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.
New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson has played well in Rhamondre Stevenson's (toe) absence the last three games, averaging 5.6 yards per carry for 264 yards and four touchdowns on 47 rushing attempts. Henderson also caught 10 passes for 66 yards and another touchdown. However, head coach Mike Vrabel was non-committal when asked if there will be a more even workload between the two once Stevenson is back from his injury, according to Tom Carroll of WEEI. "I think we'll probably have to have that conversation when it's certain that we're gonna have Rhamondre. He's gonna work through practice today, and we'll see where things go. TreVeyon's helped us, Rhamondre's helped us, Terrell [Jennings'] helped us." Stevenson returned to a limited practice on Wednesday, but it's unclear if he'll play in Week 12 against the Bengals. Fantasy managers who have Henderson are surely hoping that the impressive rookie has done enough recently to warrant a bigger workload when Stevenson is back.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks seems to be grabbing most of the work in his team's backfield, and he'll be a good flex option on Thursday Night Football against the Bills. Buffalo has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs, and the Bucs' Sean Tucker lit the Bills up for three touchdowns last week in Buffalo. In his team's Week 11 win over the Titans, Marks failed to find the end zone but had 18 carries for 44 yards and a seven-yard reception, while playing 66% of snaps. Nick Chubb only had three carries and played 26% of snaps, so Marks seems to be gaining more playing time in the timeshare coming down the stretch. Marks has double-digit carries in each of the five games since Houston's bye week, and the rookie checks in at No. 20 in this week's RotoBaller RB rankings. He's a fringe RB2 and an elite flex option for this matchup on Thursday Night Football.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he'd "always" like to get running back David Montgomery more carries, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. Montgomery does have double-digit rushing attempts in seven of 10 games this year, including in three of the last four games. But he was more of an afterthought in Sunday night's 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, carrying the ball only six times for 27 yards and catching his only target for 10 yards. The game script in Week 11 was not in the 28-year-old's favor, that's for sure. Detroit should have a better game script this weekend on the road against the one-win Tennessee Titans, so fantasy managers will be banking on him getting more involved on the ground again. Backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs is much more dynamic than Montgomery in both the run and pass game, which has made Monty more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex in fantasy in 2025.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike (chest) was listed as a full participant in Wednesday's practice despite leaving the Week 11 loss to the Houston Texans early with a chest injury. Dike should be fine to play in Week 12 versus the visiting Seattle Seahawks in a game in which the Titans are probably going to have to throw often. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor (hamstring) didn't practice on Wednesday after getting hurt on Sunday, and Calvin Ridley (leg) is done for the season after breaking his leg. The 23-year-old Dike could be in line for a heavy target load this weekend against Seattle, which would make him an attractive flex consideration in fantasy football. The fourth-rounder has caught only three passes for 19 yards in the last two games, but he did have 11 catches on 12 targets for 163 yards and a touchdown in Weeks 7 and 8 combined.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills will make his third straight start for the Texans after helping his team past the Jaguars and Titans the last two weeks. He'll face the Bills on Thursday night, stepping in for C.J. Stroud (concussion), who is still not ready to return. Mills has put up solid numbers in both his wins, throwing for 292 passing yards against the Jaguars and 274 passing yards against the Titans. He has three passing touchdowns and a rushing score in those two contests, while attempting over 40 pass attempts in each game. He can be a fringe start in two-QB leagues or even a bye-week fill-in for deep leagues, but he does have a tough home matchup against the Bills, who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. If Mills has to try and keep up with Josh Allen, he could be poised for another high-volume game, but his tough matchup keeps him as the QB22 in RotoBaller's rankings for Week 12, meaning he isn't a great option in standard, single-QB leagues.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) is doubtful to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots as he continues to battle through a sprained ankle, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Perine suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears and was unable coming out of the bye to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. The 30-year-old veteran is on track to miss a second straight game. It remains to be seen if Perine will be able to return for a big Week 13 divisional matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving Day, but on a short week, it might be unlikely. With Perine out in last Sunday's loss to the Steelers, Tahj Brooks played only seven offensive snaps behind starter Chase Brown, carrying the ball once for a gain of five yards. Brown should see the vast majority of backfield work again this weekend against the Pats.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that running back Kenneth Walker is "earning more opportunities," but it is tied primarily to how Walker is performing during games, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Macdonald continues saying that Walker is doing well in practice, but the game context is what drives the decision-making. Walker's usage has been frustrating this season from a fantasy perspective as he has been stuck in an even time split with Zach Charbonnet, but his strong performance in Week 11 against the Rams could earn him more opportunities going forward. The 25-year-old totaled 16 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown to go along with three catches (three targets) for 44 yards in the game. Walker's impact in the pass game was something that Macdonald talked about as well, and with his game-changing explosiveness, Seattle could start to feature him as a bigger piece of the offense.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (hip) was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice session, according to the team's official website. Swift has been a regular on the injury report with various nagging injuries and missed Chicago's Week 9 win over the Bengals, but has played in each of the past two weeks and resumed his lead-back role. The 26-year-old handled a season-high 21 carries for 90 yards in a Week 11 win over Minnesota. Rookie Kyle Monangai stayed involved with 13 touches for 37 yards and a rushing touchdown, but Swift has still been their best option. Swift was limited in Wednesday's practice last week before being upgraded to full on Thursday and Friday, and he should be on track to play again in Week 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (ankle) didn't participate in practice on Wednesday, according to the team's official website. Worthy tweaked his ankle during the Chiefs' Week 11 loss at the Denver Broncos, and his absence on Wednesday signals some doubt for his chances to suit up in Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts. The 22-year-old wideout has dealt with multiple injuries this season, including a dislocated shoulder back in the season opener against the Chargers that caused him to miss two games. Worthy has had a disappointing stretch of games for fantasy managers since Rashee Rice returned in Week 7, recording 14 catches for 136 yards and no touchdowns on 23 targets across those four games. He'll have two more chances to practice this week to determine his status for a big Week 12 matchup against the Colts.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) was listed as a full participant in Wednesday's practice, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Burrow was limited in practice every day last week, but he's made great progress in his recovery from the turf toe injury suffered in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 28-year-old participated in 11-on-11 drills during Wednesday's practice, and there is a possibility that he will be able to make his return to the field on Sunday against the New England Patriots. Backup quarterback Joe Flacco was listed as limited in practice on Wednesday as he manages a shoulder injury, but he is expected to be ready to go this weekend versus the Patriots if the Bengals hold Burrow out for another week. The star quarterback said that he planned to return on Thanksgiving night against the Ravens, but the door is open for him to return in Week 12. Burrow should be immediately added if he is still available on the waiver wire in your leagues.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans rookie Elic Ayomanor (hamstring) is not participating in Wednesday's practice session, according to Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com. Kuharsky reports that it may be difficult for Ayomanor to play on Sunday against the Seahawks due to the hamstring injury suffered during the Titans' loss to the Texans in Week 11. The rookie fourth-rounder caught only two of his six targets for 11 yards in the game. Ayomanor would have a great opportunity to emerge as the Titans' top wideout with Calvin Ridley (leg) out for the season, but his status will need to be monitored as the week goes along. If he is unable to play, fellow rookie Chimere Dike and Van Jefferson should see more opportunities, but neither can be trusted in fantasy lineups.
From RotoBaller
Giana Han of The Baltimore Banner reports that Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (ankle) is not practicing with the team on Wednesday. Bateman sprained his ankle in the Week 10 win over the Minnesota Vikings and hasn't practiced or played since. Unless the 25-year-old can get back on the practice field on Thursday or Friday, he'll miss a second straight game this weekend against the New York Jets. After a career year in 2024 in which he had 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 17 regular-season games, Bateman has become untrustworthy again for fantasy managers, as he currently has a 16-194-2 line on 31 targets through nine games. If he misses a second straight game, there will be more targets to go around for Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins, and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) is back at practice on Wednesday, according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. Boutte has missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury, but he was limited Monday through Wednesday of last week before being ruled out for the Thursday night win over the New York Jets in Week 11. In Weeks 6-8, the 23-year-old pass-catcher caught 10 of his 12 targets for 223 yards and four touchdowns, so fantasy managers shouldn't forget about the third-year wideout in an ascending Patriots offense. With Boutte out for the last two games, Mack Hollins and rookie Kyle Williams have had bigger roles in the passing attack. If Boutte can upgrade to a full practice this week, he stands a good chance of returning to a great matchup against a weak Cincinnati Bengals defense.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) is participating in 11-on-11 drills during Wednesday's practice, and SI.com's James Rapien writes that it feels like the door could be cracked open a bit for him to potentially make his return this weekend against the New England Patriots in Week 12. It's the first time that Burrow has taken part in 11-on-11 work since having turf-toe surgery back in September. The 28-year-old is taking first-team reps with veteran Joe Flacco resting a balky right shoulder. Like he did last week, Flacco is expected to return to practice on Thursday, so he should be available to play against the Patriots if Burrow is held out for another week. Burrow has made it clear he wants to play again this season, and Cincy is desperate for a win at 3-7. It's unclear if he will play this Sunday, but fantasy managers should scoop him up if he's still available on your league's waiver wire.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (wrist) did not participate in Wednesday's practice, but he said he's "going to try to practice" on Thursday, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Rodgers said it is more comfortable to take snaps in the shotgun formation right now, but the goal is to be able to take snaps under center. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer suffered a small fracture in his left (non-throwing) hand in the Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but he won't need surgery and could play as early as this Sunday versus the Chicago Bears. The final decision on whether Rodgers can play this weekend will come down to head coach Mike Tomlin. Mason Rudolph is leading the first-team offense on Wednesday and would be in line to make his first start of 2025 on Sunday if Rodgers is not cleared.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (ankle) was not seen with the rest of the RBs at the portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday, according to Alan Saunders of PGH Steelers Now. Although Warren said the ankle injury he suffered in the Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals wasn't serious, his status is uncertain for a Week 12 clash against the Chicago Bears this Sunday. The 27-year-old was held out of the entire fourth quarter of last Sunday's victory, although the Steelers had the game wrapped up by then. Fantasy managers looking for RB depth should consider Kenneth Gainwell a speculative pickup this week, just in case Warren is out or limited against Chicago. Gainwell had nine carries for 24 yards last Sunday and also caught a season-high seven passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He's rostered in half of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
From RotoBaller
The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Wednesday that they activated quarterback Aidan O'Connell (wrist) from Injured Reserve. O'Connell has missed all of the 2025 season to this point after suffering a fractured right wrist in the preseason. It's possible that Geno Smith's poor play could open the door for O'Connell to make starts under center for the Raiders before the end of the year, but it's unclear if that's potentially in play as early as Week 12 when the team takes on the visiting Cleveland Browns this Sunday. Kenny Pickett has been serving as Smith's backup for the first 11 weeks of the season, but O'Connell could quickly jump him on the depth chart now that he's back. The 27-year-old has a 62.6% completion rate in his two years in the NFL, throwing for 3,830 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 20 games (17 starts).
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hip) has been added to the injury report ahead of the team's Week 12 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer assured reporters there was no cause for alarm, but the injury was noted. Prescott has been excellent this season, holding a 69.9% completion rate with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Prescott ranks as QB9 this season. With some of his toughest matchups behind him, he appears to be a high-value target heading into the fantasy postseason.
From RotoBaller
The Buffalo Bills will be without both wide receivers Mecole Hardman(calf) and Curtis Samuel (elbow, neck) when they face off against the Houston Texans on Thursday night. The Bills will once again lean on wide receivers Keon Coleman and possibly Josh Palmer in the passing game with the sudden plague of injuries hitting the team. Tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) also remains out, and leading receiver Khalil Shakir (personal) has yet to practice this week. The Bills face an uphill battle against a stingy Texans defense on the road with short rest, meaning it will largely be up to quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook to carry the load this week.
From RotoBaller
The New Orleans Saints released wide receiver Brandin Cooks on Wednesday, giving the veteran a chance to land elsewhere. The 32-year-old pass catcher has recorded just 19 receptions this season for 165 yards despite appearing in every game. The departure of Cooks opens the door for Devaughn Vele and Mason Tipton to see expanded roles behind Chris Olave in the Saints' wide receiver room. Vele grabbed an 87% snap share last week, despite converting just one of three targets for 15 yards. Look for the Saints to heavily lean on Olave and running back Alvin Kamara as rookie quarterback Tyler Shough builds his confidence in just his third career start Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons
From RotoBaller