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
Bender's DFS Pickem Plays: Week 7
Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo hauled in four passes for 50 yards on four targets in a 34-10 loss at Buffalo in Week 7. This marked the young tight end's best game of the season, having failed to top 16 receiving yards up to this point. His 26-yard reception in the first quarter set up Tennessee's only touchdown drive of the game, and he displayed solid chemistry with new starting quarterback Mason Rudolph on the afternoon. With how unreliable this Titans passing attack continues to be, Okonkwo is still not a great option moving forward, but there may be ample opportunity next week in Detroit with the Titans likely playing catch-up.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught six of his seven targets for 41 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Moore finished third on the team in targets and catches in the close loss to the Bengals. The veteran receiver's Week 7 performance goes down as one of his best games in what has been a rough season for him in 2024. Moore could continue to see a larger role in the Cleveland offense moving forward with Amari Cooper now a member of the Buffalo Bills. He will take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught 7-of-8 targets for 81 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-29 loss to their division-rival Detroit Lions. It was another strong performance for the 25-year-old, who continues to be one of the most productive wide receivers in the league. Sunday marked his fourth-straight game with at least 81 yards and six catches, and he's scored a touchdown in all but one contest thus far in 2024. He could have had an even bigger game, but two of his catches went for no gain. The former LSU Tiger will get a quick turnaround in Week 8 when he and the Vikings head to SoFi Stadium for a road tilt with the Los Angeles Rams. He'll again be a top-flight WR play.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss had only 7 yards off six touches in Sunday's win over the Browns. He added three catches for 33 yards. It's clear Chase Brown is the preferred runner out of the backfield, resulting in another subpar showing for Moss. While he was considered a flex option heading into Week 7, fantasy managers should reconsider things for the Week 8 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught 10 of his 14 targets for 76 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. In his first game as one of the team's top targets after they traded Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills earlier in the week, Njoku came up big as he turned in his best game of the season. He led the Browns in targets and catches while finishing second on the team in receiving yards in the loss. Njoku can be trusted as a mid-range TE1 in fantasy moving forward as he should soak up plenty of targets in the offense. He will take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Browns. The former LSU Tiger was relatively quiet in Week 6 against the Giants. While Tee Higgins was more productive in this one, Chase still found the end zone for the sixth time in the Bengals' previous five contests. With Cincinnati picking up another win, the team will look to get to .500 with a win over the Eagles in Week 8. Fortunately for fantasy managers, the Eagles have struggled to stop opposing wideouts this season, making Chase one of the top fantasy options.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman caught eight of his 12 targets for 81 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. In his first game as a starter after the Browns traded away Amari Cooper, Tillman led the Browns in receiving yardage while finishing second in targets and catches in the close loss to the Bengals. The Week 7 performance easily goes down as the best of Tillman's two-year career. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should be checking the waiver wire this week to see if Tillman is still floating around out there as he could be Cleveland's No. 1 receiver for the remainder of the season. He will be worth a look as a flex against a leaky Baltimore Ravens pass defense in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught one of his five targets for 18 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Jeudy appeared to be in line for a larger role with Amari Cooper traded to the Buffalo Bills earlier in the week but he instead remained an afterthought in the Cleveland offense while Cedric Tillman caught eight balls for 81 yards. Jeudy has shown flashes with the Browns this year but he will be tough to trust in fantasy going forward, even with a plus matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on tap in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman had one catch for 17 yards, two carries for 38 yards, and a touchdown in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Hardman did not command many targets, but he capitalized on his opportunities with a score on the ground. With fellow wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster sidelined with a hamstring injury in this contest, Hardman had more opportunities to get involved. This matchup marked his second game back from injury, and Hardman's role will likely increase as the season goes on and he gets healthier. Hardman is familiar with Mahomes and the offense, so it shouldn't be long before we see more involvement from him. The Chiefs will take on the Raiders in Week 8. The Raiders are not a cakewalk matchup for wide receivers since they rank ninth in fantasy points allowed, but Kansas City gets their playmakers involved in unique ways, so Hardman could see some volume. Despite scoring in this week's contest, Hardman's role in the offense is undetermined, and he should be viewed as a desperation flex play until we get more information about his usage.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown ran for 44 yards off 15 carries in the win over the Browns on Sunday. He added two catches for nine yards. The 24-year-old scored in each of his last three appearances. While he cooled off in this one, he still outperformed teammate Zack Moss, who didn't have a quality afternoon. It appears Brown will continue to lead the backfield, keeping him a starting fantasy option for Week 8 against the Eagles, but the continued presence of Moss in this backfield will cap Brown's fantasy upside.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins caught four of his eight targets for 82 yards in Sunday's win over the Browns. He also scored a touchdown, finding the end zone off a 25-yard throw from Joe Burrow in the third quarter. The wideout has looked great since returning from the hamstring injury that kept him off the field for the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign. But he's looked even better of late, scoring three times in the Bengals' previous three contests. Fantasy managers should keep him rolling for Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston completed five of his 11 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Winston opened the game as the Browns' emergency quarterback but was pressed into service after both Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson got injured in the contest. Watson suffered what is believed to be a season-ending Achilles injury, while Thompson-Robinson's finger injury is not considered serious. It remains to be seen whether it will be Winston or DTR under center when the Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 8 but both quarterbacks should be added in superflex and two-quarterback formats this week as Watson's season appears to be over.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd caught five passes on as many targets for 43 yards in a 34-10 loss to the Bills on Sunday. On a day in which the downfield passing attack was stymied by Buffalo, Boyd was a reliable short area target for new starting quarterback Mason Rudolph. The Titans ability to stretch the field is next to none, and if Rudolph continues to start for Tennessee, he may have to rely on quick-hitter throws to Boyd in an attempt to move the ball downfield. The longtime Bengal will still be behind Ridley and Hopkins in the receiving pecking order (as long as the latter is in Nashville), but he is trending up heading into a tough matchup with the Detroit Lions next week.
From RotoBaller
Per head coach Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers hope to get wide receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) back for their Week 8 home matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. San Fran had a rough go on Sunday in their 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, losing wideouts Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) in the first half. While Samuel was sick coming into this one, he'll have a good chance of being able to suit up next Sunday so long as the illness does not linger. Aiyuk, on the other hand, is feared to have suffered a torn ACL via initial reports. It isn't yet confirmed, but he'd be a long shot to suit up in Week 8 regardless. With the 49ers wide receiver corps suddenly depleted, Jacob Cowing, Ricky Pearsall, Chris Conley, and Ronnie Bell are the only active wideouts without a designation.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had four catches for 17 yards on five targets in the win against the San Francisco 49ers. Kelce had the second-most targets among Chiefs pass catchers in this contest but could not eclipse 20 receiving yards or find the endzone. After the departure of Rashee Rice from the wide receiver corps, Kelce was vacuuming up targets across the middle of the field, but the Niners tried to eliminate him. Kelce should be the favorite to lead the team in targets every week moving forward, which should be the case in Week 8. The Chiefs take on the Las Vegas Raiders on the road next week. Kelce saw seven targets in each game against the Raiders last season, so he is one of the safest bets for volume at the tight end position. Fantasy managers should continue to view Kelce as a TE1 despite the poor showing this week.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carried the ball 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown while adding a 10-yard catch in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Chubb was playing for the first time since he tore his ACL in Week 2 of the 2023 season and received a thunderous ovation from the home crowd before the game. The veteran tailback did not disappoint as he punched in a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Cleveland went away from him in the second half as they went very pass-heavy, giving Chubb just one carry after halftime. The veteran running back should see his workload ramp up in the coming weeks as he works his way back into game shape. He will be an RB3 heading into Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
According to head coach Brian Daboll, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will remain the team's starter moving forward. The sixth-year QB finished up his day completing 14-of-21 passes for 99 yards, adding 20 yards on the ground over his five carries. The news comes after Jones was benched in the fourth quarter of the Giant's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles for Drew Lock. "Made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3," said Daboll. "We had 100 yards, just to create a spark." It's worth mentioning that spark did not occur, as Lock led the team to three punts on his possessions, fumbling the ball twice. While the 27-year-old will garner most of the blame, there wasn't much good for the G-Men at all on Sunday. Additionally, the loss of starting left tackle Andrew Thomas (Lisfranc) was a massive blow to the team, and Jones was taken to the turf on seven separate occasions. Better days are ahead for the Duke product, but he'll get another staunch test in Week 8 when his team takes on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was nearly a non-factor in the team's 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. Williams saw just one target, which resulted in a catch for negative four yards, as Amon-Ra St. Brown had a big day and Kalif Raymond took on a more significant role. Coming off a two-game touchdown streak and consistent yardage production, Williams' minimal output was disappointing for fantasy managers. Despite this being his second one-catch performance of the season, Williams' speed and big-play potential make him a candidate for a bounce-back effort when the Lions host the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson had a quiet performance in Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Robinson led the team with nine targets and six receptions, but he managed just 23 yards, averaging 3.8 yards per catch with a long of six yards. Despite leading the team in both targets and receptions, the Giants' passing game struggled, totaling only 105 yards from their quarterbacks. Robinson finished with 5.3 fantasy points, as the offense was stifled throughout the game.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns. The signal-caller was relatively quiet in the Week 6 win over the New York Giants. However, things were different in Week 7, with Burrow completing his fifth game this season with at least two touchdown passes. He's been one of the top fantasy quarterbacks all year, so there's no reason why he shouldn't be featured in fantasy lineups in Week 8 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
From RotoBaller
