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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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 5

Player Notes
Adonai Mitchell Oct 7 1:30am CT
Adonai Mitchell

Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell caught four of his seven targets for 38 yards in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Adonai also threw a 24-yard completion to running back Tyler Goodson, and carried the ball once himself for four yards on the ground. Mitchell has seen a significant decrease in snaps upon Josh Downs' return from injury, but HC Shane Steichen is manufacturing ways for him to remain involved in the offense. Mitchell's snap count remains low, logging just 19 in the game. While it is encouraging to see that the Colts want him to remain a part of the offense, Mitchell's low-end opportunity share doesn't make him a reliable weekly option in fantasy right now. That could change in the event of an injury to any of the Colts starting receivers. The former Texas Longhorn is better left on the bench in Week 6 when the Colts take on the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Josh Downs Oct 7 1:20am CT
Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs caught nine of his 12 targets for 69 yards in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Downs led the team in both receptions and targets, being a consistently reliable target for QB Joe Flacco throughout the matchup. Downs has been the No. 1 option for Flacco through the last two weeks, and it's unclear how much that production might shift should the Colts go back to Anthony Richardson (oblique) in Week 6. That being said, Downs remains a viable flex option in Week 6 against the Tennessee Titans, with a slightly higher ceiling if Flacco is once again the starter.

From RotoBaller

Michael Pittman Jr. Oct 7 1:20am CT
Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. caught five of his eight targets for 37 yards and a touchdown in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pittman opened the scoring for Indy, catching a one-yard touchdown on the team's opening drive. Pittman remained quiet throughout the rest of the matchup, eventually seeing more usage in the second half when the Colts went down by multiple possessions. The touchdown heavily helped Pittman's fantasy production but he did otherwise have an underwhelming performance given the high-scoring affair. Given his favorable target share, the former USC wide out can still be considered a WR2/3 option in Week 6 when the Colts face the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Alec Pierce Oct 7 1:10am CT
Alec Pierce

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce caught all three of his targets for 134 yards and a touchdown in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pierce was quiet through the first three quarters of the game, not getting his first reception until five minutes left in the fourth quarter. He then caught a 46-yard pass and followed it up with a 65-yard touchdown grab in the team's final drive. Pierce has put together a few games like this so far this season, catching multiple deep passes, whether from QB Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco. While his target share remains low in the offense, the third-year receiver has shown the ability to be a trusted deep ball target for both QBs. He can be considered a boom-or-bust option in Week 6 when the Colts take on the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Joe Flacco Oct 7 1:00am CT
Joe Flacco

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco completed 33 of his 44 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Flacco committed no turnovers and also surprisingly ran the ball three times for another 22 yards on the ground. Flacco was nearly perfect in the shootout loss, finding Michael Pittman Jr., Mo-Alie Cox, and Alec Pierce in the endzone throughout the game. The game script heavily favored Flacco's performance, with the Colts facing a two-touchdown deficit with less than six minutes to play in regulation, resulting in an increased passing volume for Indy. It's unclear what the plan is for Indianapolis at quarterback while Anthony Richardson (oblique) recovers from injury. Still, Flacco would remain a strong streaming option if he gets the start again in Week 5. The Colts will face a stingy Titans defense in Week 6, but Flacco would remain firmly on the radar again then should he be named the starter.

From RotoBaller

Trey Sermon Oct 7 1:00am CT
Trey Sermon

Indianapolis Colts running back Trey Sermon ran the ball ten times for 38 yards and a touchdown in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also grabbed six catches for another 25 yards through the air. Sermon was slated to be the starter in Jonathan Taylor's (ankle) absence and was able to string together a productive fantasy outing as a result. Sermon saw a ten-to-five split in carries with running back Tyler Goodson, indicating there will be a noteworthy split in opportunities between the two in Taylor's absence. The former Ohio State Buckeye remains a viable option with Taylor out but will be in for a tougher matchup in Week 6 when the Colts face the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

George Kittle Oct 7 1:00am CT
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle continued his hot streak by putting up 16.4 half-PPR points on Sunday, but it wasn't enough to avoid a 24-23 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The colorful former Hawkeye hauled in eight of a co-team-high 12 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown. Kittle's day could have been even better if he had caught a tough first-quarter red-zone target and avoided an unforced drop on a 14-yard target later on. Historically, Kittle has been boom-or-bust but his fantasy production has been steady this year, averaging 13 half-PPR points per game with a low of six points, which came in Week 1. Kittle will be a top choice at tight end in Week 6 when the 49ers face the Seahawks in Seattle on Thursday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

Jaleel McLaughlin Oct 7 12:50am CT
Jaleel McLaughlin

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin only had six carries for 22 yards rushing (3.67 yards per carry) in the 38-14 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. It was more of the same for McLaughlin in the fifth game of the season, but he did manager to salvage his fantasy day somewhat for those that used him in a flex spot in deeper leagues with three catches on his four targets for three yards and his second touchdown of the year. The touchdown was nice for the 24-year-old, but it came on a day in which backfield mate Javonte Williams led the team in both rushing and receiving as their primary offense weapon. McLaughlin has scored twice and Williams is still searching for his first score, but he's the clear No. 2 in an offense that finally broke out for the first time in five weeks. He was out-touched 18 to nine by Williams. In a Week 6 matchup against a tougher defense in the Los Angeles Chargers, McLaughlin will be tough to trust in a flex spot.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Oct 7 12:50am CT
Courtland Sutton

After scoring his first touchdown of the season in the Week 4 upset win over the New York Jets, Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton had a very non-descript day despite the offense breaking out for a season-high 34 points in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Sutton finished with just two catches on five targets for 32 yards. He led all Denver wideouts in targets (five) but was out-produced by both running back Javonte Williams and receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey as quarterback Bo Nix continued to spread the ball around. The 28-year-old didn't have much of a chance to produce for fantasy managers with the Broncos RBs seeing more work in the passing game. Sutton is the clear No. 1 target for Nix, but he hasn't been efficient in 2024 and will continue to be a touchdown-dependent, low-upside WR4/flex in Week 6 against a stout Chargers defense.

From RotoBaller

Javonte Williams Oct 7 12:40am CT
Javonte Williams

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams still has not found the end zone in 2024, but he managed his best game of the year regardless in the 34-18 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in Week 5. Williams had a team-high 13 carries for 61 yards (4.69 yard-per-carry average) while catching a team-high five passes on a team-high six targets for a team-high 50 receiving yards. It was the first time that he has gone over 100 scrimmage yards this year. He out-touched Jaleel McLaughlin 18 to nine and produced 111 scrimmage yards to McLaughlin's 25, but McLaughlin did score for the second time in 2024. The 24-year-old was very efficient and had a long run of 17 yards to take advantage of a great matchup. It was nice to see for Williams' fantasy managers, but he'll once again be a low-upside RB3/flex in a tougher matchup in Week 6 against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Oct 7 12:30am CT
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix went 19-for-27 for 206 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in the 34-18 win on Sunday in Week 5 to snap a long losing streak to the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Nix also had eight carries for nine yards and his third rushing touchdown in five games. The 24-year-old 12th overall pick certainly improved over his 60-yard performance in the Week 4 win over the New York Jets. Nix and the Broncos were able to open their passing game up as much as they have all year, with his two touchdown tosses (one to Jaleel McLaughlin and one to Josh Reynolds) being a season-high through five weeks. The biggest thing is that Nix has avoided turning the ball over in each of their three wins after throwing four interceptions in the first two weeks. Nix led Denver to a season-high 34 points on Sunday, but he'll once again be a low-end QB2 in fantasy in another divisional game in Week 6 against what has been a stingy Chargers defense.

From RotoBaller

Kyren Williams Oct 7 12:10am CT
Kyren Williams

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He also caught a three-yard pass and lost a fumble in the contest. Williams currently owns an eight-game touchdown streak dating back to last season. During that span, he has found the end zone a total of 11 times. The 24-year-old continues to be one of the most reliable touchdown scorers in fantasy football, contributing RB1 value week after week. He should continue to be started in all fantasy leagues when he faces the Las Vegas Raiders on the other side of the Week 6 bye.

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Diontae Johnson Oct 6 11:40pm CT
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson turned six targets into just three catches for 23 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. Given that the 25-year-old had 15 catches, 205 yards, and two touchdowns through his first two games with Andy Dalton under center, this performance in Week 5 was a massive disappointment for Johnson's fantasy managers. This wide receiver and quarterback pairing will have a chance to restore their rapport and get the Panthers back in the win column next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson remains a fringe top-24 fantasy receiver at the moment.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Legette Oct 6 11:40pm CT
Xavier Legette

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (shoulder) expects to play in Week 6 despite exiting during the second half of Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. Legette, a rookie, finished with just one catch for eight yards prior to his departure. With both Legette and Adam Thielen (hamstring) sidelined, additional opportunities were created for receivers Jonathan Mingo and Jalen Coker. After the game, Legette acknowledged that he's banged up but should be good to go for the Panthers' clash with the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday. Legette commanded 10 targets and found the end zone last week, so he could return to the low-end WR3 tier if the Panthers are able to get back on track in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Coker Oct 6 11:30pm CT
Jalen Coker

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker caught all four of his targets for 68 yards through the air during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. Coker, an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross, had not caught a pass prior to Sunday's defeat. However, he took advantage of injuries to Adam Thielen (hamstring) and Xavier Legette (shoulder), climbing up the depth chart and earning his way into meaningful production. In fact, Coker led the Panthers in both catches and receiving yards this week. Now that he has proven himself in game action, perhaps Coker will earn more snaps going forward. He remains off the fantasy radar but is someone worth monitoring over the next few weeks.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Mingo Oct 6 11:30pm CT
Jonathan Mingo

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo caught two of his five targets for a total of 37 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. Mingo saw increased opportunities with Adam Thielen (hamstring) and Xavier Legette (shoulder) both injured. The second-year receiver out of Ole Miss played 68 percent of the Panthers' offensive snaps and finished with his highest fantasy points total of the 2024 season. Mingo isn't quite a trustworthy fantasy option going forward, but he still provided managers with some optimism that he could handle a larger workload in the event of more injuries to Carolina's receiver room.

From RotoBaller

Miles Sanders Oct 6 11:20pm CT
Miles Sanders

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders rushed for six yards on two carries during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. He was more productive in the passing game, catching two of three targets for 27 yards through the air. Despite playing 39 percent of snaps, Sanders registered a season-low four touches. This was likely the product of Carolina falling into an early deficit and adapting to the negative game script, as well as Chuba Hubbard breaking free for 97 rushing yards and one touchdown. Sanders remains the clear No. 2 behind Hubbard and figures to drop to third on the depth chart once Jonathon Brooks (knee) is healthy enough to make his NFL debut. The veteran can be avoided in most fantasy leagues going forward, including in Week 6 versus Atlanta.

From RotoBaller

Jauan Jennings Oct 6 11:10pm CT
Jauan Jennings

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings came back down to earth in a 24-23 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. San Francisco's third wide receiver finished with one reception of four targets for 13 yards receiving. Jennings left briefly in the first quarter with an apparent hand injury. Although he returned quickly, he could be seen on the game broadcast in discomfort even after his return. On the bright side, three of his targets took place in the end zone just before the half and he got more attention overall from Brock Purdy than Deebo Samuel Sr. did. While Jennings has certainly broken out this year as a factor in fantasy, he'll likely be touchdown-dependent as a deep-league FLEX option if San Francisco's other pass-catchers remain healthy. Jennings gets the Seahawks at Lumen Field in a Week 6 Thursday night matchup.

From RotoBaller

Romeo Doubs Oct 6 11:10pm CT
Romeo Doubs

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (suspension) will meet with head coach Matt LaFleur on Monday and is expected to return to the team ahead of Week 6 versus the Arizona Cardinals. Doubs missed crucial practice time with a personal matter this past week and was eventually suspended one game for detrimental conduct, reportedly stemming from frustration with his current role in the Packers' offense. Through four games so far, the 24-year-old has 12 catches, 169 yards, and zero touchdowns, typically operating behind Jayden Reed but ahead of Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks. It's possible that Doubs will see limited usage over the next few weeks as a result of his conduct, so he should be left on the bench in fantasy football until his stat line is impressive enough to justify starting him.

From RotoBaller

Deebo Samuel Oct 6 11:00pm CT
Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. faded into the background during a 24-23 home upset at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Samuel Sr. saw three targets and caught just one for 11 yards. He also took three carries for nine yards rushing. The receiving total was the lowest a healthy Samuel Sr. has posted since Week 4 of his rookie year. In most games, San Francisco's passing attack is more evenly distributed, but Samuel Sr. saw receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle each receive 12 targets. Samuel Sr. will likely be more involved when the 49ers face the Seahawks in Seattle on Thursday Night Football.

From RotoBaller