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 Starts/Sits: Week 18
Philadelphia Eagles running backWill Shipley(concussion) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after he logged a full practice on Friday. Shipley has taken a backseat toSaquon BarkleyandKenneth Gainwellthis season, but with Barkley inactive for Week 18, the rookie out of Clemson has a chance to earn increased opportunities. The 22-year-old has been mostly used as a ball carrier this season, rushing 20 times while failing to command a single target. He's likely headed for a change-of-pace role in Week 18, but with his exact involvement unknown, Shipley is tough to trust in fantasy football. He ranks as a low-end RB4 and should be avoided in most leagues.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee will start against the New York Giants in Week 18 despite Kenny Pickett (ribs) being active, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Pickett and Ian Book will handle depth roles for the Eagles on Sunday, though it's unclear which quarterback is the backup and which is the third-string. McKee got his first taste of NFL action last weekend, coming off the bench to throw three completions for 54 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys. Philadelphia fed Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell in that contest, but they might let McKee throw a little more this weekend with Barkley (coach's decision) inactive. Of course, A.J. Brown (coach's decision) and DeVonta Smith (coach's decision) are also resting, leaving Dallas Goedert, Jahan Dotson, and Johnny Wilson as McKee's top targets. The second-year signal-caller out of Stanford ranks as a mid-range QB3 for fantasy purposes.
From RotoBaller
As expected, Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle) is officially active on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Houston Texans. After practicing on a limited basis all week, Pollard will return for the final game of the season after he sat out the Week 17 loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Tyjae Spears (concussion) was ruled out, so Pollard could see a near full workload in his return as the Titans close out a disappointing season. The 27-year-old can earn an extra $250,000 if he racks up 83 rushing yards on the year for 1,100 yards on the season. If he scores twice on Sunday, he'd earn an extra $200,000, so Pollard could be busy and has plenty at stake for fantasy managers debating on whether to throw him into their starting lineups. He has clear RB2 upside for Week 18.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. He had been listed as questionable but was widely expected to play after being activated from injured reserve on Saturday. The 27-year-old will lead Carolina's backfield with Chuba Hubbard (calf, knee) on injured reserve. Sanders, who totaled 237 yards and one touchdown through 10 games earlier this season, will take over the backfield from Raheem Blackshear. He ranks as a mid-to-low RB3 in fantasy football against the Falcons.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Carolina Panthers. He had been listed as questionable but had an unfavorable outlook after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted that Mooney faced an uphill battle to suit up this weekend. His absence should lead to an increased role for Ray-Ray McCloud III, who is the overall WR54 in PPR leagues with 58 catches, 620 yards, and one touchdown through 16 games. McCloud has quietly put together the best season of his career and possesses WR3/FLEX upside in his increased role Sunday.
From RotoBaller
The Philadelphia Eagles have declared WR A.J. Brown, OG Landon Dickerson, QB Jalen Hurts, OT Lane Johnson, DL Jalen Carter, CB Darius Slay, RB Saquon Barkley, WR DeVonta Smith, OT Jordan Mailata, LB Nakobe Dean and LB Zack Baun inactive for Week 18.
From TheHuddle
The Jacksonville Jaguars have declared CB Ronald Darby, DE Tyler Lacy, LB Ventrell Miller, DE Esezi Otomewo, DE Josh Hines-Allen and OT Walker Little inactive for Week 18.
From TheHuddle
The Carolina Panthers have declared QB Jack Plummer, CB Lonnie Johnson, CB Jaycee Horn, WR Deven Thompkins, RB Velus Jones Jr., OT Robert Hunt and LB Josey Jewell inactive for Week 18.
From TheHuddle
The New Orleans Saints have declared WR Mason Tipton, RB Alvin Kamara, QB Derek Carr, RB Kendre Miller, DT Khristian Boyd, LB Pete Werner and LB Willie Gay inactive for Week 18.
From TheHuddle
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance will start against the Washington Commanders in Week 18, according to insider Patrik Walker. Cooper Rush, who tallied 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions while filling in for Dak Prescott (hamstring), heads to the bench for Sunday's season finale. This move is not a reflection of Rush's performance but rather gives the Cowboys an opportunity to get extra game film on Lance as they continue to evaluate the quarterback position going forward. Both Rush and Lance are free agents in March, and it's likely that Dallas will only keep one (or zero) of them as Prescott's backup in 2025. In the short-term, Lance, a former No. 3 overall pick, gets a chance to showcase his talents against a Commanders team that intends to play all of its starters. The ex-49er has just 22 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception through limited action in 2024. He ranks as a mid-to-high QB3 in Week 18 with some extra upside thanks to his rushing ability.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (coach's decision) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. He had been listed as doubtful, so his absence this weekend was widely expected. After all, the Eagles' plan to rest many key starters has been well-documented. The 27-year-old finishes his first season with the Eagles just 100 rushing yards shy of Erick Dickerson's single-season record. Although he didn't break the record, Barkley still had a phenomenal season with 2,005 rushing yards, 278 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns, making him the clear RB1 in fantasy football. Kenneth Gainwell will lead Philadelphia's backfield in Week 18.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown (coach's decision) and DeVonta Smith (coach's decision) are officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. Both players had been listed as doubtful, so their absence this weekend was widely expected. After all, the Eagles' plan to rest many key starters has been well-documented. Brown's season ends with 67 catches, 1,079 yards, and seven touchdowns through 13 games. His WR17 finish (PPR) represents his worst ranking since 2021, but he certainly would have ranked higher if he had not missed four contests. The same could be said of Brown, who was the WR24 this year with 687 catches, 833 yards, and eight touchdowns through 13 games. Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson will operate as the Eagles' top wide receivers on Sunday afternoon.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (coach's decision) and linebacker Zack Baun (coach's decision) are officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. Both players had been listed as doubtful, so their absence this weekend was widely expected. After all, the Eagles' plan to rest many key starters has been well-documented. Carter finishes the regular season with 42 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles through 16 games. Meanwhile, Baun was one of the NFL's top tacklers and premier IDP weapons with 150 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one interception. ThomasBooker IV and Oren Burks are candidates to replace Carter and Baun, respectively.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay (coach's decision) and linebacker Nakobe Dean (coach's decision) are officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. Both players had been listed as doubtful, so their absence this weekend was widely expected. After all, the Eagles' plan to rest many key starters has been well-documented. Slay finishes the 2024 season with 49 tackles, one forced fumble, and one recovery. However, he will end the year with zero interceptions for the first time since his rookie campaign in 2013. Meanwhile, Dean was a key IDP weapon this year, amassing 128 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and one interception through 15 games. Isaiah Rodgers is a likely candidate to replace Slay on defense, while Oren Burks and Jeremiah Trotter are expected to fill in for Dean and Zack Baun (coach's decision).
From RotoBaller
The Washington Commanders have declared CB Marshon Lattimore, QB Jeff Driskel, OT Cornelius Lucas, C Tyler Biadasz, LB Jordan Magee, WR K.J. Osborn and S Quan Martin inactive for Week 18.
From TheHuddle
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is unlikely to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival New York Jets on Sunday due to a unique hip injury that affects the surrounding muscles and leaves him vulnerable to further injury, according to sources. Tagovailoa has pushed to play when his team needs him the most, but it's not a guarantee that he'll be available if the Dolphins win in Week 18 and advance to wild-card weekend. Tagovailoa said his general feeling is worse than how he felt a week after he had ankle surgery during his final season in college in 2019. Head coach Mike McDaniel said it's the same hip that Tagovailoa had surgically repaired, but it's a different injury. While Tua does have a career-high 72.9 completion percentage, 19 TDs and seven interceptions, he's played in only 11 games after a stint on Injured Reserve due to another concussion.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions LB Alex Anzalone (forearm) will play in Week 18 versus the Minnesota Vikings, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It will be his first game action since Week 11, when he fractured his forearm. Anzalone will wear a special pad on his forearm for protection and is expected to have his number of defensive snaps monitored.
From TheHuddle
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle) said on Saturday that he has been playing through a left high-ankle sprain and will continue to do so if the Bengals make the playoffs. "I have no choice," Higgins said. The 25-year-old pass-catcher was forced to leave in the second half of Saturday night's win over the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers with his ankle issue and never returned. The Bengals need both the Broncos and Dolphins to lose on Sunday to get into the postseason, but if it all comes to fruition, Higgins will try to continue playing through his injury. Higgins has 11 catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns in the Week 17 win over the Broncos but only had four catches for 53 yards on Saturday before leaving early. If the Bengals advance, Higgins could carry a questionable tag into wild-card weekend.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion) was not able to practice this week and will sit out the Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants. Hurts has now missed back-to-back games due to a concussion, but he appears to be making progress. The superstar quarterback is on track to practice this upcoming week. That is great news as the Eagles desperately need Hurts back on the field before the Wild-Card Round next weekend. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) is currently injured and out for Week 18. That could leave Tanner McKee to start a playoff game, so hopefully Hurts is able to practice this week and suit up next weekend. The Eagles injury report is going to be something to monitor throughout the week.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders RB Austin Ekeler (concussion) will be active for Week 18's game versus the Dallas Cowboys.
Fantasy Spin: Ekeler was a full participant in all three of Washington's practice sessions during the week and was activated from the Reserve/Injured list Saturday, Jan. 4. He will be seeing his first game action since Week 12, which also happened to be against the Cowboys, but should not be viewed as a viable fantasy lineup option playing behind Brian Robinson Jr. this afternoon.
From TheHuddle
