QB Strength of Schedule
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.
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Denver Broncos rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix only helped his chances of winning the QB competition in the team's 27-2 preseason win over the visiting Green Bay Packers on Sunday evening, completing eight of his nine pass attempts for 80 yards and a touchdown. Nix also carried the ball three times for 12 yards. The 12th overall pick out of Oregon got the start in this one after Jarrett Stidham started the preseason opener. Through two preseason contests, the 24-year-old has been much more impressive than Stidham with his poise running the offense while displaying a rocket arm. Nix went 15-for-21 last week against the Colts for 125 yards and a touchdown. His lone TD pass on Sunday was a four-yarder to receiver Tim Patrick. An illegal forward pass took away a potential second touchdown pass. Denver still has one preseason game remaining, but as of now, Nix appears to be the favorite to open the regular season as the Broncos' starter under center.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham went 7-for-11 for 65 yards, no touchdowns and an interception that was batted into the air at the line of scrimmage, while adding a nine-yard touchdown run in Sunday night's 27-2 preseason win at home over the Green Bay Packers. After underwhelming in his start in the preseason opener last week against the Colts, Stidham was outplayed by rookie first-rounder Bo Nix yet again. Nix started this one and went 8-for-9 for 80 yards and a touchdown. Stidham began the offseason as the slight favorite to win the QB competition over Nix, solely based on his experience in head coach Sean Payton's offense from 2023. However, through training camp so far and two preseason contests, things have changed. Nix is now considered the favorite to win the starting gig under center heading into Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, barring something crazy happening these next few weeks.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Falcons running back Jase McClellan ran for 55 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in Atlanta's preseason loss to Baltimore. Dynasty Analysis: It was a solid performance for McClellan, who is attempting to make the team behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. While he likely won't have much of a role behind those two and has done little to push Allgeier for the backup job, McClellan's name remains one to keep on watch lists.
Dynasty | Bears receiver Dante Pettis had three catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears preseason win against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: Pettis is attempting to lock down the fourth receiver job behind DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze and this likely helped. He's bounced around the league for a few years but has typically produced when called upon. He's another name to keep filed away should he win the job and see the Bears incur an injury or two at the receiver position.
Dynasty | Bears receiver Rome Odunze had one catch for 45 yards and one carry for 16 yards in the Bears preseason win against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: Odunze nearly had a highlight reel touchdown catch but his foot touched out of bounds. Odunze has clearly looked NFL ready all off-season and could push Keenan Allen to be the second receiver for the Bears this season. While dynasty managers may need to be a little patient with him, it certainly seems as if this top-3 rookie pick has a long and productive career ahead of him.
Dynasty | Texans wide receiver John Metchie had six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown in Houston's preseason win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: The preseason reports on Metchie have been all positive and this just solidifies those. Unfortunately, he's buried on a depth chart behind Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell at the moment. However, Diggs is on what amounts to a one-year deal and Metchie could be waiting in the wings for a bigger role in the future. He's a player to certainly keep your eye on in dynasty leagues and a possible back-of-the-roster stash at the moment.
Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had four catches for 54 yards in the Giants preseason loss to Houston. Dynasty Analysis: The Giants offense looks anemic but you can hardly blame Nabers, who looks like he can get open against just about anyone. Daniel Jones needs to improve quickly for Nabers to unlock his full potential but everything we've seen thus far merits him being a top two rookie draft pick. In short, Nabers looks the part of a future dynasty WR1.
Dynasty | Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance completed 15-of-23 passes for 151 and a touchdown, while adding 34 rushing yards and another score in the Cowboys preseason win against the Raiders. Dynasty Analysis: Lance has been working to unseat Cooper Rush for the backup job behind Dak Prescott and this won't hurt. It's really the first positive sign we've seen from Lance in some time and it could even make a quarterback-needy team knock on Dallas' door to see if a trade is possible next week. Lance remains a possibility for a back-end roster spot in deep dynasty leagues, despite his early career struggles.
Pittsburgh Steelers starting center Nate Herbig (shoulder) is expected to miss "a significant amount of time." He was injured in Saturday's preseason matchup with the Bills. Unfortunately, further testing revealed a torn rotator cuff for the 26-year-old. Of course, this is another tough blow for the Steelers offense, with Russell Wilson (calf) battling an injury throughout camp and Jaylen Warren (hamstring) anticipated to miss a few weeks. It also isn't good news for guys like Justin Fields, Najee Harris, and George Pickens. At any rate, rookie center Zach Frazier, selected with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will presumably enter the starting lineup.
From RotoBaller
According to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) was diagnosed with a sprain. The veteran wideout was injured in Saturday's preseason clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fortunately, X-rays came back negative. However, it appears his availability for Week 1 versus the Arizona Cardinals is up in the air. MVS, who signed with Buffalo this offseason, caught a subpar 21 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown in 16 games with the Chiefs in 2023-24. But with Stefon Diggs now in Houston, the door is open for anyone on the depth chart to take over as the No. 1 option for Josh Allen.
From RotoBaller
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. won't suit up for the team's preseason finale versus Jacksonville. Fortunately, it appears the rookie isn't injured. However, head coach Raheem Morris opted to hold him out of Saturday's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. With that said, Kirk Cousins (Achilles) won't suit up, meaning Taylor Heinicke and John Paddock will presumably close out the preseason for Atlanta before the club preparers for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) may miss "a few weeks," according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The 25-year-old exited Saturday's preseason battle with the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury and was ruled out shortly after. Warren finished last season by running for 764 yards and four touchdowns off 149 carries, adding 61 catches for 370 yards. Of course, this isn't the kind of update fantasy managers had hoped for heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Fortunately, Warren has time to recover before the Steelers begin the season versus the Atlanta Falcons. If he doesn't suit up for that one, Najee Harris would presumably see more touches, with Cordarrelle Patterson expected to provide relief.
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San Francisco 49ers DT Nick Williams (knee) exited the preseason game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Aug. 18, with a knee injury and is questionable to return.
From TheHuddle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Randy Gregory has been released for failing to report to training camp, head coach Todd Bowles confirmed Sunday, Aug. 18.
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According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Bears wide receiver Dante Pettis could have already locked up a spot on the depth chart. "It wasn't just the two touchdowns he caught against the Bengals, It's how he has been used in practice." said Biggs during his recent column. "Pettis offers a sure-handed option as a punt returner and might be the fifth receiver. He certainly helped himself Saturday." The 28-year-old last played in 2022, where he recorded 19 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with Chicago. While Pettis likely won't see more attention than DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, or Rome Odunze, he's someone to watch in case one of those guys gets injured during the 2024-25 campaign. However, he'll need to keep climbing the depth chart heading into Week 1.
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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (undisclosed) didn't suit up for Saturday's preseason clash with the Cowboys. However, it appears Adams' injury isn't severe. "The other night when we had the practice here at the stadium, he had an awkward movement where he just got sore," head coach Antonio Pierce said in an interview with ESPN. "He missed practice on Thursday. And like I said, if a guy's not 100 percent healthy, I wasn't going to risk it. It's not worth it. He'll be back to practice come Tuesday." The 31-year-old eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the fourth consecutive season in 2023-24. Yet, he caught just eight touchdowns, his fewest since 2019. But if Adams can get some stability from quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who was announced as the Week 1 starter on Sunday, he could return to the Pro Bowl conversation. With that said, fantasy managers should still view him as a top wideout, assuming he's healthy.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis is expected to start during the team's final preseason game next weekend. Levis and a majority of the starters sat out of their second preseason game after getting in a few reps during the preseason opener. It sounds like the plan is for Levis to play around three or four series during their matchup against the New Orleans Saints next weekend. The 25-year-old is looking to build off his rookie season where he threw for 1,808 passing yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions in nine starts with Tennessee. The Titans have given Levis the chance to be the full-time starter and show what he can do. The organization has made upgrades on offense, but Levis still remains a shaky weekly fantasy option in 12-team redrafts.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (hamstring) is uncertain to suit up for Monday's practice session, according to head coach Sean McVay. Stafford has been sidelined since leaving early during Wednesday's practice due to hamstring tightness. The Rams are downplaying the severity of the issue but will likely re-evaluate his status on Monday. The 36-year-old is fully expected to be ready to play in the season opener. In the meantime, Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn will continue getting increased reps under center.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver James Washington has been released by the organization on Sunday. It looks like Washington was the odd man out as the Falcons needed to cut someone to add safety Justin Simmons to the roster. At this point, Washington is nothing more than depth on any NFL roster. His best season came in 2019 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Washington recorded 44 receptions, 735 receiving yards and three touchdowns during that season. Since then, Washington has regressed appears to be nothing more than a back-end depth option. He could land elsewhere before the season begins, but Washington is unlikely to make a big impact anywhere.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Raiders have named Gardner Minshew their starting quarterback. Dynasty Analysis: Minshew beats out Aidan O'Connell for the job, though neither was overly impressive this off-season. Minshew was fine in Indianapolis last season, throwing for 3,305 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He slots in as an uninspiring game manager who should help keep the offense afloat but far from elite. His grip on the job won't be too strong but this is a major blow to the draft stock of O'Connell.
