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.
Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson saw limited playing time over the first five weeks of the season, but his role has increased lately. The rookie has three catches for 85 yards and a touchdown over his last two games, averaging 8.8 fantasy points (PPR) during that span. Specifically, he has emerged as a big-play threat for the Rams. Two of Ferguson's last three catches have gone for at least 31 yards, allowing him to emerge as an intriguing target and chain-mover for Matthew Stafford. It will be tough for Ferguson to carve out a consistent target share behind Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, and Colby Parkinson, but he has significant upside thanks to his receiving skills and high draft capital. He's a very appealing dynasty stash.
From RotoBaller
The New Orleans Saints signed running back Audric Estime to their active 53-man roster on Wednesday from the practice squad, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Estime didn't make the Denver Broncos' final roster out of training camp and then latched on with the Saints' practice squad late last month. The 22-year-old will be active for the first time in 2025 when the Saints take on the division-rival Carolina Panthers in Week 10, now that Kendre Miller (knee) is out for the year with a torn ACL. Estime will operate as the No. 3 running back for New Orleans, so he won't have any fantasy value for the time being behind starter Alvin Kamara and rookie Devin Neal. In his rookie season with Denver last year, Estime had 76 rushing attempts for 310 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and two touchdowns while adding five catches for 27 yards in 13 regular-season games.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee continues to see a healthy dose of targets despite increased competition within his position group. Last week against the Saints, he caught three of four targets for 13 yards, and he salvaged his fantasy performance with a touchdown. He has 19 targets over his last four contests, as well as a touchdown in two of his last three games. The 32-year-old continues to play north of 50 percent of the snaps, even as players like Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson continue to get involved. The Rams run plenty of two-tight end sets, creating additional opportunities for Higbee to get on the field. He already has the trust of quarterback Matthew Stafford, so as long as he continues to see a solid snap share, he'll remain a threat in the Rams' offense. He ranks as a mid-range TE2 with streaming appeal ahead of Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers.
From RotoBaller
Updating a previous report, Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (quadriceps) was unable to practice on Wednesday due to a quad injury, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. Dowdle has been one of the hottest players in football in recent weeks, so this is a situation to watch heading into Carolina's Week 10 game on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. The 27-year-old ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns in last week's upset win over the Green Bay Packers. He is only the fourth player in franchise history to have at least 125 rushing yards in three games in the same year, joining Stephen Davis, Christian McCaffrey, and DeAngelo Williams. If Dowdle is unable to play this weekend, it will thrust Chuba Hubbard back into the RB1 role for Carolina. Dowdle's strong play when Hubbard missed time with injury has vaulted him to lead-back duties.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku appeared ecstatic on Wednesday, as the passing of the trade deadline ensures his stay with the team through the season. The nine-year veteran has appeared in seven games this season, recording 27 receptions for 260 yards and two touchdowns. While there was speculation the explosive tight end could be moved at the deadline, he reiterated his intent to work out an extension with the team and continue to build something in the state of Ohio. Njoku should be considered a low-end TE1 ahead of the team's Week 10 matchup with the lowly Jets.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) was not available for the team's Wednesday practice, leaving him in doubt for Sunday's matchup with the Jaguars. Stroud left Sunday's loss to the Broncos after being hit while sliding. Davis Mills will be tasked with quarterback duties if the 24-year-old QB is unable to play. Mills completed 17 of 30 passes last week for 137 yards. With the question marks at quarterback, fantasy managers should proceed with caution when considering Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz in starting lineups this week. The Jaguars defense has allowed the second-most points to tight ends and 12th-most to wide receivers this season.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) was practicing on Wednesday ahead of the team's Week 10 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Wilson leads all Jets with 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns on the season, despite missing the last two games. Quarterback Justin Fields has struggled to generate yardage in the passing game, but the team will look to build off of their Week 8 win as they return from their bye. Barring a setback, Wilson should be started in all formats as the primary target for Fields, despite facing the Browns' second-ranked defense. Despite the Browns' strong defense, they've allowed 15 passing touchdowns this season, largely due to the offense failing to generate long fields for opposing offenses.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) has progressed enough in his recovery to begin running. Despite the progression, Irving is still not ready to take contact on his injured shoulder. Irving has been sidelined since suffering the injury in Week 4. Rachaad White remains the lead back as Irving recovers, with Sean Tucker serving as the change-of-pace option. White should remain on the bench heading into a brutal Week 10 matchup with a Patriots defense that is allowing just 75.4 rushing yards per game.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson has emerged as a go-to weapon in the passing game with Jacoby Brissett under center. Brissett continues to heap praise on the young receiver, stating, "If need be, he could be the No. 1 target." The passing game has continued to improve with Brissett under center, with Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. finally living up to their potential. Despite the praise, you should proceed with caution for Wilson in a Week 10 matchup with a stingy Seattle Seahawks defense that has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) looked like his normal self in his return to practice on Wednesday. Egbuka used the bye to recover and seems ready for a big Week 10 matchup with the New England Patriots. The rookie leads all Bucs players with 34 receptions for 662 yards and five touchdowns. He has seen 21 targets over his last two games, further proving his emergence in this offense. Egbuka should be started in all formats this week, as he faces a Patriots defense that ranks 15th against fantasy wide receivers.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Wednesday that he feels wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) is "getting close" to being able to play in a game, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. However, McDermott won't put a timeline on Davis being active on game day. Davis rejoined the Bills in September but has yet to make his 2025 debut as he recovers from a knee injury. The 26-year-old spent the first four years of his NFL career in Buffalo, catching 163 passes for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns in 64 regular-season games. He played in only 10 games due to injury in his lone season with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year, and now he's back with the Bills. Davis will help Buffalo's offense stretch the field once he's healthy, but he faces an uphill battle for fantasy value in a WR corps that also includes Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, and Elijah Moore.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (undisclosed) was practicing off to the side on Wednesday in the portion of practice open to the media, according to David Newton of ESPN. It's unclear what Dowdle is dealing with, but this will be a situation to watch heading into Carolina's Week 10 divisional battle on Sunday versus the New Orleans Saints. Dowdle has taken over RB1 duties for the Panthers by rushing for an astounding 652 yards and three touchdowns in his last five games while also adding 10 receptions for 112 yards and another score. If the 27-year-old's injury is serious enough to limit him or keep him out entirely this weekend, Chuba Hubbard would once again become a must-start in fantasy lineups everywhere in a plus matchup against New Orleans. Dowdle has had over 20 carries in three of the last five games and has even topped the 200-yard mark in that span.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) will not practice on Wednesday, per Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. Stevenson came down with a toe injury in the team's Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns, wasn't able to practice last week, and was held out of the one-point win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. It looks like Stevenson hasn't made much progress, putting him in danger of missing a second straight contest when New England takes on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road this Sunday. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson handled 75% of the offensive snaps against Atlanta with Stevenson sidelined, carrying the ball a season-high 14 times for 55 yards while catching four of six targets for 32 yards. Terrell Jennings saw a 25% snap share and surprisingly had 11 totes for 35 yards and one touchdown out of the backfield.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) will not practice with the team on Wednesday, per Patriots.com's Evan Lazar. With a DNP to begin the week, Boutte is in danger of missing the Week 10 game in Tampa against the Buccaneers after he injured his hamstring in the Week 9 win over the Atlanta Falcons and was unable to return to the contest. The 23-year-old third-year receiver ended his streak of three straight games finding the end zone as a result, and he failed to catch his only target last Sunday before leaving the game. DeMario Douglas only played 24% of the offensive snaps against the Falcons, but he benefited from Boutte's injury to go for a season-high 100 receiving yards and his third touchdown of 2025 on four catches. Douglas, Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and rookie Kyle Williams would see expanded roles if Boutte is unable to play this weekend.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele should become a bigger part of the team's passing attack, starting in Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers this Sunday, after the Saints traded Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. Vele played only 29% of the offensive snaps in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams and was not targeted at all. However, in the Week 8 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 27-year-old played a season-high 51% of the snaps and was targeted a season-high five times. Expectations must be tempered in a Saints offense being run by rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, but there's no denying that Vele will see a playing time increase in the second half of the season with Shaheed no longer in town. The former seventh-rounder of the Denver Broncos has only five catches on his 10 targets this year for 39 yards and a touchdown in eight games played.
From RotoBaller
The New York Jets acquired wide receiver Adonai Mitchell at Tuesday's trade deadline in the deal that sent All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts. Although Mitchell, a second-rounder by the Colts last year out of Texas, is still searching for his first NFL touchdown, he will have increased opportunity for the 1-7 Jets the rest of the season. Top wideout Garrett Wilson (knee) looks primed to make his return this weekend against the Cleveland Browns, but it's possible that Mitchell could settle in as the team's WR2 when all is said and done this year. Josh Reynolds (hip) is currently on Injured Reserve, and nobody else in New York's WR corps has really stepped up as a reliable option in the passing game. Mitchell had nine catches for 152 yards on 16 targets through eight games in a crowded WR room in Indy. For the increased opportunity alone, Mitchell is worth a waiver-wire pickup in deeper fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis hasn't had the season he was hoping for in 2025, but that could change in Week 10 against the division-rival Miami Dolphins this Sunday. The Bills announced that RB James Cook (ankle, foot) will not practice, which leaves his status up in the air for the weekend. Speculative fantasy managers in need of an RB this week with four teams on bye might want to look to Davis or Ty Johnson if Cook's injury is serious enough to sideline him against Miami. The 25-year-old played only 5% of the offensive snaps in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9, and he didn't receive a single carry. Davis has been the RB3 for most of the year behind Cook and Johnson, carrying the ball just 22 times for 46 yards and catching three of his five targets for 18 yards in eight games. However, he'd be much more involved in a great matchup against the Dolphins if Cook cannot suit up.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson could become an interesting mid-week waiver-wire pickup heading into Week 10 against the division-rival Miami Dolphins on Sunday after it was announced on Wednesday that starting RB James Cook (ankle, foot) is not practicing. Johnson only played 20% of the offensive snaps in the Week 9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs and had just two carries, but he was able to fall into the end zone for his first touchdown of 2025. The 28-year-old has also been Buffalo's preferred choice as the backup to Cook this year over Ray Davis, who played just 5% of the snaps last weekend. If Cook's injury is serious enough to sideline him this weekend, the Bills would likely split backfield touches between Johnson and Davis, but at the very least, fantasy managers should be keeping a close eye on this situation over the next few days. Johnson has only 17 carries on the year for 72 yards and one TD.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) was not seen at the portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday, according to Demetrius Harvey of Jaguars.com. Thomas suffered a low-grade high-ankle sprain in the Week 9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, but the team is optimistic he'll be able to play in Week 10 versus the division-rival Houston Texans. The Jaguars also placed rookie first-rounder Travis Hunter (knee) on Injured Reserve last week, so if Thomas is limited or unable to go this weekend, it will most likely make Parker Washington the top target of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In addition to Thomas being hurt, Dyami Brown suffered a concussion last Sunday. In the wake of all of Jacksonville's receiver injuries, they acquired Jakobi Meyers from the Raiders on Tuesday. Meyers should eventually have a big role in the passing attack, but fantasy managers will want to temper expectations for him early on as he learns the playbook.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Wednesday that the team is still "sorting through the medical opinions" on quarterback Jayden Daniels' elbow, according to John Keim of ESPN. Daniels suffered a gruesome-looking left elbow dislocation late in the Sunday night blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but initial X-rays came back negative for any fractures. It remains to be seen whether the 24-year-old suffered any ligament damage in his arm, though, and at the very least, it seems likely that the second-year signal-caller will be forced to Injured Reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. While the Commanders are holding out hope that Daniels might return this year, we wouldn't be surprised if he's shut down the rest of the way. In the meantime, veteran Marcus Mariota will start at QB for a banged-up Commanders offense that also lost receiver Luke McCaffrey to a broken collarbone.
From RotoBaller