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.
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) put in a full practice on Wednesday. Goedert injured his hamstring in Week 6 and hasn't played since, and Wednesday was his first practice session as well. It's an indication that he'll be ready to go to play in this Sunday's divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. We'll have to see if Goedert can get through the rest of the practice week without suffering a setback, but if he does, he'll be on the low-end TE1/high-end TE2 map for fantasy managers, and he'll have even more upside if receiver A.J. Brown (knee) is unable to play. Grant Calcaterra has had a bigger role the last three weeks with Goedert on the sideline, but he'll lose all of his TE2 streaming intrigue if Goedert is back against Dallas. In the two games before his injury, Goedert had 17 catches on 19 targets for 232 yards and no touchdowns.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said on Wednesday that wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion) will go "thoroughly" through the league's concussion protocol. "We're more worried about Chris Olave the person at the moment," Rizzi said. The former first-rounder is visiting with head specialists this week, and no decision has been made yet on whether he'll be placed on Injured Reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. The 24-year-old suffered his second concussion of the year and the fourth of his career in the Week 9 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and was quickly ruled out after being carted off. It didn't look good. With the Saints considering putting him on IR, fantasy managers should expect Olave to miss multiple weeks, including Week 10 versus the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. With Olave hurt, rookie Mason Tipton should continue playing heavy snaps.
From RotoBaller
The Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams did a much better job in Week 9 compared to their performance against the Browns in Week 8. They only allowed 10 points, collected four sacks, and grabbed one interception. Their Week 10 opponent, however, has a much better offense than the Denver Broncos. Joe Burrow and company put up 38 points against this defense in Week 5 even though they did get another inception and three sacks. The Ravens are still one of the worst units against the pass, so fantasy managers are better off leaving them on the bench this week during the AFC North matchup.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reports that running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) did not experience any pain issues or setbacks in his return to practice this week. The 49ers opened McCaffrey's 21-day practice window this week. It appears that the star running back is on track to make his season debut after suffering his injury during training camp. With McCaffrey likely back in Week 10, fantasy managers will be ecstatic to have the consensus No. 1 overall pick back in their lineups. The 49ers backup running backs stepped up admirably in McCaffrey's absence. However, neither Jordan Mason nor Isaac Guerendo has delivered much in the way of fantasy value since week four with the exception of Guerendo's 19.2-point Week 8. With McCaffrey likely to return in Week 10 in Tampa Bay, both players should be relegated to benches. However, McCaffrey is unlikely to play a full allotment of snaps in his first week back and is at risk of reinjury. As such, hold on to Mason and Guerendo for the time being.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. The injury does not seem to be severe and Pitts' participation in any capacity is encouraging. Still, fantasy managers should monitor Pitts' participation throughout the week. Pitts is finally experiencing a breakout season with a quarterback in Kirk Cousins who can get him the ball. He currently sits as the TE7 in PPR formats and has displayed his big play ability all season. Pitts has caught 30 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns. He is on pace for his most receiving yards since his rookie season and he has already matched his previous career high in touchdown receptions. Pitts should be able to keep his momentum rolling in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints. He could be in line for even more targets with wide receiver Drake London (hip) battling his own injury.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) has been initially diagnosed with a torn hamstring partially off the bone. NFL Network has reported that the timeline for an injury of that severity is longer than the four week stint on injured reserve. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced on Tuesday that Prescott was a candidate for injured reserve. If this diagnosis rings true, then the Cowboys will almost certainly place Prescott on injured reserve. Prescott is currently seeking additional opinions to determine the next steps. For now, quarterback Cooper Rush is in line to start this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Prescott's injury will impact the fantasy outlook of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder). It will also affect running back Rico Dowdle who had started to emerge as a viable weekly fantasy option. Fantasy managers should observe closely to see how the offense fares with Rush under center in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Etienne's limited participation is likely to ensure that he stays fresh ahead of the weekend. Etienne was able to return from the injury in Week 9. He only played 31% of the snaps en route to three carries for 24 yards and two receptions for six yards. Etienne has battled an injury bug all season. He could not shake a shoulder injury early in the season and has been battling this recent hamstring injury in recent weeks. He has been a disappointment in fantasy in 2024 but he has a chance to bounce back as he gets healthier. The emergence of running back Tank Bigsby (ankle) has cut into Etienne's workload but it is hard to believe that he will stick around a 31% snap share each week. If Etienne is able to log a full practice or two this week then fantasy managers should start to feel better about his prospects moving forward. Even so, his Week 10 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings is not ideal. As such, fantasy managers may want to wait and see how Etienne fares on the field before deploying him in starting lineups once again.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Thomas picked up his injury in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. After being initially given a timetable to return of two to four weeks, Thomas was able to take the field in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Thomas had a modest game with just two receptions for 22 yards against an Eagles defense that has come around in recent weeks. He has a chance for a much larger statistical output in Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are allowing the most points to opposing wide receivers in fantasy. With another week to get healthy, Thomas should have a solid week. His limited participation on Wednesday is little cause for concern. As long as there are no setbacks throughout the week, Thomas should be confidently started in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday. Since Smith showed no signs of the injury during the Eagles' Week 9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the severity of the injury is currently unknown. Smith has started to heat up over the last couple of weeks. He has scored a touchdown and reached at least 85 receiving yards in each of the last two weeks. With fellow wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee) also limited on Wednesday, the Eagles will have to hope that they will have both of their star wide receivers available in Week 10. Smith checks into Week 10 as the WR17 in PPR formats. He has reached that number despite missing a game due to injury, recording one catch in another, and already having his bye. As such, he has been an excellent fantasy asset in 2024. This is a situation worth monitoring as soft tissue injuries tend to linger.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker bounced back in a big way from Week 8 to Week 9. He finished as the K4 after he knocked through a 34 and 37-yarder while making all five of his extra-point attempts. While the Ravens' offense continues to be elite, it only raises the value of Tucker in all fantasy formats. In Week 10, he'll go up against the Cincinnati Bengals and he finished as the K6 the last time these teams met in Week 5. Fantasy managers can continue to rely on Tucker as he's looked more consistent after his shaky start to the year.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons LB JD Bertrand (concussion) and LB Matt Judon (illness) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 6. DT Grady Jarrett (Achilles), OG Chris Lindstrom (knee) and DE James Smith-Williams (leg) were limited during practice. LB Troy Andersen (knee) and C Drew Dalman (ankle) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, unfortunately, ended his string of solid fantasy outings in Week 9 as he finished in TE3 territory. Heading into a Week 10 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals gives him some new hope to return to TE1 though. Isaiah Likely (hamstring) has been ruled out so Andrews should see more than 50% of the snaps on Thursday night. During the first time these two teams matched up this year, Andrews received five targets and ended up with four receptions for 55 yards. The Bengals give up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, so the added opportunities against a weaker defense should mean TE1 potential for the veteran.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets CB Michael Carter II (back), OG Jake Hanson (hamstring), OT Morgan Moses (knee), LB C.J. Mosley (neck), OG John Simpson (groin), OT Tyron Smith (non-injury), DE Solomon Thomas (knee) and OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 6. S Ashtyn Davis (concussion) and LB Chazz Surratt (hamstring) were limited during practice. S Tony Adams (hamstring) was limited during practice.
From TheHuddle
New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (hamstring, knee) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Fantasy Spin: Rodgers is coming off one his better games of the season and has thrown five touchdowns and zero interceptions over the last two games. He can be a starting option in two-quarterback leagues but probably can be avoided in standard leagues.
From TheHuddle
New York Giants WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles), DT Dexter Lawrence (non-injury) and OG Greg Van Roten (shoulder) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 6. PK Graham Gano (hamstring), P Jamie Gillan (hamstring), TE Theo Johnson (back, knee) and LB Ty Summers (ankle) were limited during practice.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has gained some momentum over the past couple of weeks and now has three weeks with finishes in WR1 territory. He also has two more finishes as a WR2, but now has more competition for targets with Diontae Johnson getting integrated into the offense a bit further. While Johnson only played in 30% of the snaps in Week 9, that will likely increase in Week 10 against the Bengals. Flowers surpassed the 100-yard mark against the Bengals in Week 5 and this game has the makings of another shootout just like their 41-38 contest. So, he should still have WR2 potential.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson played in 30% of the team's offensive snaps during their Week 9 win over the Denver Broncos. Head coach John Harbaugh even said that they planned to ease him into the offense for his first game. Now, with a game under his belt, the Ravens take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a short week. Without the full week of practice, it's unlikely that Johnson has that much bigger of a grasp on the offense, but he's also no stranger to AFC North matchups from his time in Pittsburgh. Zay Flowers remains the number-one option, but Johnson could get some opportunities if it turns into another shootout.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday, according to Brian Batko of PGSportsNow. Fields was inactive last weekend with a hamstring injury and could be in danger of sitting out in Week 10. Fields was moved to the backup spot on the depth chart in Week 7 in favor of Russell Wilson. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Fields' status throughout the week, as he could once again serve as the emergency option while Kyle Allen moves up to the backup position. During the first six weeks of the season, Fields averaged a solid 21.4 PPR points with 10 total scores. Fields remains a high-upside handcuff option in deeper superflex formats for the time being.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens DE Brent Urban (concussion) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 6, and has been ruled out for Week 10. CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (knee) was limited during practice and is listed as doubtful. RB Rasheen Ali (ankle) and RB Keaton Mitchell (knee) fully participated in practice but are listed as questionable. LB Adisa Isaac (illness), DT Travis X. Jones (ankle), OG Patrick Mekari (shoulder), WR Tylan Wallace (foot) and DE Broderick Washington (knee) fully participated in practice and are not on the injury report.
From TheHuddle
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (fibula) is "getting close" to a return to practice, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN. Teicher further noted that his return is unlikely to happen this week. The former seventh-round selection is still recovering from a fractured fibula he suffered during Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, as he could be quickly approaching a return. In his limited play this season, the Rutgers product averaged an impressive 16.0 PPR points per game across the first two weeks. For now, fantasy managers should continue to expect Kareem Hunt to operate as the lead back but to eventually cede those duties to Pacheco when he returns to action.
From RotoBaller