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FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

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
Patrick Mahomes Oct 8 3:30am CT
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 28 of 39 pass attempts (72%) for 331 yards in their 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Despite reaching 300 passing yards for the first time this season, Mahomes did not have a single passing touchdown in this contest. The Chiefs quarterback also threw an interception for the fifth straight game, bringing his season total to six. Kansas City is one of only two teams to remain undefeated through five weeks, but Mahomes is not a QB1 based on his performances. The Chiefs will head into their bye week on a high note, but fantasy managers may need to consider starting a quarterback for the foreseeable future. Mahomes and the Chiefs are winning games with a style of play that is not conducive to fantasy success.

From RotoBaller

Rashid Shaheed Oct 8 3:20am CT
Rashid Shaheed

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed led the team with 86 receiving yards in their 26-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. He caught four balls on his team-high nine targets. The highlight of Shaheed's night was a 43-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, his third trip to the end zone so far this year. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) seemed to have it in mind to use his deep threat to his fullest potential as Shaheed had six targets of 20 or more yards and three of his catches went for at least 15 yards. Shaheed now leads New Orleans with 338 receiving yards on the season though that's not to say he has supplanted Chris Olave as the primary receiving option. Shaheed gets a great matchup in Week 6 against a Buccaneers defense that gave up 12 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown to Darnell Mooney. His success will rest on Carr's availability, who left Monday's game in the fourth quarter with an injury.

From RotoBaller

Foster Moreau Oct 8 3:20am CT
Foster Moreau

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau was targeted twice in Monday's 26-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He came away with two catches for 13 yards and a touchdown in the end. The score came early in the fourth quarter after he sold a block, disengaged, and then easily slipped past linebacker Leo Chenal. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) found Moreau and floated a seven-yard pass to the tight end as he crossed the goal line. Moreau leads the Saints' tight end room in snap share but is most frequently used as a blocker, with most of the team's targets to his position going to Juwan Johnson. Moreau's production on Monday gives him a line of 7-58-2 through five weeks. Given his role on the team he is too unreliable to be of any use in fantasy and can be left on the wire when New Orleans faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Oct 8 3:10am CT
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara managed just 26 yards on 11 carries in Monday night's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He also had 40 receiving yards on his team-leading six receptions. It was an abysmal result for Kamara, who had three top-five finishes through the first four weeks of the season. The Chiefs seemed to sniff out every run play called by the Saints in the game and completely overpowered their offensive line all night, allowing Kamara to gain more than four yards on just one of his attempts. Kamara's production was also hampered by the fact that New Orleans controlled the ball for only 20 minutes of game time and ran a season-low 51 offensive plays. He will be back on the RB1 radar in Week 6 when the Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Chris Olave Oct 8 3:10am CT
Chris Olave

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave had two catches on four targets for 10 yards in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night to close out Week 5. The game marked a new low for Olave, who had 11 yards on two catches back in Week 1. All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie covered Olave on roughly half of his routes, but the lack of production may have been by design. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) rarely looked to his primary receiver in Week 5, opting instead for several deep shots to Rashid Shaheed and peppering Alvin Kamara and tight end Juwan Johnson with targets in short yardage attempts. Olave has a good matchup for a rebound in Week 6 when the Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though expectations will have to be held in check pending the status of Carr, who left the game in the fourth quarter due to an injury.

From RotoBaller

Fred Warner Oct 8 12:10am CT
Fred Warner

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimation. The star defender has been dealing with a lingering ankle issue over the last couple of weeks. While it hasn't caused him to miss a game yet, it has kept him on the injury report and impacted his practice participation. Fortunately, the fact that he's listed as limited with three days until Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks is a good sign. Warner is trending in the right direction and should be able to suit up in Week 6, barring a setback. He'll look to build on an impressive campaign that has included 39 tackles, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, one touchdown, and one sack.

From RotoBaller

Charvarius Ward Oct 8 12:00am CT
Charvarius Ward

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) were both listed as non-participants on Monday's practice estimate. The 49ers didn't actually practice, but if they had, Ward and Hufanga would have been absent. This raises some concerns for their Week 6 availability given that there are less than three days until the Niners face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. If San Francisco ends up being without Ward, who has 22 tackles this season, Isaac Yiadom would step up in his absence. Meanwhile, Hufanga, who has eight tackles through two games, would be replaced by George Odum.

From RotoBaller

Chris Conley Oct 8 12:00am CT
Chris Conley

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Chris Conley (oblique) was officially estimated as a non-participant on Monday. The 31-year-old missed Week 5 and now runs the risk of missing Week 6, too. The Niners are on a short week with their next game scheduled for Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks. On a positive note, Conley still has two more days to practice in any capacity before the Seahawks have to make an official decision on his game status. In the event that he can't suit up, Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell, and Trent Taylor could all earn additional opportunities. Regardless of Conley's status, he remains off the fantasy radar in all leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dee Williams Oct 7 11:50pm CT
Dee Williams

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (ankle) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimate. As the Seahawks gear up for Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, they could be without their talented cornerback. Woolen, who has registered 13 tackles and one interception this year, has two more days to get back on the field in some capacity before Seattle makes an official decision on his status. If he can't suit up against the Niners, Dee Williams and Nehemiah Pritchett would be in line to earn more opportunities on defense.

From RotoBaller

Pharaoh Brown Oct 7 11:50pm CT
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (groin) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimate. It's too early to tell whether he'll be able to suit up on Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. He still has two more days to maintain or improve his practice status before the Seahawks have to make an official decision on his Week 6 status. Brown has caught just one pass in each of his last three games, logging a 14 percent snap share in Week 5. He remains behind Noah Fant and AJ Barner on the depth chart and can be avoided in all fantasy football leagues.

From RotoBaller

Derick Hall Oct 7 11:40pm CT
Derick Hall

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) will not play in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Mike Macdonald told the media on Monday. Nwosu made his season debut on Sunday but played just 20 percent of snaps and registered three tackles before picking up a thigh injury and exiting the game. With the 27-year-old slated to miss Thursday Night Football against the 49ers, look for Dre'Mont Jones and Derick Hall (foot) to earn more opportunities on defense.

From RotoBaller

Derek Carr Oct 7 11:30pm CT
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) suffered what head coach Dennis Allen described as a left side injury during Monday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Carr, who exited in the fourth quarter, said postgame that he feels "not good" and left the game because he was unable to make necessary movements or throws. He finished Week 5 with 18 completions, 165 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The veteran quarterback will undergo an MRI and additional testing to determine the severity of his injury when the Saints return to New Orleans on Tuesday. Depending on what those tests reveal, Carr could be at risk of missing next Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jake Haener, who relieved Carr in the fourth quarter against Kansas City, would be in line to start for New Orleans if the veteran is forced to miss additional time. Such a change at quarterback would lead to reduced fantasy value for Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed.

From RotoBaller

Derek Carr Oct 7 10:20pm CT
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) was injured in Monday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter and is considered questionable to return. Carr went into the blue medical tent on the sideline with trainers before eventually walking back to the locker room to be checked out. If Carr is unable to return to this game, Jake Haener will finish it out under center for the Saints. Before leaving the game, Carr had gone 18-for-28 for 165 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while being sacked only once. His favorite target was receiver Rashid Shaheed, hooking up with him four times on nine tries for 86 yards, including another long 43-yard touchdown strike. Losing Carr for any amount of time would obviously be a big blow for the Saints' offense. New Orleans next plays this coming Sunday at home against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Rashee Rice Oct 7 10:13pm CT
Rashee Rice

Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice may have only torn his LCL and avoided other major ligament damage. Dynasty Analysis: While a torn LCL is nothing to sneeze at, it's better than a torn ACL, MCL, PCL, meniscus or whatever you want to spin on the "wheel of ligaments." Rice is still likely going to miss the entire season but his timetable may be moved up a few months. More will be known in the coming days but it seems Rice may have at least received some promising news today.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Aidan O'Connell Oct 7 10:13pm CT
Aidan O'Connell

Dynasty | Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce was non-committal when asked about his starting quarterback moving forward. Dynasty Analysis: It's pretty rare when radio silence means your current starter is keeping their job and this doesn't look good for Minshew, who was replaced by Aidan O'Connell on Sunday after he threw a backbreaking "pick-six." Minshew hasn't been the biggest problem for Las Vegas but he also hasn't been much of the solution, either. O'Connell could provide a short-term boost for the offense but he hasn't exactly looked the part of a franchise quarterback, either. The Raiders are likely looking for a long-term solution this Spring. Both quarterbacks currently have some value, but Minshew will be a tough hold in a non-Superflex league should he lose his job.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Deshaun Watson Oct 7 10:13pm CT
Deshaun Watson

Dynasty | Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has settled his latest civil suit out of court. Dynasty Analysis: No details have emerged and they likely won't at this point. All we know is the latest legal issue with Watson has now been put to rest. Unfortunately, that won't put many minds at ease as Watson has been simply terrible on the field since arriving in Cleveland. The Browns were willing to take the obvious PR hit with Watson since he was considered an elite-level player. However, it's fair to wonder how long they're going to stick with him now that he clearly isn't. Watson's dynasty value is in the tank, despite him likely not facing league discipline over his latest transgression (or accusation).

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Deshaun Watson Oct 7 10:00pm CT
Deshaun Watson

A new lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery has been resolved, according to the plaintiff's lawyer, Tony Buzbee. Watson denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The NFL has been reviewing the complaint under their personal-conduct policy but did not place Watson on the commissioner's exempt list because there haven't been formal charges filed. The 29-year-old Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than a dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. It's unclear if he's in danger of being suspended by the NFL again. Watson has not played well in five games in 2024 and is currently the QB20 in fantasy points, but the Browns will continue to stick with him heading into a Week 7 contest versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

From RotoBaller

George Kittle Oct 7 9:10pm CT
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ribs) is still listed on the team's injury report on a short week with a divisional matchup coming on Thursday night on the road at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks. Although the Niners didn't practice on Monday, they listed Kittle as limited on their estimated practice report. Kittle suffered a rib injury in Week 4 but played through the injury in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals and was no worse for the wear, catching eight pass on 12 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown. The 30-year-old missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury but has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last three games. He should be fine to suit up this Thursday and will be a must-start TE1 for fantasy managers after seeing a season-high 12 targets against the Cardinals.

From RotoBaller

Sydney Brown Oct 7 9:00pm CT
Sydney Brown

Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown (knee) has been designated to return from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Monday. Brown has been working his way back from suffering a torn ACL in Week 18 of last season. Before that, Brown recorded 45 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception in 14 games (six starts) with the Eagles in 2023. The 24-year-old put together a fairly solid rookie season before going down last season. He'd certainly offer the Eagles help at free safety with Reed Blankenship being their primary option right now. The Eagles still have a few weeks to ramp up Brown's activities before having to activate him or shut him down for the season.

From RotoBaller

Pharaoh Brown Oct 7 8:40pm CT
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (groin) was estimated as a limited participant during Monday's walkthrough. Fantasy managers shouldn't read much into this as it's not an official practice. Regardless, Brown hasn't been much of a fantasy asset this season anyway. He finished with one reception for seven yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the New York Giants. The 30-year-old mainly serves as depth with Noah Fant being the primary tight end in Seattle. The Seahawks are on a short week with a Thursday matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The absence of Brown would probably mean that AJ Barner has a slightly bigger role.

From RotoBaller