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.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb (foot) was a late addition to this week's injury report on Friday and is now listed as questionable to play in Week 11 versus the Washington Commanders in Madrid, Spain, according to Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com. Chubb was also dealing with a foot injury last week before being cleared to play in the upset win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, where he tallied a sack and three tackles (two solo). The 29-year-old former fifth overall pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018 out of North Carolina State was rumored to be on the trade block at the deadline, but Miami ended up keeping him around and plans to build around him going forward. He did not play in 2024 due to a torn ACL, but he's having a rebound season so far in 2025 with five sacks in 10 games. Even if Chubb cannot play in Madrid, Miami's defense/special teams should be considered a streaming option in deeper leagues against a banged-up Commanders offense.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Friday that wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle, ribs) is "heading in the right direction and should be in a good spot for the game" this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. It's a bit of a surprise since Shakir hasn't practiced in full this week, but it's good news for a Bills offense that already ruled out tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) for Week 11 action. Still, the 25-year-old Shakir could be limited in what he can do this weekend, and with Kincaid out, receiver Keon Coleman is looking more attractive to fantasy managers as a WR4/flex play. Coleman has been a disappointment in his sophomore season, but he scored his third touchdown last week and had his second-most targets (eight) of the year. Shakir has been Buffalo's leading receiver in 2025, but he'll carry more risk against Tampa if he's active. Check back for the Bills' final Friday injury report.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (leg) was out there for a third consecutive practice to close out the week ahead of the team's outing with the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. The veteran's status for Friday's session was not disclosed. Godwin was able to log limited sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, the first time he'd practiced in any capacity since Week 5. Tampa Bay could certainly use the ninth-year pro back on the field with their receiving corps in shambles. However, it's unclear if he'll be able to return to in-game action in Week 11. If Godwin is forced to miss another contest, running mates Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, and Sterling Shepard will retain their roles of recent weeks. Notably, Johnson has eclipsed Shepard in the hierarchy, out-snapping the latter in four straight outings.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill (ankle) upgraded to a full practice on Friday and has been removed from the final Week 11 injury report, meaning he'll make his return on Sunday against the Washington Commanders in Madrid, Spain. Hill will put an end to a three-game absence due to an ankle injury, but fantasy managers can continue to look elsewhere. Darren Waller (pectoral) remains on Injured Reserve, but the 25-year-old Hill will be battling for limited targets with Greg Dulcich against Washington. Before his ankle injury, Hill had only 10 catches on 13 targets for 77 yards and no touchdowns. He is still looking for his first NFL touchdown after debuting for the Dolphins in 2023. Fantasy managers desperate at the TE position should be able to find better options on the waiver wire.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) was again seen at practice on Friday, although his status during the session was not detailed. The former Oregon Duck returned to practice earlier in the week, working in a limited capacity on back-to-back days. As of now, it bodes well for Irving's outlook in Week 11's bout against the hosting Buffalo Bills. Still, it wouldn't be surprising to see the team hold him out for another game as he gets right. Even if Irving plays, there's a strong possibility he'd be on a snap count. In the event that he misses a sixth-straight appearance, teammates Rachaad White and Sean Tucker would continue to divvy up the backfield split.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott reports that tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) will not be active for this weekend's meeting with the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kincaid sustained a hamstring injury in Week 10's loss to the Dolphins that was deemed week-to-week. After failing to practice on Wednesday and Thursday, it's no surprise that he won't be able to suit up for this Sunday's clash with the Bucs. Fantasy managers can expect teammate Dawson Knox to handle most of Buffalo's tight end duties in Week 11, with teammate Jackson Hawes mixing in behind him. Wide receiver Khalil Shaki (ankle, ribs) is also trending toward playing.
From RotoBaller
Per the team, Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II is free of an injury designation ahead of their Week 11 clash with the Washington Commanders in Madrid, Spain. Gordon II has dealt with an ankle injury for a few weeks, but he logged a full session on Friday as the team gears up for their game abroad. The rookie played a season low in snaps last weekend, as his ailment clearly hampered him. However, he should be good to go for his typical allotment in an excellent matchup against a Washington defense that's yielded 134.4 rushing yards per contest (ninth-most). Fantasy managers can expect him to resume his role as the preferred change-of-pace option behind teammate De'Von Achane, although he'll still be a low-floor fantasy asset with the latter dominating backfield touches.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai slid back into a secondary role in the team's backfield last weekend with the return of teammate D'Andre Swift (hip) from a one-game absence. The New Jersey native showed out back in Week 9 with a 29-touch, 198-yard performance while Swift dealt with a hip injury. However, the former saw his workload scale back significantly as the latter resumed his role as lead back in their win over the Giants. Monangai would catapult in the rankings if Swift were ever made to miss more time, although, as it stands, he'll still boast some standalone value as a low-end RB3 asset. While both backs will be in play during Week 11's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, Monangai loses some ceiling with Swift in the picture.
From RotoBaller
Across nine games played this season, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has hauled in 31 catches for 482 yards on 42 targets. The vast majority of Bourne's production came in a two-week stretch in early October, when he recorded 15 catches for 284 yards on 20 targets. The 49ers' pass-catching corps has gotten healthier in recent weeks thanks to the returns of wide receiver Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle, which has shrunk Bourne's role in the offense. Over his last two games played, Bourne has recorded three catches for 53 yards on three targets. Heading into their Week 11 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco will welcome wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) back to the lineup for his first game since Week 4. Pearsall's return should only further limit Bourne's opportunities for playing time. Bourne should be off the radar of fantasy managers heading into Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney was one of the breakout players of the 2024 season, recording 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns across 16 games. However, the 28-year-old has not been able to recreate his standout performance in his second year with the team. Across seven games in 2025, Mooney has just 13 catches for 190 yards and zero touchdowns on 35 targets. Injuries have been a factor, as he missed most of training camp with a broken collarbone and recently missed time due to a hamstring issue. However, Mooney has struggled when on the field as well. He hauled in just one of eight targets for 17 yards in Atlanta's Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Heading into a Week 11 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, Mooney remains virtually impossible for fantasy managers to trust.
From RotoBaller
Since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, Joe Flacco (shoulder) has been one of the most productive fantasy quarterbacks in the NFL. Across four starts for the Bengals, the 40-year-old has completed 64.7% of his pass attempts for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns, and two interceptions. Flacco is averaging 43.3 pass attempts per game with Cincinnati, a rate that virtually guarantees gaudy numbers if it sustains. However, Flacco's run as a fantasy asset may be short-lived. Earlier this week, the Bengals opened up the 21-day activation window from Injured Reserve for QB1 Joe Burrow (toe). Burrow is reportedly targeting Cincinnati's Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens for his return, which would leave Flacco with just two more games as the starter. Flacco profiles as a low-end fantasy QB1 in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but his season-long value has taken a hit due to the Burrow news.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott (ankle) is officially listed as questionable to play in his team's Week 11 matchup against the Miami Dolphins in Madrid. Sinnott was added to the injury report on Thursday with an ankle injury and is listed as a non-participant in practice on Friday. The 23-year-old has played a minimal role in Washington's passing game this season, recording three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown on three targets across 10 games played. Still, a potential absence for Sinnott in Week 11 could lead to more opportunities for Commanders TE1 Zach Ertz. Ertz has hauled in 35 catches for 345 yards and four touchdowns so far in 2025 and profiles as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end in Week 11 against Miami.
From RotoBaller
Through the first nine games of his NFL career, Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike has recorded 21 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown on 33 targets. In his final three games before Tennessee's Week 10 bye, Dike hauled in 12 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets. However, the Titans have been playing without veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley (hamstring) since Week 6. Ridley has been able to practice in a limited capacity so far this week and could be on track to make his return in Week 11 against the Houston Texans. Dike may have shown the team enough during Ridley's absence to remain a featured piece of the passing game. However, the veteran's return to the lineup will still likely impact Dike's target share. Dike profiles as a desperation flex option at best for fantasy managers in Week 11 against Houston.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary rushed eight times for 20 yards, adding another 53 on 3-of-3 receiving in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the hosting Chicago Bears; however, he saw his snap percentage decrease from 56% to 33% in Week 10, after in Week 9, he played 56% of the snaps. At this time, the Giants' offensive backfield appears to be a running back by committee between Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr., making both of them RB3/flex options at best. Jameis Winston is now under center for the Giants as Jaxson Dart (concussion) has been ruled out for Week 11. Additionally, the Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll, and Mike Kafka has been named the interim head coach. It's unclear how he will approach this backfield. Their matchup in Week 11 also includes the Green Bay Packers, who are the fifth-best at limiting opposing running backs, making Singletary and Tracy difficult to trust in your lineups this week.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers third-year running back out of Syracuse, Sean Tucker, has seen an increased workload the last couple of weeks due to Rachaad White's ineffectiveness on the ground (3.74 YPC) and Bucky Irving's (toe/shoulder) injuries. Over the past two games, Tucker has earned 21 carries and rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown. As long as Irving remains sidelined, Tucker will be in the RB3 conversation, given the fact that, based on the last few games, he appears likely to earn 8-12 carries a game. That being said, if Irving returns, which he has logged limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday, Tucker will immediately go back to third on the depth chart and can be returned to the waiver wires. Fantasy managers rostering Tucker as a desperate RB3 option will want to continue to monitor Irving's practice status on Friday and Saturday to know when or if they should drop him.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt entered Week 10 against the Detroit Lions as the second back to receive touches behind Chris Rodriguez Jr. Although Croskey-Merritt finished the game with 11 carries and played 44 percent of the snaps, prior to Rodriguez leaving the game early due to a shoulder injury, Rodriguez had played 72% of the snaps in the first half, compared to Croskey-Merritt's 16%. As a result of the injury to Rodriguez and the game being out of hand, Croskey-Merritt ended up playing 65.4% of snaps in the second half. This is perhaps why some fantasy managers may believe Croskey-Merritt is still the lead-back. It may continue to be a backfield split moving forward; however, at this time, Rodriguez practiced all week and is expected to play Sunday, and is in line to have lead-back duties. As a result, this makes Croskey-Merritt someone who can't be trusted heading into Week 11. The Commanders play the Miami Dolphins in Spain on Sunday, which should set up to be a strong matchup on paper for him, Rodriguez, making him an RB3/flex option in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) missed Week 11's Thursday Night Football matchup against the New York Jets, and proceeded to watch rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson score three touchdowns and combine for 93 all-purpose yards, which was a career night for the rookie running back. This was after Henderson rushed for 147 yards in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and scored twice in that game as well, while Stevenson was sidelined. Due to the nature of how Henderson has broken out, it raises the question of what Stevenson's role will be when he returns. At this time, it's too early to assume that Henderson will completely take over, given Patriots' head coach Mike Vrabel's feelings about Stevenson in the running game. Still, Henderson may be forcing Vrabel's hand in making him the starter, given the results he has put up over the past two weeks. Regardless, Henderson clearly has the upside over Stevenson and appears to be the running back you want in New England, but given the overall effectiveness of the Patriots' offense, whoever gets a majority of the touches will be fantasy relevant.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis was barely involved on Thursday Night Football, as the second-year back out of South Dakota State was limited to just two carries for 11 yards. He also got one target, but after a stretch where it appeared Davis might be relevant in fantasy football, that has slowly dwindled, as we are also seeing his snap share percentage decrease since the bye week, down to 29 percent. To put that into perspective, the two weeks before the bye week, he was playing 47 percent of the snaps. Currently, Breece Hall is the backfield's main option, and Davis can be dropped to the waiver wire to make room for other high-level running back handcuffs that may be available. Up next for the Jets is a trip to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Ravens, who appear to have found their groove and gotten healthy, winning their last three games.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins caught four of his five targets for 64 yards during Thursday's Week 11 win over the New York Jets. The veteran receiver continues to produce at a high level with teammate Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) sidelined. Hollins now has 19 catches and 268 yards over his last four games, tallying 10+ fantasy points (PPR) in three of those four contests. While we could see his volume get slightly scaled back if Boutte returns in Week 12, there's no denying that Hollins has established himself as one of Drake Maye's favorite targets so far. He should continue to be a mid-to-low WR3/flex for Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver John Metchie III caught all three of his targets for 45 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's Week 11 loss against the New England Patriots. Metchie played 82.5 percent of the snaps in the defeat, shattering his previous season-high snap share of 16 percent. Thursday's game also featured Metchie's first touchdown this season and just the second of his career. The 25-year-old was presented with increased opportunities to contribute on primetime television after Garrett Wilson (knee) was placed on injured reserve. The Jets may ride the hot hand in the passing game going forward, but Metchie has an early leg up on the rest of his competition. He can be viewed as a low-end WR3/flex in deeper leagues ahead of Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller