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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 [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Jeff Wilson Aug 10 12:00am CT
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Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed five times for seven yards in the Miami Dolphins' 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday. He added three receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown on four targets. Wilson was the first running back in for the Dolphins and was featured heavily over the first few drives. In the opening seconds of the second quarter, Miami was down in Atlanta's red zone. He caught a Skylar Thompson pass in the left flat and swiftly made his way to the end zone, diving for the pylon. 2024 will be the eight-year veteran's third season with Miami after spending the first five seasons of his career in a similar Kyle Shanahan-esque offense. He's been a solid contributor in this scheme before when health permits but presents as no more than a depth piece for now. The 27-year-old is a solid deep-league handcuff for now, but can be safely avoided in redraft circles unless injuries force him into action.

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Calvin Austin III Aug 10 12:00am CT
Calvin Austin III

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III managed two receptions for 49 yards on three targets in a preseason loss to the Houston Texans. All of Austin's opportunities came with Kyle Allen at quarterback. The pair nearly connected for a touchdown in the second quarter, but the ball was poorly thrown and Austin failed to haul it in. The 25-year-old wideout was much sharper in the second half, creating plenty of separation for deep completions of 24 and 25 yards. Although veteran Van Jefferson has reportedly had an excellent training camp, Austin could carve out a role for himself in a receiver room that is highly suspect outside of George Pickens. Austin will hope to stand out again in next Saturday's contest against the Buffalo Bills.

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Daijun Edwards Aug 9 11:40pm CT
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Daijun Edwards turned three carries into 28 yards and a rushing touchdown while adding a reception for nine yards in the team's 20-12 preseason loss to the Houston Texans. He also picked up 27 yards on his lone kick return. The undrafted rookie made an impact immediately upon checking in at the start of the fourth quarter, exploding for a 24-yard gain on his second attempt. He capped off the drive with a one-yard score on the very next play. The Georgia product tallied 1078 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns in his final collegiate season and could certainly push for a roster spot in Pittsburgh, especially given his usage on special teams. Edwards will look to make the most of his opportunities once again next week when the Steelers face the Buffalo Bills.

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Najee Harris Aug 9 11:20pm CT
Najee Harris

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris handled three carries for nine yards and turned his lone target into a 16-yard reception in a preseason loss to the Houston Texans. Harris had his number called immediately on Friday with a screen pass from quarterback Justin Fields on Pittsburgh's first play from scrimmage. As expected, he split reps with the first-team offense fairly evenly with backfield mate Jaylen Warren. Harris, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, reportedly dropped weight this offseason and looked explosive throughout training camp. He'll look to be a focal point early again next week against the Buffalo Bills.

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George Pickens Aug 9 11:10pm CT
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Justin Fields Aug 9 10:50pm CT
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Tanner Conner Aug 9 10:30pm CT
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Miami Dolphins tight end Tanner Conner caught three of four targets for 70 yards and a touchdown during Friday's 20-13 win against the Atlanta Falcons. His longest catch of the day was a 43-yarder where he came streaking off the line on a third and five, blowing right by a Falcons defender. Conner leaped to catch a slightly off-target Skylar Thompson pass in the soft spot of the zone and then showed off his yard-after-catch skills as he scampered down the field for a significant gain. He racked up 37 yards on his other two receptions. He had just four targets, but the third-year TE showed enough to be at least intriguing going into the second week of the preseason. He still has quite a bit of work to do, though. He sits behind Jonnu Smith, Durham Smythe, Julian Hill, and Jody Fortson Jr. on Miami's unofficial depth chart. It remains to be seen how much work Conner will get next weekend when the Dolphins take on the Commanders in Miami.

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Russell Wilson Aug 9 10:30pm CT
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he anticipates quarterback Russell Wilson being available for the second preseason game next Saturday against the visiting Buffalo Bills. Wilson missed some time recently in training camp with a minor calf injury, which allowed backup Justin Fields to get some run with the first-team offense. The Steelers held Wilson out of Friday's preseason opener against the Houston Texans, while Fields proceeded to go 5-for-6 for 67 yards while also fumbling the ball twice. Fields may have more big-play ability because of his legs, but Wilson remains in pole position to start under center for the Steelers in the Week 1 regular-season opener versus the Atlanta Falcons on the road. With little to work with in the passing game, Wilson, who looked washed up in his two seasons in Denver, will open 2024 as a low-end QB2 for fantasy managers.

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Skylar Thompson Aug 9 10:10pm CT
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Jaylen Wright Aug 9 10:10pm CT
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Grant Calcaterra Aug 9 9:50pm CT
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Anthony Gould Aug 9 9:30pm CT
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Kenneth Gainwell Aug 9 9:30pm CT
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell took four carries for 23 yards and was the first back on the field with the second-string unit against the Baltimore Ravens Friday night. Rookie Will Shipley soon came in to take over for the 25-year-old but was not nearly as efficient on his seven carries. Shipley was able to find the end zone at the end of the first quarter, catching a seven-yard pass from quarterback Kenny Pickett. Gainwell seems to have the inside track on the No. 2 job behind Saquon Barkley, but Shipley is proving that he can carve out his own role in the passing game and has been paired with Gainwell for kickoff returns.

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Robbie Chosen Aug 9 8:55pm CT
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Adonai Mitchell Aug 9 8:50pm CT
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Noah Fant Aug 9 8:50pm CT
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Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald announced that he believes tight end Noah Fant (foot) will practice next week. He missed a bit of time over the last few days due to a foot injury incurred during Wednesday's practice, but it seems he'll be all good to return following the weekend. This is a good sign for the sixth-year veteran, as any time missed during the crucial install of Ryan Grubb's offense could cost him. Targets will be scarce for Fant, as he has DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to contend with for quarterback Geno Smith's targets. During Grubb's 2023 reign as coordinator for the Washington Huskies' offense, tight end Jack Westover finished the season with the fourth-most receptions and yards in Washington's offense. It seems fitting to project a similar situation here. Fant is the TE24 in NFFC ADP (207 overall) and is only a target in two-tight end and best-ball formats.

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