The Rams defense ranks 23rd in fantasy points allowed per game to wide receivers and allow the 12th most yards per game. Despite Beckham's highest target count being three in any game this season, he could be considered a streaming option if you have any bye week or injury issues. If Hill plays, Beckham likely won't be a fantasy factor. Monitor the status of Hill leading up to Monday Night's contest.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin has been one of the more reliable kicking options in the league this season. The veteran kicker has connected on a career-best 93.3 percent of his field goal this season. McLaughlin has only missed one field goal and one extra point heading into the Week 10 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The 28-year-old has made three extra points and one field goal in each of the last two games. The Bucs will have a tough challenge against the 49ers defense this weekend. Despite that, McLaughlin is still worth a look as a streaming option for Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Preston Smith will make his debut with the team in Week 10's game against the Washington Commanders. He had been acquired in a trade with the Green Bay Packers Tuesday, Nov. 5.
From TheHuddle
Pttsburgh Steelers WR Mike Williams will make his debut with the team in Week 10's game against the Washington Commanders. He had been acquired in a trade with the New York Jets Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Fantasy Spin: Although it's hard to predict how quickly Williams will learn Pittsburgh's offensive scheme and build chemistry with his teammates, he could become a viable flex option in deeper fantasy leagues over the coming weeks.
From TheHuddle
Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders has seen his workload increase over the last few weeks. This offense looks to be back on track with Tua Tagovailoa under center once again. Last week, Sanders made both of his field goals while converting all three of his extra point attempts in the loss to the Buffalo Bills. He figures to continue having plenty of chances with the Dolphins offense rolling again. They'll get a favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10. Sanders should be worth a look for fantasy managers seeking a streaming option for Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance could be involved in certain packages during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Lance has filled a depth role in Dallas ever since being traded by the 49ers, and even with Dak Prescott (hamstring) mulling season-ending surgery, Prescott still remains the Cowboys' No. 2 quarterback behind Cooper Rush. Even if Lance does see the field versus Philadelphia, he's not expected to have a major role. Fantasy managers can continue to leave him on waivers.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams is expected to be active against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Less than one week after being traded from the New York Jets, Williams is slated to make his Steelers debut. The veteran filled a depth role in New York but still managed to offer a solid veteran presence, catching 12 passes for 166 yards along the way. He's off the fantasy radar for the moment.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is inactive for Sunday's game against the New York Giants in Germany. The rookie was activated from the non-football list earlier this week. While Brooks did log three full practices in a row, the Panthers are being extra cautious and holding him out one more game. He'll get extra time to prepare for NFL action during the Panthers' bye before making his NFL debut in Week 12. Even when Brooks returns, it looks like Chuba Hubbard will be the primary running back in Carolina.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones will start against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jones' promotion to the QB1 role comes in the midst of a potentially season-ending injury to Trevor Lawrence (shoulder), who has 14 total touchdowns and six interceptions this season. Sunday will represent Jones' first game as a Jaguar. His tough matchup and reduced skill set drop him outside the fantasy-relevant tiers this week.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) could end up being shut down for the rest of the season, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini. The former No. 1 pick has been diagnosed with an AC joint sprain and is inactive for Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, leaving Mac Jones to start in his place. If this is indeed the end of the season for Lawrence, he'll have finished 2024 with 2,004 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, six interceptions, 113 rushing yards, and three rushing scores.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions DE Za'Darius Smith (personal) is not expected to play in Week 10's game against the Houston Texans, according to a source. After coming to the Lions in a trade with the Cleveland Browns Tuesday, Nov. 5, Smith participated in just one of the team's three practice sessions during the week.
From TheHuddle
New York Giants kicker Graham Gano (right hamstring) is active for Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after New York activated him from injured reserve on Saturday. The veteran has been sidelined since the season opener, in which he went 2-for-2 on field goals. A favorable matchup against the Panthers gives Gano top-12 appeal this week.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (back) is inactive for Week 10 against the New York Giants. He had been listed as questionable after logging a full practice on Friday. Despite his improved practice status, Tremble will miss his second game in a row and fourth game in the last five weeks. His absence creates additional opportunities for rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders, who has 16 catches over his last four games.
From RotoBaller
The Carolina Panthers have declared DE Charles Harris, OT Ikem Ekwonu, CB Shemar Bartholomew, DT Jaden Crumedy, TE Tommy Tremble, S Jammie Robinson and RB Jonathon Brooks inactive for Week 10.
From TheHuddle
