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.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 4
Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice may have a torn ACL. Dynasty Analysis: This would be a significant blow to the title hopes of the Cheifs as Rice hasn't just been the best receiver on their team, but one of the best in the league. With 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns, Rice had been electric though three games. Unfortunately, it looks like a freak collision with Patrick Mahomes is going to end his season. We'll wait to see the diagnosis tomorrow but it seems clear his knee injury is significant. Stay tuned.
Dynasty | Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 69 rushing yards on 14 carries in a win against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: He added two catches for 16 yards. Hunt surprisingly led the Kansas City running backs with 16 touches, while Carson Steele (three touches and a lost fumble), and Samaje Perine (five carries) were afterthoughts. This could be a big development in Kansas City after the Chiefs potentially lost Rashee Rice for the season. Hunt will need to show more next week to be trusted in lineups but he should be on dynasty rosters everywhere after today's surprise workload.
Dynasty | Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had seven catches for 89 yards in a win against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Kelce had been famously quiet over the first three weeks but Kansas City got him much more involved today. Unfortunately for the Chiefs (but fortunately for dynasty managers), Kelce is likely going to be much more of a necessity than a luxury moving forward if Rashee Rice has indeed suffered a season-ending injury. Kelce remains a solid option and possible buy low candidate for contending teams.
Dynasty | Chargers rookie receiver Ladd McConkey had five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown in a loss against the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: While McConkey has yet to have a monster "blow-up" game, he's been about as consistent as a rookie can get with 24 targets, 176 receiving yards and a couple of scores through the first month of the year. He'll remain a decent high floor option moving forward and seems to have justified his late first round rookie pedigree thus far.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 26-of-30 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 47 rushing yards and another score in a blowout win against the Cardinals. Dynasty Analysis: Daniels has now completed 82.1% (87-of-106) of his passes over first four games of his career.Not only is that an NFL record for a quarterback's first four career starts, it's highest completion percentage by a quarterback in any four game span since 1950. Let that soak in for a second as you re-evaluate his dynasty value, which is clearly that of an elite QB1 moving forward.
Dynasty | Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr had five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown in a loss against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: After a one-catch, four-yard performance in week one, Harrison has now scored in three straight games and four times overall. He's quickly establishing himself as Arizona's best pass catcher and has simply been "as advertised" thus far. Harrison should be locked in as a WR1/2 moving forward and looks the part of a top ten dynasty receiver already.
Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason had 123 rushing yards, two catches, 37 receiving yards and a touchdown in a win against New England. Dynasty Analysis: Mason has been fantastic each and every week as he continues to keep the seat warm for Christian McCaffrey. While his short-term value is great, his long-term value is going to be in question when McCaffrey comes back. Still, Mason managers won't complain too much as he looks like the easy starter for at least another month. Mason is a locked and loaded RB1 until CMC makes his return.
Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings had three catches for 88 yards in a win against New England. Dynasty Analysis: Another week, another solid game for Jennings. While this was a far cry from his 11/175/3 blow-up last game, he still led the 49ers in receiving yards for a second straight week and his six targets led the team. At this point, it's clear the 49ers don't really have an alpha receiver and Brock Purdy may just be good enough to keep Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk all valuable this season.
Despite the Arizona Cardinals' struggles to score in Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. found the end zone for the fourth time this season. In addition to the touchdown, Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 45 yards, securing all but one of his targets. He has emerged as a reliable playmaker for the Cardinals, someone they can depend on in tough situations. Harrison Jr. will likely remain a focal point in their game plan as the offense regains its scoring rhythm. Fantasy managers should continue to keep him in their starting lineups, even with a tough Week 5 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson hauled in 4-of-7 targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 24-18 loss to the Chicago Bears. His long gain of the day went for just 11 yards. Parkinson and the rest of the Rams' passing attack couldn't get much going on a day where their only touchdown came on the back of a three-yard score on the ground by Kyren Williams. Since the loss of superstar wideout Cooper Kupp (ankle), quarterback Matthew Stafford has not thrown for more than 224 yards or more than one touchdown in a single outing. The 25-year-old tight end has seen his volume tick up each of the past three weeks, but he's yet to have a standout game despite the lack of quality options in LA's aerial assault. His seven targets were a season-high, but 7.3 total fantasy points are only good enough for the current TE14 on the week. Unless circumstances drastically change around him, the former fourth-round pick will not be a recommended fantasy option in Week 5 when the team hosts the visiting Green Bay Packers.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo racked up three catches and 24 yards on five targets in the team's 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The second-year wideout finished with the third-most yards and targets on the team but finished one reception shy of Chuba Hubbard for the same honor. The Panthers didn't get back into the win column in this one, but they at least made it a game against a Bengals squad starving for a win. After two weeks of an Andy Dalton-led offense, it is evident that the team is in much better hands with him under center. Mingo's five targets matched the previous season-high he accrued back in Week 1, but veteran WR Diontae Johnson and rookie Xavier Legette each accumulated double-digit targets in this one. The former second-round pick will be tough to trust moving forward as more than a dart throw option on a weekly basis until his usage ticks up in Carolina's passing attack. The Panthers will take on the 2-2 Chicago Bears on the road in Week 5.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner delivered another solid performance in Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders, rushing 18 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. After managing just 17 rushing yards in the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions, Conner quickly put those concerns to rest with a strong bounce-back effort. He ran the ball effectively, showing power to break through tacklers and displaying impressive bursts. Conner should remain a fixture in fantasy lineups, as the Cardinals' offense will likely continue to lean on him while trying to snap their scoring slump. The veteran running back will look to build on Sunday's performance in a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns defense turned in a solid effort in a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Cleveland notched two sacks while forcing one turnover while holding the Raiders to 268 yards of total offense in the game. The Browns were led by Myles Garrett, who notched both of the team's sacks, and Isaiah McGuire, who forced a Zamir White fumble in the close loss. Cleveland's defense will have their work cut out for them in Week 5's road matchup against a red-hot Washington Commanders offense.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell caught all four of his targets for 17 yards and a touchdown during the team's 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 27-year-old scored on a one-yard grab for the Eagles' first touchdown of the game but did little else in this contest of note. The Eagles wide receiver corps combined for just 34 yards in this game with the absence of A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion). It is tough to say if Campbell will head back to the practice squad after this game with Britain Covey (shoulder, IR) out for the foreseeable future. His touchdown grab could have solidified his roster spot heading into the Eagles bye week, but he is not a name to keep an eye on for waiver purposes in redraft leagues.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson caught two of his four targets for 11 yards during the team's 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The former first-round pick had yet another shot to break out or even prove he belongs as the No. 3 receiver in Philadelphia, but again came up short. None of the Eagles' wide receivers did much in this contest, as they combined for just 34 yards while tight end Dallas Goedert nearly doubled their total on his own. The bye week could not have come at a better time for the Eagles, as they should enter Week 6 with their top targets A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) for their game against the Cleveland Browns. Dotson should be ignored in all redraft leagues for the time being.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took 10 carries for 84 yards and caught two of four targets for 32 yards during the team's 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 27-year-old had another slow start in this game but rumbled for 59 yards on the first play of the second half to set up the Eagles for their second touchdown of the day. It was a play that saved him from having a poor fantasy outing, but if this is the floor for Barkley's production as a fantasy player, then these fantasy managers are in good shape. This was a tough matchup where the Buccaneers were able to key in on the Eagles' star back due to the absence of wideouts A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) so being able to extend his 100 or more yards combined streak intact is impressive to say the least. Philadelphia was seemingly blessed with the early bye week, and the team will look to regroup and regain their top two pass catchers before their Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught two of his three targets for 12 yards during Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Henry had a huge performance back in Week 2, but if you exclude that contest, he's averaging just two catches, 13 yards, and zero touchdowns per game. The veteran tight end is a talented player, but he simply doesn't command enough volume in the Patriots' subpar offense to justify starting him in most fantasy leagues. In fact, Henry can be dropped to waivers in leagues with 14 or fewer teams. There's always a chance he'll find the end zone in a given week, including next Sunday versus the struggling Miami Dolphins, but the odds are relatively slim and you're better off taking a flier on a different tight end with more upside. Henry falls outside the top 24 tight ends for fantasy football in Week 5.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught six of his nine targets for 72 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Jeudy wound up leading the Browns in receiving yardage and targets while finishing behind only Jerome Ford in catches in the close loss. The veteran wideout has been a solid addition to the Cleveland offense this season, reaching at least 72 receiving yards in two of his four games while catching one touchdown. Jeudy remains behind Amari Cooper in the receiver pecking order but the Browns have been throwing the ball frequently enough to allow him to produce solid fantasy numbers. Jeudy will be a solid WR3 heading into a plus matchup against the Washington Commanders in Week 5.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert caught seven of eight targets for 62 yards during the team's 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The veteran tight end did not have another massive performance like last week, but was the only pass catcher that was on the same page as quarterback Jalen Hurts in this game and was able to lead the team in receiving yards for the second week in a row. The absence of A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) was felt heavily in this game and while their loss has been Geodert's fantasy gain, the bye week has come at the perfect time to remedy that issue. Fantasy managers will need to find a suitable replacement for the next week before plugging the 29-year-old back in during his Week 6 matchup against the Browns.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye went 2-for-2 on field goals and also converted his lone extra point attempt during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Slye showed off his strong leg, hitting field goals from 54 and 63 yards out. His performance was highly rewarding for managers whose leagues award extra points for successful field goals from beyond 50 yards. Even as the Patriots' offense struggles, there's a clear path for Slye to achieve fantasy relevance. On the year, he's 8-for-9 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points. The stats speak for themselves, and Slye's stats suggest that he's a solid streamer heading into Week 5 versus the Miami Dolphins.
From RotoBaller