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 [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
ESPN's Nick Wagoner reports that it appeared that San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody (ankle) was back at practice on Monday coming out of the bye week. Nothing is official this early in the week, but if Moody continues to make progress in practices throughout the week, he could have a real chance to return for Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Moody, one of the best fantasy kickers when healthy, hasn't played since Week 5 due to a right-ankle sprain. In the meantime, the Niners have been rolling with second-year man Anders Carlson as their field-goal specialist. Before his injury, Moody made 13 of 14 field-goal tries and all 12 of his extra points in five contests. If he's on your league's waiver wire and you are in need at the kicking position, Moody is a no-brainer pickup if he gets the green light to return this weekend.
From RotoBaller
ESPN's Nick Wagoner reports that it appeared as though San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) returned to practice on Monday as the team comes off their bye week and into a Week 10 battle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said last Monday that Jennings was expected to return after the bye week after missing Weeks 7 and 8. With Brandon Aiyuk (knee) out for the season and Chris Conley (hamstring) also banged up, Jennings should return to a prominent role in San Fran's passing attack. Deebo Samuel (oblique, rib) is also banged up. We'll have a better idea of the 27-year-old's Week 10 status once the Niners start releasing official practice reports on Wednesday, but Jennings appears to be on track to play. If he's available on your league's waiver wire, pick him up immediately.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said he's very optimistic that rookie second-round running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will be ready for Week 10 against the New York Giants in Germany. Canales said a "critical" decision will have to be made on Wednesday as to whether to officially activate Brooks. The 21-year-old rookie has had the start of his first NFL season delayed in 2024 as he recovers from a torn ACL in his right knee last November while playing at Texas. He was able to practice in full all three days last week and appears primed to be activated in order to make his NFL debut this Sunday in Europe. Brooks should be rostered in all fantasy leagues for his upside potential, but there's a very good chance he's eased in behind Chuba Hubbard and alongside Miles Sanders initially. His impending return has made Sanders a trade candidate.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Monday that he still hasn't made a decision on who will start at quarterback for the team in Week 10 in Germany against the New York Giants. The head coach wants to make sure everyone is on the same page and also admitted that gamesmanship is part of the decision to wait to announce the starter between either second-year man Bryce Young or veteran Andy Dalton. Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident several weeks ago, leading to Young starting each of the last two games. Young went 40-for-63 for 395 yards, three TDs and three picks while also leading the team to their second win over the division-rival Saints in Week 9. Our best guess is that Carolina will stick with Young again in a Week 10 tilt in Germany against the New York Giants, where Young will be a low-end QB2 for fantasy purposes.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said that "Derek Carr is going to be the quarterback this Sunday as far as I'm concerned." Carr returned in the Week 9 loss to the division-rival Carolina Panthers after missing three games with an oblique injury. The 33-year-old veteran went 18-for-31 for 236 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions while mostly utilizing running back Alvin Kamara and tight end Taysom Hill to move the ball with top wideout Chris Olave (concussion) out for most of the game. It shouldn't come as a big surprise that the Saints are sticking with Carr after the firing of head coach Dennis Allen, as the alternative is rookie Spencer Rattler, who was very shaky in place of the injured Carr. He'll be firmly in QB2 territory in fantasy in Week 10 against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, especially if Olave isn't cleared to play.
From RotoBaller
ESPN's Ben Baby reports that Cincinnati Bengals rookie tight end Erick All Jr. (knee) tore the ACL in his right knee, and he'll now miss the remainder of the season. It's a crushing blow for the rookie, as it is the same knee he injured in October 2023. Cincinnati feared that this was the case, and now it is confirmed. The rookie tight end had reportedly earned the trust of quarterback Joe Burrow, but he'll now begin the long road to recovery. In his absence, teammates Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson will pick up the slack in the Bengals' tight end room, with the former likely to benefit most from the rookie's absence. Gesicki has come on in recent weeks with wide receiver Tee Higgins (quad) listed as inactive, racking up 12 catches, 173 yards, and two touchdowns over the team's prior two contests.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring), who is eligible to be designated to return from Injured Reserve this week, is recovering and running 20 mph in training sessions, according to a source. However, head coach DeMeco Ryans sounded non-committal on Collins' status for Week 10 against the Detroit Lions, saying, "We'll continue to evaluate Nico throughout the week and see where he is." The 25-year-old hasn't had any setbacks with the right-hamstring injury he suffered on Oct. 6, but it's unclear if he'll actually be available to play this weekend versus Detroit. If Collins is active in Week 10, there's the risk for fantasy managers that he won't play his typical amount of snaps. Before his injury, Collins was a must-start WR1 and he should be the clear WR1 in Houston eventually now that Stefon Diggs (knee) is out for the year.
From RotoBaller
Per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is "optimistic" that wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) will return for the team's Week 11 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Metcalf has missed Seattle's prior two contests with a knee injury he picked up in the 34-14 Week 7 win over the Atlanta Falcons, and with the team on bye in Week 10, he could be ready to roll coming out of it. The 26-year-old was initially dubbed as week-to-week, and it appears that designation was accurate. It's worth noting that Macdonald stopped "short of saying he for sure will be" back, but with another week of rest on tap, Metcalf should have a good chance of doing so. If not, fellow wideouts Tyler, Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will continue to operate as the Seahawks' top two pass catchers in the divisional tilt.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier received just six carries, compared to Bijan Robinson's 19, but it was Allgeier who found paydirt in Week 9's 27-21 victory over the Cowboys, his second score of the season. Allgeier gained 18 yards on his six totes and was not targeted in the passing game. The 24-year-old was averaging 5.7 yards per carry through Week 7, but over the last two weeks, he's averaged just 2.8 YPC. His usage has been pretty volatile, so he'll be hard to trust even in a favorable matchup versus the Saints in Week 10, a team in which he ran for 60 yards against on eight carries earlier this season.
From RotoBaller
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) has an AC joint sprain. Lamb has been designated as week-to-week due to his shoulder injury, but according to Schefter, there is still optimism that he can play this Sunday despite the soreness he's experiencing. With the news that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) is expected to miss multiple weeks due to an injury of his own, Dallas is in danger of being down two critical pieces of their offense this coming Sunday. The fact that there is optimism surrounding Lamb's status for this weekend hints that maybe it will be a pain tolerance issue for the 25-year-old. In the meantime, fantasy managers might want to assume the worst and begin putting a contingency plan in place in case the superstar wideout can't go in Week 10's divisional clash against the Philadelphia Eagles. Keep an eye on his practice status this week.
From RotoBaller
The NFL's Adam Schefter reports that the San Francisco 49ers have opened the 21-day practice window for star running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles). Finally, some good news. McCaffrey has yet to appear in a game this season, but, per Schefter, he is tracking to play this Sunday when the team lines up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Stanford alum would not likely handle a full workload if he suits up. Still, it's excellent news for the 49ers and fantasy managers, as he'll be a boon on the field and in fantasy lineups. Keep an eye on his status over the next few days, but things are looking up for the 28-year-old heading into Week 10. If he plays, he'll get one of the better matchups of the weekend against a Buccaneers squad that's allowed the most yards per carry to their opponents in 2024 (5.2).
From RotoBaller
In a report by ESPN's Ben Baby, he noted that Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss (neck) will be out indefinitely due to his neck injury. Yikes. Per Baby, the team is seeking more information on the 26-year-old's injury this week, but it's not looking good for his availability moving forward. Fellow backfield mate Chase Brown had his best outing of the season in Sunday's 41-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, totaling 157 yards and a touchdown on his 32 touches. Brown projects to be the team's lead rusher moving forward, with Trayveon Williams and Kendall Milton mixing in behind him as a change of pace. Brown played on 80% of snaps in the team's Week 9 win and has his outlook on the rise heading into the back half of the season. Cincinnati will square off against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Per the NFL's Tom Pelissero, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's (hamstring) injury is worse than initially expected. Prescott sustained a hamstring injury in Sunday's 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and an MRI revealed that the ailment would keep him out of the lineup for multiple weeks. It's a massive blow to the Cowboys, who fell to 3-5 with their third straight loss in Week 9. A decision has not been made on whether to put him on injured reserve, hinting that it's a possibility for the 31-year-old veteran. Quarterback Cooper Rush took over in relief on Sunday and is presumably the starter moving forward, but this is a downgrade for the entire Cowboys offense. Dallas will line up against their division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, at home in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson converted his only field-goal attempt, a 46-yarder, and hit all three of his extra points in the team's 24-41 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. He moved to 16 for 18 on FG tries on the season, a clip of 88.9%. He also remained perfect on extra points, as he's sank all 14 of those successfully. He's still held back by Las Vegas' general ineffectiveness on offense. He ranks just 10th in the league in total field goal attempts despite not having had his bye week yet, and is 23rd in the NFL in extra points attempted. The "free points" nature of XP's, and his lack of volume on those opportunities, make him a decent start only in deeper leagues. He'll head into a Week 10 bye before facing the brutal Kansas City Chief defense yet again in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker had his second-least productive game of this season in the 24-41 Week 9 blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was targeted six times, but came up with just two catches for five yards. He did not have a rush attempt. It wasn't his worst game of the season, as he was blanked in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but 2.5 PPR fantasy points isn't a start-worthy stat line in any league. Whether it's the loss of No. 1 wideout Davante Adams, the return of WR Jakobi Meyers or lack of chemistry with the quarterbacks, Tucker now profiles as a bench stash only in the deepest of fantasy leagues. He'll head into a Week 10 bye before another game against the Miami Dolphins.
From RotoBaller
The Las Vegas Raiders defense/special teams managed to pick off opposing quarterback Joe Burrow and return it for a touchdown on Sunday. They also sacked him once. Unfortunately, the team lost the game 24-41, so they had yet another poor fantasy day. They've struggled to prevent opposing offenses from scoring, and now have surrendered 27.9 points per game to opposing offenses. Despite the highlight turnover, they're tied for dead-last in the NFL with just five takeaways through nine games. They're also tied for sixth-worst in sacks, with 17 on the season. This unit has struggled all year, and there's little reason for optimism. They're the 31st ranked fantasy defense on the season and don't belong on rosters in most leagues. They have a bye week in Week 10 before facing the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, against whom the D/ST scored just 3 points in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers didn't score his touchdown until the fourth quarter in garbage time during a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but that still counts for fantasy scoring. The Raiders were eviscerated 24-41 by the Bengals, who showed that there are levels to this game. Fortunately, Bowers seems destined to be involved heavily in all games the Raiders play this season, and backup quarterback Desmond Ridder threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to him after the starter, Gardner Minshew II, was benched. It doesn't matter who starts as signal-caller. The rookie tight end will always get his fair share of targets. The freshman TE finished with five catches on eight targets for 45 yards and the touchdown grab. He has an opportunity to rest up heading into his Week 10 bye before a Week 11 showdown with the rival Kansas City Chiefs yet again.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said he expects to use rookie running back Audric Estime more down the stretch in 2024. Estime played only 10 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 9 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday but had as many carries (five) as Jaleel McLaughlin and was more efficient with 35 rushing yards. The 35 yards on the ground was a season-high for the 21-year-old fifth-round selection out of Notre Dame, and he's been quite efficient with 6.3 yards per carry on his 15 rushing attempts through the first five games of his career. Estime probably still won't be worth adding in 12-team fantasy leagues, but this statement from Payton is surely bad news for McLaughlin, who has averaged 3.9 yards per tote in 2024 after averaging 5.4 yards per carry in his rookie campaign in 2023.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White carried the ball six times for 10 yards and a touchdown and wasn't targeted in the team's 41-21 beatdown loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He averaged just 1.67 yards per carry and didn't see double-digit carries. This comes despite head coach Antonio Pierce indicating before the game that he wanted to get the third-year pro more involved in the offense. It's starting to look like touchdowns are White's only chance to be fantasy relevant this season. Without the starting job or receiving upside, he's not a player that should be started in fantasy leagues. Moving forward, his backfield mate Alexander Mattison will remain the starter, leaving the former Georgia Bulldog best thought of as a handcuff option. He'll face the tough Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11 after his upcoming bye week in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that quarterback Daniel Jones remains the team's starting QB heading into the team's Week 10 battle against the Carolina Panthers in Germany this Sunday. Daboll also said that he won't change anything with the practice repetitions at the position this week. While Jones didn't do anything special in the Week 9 loss to the division-rival Washington Commanders on Sunday, going 20-for-26 for 174 yards, he did throw two touchdowns to end a 672-day TD drought at MetLife Stadium. The 27-year-old former first-rounder also ran for his first touchdown of the year in the 27-22 loss but added a lost fumble. Drew Lock will remain the backup to Jones in Germany, where Jones will be an upside QB2 in fantasy in an excellent matchup against Carolina's defense.
From RotoBaller