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
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
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
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.
From RotoBaller
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk finally broke out in a 24-23 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Aiyuk was involved early and often in this one, posting eight receptions on 12 targets for 147 yards. He's still looking for his first touchdown, but early in 2023, Aiyuk went six games without a score before rattling off four straight games with a touchdown. Regardless, 18.7 half-PPR points will do for fantasy managers who were patient enough to keep him locked into their lineups as a WR2. The Nevada native will look for his first trip to the end zone when the 49ers face the Seahawks in Seattle on a short turnaround Thursday night.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown finished Sunday's overtime loss to the Ravens by compiling 46 yards off 12 carries. He added three catches for eight yards and a touchdown, finding the end zone off a four-yard pass from Joe Burrow in the fourth quarter. Zack Moss suffered an ankle injury in this one, so Brown was the featured backfield option. There's a chance Moss will miss the Week 6 matchup with the New York Giants. If that happens, Brown would be a lock for all fantasy lineups.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss finished the Week 5 loss to the Ravens by amassing 24 yards off nine carries. He added three receptions for 28 yards. Moss scored a touchdown in three of the Bengals' previous four contests. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle injury during the contest. With that in mind, the 26-year-old is in danger of missing at least the Bengals Week 6 matchup with the New York Giants. If he's not out there, Chase Brown would become an automatic must-start.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins finished Sunday's loss to the Ravens by catching nine of his 14 targets for 83 yards. Even better, he found the end zone twice. After missing a few games to begin the year followed up by a few subpar showings in the Bengals' last two contests, the wideout looked fantastic in this one. While some fantasy managers lost Patience, they'll need to reconsider their stance for the Bengals Week 6 showdown with the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle ended up with eight receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Fantasy Spin: Kittle has managed at least four catches in four outings, and he has scored a touchdown in each of his past three games. He was forced to miss Week 3 due to injury, but when he is healthy, he is easily one of the best fantasy tight ends in the game.
From TheHuddle
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase looked good in Sunday's overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The wideout caught 10 of his 12 targets for 193 yards. He also found the end zone twice, bringing his total to five touchdowns in the last three weeks. The former LSU Tiger has turned up the volume of late, so there's no reason to keep him out of fantasy lineups when the Bengals meet the Giants in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton caught two of his five targets for 32 yards in a 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.
Fantasy Spin: Sutton was second on the team in targets and first among receivers, but the rest of his numbers continue lag behind his targets because of the Bo Nix's early struggles. Sutton is too inconsistent to be more than a flex option, but he could be a sleeper in the second half if Nix can make strides.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason had his least productive fantasy day of 2024 in a 24-23 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He finished with a season-low 14 carries for 89 yards on the ground with no touchdowns and a game-changing fourth-quarter lost fumble. He caught his only target in the passing game for nine yards. On a day that featured record-setting heat at Levi's Stadium, Mason also ceded five carries to rookie Isaac Guerendo, which matches Guerendo's season high. With no firm timetable for the return of All-Pro Christian McCaffrey (Achilles), Mason will continue to operate as San Francisco's bell cow and a fantasy RB1 in a Week 6 Thursday night matchup at the Seattle Seahawks.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had a big game in Week 5. Unfortunately, his efforts weren't enough to secure a win over the Ravens. But the signal-caller did all he could, throwing for 392 yards and five touchdowns (one interception) off an efficient 30-for-39 passing. After a semi-slow start to the 2024-25 campaign, Burrow has played exceptionally well of late, tossing for over 300 yards in two of his previous three contests. He's also stayed healthy, which was a significant concern for fantasy managers. At any rate, Burrow is one of the most productive fantasy quarterbacks going, so he needs to be featured in all starting lineups when the Bengals meet the Giants in Week 6.
From RotoBaller