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 5
New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein made his lone field-goal attempt and added two extra points in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. Zuerlein drilled a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter but wasn't asked to do much else in the close loss in London. The veteran kicker has now made six of his eight field goals while hitting all nine of his extra points through five games. Zuerlein will now gear up to kick against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game.
From RotoBaller
The New York Jets defense was productive in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London in Week 5. The Jets forced two turnovers while notching four sacks while holding the Vikings' offense to just one touchdown in the close loss. New York got sacks from Isaiah Oliver, Michael Clemons, and Will McDonald IV, who now has seven sacks on the season. The Jets will look to turn in another solid outing in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (ribs) has officially avoided the inactive list ahead of their late-afternoon matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The star tight end suffered a concussion in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions and was forced to miss their last game in Week 4. While he's a must-start every time he's healthy enough to be on the field, he draws a tough matchup against the 49ers defense who only gives up 4.4 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends in half-PPR formats. McBride will try to pump some life into this Cardinals offense that has gone cold over the last two games.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward (groin) is officially questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills with a groin issue. Ward also took a big hit in the opening play of the game, but he stayed in the game until the groin injury forced him to the sidelines. Eric Murray is the next safety on the depth chart, but Ward's status will be monitored as the game goes on. The Texans' defense has done a good job in the first half at limiting the Bills to just three points.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin turned in another productive game in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. Conklin caught six of his nine targets for 55 yards in the loss, ranking second on the team in catches and receiving yards while finishing third in targets. The veteran tight end has emerged as a quality part of the New York offense over the past, having caught 15 passes over that span. Working his way into the low-end TE1 conversation, Conklin will next take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard caught four of his 10 targets for 34 yards and a touchdown in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. Lazard finished second on the team in targets while hauling in his fourth receiving touchdown of the season as the Jets threw 54 times against a leaky Vikings secondary in the loss. The veteran wideout has emerged as one of Aaron Rodgers' favorite targets this season while playing a secondary role beside Garrett Wilson. Lazard remains on the map as a decent flex play in fantasy as the Jets will now gear up to take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams caught two of his four targets for 25 yards in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. Williams had been trending upward in the Jets offense over the past few weeks but he took a step back on a day where the team threw the ball 54 times against a leaky Minnesota secondary. The veteran wideout now has 10 catches for 145 scoreless yards over five games this season. He will look to carve out a larger role in his team's offense in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Braelon Allen carried the ball five times for 13 yards and added a 15-yard catch in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London in Week 5. Allen and Breece Hall both struggled against a fierce Minnesota run defense in the loss while Aaron Rodgers dropped back to pass a season-high 54 times in the close loss. Allen has been quiet over the past two weeks, having run for 47 scoreless yards and catching just two passes over that span. The rookie running back remains a quality stash as a handcuff in fantasy moving forward but he can't be trusted as a flex option in starting lineups until the Jets get their running game back on track. Allen will face off against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6's Monday night game.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) won't play in the team's Week 5 contest while he deals with a hamstring issue, but as trade talks start to "ramp up," he's expected to be healthy by next week. Ian Rapoport says that his sources are telling him that Adams is already nearing full health and the Raiders are starting to get into some intense trade talks over the superstar wideout. So far, the New Orleans Saints have been the most aggressive, but the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers have been calling and making offers as well. However, his old friend Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets remain on the top of Adams' list. According to Rapoport, the deadline to get a deal done is Tuesday, so his trade status will be something to monitor over the next couple of days.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught 13 of his 22 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London in Week 5. Wilson easily set season highs across the board while drawing a ridiculous 22 targets against a leaky Minnesota secondary, although his 101 receiving yards still come in as a bit of a disappointment considering how much work he got. Wilson's touchdown came midway through the fourth quarter and put the Jets down just four points, but it wasn't enough as they were able to find the end zone again. Wilson will look to build upon his strong outing in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Breece Hall struggled for a second straight game in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 in London. Hall gained just 23 yards on nine carries while adding three catches for 14 yards in the close loss to Minnesota. The Jets opted for an extremely pass-heavy offense against a Vikings defense that has shut down opponents' running games but has struggled to slow the pass, which hurt Hall in the final box score. Hall has now run for just 27 scoreless yards over his past two games after scoring three times over the first three weeks of the season. Worth kicking the tires on as a buy-low this upcoming week, Hall will look to bounce back in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (concussion) won't return to Sunday's matchup with the New England Patriots. He wasn't on the field long before suffering a concussion, so he'll finish the day with only three carries for 18 yards. With Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) on the shelf, the Dolphins can't afford any more injuries on that side of the ball. With that in mind, Raheem Mostert (chest), who returned for Week 5 after missing the fins' previous three games, will likely handle the bulk of the carries out of the backfield for the remainder of contest.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 29 of his 54 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London in Week 5. Rodgers threw a season-high 54 times as the Jets tried to take advantage of a leaky Minnesota pass defense but he also wound up throwing a season-high in interceptions along the way, including one that was returned 63 yards for a touchdown. The veteran quarterback did suffer a scare in the third quarter as he came up holding his left leg after taking a big hit but he ultimately didn't miss any snaps. He later told reporters that he suffered a sprained lower ankle. Now sitting on seven touchdowns and four interceptions through five games, Rodgers will begin preparing to take on the Buffalo Bills at home in Week 6's Monday night game.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's matchup with the Buffalo Bills. The wideout was on a roll before going down with a hamstring injury, catching two passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. There should be an update on his status soon. But in the meantime, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell will remain the top receiving options for C.J. Stroud.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings RB Aaron Jones (hip) rushed for 29 yards on seven carries against the New York Jets in Week 5 before he left the game because of a hip injury. He also caught one pass for 24 yards during the game.
Fantasy Spin: Fantasy players will need to monitor Jones' practice participation this upcoming week to see if he has a chance to play in Week 6. He is a starting option in all fantasy leagues when healthy, but players will need other options ready in case he sits out.
From TheHuddle
According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, the Colts could get quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) back in the lineup for the Week 6 matchup with the Titans. The signal-caller suffered an oblique injury during the Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fortunately, Glazer indicated the injury isn't expected to keep him out for long. In the meantime, veteran Joe Flacco, who got the start in Week 5 versus Jacksonville, will operate under center and is worth adding to multi-quarterback fantasy formats as long as Richardson remains on the shelf.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets WR Mike Williams caught two passes for 25 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. He was targeted four times during the game.
Fantasy Spin: Williams has been eased back into the offense so far this season but has not been targeted more than five times in any game in 2024. He seems to be behind Allen Lazard on the depth chart and probably can be avoided in most leagues.
From TheHuddle
Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold went 14-for-31 for 179 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception against the New York Jets in Week 5. He also rushed for 11 yards on five carries during the game.
Fantasy Spin: Darnold was held without a touchdown for the first time this season and did not have much success during the second half of the game. He may be involved in a high scoring game against the Detroit Lions next week and could be a low-end No. 1 quarterback in some deeper leagues.
From TheHuddle
New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers completed 29-of-54 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Fantasy Spin: The Jets found themselves down 17-0 in the second quarter, which explains why Rodgers had to throw so often versus Minnesota. Rodgers' three interceptions were his most since a Week 9 loss to the Detroit Lions in the 2022 season, when he also threw three picks as a member of the Green Bay Packers. He will look to rebound from this performance in Week 7 versus the Buffalo Bills and should continue to be viewed as a QB2 option in fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin (hamstring) has been ruled out for the Week 5 contest on Sunday against the Washington Commanders, while left tackle Jedrick Wills (knee) is active. Conklin made some progress at practice this week, but he remains out of action and will be hoping to make his 2024 debut in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The good news is the Browns' offensive line will get their left tackle back after he hurt his knee in Week 3 and was forced to sit out of the Week 4 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Browns' offense has been well below average through the first four weeks of the season, but they have an opportunity to be successful this weekend against a porous Commanders secondary. The return of Wills should be seen as good news for quarterback Deshaun Watson as they look to get back into the win column.
From RotoBaller