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.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy faces the division-rival Seahawks in Seattle for a Week 6 matchup on Thursday night. In a surprising one-point home loss to the Arizona Cardinals last week, Purdy left something to be desired with a 19-for-35, 244-yard effort, including a touchdown, two interceptions, and 33 yards rushing. Seattle is 11th-best in the NFL at limiting fantasy quarterbacks in Yahoo default scoring. However, the Seahawks are dealing with significant injuries on defense, which boosts Purdy's outlook. Starting defenders CB Riq Woolen, DT Byron Murphy II, and LB Uchenna Nwosu have all been ruled out, plus two linebackers and a safety have been tagged questionable. Running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) remains on Injured Reserve, but Purdy is otherwise equipped with a fully healthy offense. He'll look to beat projections for just the second time this year as a mid/low QB1.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (foot) was listed as limited in the team's first practice of the week. The third-year back was efficient in the Buccaneers' 36-30 loss to the Falcons last Thursday night, averaging 7.2 yards per carry over his ten rush attempts. However, he appeared to be bent awkwardly while being taken to the ground by an Atlanta defender. White returned to the contest after leaving the field but did not look to be 100%. It's an encouraging sign that he could practice in at least a limited fashion, but fantasy managers will want to monitor his status over the coming days. Rookie running back Bucky Irving will handle most of the running back touches if White can't play. The 25-year-old has improved his efficiency on the ground over the last two weeks and still leads this backfield in snaps. However, the former fourth-round pick has closed the snap-share gap since Week 3. Atlanta gets a formidable opponent in Week 6 when they take on the New Orleans Saints on the road.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer (concussion) was listed as a non-participant for the team's first practice of the week. The 23-year-old has been on the shelf since Tampa Bay's Week 4 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles when he picked up a concussion. Palmer will have two more opportunities to upgrade his practice participation ahead of a Week 6 road tilt against the New Orleans Saints. If he can't, he'll be at risk of missing his second-straight contest. Wideouts Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Kameron Johnson (ankle) were each able to get in limited sessions on Wednesday. If Palmer can't play on Sunday, that duo would be in line to pick up more snaps behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Sterling Shepherd. Shepherd has the third-most WR snaps for the team over the last two weeks.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent QB C.J. Beathard (Jaguars) and free-agent QB Nate Sudfeld (Lions) worked out for the Tennessee Titans Wednesday, Oct. 9.
From TheHuddle
Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams (hamstring) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Fantasy Spin: Adams is not expected to play this week, but fantasy players can keep an eye on the situation to see if anything changes. Brock Bowers may be the only Raiders pass catcher that is a must-start option in fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns S Grant Delpit (concussion), DE Myles Garrett (Achilles), S Ronnie Hickman (ankle), OT James Hudson (shoulder), C Ethan Pocic (knee) and CB Denzel Ward (hamstring) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9. OT Jack Conklin (hamstring), LB Mohamoud Diabate (hip), LB Jordan Hicks (elbow, triceps), RB Nyheim Hines (knee), DT Maurice Hurst (ankle), RB Pierre Strong (hamstring), OT Jedrick Wills (knee) and OG Zak Zinter (knee) were limited during practice. DE Ogbo Okoronkwo (illness) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns RB D'onta Foreman (ankle) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Fantasy Spin: Foreman has been sharing playing time with Jerome Ford, so fantasy players should keep an eye on the situation to see if Foreman will be available. He could be a possible flex option in leagues if he plays.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper (non-injury) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Fantasy Spin: Cooper has been targeted at least eight times in every game so far this season and should continue to see a good amount of targets. The Browns passing game has not had a lot of success, but he can still be at least a flex option in leagues.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb (knee) was limited during practice Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Fantasy Spin: It is not known when Chubb will be added to the 53-man roster, so fantasy players should continue to monitor the situation. He may not receive a normal workload when he returns but likely will take over the starting job at some point. He should be a starting fantasy option in the near future.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Chargers LB Joey Bosa (hip), PK Cameron Dicker (illness), CB Kristian Fulton (knee), S Derwin James (non-injury), CB Deane Leonard (hamstring) and CB Ja'Sir Taylor (leg) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9. OT Joe Alt (knee), LB Junior Colson (hamstring), LB Daiyan Henley (shoulder), TE Hayden Hurst (Achilles), LB Khalil Mack (non-injury), LB Denzel Perryman (shoulder), CB Asante Samuel Jr. (shoulder) and OT Rashawn Slater (pectoral) were limited during practice.
From TheHuddle
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (shoulder) is on the injury report again in Week 6 after putting in a limited practice on Wednesday. Etienne was also limited in practice all of last week before being active in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, seeing nine touches for 60 yards. He aggravated his shoulder injury and barely played in the second half, watching backfield mate Tank Bigsby once again take over and provide 128 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. The 25-year-old Etienne should be fine to play in Week 6 in London against the Chicago Bears, but it's a bad matchup, and he could continue to cede touches to the more productive and explosive Bigsby. As things currently stand, Etienne's fantasy arrow is pointing down. If he's active in London, he'll be a shaky RB2 for fantasy managers at risk of losing more playing time to Bigsby.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) was once again limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Davis led all Jaguars receivers in offensive snaps in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, but it led to only three receptions on four targets for 38 yards. In his first year in Jacksonville, Davis has been more of an afterthought for the 1-4 Jags, catching 12 of 25 targets for 159 yards and no touchdowns. The 25-year-old's chances of breaking out this Sunday in London against a stout Chicago Bears defense don't seem great, especially if tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) returns for the first time since the season opener. Davis should be just fine to suit up in Week 6 this weekend, but fantasy managers should have better options to use in their flex spot. Davis isn't even among the top-50 receivers in half-PPR fantasy scoring through five weeks.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos WR Josh Reynolds (hand) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Fantasy Spin: Reynolds has received only six targets in the last three games and only had nine receiving yards in Week 5. He probably will see a few targets this week but can be avoided in fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
After being suspended for the Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs returned to practice on Wednesday and wasn't limited in any fashion. Doubs decided to skip a few practices last week because he was unhappy with his role in the offense, so the Packers suspended him for a game due to conduct detrimental to the team. The 24-year-old reportedly is back on the same page with the team and should be active for Week 6 against the visiting Arizona Cardinals. It's possible Green Bay could look to involve him more this Sunday in a good matchup, although receiver Christian Watson (ankle) could also make his return. The Packers have a lot of mouths to feed in the receiving corps among Doubs, Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Fantasy managers will be rolling the dice if they use Doubs as a WR4/flex in Week 6 against the Cardinals.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) was limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. The Jaguars are optimistic that Engram can return to action in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears in London this Sunday after not playing since the season-opening loss to the Miami Dolphins. Engram injured his hamstring during pre-game warmups before Week 2 and hasn't played since. The 30-year-old two-time Pro Bowler had a career-best 963 receiving yards in 2023 in his second year in Jacksonville, but so far in 2024 he's been a fantasy bust due to his hamstring injury. Engram caught just one pass for five yards in Week 1. If he ends up returning to the field this Sunday in London, he'll be a low-end TE1 in fantasy, at best. Brenton Strange has filled in nicely for the Jags in Engram's absence and has found the end zone twice.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) is expected to miss multiple weeks. The Colts have also suggested that Pittman may be placed on injured reserve. Pittman was a non-participant in practice on Wednesday and is listed as doubtful heading into this weekend. This is unfortunate news for fantasy managers as Pittman had just started to come alive. He had at least 113 receiving yards or a touchdown in his last two games. That may be attributed to the presence of quarterback Joe Flacco in the lineup rather than a struggling Anthony Richardson. However, it could be some time before fantasy managers find out if Pittman is able to build on that momentum. Pittman has recorded 22 receptions for 238 yards and a touchdown in 2024. For now, fantasy managers will have to stick him in their IR spot and hope for the best.
Dynasty | The Texans have placed wide receiver Nico Collins on injured reserve. Dynasty Analysis: Collins has gone from an afterthought, to a serviceable receiver, to a possible lineup staple, to a WR1, to perhaps the best receiver in fantasy leagues over the past three years. This is a major buzzkill as he has been flat-out dominant. Savvy owners who aren't competing right now could make a "buy low" play for his services to a team desperate to win, but you're not likely to get him. Unfortunately, he's going to be out for at least four weeks and that should open up targets for Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, Dalton Schultz and others.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers C Graham Barton (hamstring), S Christian Izien (elbow, groin) and WR Trey Palmer (concussion) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9. WR Kameron Johnson (ankle) S Jordan Whitehead (groin) and S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) were limited during practice. DE Earnest Brown (ribs), DE William Gholston (knee), OT Luke Goedeke (concussion) and DT Calijah Kancey (calf) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints OG Cesar Ruiz (knee), DE Payton Turner (knee), QB Derek Carr (oblique), OG Lucas Patrick (chest), S Will Harris (hamstring) and LB Pete Werner (hamstring) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9. LB Willie Gay (hand) was limited during practice, while RB Kendre Miller (hamstring) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans saints TE Taysom Hill (rib) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Fantasy Spin: Hill is still recovering from fractured ribs, so he probably will not be available this week unless he takes part in one of the two practices left during the week. Fantasy players should look for other options and avoid Hill until he takes part in a few practices.
From TheHuddle