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Ultimate Fantasy Football Championship Est. 2011
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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Player Notes
Brian Thomas Jr. Oct 21 12:30am ET
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught all five of his targets for 89 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He also added two rushing yards on two attempts. The rookie was the Jaguars' most productive pass-catcher as they recorded their second win in the last three weeks. Not only did he find the end zone, but he also delivered a 58-yard reception to put the Jaguars on the edge of the red zone late in the first half. Thomas should continue to be treated as a solid WR2 option in fantasy football, including next week when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers.

From RotoBaller

Evan Engram Oct 21 12:30am ET
Evan Engram

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram caught all five of his targets for 35 yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. The veteran pass-catcher has been quite productive in two weeks since returning from injury, catching 15 passes for 137 yards during that span. One would have to imagine that his strong stretch of games will continue when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers next week. After all, Engram is looking like the Jaguars' second-best pass-catcher behind Brian Thomas Jr. Fantasy managers should treat the 30-year-old as a mid-to-low TE1 option in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

D'Ernest Johnson Oct 21 12:30am ET
D'Ernest Johnson

Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson rushed for 38 yards on nine carries during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He also got involved as a pass-catcher, hauling in three of his four targets for an additional 32 receiving yards. While Johnson operated as the clear backup to Tank Bigsby on Sunday, it was promising to see him stay productive while earning double-digit touches. With that said, his usage could decrease in a more negative game script scenario, such as next week versus the Green Bay Packers. Johnson is worth monitoring on the fantasy radar, but managers can't justify starting him in 12-team leagues yet.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Nailor Oct 21 12:30am ET
Jalen Nailor

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor caught four of his five targets for 76 receiving yards during Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions. Nailor operated as the Vikings' No. 3 receiver, but he still played 73.3 percent of the offensive snaps and was clearly heavily involved in the passing attack. In fact, Nailor had more targets, receptions, and yards than Jordan Addison, and he came just five receiving yards shy of Justin Jefferson's Week 7 mark. It's not often that you can plug a team's No. 3 receiver into your fantasy lineups, but Nailor has become an appealing option ahead of Week 8 versus a suspect Los Angeles Rams defense.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Oct 21 12:20am ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall made his NFL debut in a 28-18 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. The Arizona native came into the game as the assumed third option for quarterback Brock Purdy with Jauan Jennings (hip) ruled out, but inherited even more snaps after Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel (illness) left during the game. Pearsall missed the first six weeks of the season due to a gunshot wound and received a standing ovation from the home crowd after his first catch. He finished with three receptions on five targets for 21 yards. If Aiyuk has torn his ACL as feared, Pearsall will be worth a look on waivers, although the situation is muddied by the probable return of Jennings in Week 8, not to mention fellow rookie Jacob Cowing having a few games more experience and a more impactful performance today. Pearsall is the better bet long-term though, as San Francisco waited until the fourth round to take Cowing after taking Pearsall in the first. The 49ers get the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday Night Football in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Trevor Lawrence Oct 21 12:20am ET
Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 15 of 20 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots. He also rushed for 13 yards and didn't take a single sack. The former No. 1 pick led the Jaguars to their second win over the last three weeks. As much flak as Jacksonville has taken this year, Lawrence has quietly played good, turnover-free football, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,527 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He'll rank as a mid-to-low QB2 when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Oct 21 12:20am ET
Tank Bigsby

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He was unable to haul in his lone target. The 22-year-old stepped up as the Jaguars' No. 1 running back with Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) sidelined, and it's safe to say that he impressed. Interestingly, Bigsby's best games have come in the Jaguars' two victories this year. When Jacksonville wins, Bigsby is averaging 124 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. That could just be a coincidence over a small sample size, but it's also possible that Bigsby's performance on the ground is one of Jacksonville's integral keys to victory. As long as he continues to handle a large workload, he'll rank as a solid RB2 in fantasy football. That holds true despite next week's tough matchup against the Green Bay Packers back in the United States.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Oct 21 12:20am ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled 12 carries for 44 yards and came down with two of three targets for 15 receiving yards in a Week 7 win over the New York Jets. Although he was once again outshined by Najee Harris, Warren was given his biggest workload of the season on Sunday night. He operated as the primary pass-catching option out of the backfield for quarterback Russell Wilson and was on the receiving end of an important third-down conversion in the third quarter that eventually led to a touchdown. Warren should continue to operate in a similar role moving forward and could eventually play his way into weekly flex consideration. He's worth stashing in most fantasy leagues and will look to contribute against the New York Giants in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aiyuk Oct 21 12:13am ET
Brandon Aiyuk

Dynasty | The 49ers believe wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL in the loss to the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: Brutal. Aiyuk had a ridiculously long holdout, only to finally get his big money contract. After a few up and down weeks, this happens. We'll wait to get an official diagnosis, but it's rare for a team to come out and say they believe a player has torn an ACL only to find out they're wrong. If this is indeed the case, dynasty managers will have to look elsewhere for a WR2 the rest of the way. Stay tuned.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Najee Harris Oct 21 12:10am ET
Najee Harris

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris handled 21 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in a 37-15 win against the New York Jets. He failed to haul in his only target of the contest, but Harris was nonetheless productive and efficient on the ground. Although he ran hard throughout the game, he did not find the end zone until only 26 seconds remained in the fourth quarter, rumbling in for a 10-yard score to seal the victory. After a slow start to the campaign, Harris has looked great over the past two weeks. Additional goal-line opportunities could be in store for him going forward as Pittsburgh's offense seems more capable of pushing the ball downfield with quarterback Russell Wilson under center. Harris should project as a solid fantasy RB2 next week against the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Geno Stone Oct 21 12:10am ET
Geno Stone

X-rays came back negative on Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (shin), according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The defensive starter exited late during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns. While any injury is concerning, it's great news that his X-rays were negative. Still, it's possible that Stone will miss some time. If so, look for Tycen Anderson to earn more snaps on defense.

From RotoBaller

Russell Wilson Oct 20 11:50pm ET
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 16 of 29 pass attempts for 264 yards and two touchdowns, adding three carries for three yards and a score on the ground in a 37-15 victory over the New York Jets. Wilson and the Steelers' offense got off to a slow start but started to get in rhythm in the second quarter. He displayed chemistry with wide receiver George Pickens as the duo connected on multiple deep balls and an 11-yard touchdown on the team's last possession of the first half. The 35-year-old later scored on a QB sneak and found Van Jefferson in the end zone from four yards out. Although Justin Fields led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start, it seems Wilson will be the starter moving forward after a convincing win in which the Steelers scored 31 unanswered points. Fantasy managers can view him as a QB2 option heading into a Week 8 meeting with the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 20 11:10pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason was mostly held in check by the Kansas City Chiefs in a 28-18 home loss on Sunday. He ran for 58 yards on 14 carries and caught both of his targets for 11 yards. A large chunk of his yardage came on a 26-yard third-quarter run. Mason also had a couple of nice runs called back by holding penalties and was something of a game-script victim with the 49ers falling behind 14-3 early. Coming into the game, Mason was the second-leading rusher in the NFL and should have better days ahead of him until Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) returns. Unless CMC surprises everybody and comes back next week, Mason will look to get back on track against a porous Dallas Cowboys run defense at home on Sunday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Oct 20 11:00pm ET
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a rough day at the office in a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Purdy finished with 17 completions on 31 attempts for 212 yards, no passing touchdowns, and three interceptions. Overall, it was a sloppy performance but Purdy's day was saved in fantasy with a couple of touchdowns on quarterback sneaks. He finished with eight rushes for 27 yards and the two scores. Although a substandard Purdy made his share of mistakes, it didn't help that he was without receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) for most of the game. Looking ahead, Purdy will probably slip in weekly rankings if Aiyuk has suffered an ACL tear as feared, at least until rookie receivers Ricky Pearsall and/or Jacob Cowing prove reliable. A return by Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) at some point would help buoy Purdy's value. Purdy gets the Dallas Cowboys at home next Sunday night.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Addison Oct 20 10:30pm ET
Jordan Addison

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison reeled in 3-of-4 targets for 66 yards in the team's 31-29 loss to the Detroit Lions. It was another modest outing for Addison, who has now caught three balls in each of his four contests this season. He somewhat saved his fantasy day in this one with a long reception of 51 yards that helped set up a Vikings field goal but was otherwise held in check by a formidable Lions defense. Third-year wideout Jalen Nailor racked up one more catch and target than the 22-year-old and out-gained him by 10 yards in the matchup -- the first time he's done so all season. While the USC product is a good WR in his own right, ceiling games will be challenging to come by while sharing the field with target-hog Justin Jefferson -- potentially even less so when tight end T.J. Hockenson enters the fold. Minnesota will travel to Los Angeles on a short week to take on the Rams on Thursday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

Dustin Hopkins Oct 20 10:20pm ET
Dustin Hopkins

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins had a rough afternoon in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Hopkins missed his lone field goal and went 0-for-1 on extra points in the close loss to the Bengals. The veteran kicker has been mostly reliable for the Browns since joining the team before the 2023 season but he has now missed two field goals over his past two games. Overall, Hopkins has converted 10 of his 13 field-goal tries and all but two of his nine extra-point attempts. He will look to bounce back against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Worthy Oct 20 10:20pm ET
Xavier Worthy

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had three catches for 19 yards in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Worthy completed three catches on a team-leading eight targets in the contest. Worthy also had one carry for five yards in this contest. Despite the ball heading his way more than any other pass catcher, Worthy could not turn opportunity into a big game. Kansas City is trying to increase Worthy's usage, but it is up to the rookie receiver to step up to the plate. Thankfully, Worthy will have more favorable matchups moving forward since the Niners are one of the most well-rounded defensive units in the league. Worth and the Chiefs will take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. Despite the Raiders giving up the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers, Worthy's involvement out of the backfield and designed plays should keep his usage high in the team's next matchup. Worthy is a high-upside flex play as long as you can stomach his low floor.

From RotoBaller

Shelby Harris Oct 20 10:20pm ET
Shelby Harris

The Cleveland Browns defense performed well in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Cleveland allowed just 21 points while notching three sacks and holding the Bengals to just 223 yards of total offense in the contest. The Browns were led by Za'Darius Smith, who had one sack, and Shelby Harris, who also chipped in a sack. The Browns will face another tough test in Week 8 as they will face off against the Baltimore Ravens.

From RotoBaller

Mason Rudolph Oct 20 10:10pm ET
Mason Rudolph

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

Elijah Moore Oct 20 10:10pm ET
Elijah Moore

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