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 jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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- Giants' Brian Burns (groin) questionable to face Browns
- Packers QB Jordan Love questionable, 'working through' medicals
- Texans RBs Joe Mixon doubtful, Dameon Pierce out vs. Vikings
- Vikings' Justin Jefferson cleared, Jordan Addison out vs. Texans
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert (ankle) uncertain vs. Steelers
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The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 3
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (knee) is officially inactive in Week 3 for the team's contest on the road against the Tennessee Titans. Love suffered a sprained left MCL in his knee in the Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil and will now miss his second straight game as a result. The good news is that Love practiced all week and was questionable to play on Sunday against the Titans, so he stands to have a good chance to make his return in a big divisional clash next weekend at Lambeau Field versus the Minnesota Vikings. With Love out again on Sunday, backup Malik Willis will make his second straight start against his former team, the Titans. Expect another run-heavy game plan from Green Bay, making Josh Jacobs a must-start in fantasy against the 0-2 Titans. Willis should be considered a low-end QB2 for those in superflex leagues.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Week 3 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie had previously battled an ankle injury but was removed from the injury report on Friday. It seemed as though he was going to make his NFL debut this Sunday, but in the end, he's inactive despite being healthy. His debut will have to wait at least one more week. The Steelers enter their clash against the Steelers with just four wide receivers, of which George Pickens is the only one possessing fantasy relevance.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is officially inactive for Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He has been designated as the Steelers' emergency third-string quarterback, making him eligible to play only if both Justin Fields and Kyle Allen get injured. Wilson had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday. The veteran quarterback still has not yet made his Steelers debut thanks to this lingering calf issue. Even when Wilson becomes healthy enough to play again, Fields should remain Pittsburgh's QB1 until he gives head coach Mike Tomlin reasons to make a switch. This is good news for fantasy managers as Fields has more fantasy upside than Wilson, anyway.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (groin) is officially active on Sunday for the Week 3 game on the road against the Cleveland Browns. Burns was a late addition to this week's injury report with a groin injury and was listed as questionable to play this weekend. However, it appears he was able to do enough during pre-game warmups to convince the coaching staff that he's good enough to play against Cleveland as the G-Men look for their first victory of 2024. The 26-year-old is New York's starting outside linebacker and should be in all starting lineups in IDP leagues now that he's officially active. The former 16th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2019 out of Florida State has seven tackles (six solo) and a pass breakup so far through two weeks in his first year in the Big Apple.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson (calf) has been declared inactive for the Week 3 game but will serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback.
Fantasy Spin: Wilson has been working his way back from the injury, but the Steelers continue to go with Justin Fields as their starting quarterback. Fields probably should only be considered an option in two-quarterbacks this week.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills (knee) is officially active for Week 3 against the New York Giants. He had been sidelined for the team's first two games of the season while recovering from last year's knee surgery. Cleveland will benefit from having Wills available, especially given that right tackle Jack Conklin (hamstring) is inactive. Wills' return is great news for the Browns' offense particularly Deshaun Watson, Jerome Ford, and D'Onta Foreman.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (rib) is officially inactive for Week 3 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Vele was removed from the injury report Friday, so it's unclear whether he's inactive due to injury or coach's decision. Mike Klis of 9News provides some context on the situation, writing in a post to X, "He's healthy but didn't get many reps. Should be good next week at Jets." It seems as though Vele didn't get involved enough in practice, so the Broncos are holding him out for one more week. The rookie caught all eight of his targets for 39 yards back in Week 1, which made him an appealing waiver wire option heading into Week 2. He hasn't played since then, and fantasy managers are eager for him to return against New York next week.
From RotoBaller
In addition to New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (chest), the team ruled out wide receiver A.T. Perry (illness) for the Week 3 contest on Sunday against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. Perry came into this one listed as questionable but was a full participant on Friday after popping up on the Week 3 injury report on Thursday. It appears the Saints weren't comfortable enough with the 24-year-old being active this weekend, but Perry should be feeling good enough to return in Week 4 to face the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. The sixth-round pick last year has yet to draw a single target through the first two weeks of the 2024 season and remains well off the fantasy radar for now. With Perry sidelined, Cedrick Wilson Jr. should have an enhanced role in the Saints offense on Sunday behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back, calf) is officially active for Week 3 against the Chicago Bears. A late addition to the injury report, Pittman is ultimately able to suit up as the Colts continue to fight for their first win of the season. He's been somewhat underwhelming in fantasy football this year, converting 15 targets into just seven catches for 52 yards and zero touchdowns. The 26-year-old is a mid-range WR3/FLEX play this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (elbow, calf) is officially inactive for Week 3 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the wrong direction after missing practice on Friday. The 25-year-old entered this season as the Chargers' WR1 but has been relatively underwhelming, catching just four passes for 34 yards through two games. In his absence, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston should fetch more targets from Justin Herbert. McConkey is the overall WR41 in fantasy football so far while Johnston is the WR24. Both players have low-end WR3/FLEX appeal this week, with Johnston possessing more big-play upside.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers have declared CB Darius Rush, WR Roman Wilson, QB Russell Wilson, TE MyCole Pruitt, SS Terrell Edmunds and OG Isaac Seumalo inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have declared OT Luke Goedeke, S Antoine Winfield Jr., TE Devin Culp, DE Jose Ramirez, DL Calijah Kancey, WR Kameron Johnson and DT Vita Vea inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The New Orleans Saints have declared WR A.T. Perry, LB D'Marco Jackson, QB Spencer Rattler, TE Taysom Hill, WR Bub Means and DL Khalen Saunders inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) is officially active for Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will start under center, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Herbert, who has 274 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception this season, was questionable with a high-ankle sprain. The Chargers took the decision up until the final minute in order to evaluate the quarterback's injury pregame. In the end, he's suiting up. However, the Chargers are carrying three active quarterbacks (Herbert, Easton Stick, and Taylor Heinicke) for the first time this season, which means they have a contingency plan in case Herbert isn't able to play the full game. Fantasy managers should treat him as a low-end QB2 this week.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running backTyjae Spears(ankle) is officially active for Week 3 versus the Green Bay Packers. Spears had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction heading into the weekend.Tony Pollardremains the top running back in this Tennessee offense, but Spears has still been able to carve out a role this year. Through two games, he has 10 carries for 41 yards on the ground, plus six catches for another 22 yards through the air. He ranks as the overall RB42 in fantasy football so far. Managers can deploy him as a solid RB3 or FLEX in leagues with at least 14 teams.
From RotoBaller
The Houston Texans have declared RB Dameon Pierce, LB Jamal Hill, C Jarrett Patterson, RB Joe Mixon, WR John Metchie, CB Myles Bryant and DE Rashad Weaver inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The Cleveland Browns have declared QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, OG Javion Cohen, OT Jack Conklin, CB Kahlef Hailassie, TE David Njoku, RB Pierre Strong and WR Jamari Thrash inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young's benching following the team's Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in favor of QB Andy Dalton is not considered to be permanent, according to multiple sources. The thinking is that Young will regain the starting role at some point later this season, although head coach Dave Canales did not detail how long he would remain on the sidelines. The organization still views Young as their long-term solution at quarterback and feels that he would benefit most from watching.
Fantasy Spin: Dynasty owners should continue to hold on to Young, who had recently attracted the interest of multiple NFL teams looking to see if the Panthers were considering trading him. Dalton should be viewed as a midrange QB2 option for as long as he is the starter, although his fantasy ceiling isn't very high.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints TE Taysom Hill (chest) has been ruled out for Week 3's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fantasy Spin: Hill logged a pair of limited practice sessions during the week but saw his injury report status downgraded from questionable to doubtful to out over the last 48 hours. TE Foster Moreau will likely receive the starting nod but he and the other New Orleans tight ends can be ignored for fantasy purposes this afternoon.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (chest), who was doubtful to play in the Week 3 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, has officially been ruled out on Sunday. Hill suffered a chest injury in the Week 2 blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys and was even hospitalized shortly before being released. The do-it-all offensive weapon will now try to work his way back for a Week 4 meeting against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons next weekend. The 34-year-old is one of the most versatile players in all of football, but he has only eight carries for 53 yards and has caught two of his three targets for two yards in two blowout victories for the Saints so far in 2024, so it's hard to really rely on him in fantasy as anything more than a boom/bust TE2 on a weekly basis. With Hill sidelined against Philly, expect more targets for Juwan Johnson.
From RotoBaller
