Fri May 16 10:08am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Murray has a favorable schedule
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. | Dallas | 323.69 |
2. | New York Giants | 325.58 |
3. | Detroit | 328.48 |
4. | Minnesota | 329.6 |
5. | Cincinnati | 330.48 |
6. | Green Bay | 330.81 |
7. | Baltimore | 331.58 |
8. | Cleveland | 332.58 |
9. | Pittsburgh | 333.67 |
10. | Chicago | 333.76 |
11. | Washington | 334.83 |
12. | Las Vegas | 337.38 |
13. | Philadelphia | 338.09 |
14. | Los Angeles Chargers | 338.73 |
15. | Buffalo | 340.31 |
16. | Atlanta | 340.56 |
17. | New England | 342.51 |
18. | Miami | 342.76 |
19. | Tampa Bay | 345.16 |
20. | New York Jets | 345.71 |
21. | Kansas City | 345.99 |
22. | Denver | 346.19 |
23. | Indianapolis | 347.54 |
24. | New Orleans | 348.47 |
25. | San Francisco | 349.33 |
26. | Los Angeles Rams | 349.98 |
27. | Seattle | 350.27 |
28. | Jacksonville | 350.64 |
29. | Carolina | 351.85 |
30. | Tennessee | 352.69 |
31. | Houston | 354.27 |
32. | Arizona | 358.17 |
The Arizona Cardinals have the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks. Kyler Murray had a solid season last year but could be even better this year, being another year removed from his major knee injury and having the most favorable fantasy schedule. The Cardinals passing game could have a lot of success this season, especially if Marvin Harrison Jr. takes his game to a new level.
C.J. Stroud is an intriguing option because of his favorable schedule. Stroud gets the second-easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks. He had a disappointing season last year but had all sorts of injuries at receiver, which impacted him. He gets most of those guys back this year and also adds two talented rookie receivers to the mix. This makes Stroud a good buy-low candidate for fantasy teams.
The Titans, Panthers and Jaguars round out the top five easiest fantasy quarterback list. This is good news for rookie Cam Ward. He could make an immediate fantasy impact because of an easy schedule. He still could be up and down as a rookie with a team that lacks some weapons, but Ward also could have some big games along the way.
Bryce Young had a great finish to last year, so you have to be thrilled to see him get a favorable fantasy scheduled. He could build on that finish and continue his solid play this season, especially if you consider the Panthers did well to get him more talent to work with offensively.
Lastly, Trevor Lawrence hasn’t lived up to expectations but this could be the season this year. He gets a great schedule, a new quarterback-friendly head coach and some more weapons to work with in the passing game. If Lawrence is going to have that breakout season, this is the year.
The Cowboys top the list for most difficult quarterback schedule. This isn’t likely to deter them from throwing but you have to worry a little about the ceiling of Dak Prescott. He could struggle some weeks against some really good passing defenses.
Russell Wilson heads to the Giants this year to take over as their starter. He heads to an offense that has struggled at quarterback in recent seasons and gets a very difficult schedule to boot. Wilson faces the second most difficult fantasy schedule for quarterbacks. A big first season in New York doesn’t seem likely for Wilson.
The Lions, Vikings and Bengals round out the list of toughest schedules for quarterbacks. The one that stands out is Minnesota because they are going to have a first-year starter in J.J. McCarthy. He has some real upside in an offense that likes to throw the ball and has maybe the best receiver in the game, but this schedule could temper his expectations a little.
And we have a hard time betting against Jared Goff and Joe Burrow because of a challenging fantasy schedule. These passing offenses are tough to slow down no matter the opponent.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy quarterbacks. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 15-17, 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. | Dallas | 300.55 |
2. | Cleveland | 303.77 |
3. | New York Giants | 308.43 |
4. | Buffalo | 313.05 |
5. | Philadelphia | 314.27 |
6. | Green Bay | 324.72 |
7. | Pittsburgh | 326.15 |
8. | Chicago | 327.72 |
9. | Cincinnati | 327.82 |
10. | Detroit | 328.27 |
11. | San Francisco | 329.53 |
12. | Kansas City | 330.52 |
13. | Baltimore | 334.67 |
14. | Las Vegas | 337.68 |
15. | Houston | 338.22 |
16. | Carolina | 338.93 |
17. | Tennessee | 339.15 |
18. | New England | 347.12 |
19. | Washington | 347.93 |
20. | Indianapolis | 349.22 |
21. | Los Angeles Rams | 350.87 |
22. | Jacksonville | 352.78 |
23. | New York Jets | 354.02 |
24. | Miami | 354.32 |
25. | Tampa Bay | 354.83 |
26. | New Orleans | 355.13 |
27. | Denver | 357.28 |
28. | Atlanta | 364.7 |
29. | Minnesota | 372.5 |
30. | Los Angeles Chargers | 373.05 |
31. | Arizona | 376.65 |
32. | Seattle | 377.82 |
Arizona is the lone team that finishes in the top five for both the regular and postseason for easiest schedule. Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. could be a good stack for those of you in those big-money contests. Very intriguing.
The Seahawks actually have the easiest fantasy playoff schedule. Sam Darnold has some question marks after his finish to last year but might be worth the risk because of this schedule. If he can get it going again, he could be a help down the stretch.
And it is interesting to see the Vikings have the fourth easiest playoff schedule. They made the top-five toughest schedule list for their overall schedule. But things get easier for McCarthy in the fantasy playoffs. He could be a factor down the stretch.
So the Cowboys have both the hardest overall and playoff schedule for quarterbacks. Ouch. Dak Prescott is looking like a scary pick for fantasy owners. Buyer beware.
The Giants are another team that made both lists, giving you even more hesitation when it comes to taking a chance on Wilson in his first season with the team. He probably isn’t worth the risk.
There are two really big names that made the top five most difficult playoff schedule. Both Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts have challenging playoff schedules. It is something to keep in mind when deciding between them and other elite options like Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow.
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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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reports that wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) is ok after leaving Wednesday's minicamp session with a shoulder injury. "He's fine. He absolutely could've gone back and played just bruised it a little bit," said Coen. He also noted that the 22-year-old was removed for precautionary reasons and was "completely cleared to play." Jacksonville can breathe a sigh of relief that their young, stud wideout avoided significant injury. It's still something to monitor, but it fortunately doesn't sound too serious. Barring health, Thomas Jr. is in an excellent position to build off a sensational rookie season that saw him produce a WR4 finish in PPR formats. Jacksonville's addition of Travis Hunter will dent his overall target upside, but shouldn't affect his production too much. The LSU product is a strong pick at the 1/2 turn in drafts.
From RotoBaller
When asked about the possibility of the New York Jets using a committee at running back this year, Breece Hall said, "I'm not obligated to anything. I've got to go and prove that I am the guy. I feel like I am a three-down back. Every day I'm going to prove I'm the best back on this roster and one of the best backs in the league." Hall will most definitely be a big part of the Jets' offense under new head coach Aaron Glenn, but he could lose touches to both Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis if he doesn't take a step forward in 2025. The 24-year-old had 209 carries for 876 rushing yards (career-low 4.2 yards per carry) and five touchdowns in 16 starts, adding 57 catches for 483 yards and three more scores. Hall's fantasy stock is definitely down, but his pass-catching prowess gives him a high floor, and he could be an excellent value pick in 2025 as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (undisclosed) was carted off the field during mandatory minicamp practice on Wednesday with an undisclosed injury, according to The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala. Brown was able to walk off the field slowly under his own power before being carted to the locker room, but it's unclear what the severity of his injury is at this moment. The 29-year-old pass-catcher caught 35 of his 56 targets for 453 yards and one touchdown in 11 games (nine starts) in his first year with Washington last year and figures to open the 2025 campaign as the WR3 behind Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. if he's fully healthy. Unfortunately, that role isn't going to make the former seventh-rounder (239th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017 fantasy relevant in standard 12-team fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott has stood out during offseason practices, according to head coach Dan Quinn. The Commanders selected Sinnott in the second round (53rd overall) in last year's draft out of Kansas State, but he was buried on the depth chart all year and caught only five passes for 28 yards and a touchdown in 17 regular-season games (two starts) in his first year in the NFL. The 22-year-old may be standing out this offseason, but he'll have a long way to go to find a bigger role in Washington's passing attack as long as veteran TE Zach Ertz stays healthy. There's also John Bates to contend with if Ertz were to miss any time. Sinnott does have the size and speed to be worth watching if he does get a bigger opportunity, but for now, he's off the radar in standard-sized fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
ESPN's Jeff Legwold writes that the Denver Broncos figure to give new running back J.K. Dobbins a long look in the third-down role ahead of Week 1 of the 2025 regular season. Dobbins has dealt with multiple injuries since being drafted in 2020, mainly knee and Achilles injuries, but he had career-highs in rushing yards (905), catches (32) and receiving yards (153) last year with the Los Angeles Chargers and tied his career best with nine rushing touchdowns. And that was with him missing four games in 2024 with an MCL sprain. Javonte Williams led the Broncos in carries (139) and rushing yards (513) last year, but he's now in Dallas. Second-round rookie RB RJ Harvey is the favorite for lead-back duties in 2025, but Dobbins (if healthy) could be a nice RB3/flex option for fantasy managers in PPR leagues if he captures the full-time third-down role.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was first up in team drills at mandatory minicamp for the second straight day on Wednesday and is going up against the first-team defense, according to The Chronicle Telegram's Scott Petrak. Fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into the Browns QB reps during offseason workouts, as head coach Kevin Stefanski said that rookies Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will probably require more reps as they get acclimated to the NFL game. The Browns are conducting an open competition at QB, but the expectation is that it will come down to either veteran Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett. Gabriel, 24, stands at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds and could open the year as the No. 3 ahead of Sanders. He has plenty of experience playing for three different teams in college in addition to a strong arm and a good feel in the pocket. He's strictly a dynasty/keeper stash in 2025.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Jauan Jennings (calf), who isn't practicing during mandatory minicamp this week, is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in late July. The Niners are playing it safe with Jennings and Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) with Brandon Aiyuk (knee) not expected to be ready until around midseason. Barring a setback with his calf in training camp, Jennings could be the team's WR1 to open the 2025 season with Aiyuk sidelined. The 27-year-old had a career year in 2024 with 77 receptions on 113 targets for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games (10 starts) with Aiyuk suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 7. Jennings should at least have a bigger role again early on in 2025, but he could be the No. 3 target for quarterback Brock Purdy behind tight end George Kittle and second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall (hamstring).
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is likely to be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list for training camp in late July as he continues his recovery from his ACL surgery, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Aiyuk also injured his MCL in Week 7 and missed the rest of the 2024 campaign. After holding out in training camp last year, the 27-year-old was a major disappointment for fantasy managers before his injury, as he caught just 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and no touchdowns a year after posting a career-high 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games. The 27-year-old former first-rounder isn't expected to be ready in 2025 until around midseason, so it's not much of a surprise that he'll land on the PUP for camp. With Aiyuk out, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) and Demarcus Robinson are expected to start in three-wide sets.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner, who are both seeking contract extensions this offseason, are participating in the team's mandatory minicamp this week, according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone. Wilson is entering yet another season with a new quarterback, this time his old college teammate Justin Fields. The 24-year-old former 10th overall pick in 2022 out of Ohio State has put up three straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his NFL career and had a career-best 101 catches and seven touchdowns in 17 starts in 2024. Wilson will be the team's unquestioned WR1 this year now that Davante Adams is gone, but his fantasy upside will depend on the efficiency of New York's offense and Fields. The Jets are expected to lean heavily on their ground game, making Wilson more of a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III (undisclosed), who suffered an undisclosed injury back in rookie minicamp, is expected to be ready to go for the start of training camp in late July, according to head coach Ben Johnson. The 21-year-old second-rounder has yet to sign his rookie deal, too, which is also playing a part in his absence from offseason workouts as he heads into his first year in the NFL. Burden is losing valuable reps to learn Johnson's offense, but when he does rejoin the team, he has an opportunity to be the Bears' No. 3 wideout in 2025 behind DJ Moore and second-year pass-catcher Rome Odunze. When you factor in tight ends Cole Kmet and rookie Colston Loveland (shoulder) and running back D'Andre Swift, it's a lot of mouths to feed in Chicago. Burden's physicality and production in college make him a fine dynasty/keeper stash, but he could struggle for consistency in 2025.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie first-round tight end Colston Loveland (shoulder) hasn't taken part in any of the team's offseason workouts to this point after undergoing shoulder surgery in late January, but he remains on track to be ready to practice with the team in training camp this summer. The 21-year-old is nearly five months into a six-month recovery timetable and has been limited to stretching and light work during mandatory minicamp this week. He can run routes and catch passes but the remaining hurdle is regaining strength in his shoulder. It's good news that Loveland should be ready for training camp, but he's already missed valuable reps, and it's fair to be skeptical about his role in head coach Ben Johnson's offense with Cole Kmet still in the fold. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues shouldn't overpay for immediate production. Loveland is the TE18 in RotoBaller's preseason rankings.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) was healthy to take part in mandatory minicamp this week, but the team is being careful with him and want him to be ready for training camp in late July. It makes sense for the Niners to play it safe with the former first-rounder since fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk (knee) likely won't be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. If the 24-year-old can return in training camp and develop chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy, he'll have plenty of opportunity as a starter in three-wide sets in his sophomore season in the NFL. Pearsall missed the first six games of his rookie season after being shot in the chest, but he was more involved late in the year with Aiyuk out. If healthy, he should make much more noise in 2025. RotoBaller has Pearsall ranked as the No. 45 fantasy wideout.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) has been limited during practice due to an ankle injury, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. "But he should be fine," Macdonald added. It seems that Walker is always dealing with some kind of lower-body injury. The 24-year-old has yet to play a full season in the NFL and played just once in the final five weeks of the 2024 season due to an ankle injury before eventually finishing on Injured Reserve. It's yet another reminder that Walker is as injury-prone as they come as an RB2 in fantasy. When healthy, though, Walker has been productive, scoring 24 rushing touchdowns in 41 games over three seasons. Seattle is expected to lean heavily on their rushing attack in 2025, so Walker would be the primary beneficiary if he can stay on the field. Handcuffing Zach Charbonnet to him would be a wise move.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (groin) was taking part in the team's mandatory minicamp practice on Tuesday. After missing voluntary organized team activities recently, Kamara is back on the field with the Saints. The 29-year-old five-time Pro Bowler missed the final three games of the 2024 season with a groin injury, but he looks to be over the injury and should be a full-go for training camp this summer. The former third-rounder (67th overall) in 2017 surprisingly has never topped 1,000 yards rushing in his eight NFL campaigns, but he makes up for it in fantasy with his pass-catching prowess. Kamara has had at least 47 receptions in all eight seasons, which gives him a higher fantasy ceiling than most, especially in PPR leagues. Even though the Saints' offense could be mediocre given their QB situation, Kamara should be in play as an RB2 given his expected volume.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) didn't take part in the team's first mandatory minicamp practice on Tuesday and had a large brace on his right knee, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. Head coach Todd Bowles said Wirfs is dealing with an offseason injury and that his absence from practice was "precautionary." "He'll be fine in training camp," Bowles said. Wirfs was the 13th overall pick by the Bucs in the 2020 NFL draft out of Iowa. He has started all 79 of the games that he's appeared in over his five NFL seasons and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four years, so he's pretty important for Tampa's offense as they enter yet another year with a new offensive coordinator. His injury will be something to keep an eye on in training camp this summer, but he should be ready to protect quarterback Baker Mayfield's blind side in Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers star pass-rusher T.J. Watt is not expected to attend mandatory minicamp this week, a source tells The Athletic's Diana Russini. Watt is angling for a new contract extension, and although the two sides are fully expected to work something out before the start of the 2025 regular season this fall, it's something that could stretch into training camp this summer. Despite being 30 years old, the seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro remains one of the most disruptive defensive players in the NFL when he's healthy. Watt is the heart and soul of Pittsburgh's physical defensive unit, and although he dropped to 11.5 sacks last year after posting a league-high 19 the year prior, he was still plenty productive in IDP fantasy formats with 61 tackles (40 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, a league-high six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 17 regular-season starts.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson is not attending mandatory minicamp this week as he seeks a long-term contract extension, a source tells The Athletic's Jeff Howe. Hendrickson hasn't practiced at all with the team this season and said that he is willing to hold out into the regular season if the Bengals don't give him what he wants after back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons. The Bengals gave the 30-year-old four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher permission to seek a trade back in March, but nothing materialized with the Bengals' asking price being extremely high. The Bengals struggled on defense in 2024 in spite of Hendrickson's elite pass-rushing contributions, but they are definitely a better team with him than without him. In IDP fantasy formats, Hendrickson's value could drop as the regular season approaches if he remains unsigned.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Diontae Johnson is in attendance at mandatory minicamp this week after not showing up for voluntary organized team activities. Although there is opportunity in Cleveland this year behind WR1 Jerry Jeudy, fantasy managers won't be holding their breath for the 28-year-old wideout after he played for three teams in 2024. He caught 30 of 58 targets for 357 yards and three touchdowns with the Panthers before being traded to the Ravens, where he caught just one pass in four games. Johnson finished the year in Houston and caught two passes for 12 yards. The former third-rounder (66th overall) by the Steelers in 2019 out of Toledo has regressed each season since his 1,000-yard campaign in 2021 in Pittsburgh. With one of the worst QB situations in the league on top of it, Johnson is barely ranked inside the top-100 wideouts at RotoBaller.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is prioritizing his health in 2025 and also said that the hip injury that ended his season in Week 17 of last year started to "feel a little better" in February and won't be an issue going forward. "Doing everything I can to stay available for the guys," Tagovailoa said after signing a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension. The third diagnosed concussion of his career sidelined him for four games last year before he was shut down for the final two games with a hip injury. In addition to the 27-year-old's missed time due to injuries in 2024, Miami's offense was less explosive in general, and Tagovailoa finished with 2,867 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and seven picks in 11 starts. He still has an excellent receiver combo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but Tagovailoa's concussion history makes him an avoidable fantasy QB in standard 12-team leagues.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) was shut down on May 29 after an "aggravation" to the AC joint in his surgically-repaired right shoulder and will be out indefinitely, according to head coach Shane Steichen. It's bad news for the former first-rounder after he suffered a severe AC joint sprain in October of 2023 in his rookie season that required season-ending surgery. The Athletic's James Boyd writes that the odds of Richardson one day becoming the face of the Colts franchise are dwindling by the day. "We'll see when he comes back. Not going to put a timetable for training camp on it, but when he does come back, we'll ease him into throwing, and we'll go from there," Steichen said. Although nothing will be decided this year, Richardson's stock is falling drastically, increasing Daniel Jones' odds of winning the starting gig under center.
From RotoBaller