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 3

Player Notes
Caleb Williams Sep 23 10:30am CT
Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams had his best fantasy performance of the season on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite the team's loss, the No. 1 overall pick completed 33 of 52 passes for 363 yards, along with two touchdowns and two interceptions. While his stats were impressive for fantasy leagues, Williams and the Bears' offense faced significant challenges throughout the game. They trailed 21-9 midway through the fourth quarter and only began to find some rhythm in the passing game when the Colts fell back to defend against big plays. In addition to his two interceptions, Williams was also stripped of the ball on a late sack. His first interception came on a rhythm throw that lacked timing; he attempted to hit Carter on a curl route, but cornerback Jaylon Jones intercepted it. For the second interception, Williams tried to throw to Odunze, taking advantage of a defender's turned back, but the corner deflected the pass, leading to another interception by Jones. Williams acknowledged feeling rookie Laiatu Latu closing in regarding the strip sack but wanted to make subtle movements to avoid him, anticipating Odunze would break open behind the linebackers. Unfortunately, Latu reached him faster than expected and knocked the ball loose. Williams understands the need to reduce turnovers but views the offensive output as a positive development as the Bears seek to establish their identity. It was encouraging to see him take a step forward and engage many of his playmakers. The Bears will aim to build on this momentum next week when they face a vulnerable Rams team in Chicago.

From RotoBaller

Jakobi Meyers Sep 23 10:10am CT
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers caught seven passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a short route, catching the pass and breaking two tackles to make it into the end zone. Meyers was targeted nine times, tying fellow Raiders WRs Tre Tucker and Davante Adams for the team lead. The former New England Patriot is shaping up to be an inconsistent option based on game script and the whims of QB Gardner Minshew II, though it's encouraging that his targets have increased every game, from three in Week 1 to five in Week 2. Meyers' touchdown was nice for fantasy managers, but it didn't come until the Raiders were down by 26 in the fourth quarter. He also caught a two-point conversion. The 27-year-old then had five targets late in the fourth from Aidan O'Connell. Meyers is a boom-or-bust WR3/FLEX option in deep leagues against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Tre Tucker Sep 23 10:00am CT
Tre Tucker

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker logged the biggest game of his career and led the team in receiving yards. Tucker caught seven of nine targets for 96 yards and a touchdown. He was involved early, catching a deep shot from QB Gardner Minshew II for 54 yards in the first quarter. Tucker has been an intriguing deep threat and could be on the path to fantasy relevance in deeper leagues. The 23-year-old still has to compete with wide receivers Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and tight end Brock Bowers for targets, but the Raiders would be well served to get him more involved. Tucker has ridiculous speed, brings a vertical element to the offense, and flashes big-play ability in his rookie season. While Tucker isn't startable outside of deep leagues, he could be worth a bench stash and will look to build on Sunday's performance in the Week 4 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

Davante Adams Sep 23 9:50am CT
Davante Adams

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams followed up his massive game in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens with an absolute dud against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. Adams was targeted nine times by QB Gardner Minshew II but caught only four passes for 40 yards and no touchdowns. That's an excellent target volume, but Adams could put up some duds without better quarterback play. After three straight seasons of dominance, Adams could be headed for another year similar to 2023, marked equally by big games as it is by inconsistency. Minshew Mania might not be much of an upgrade over backup QB Aidan O'Connell for Adams. He's still a must-start at WR in Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns, but fantasy managers should be prepared for a roller coaster ride.

From RotoBaller

Brock Bowers Sep 23 9:40am CT
Brock Bowers

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had his least productive game of the 2024 season, being targeted just four times and catching three passes for 41 yards in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. It was a negative game script for Bowers. The wide receivers were much more involved in the passing game, likely due to the score getting out of hand quickly. The Raiders were losing 21-7 at the half, and Bowers hasn't been a serious deep threat yet. In closer games, he's likely to have games more like his Week 1 and 2 efforts, where he logged more targets, receptions, and yards. Bowers is still a must-start. He's a rare bright spot in a dismal tight end landscape and still leads the position group in receptions while being second in yards. The Raiders face the Browns, Broncos, and Steelers in their next three games, which should be closer so Bowers could quickly rebound.

From RotoBaller

Gardner Minshew II Sep 23 9:30am CT
Gardner Minshew II

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II struggled to be a difference-maker for his team in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Panthers. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 214 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Sunday's defeat. Minshew didn't throw a touchdown pass until the Raiders were down by 26 points. Though the soft Panthers defense presented an opportunity for Minshew Mania to come through again, it just wasn't his day. He was completely outplayed by opposing QB Andy Dalton. Minshew's magic seemed to run out while the Red Rifle was locked, loaded and fired everywhere in what was supposed to be an easy game against a floundering team with a lousy defense. The Raiders were embarrassed, and their signal-caller threw an interception during his comeback attempt and was eventually replaced by QB Aidan O'Connell. Minshew will remain unstartable in single quarterback leagues moving forward. While O'Connell finished the game, Minshew is expected to start in the Week 4 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

Brock Wright Sep 23 9:00am CT
Brock Wright

Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright saw some added opportunities on Sunday after his counterpart Sam LaPorta (ankle) suffered an ankle injury. During the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, Wright saw the second-most targets with five and posted four receptions for 34 yards. LaPorta was able to return in this game but was noticeably affected by the injury. If LaPorta isn't able to fully recover by the Week 4 slate against the Seattle Seahawks, Wright would be the next in line to get starter's opportunities. He doesn't hold nearly the same potential as LaPorta but could be in line for a spot start. Despite not scoring a touchdown, Wright registered a TE12 finish in half-PPR formats before the Monday Night Football games.

From RotoBaller

Jameson Williams Sep 23 8:30am CT
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams posted his worst performance of the young season as he wasn't nearly as involved in the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals as he was in the first two games. The former 12th-overall pick only saw three targets and one carry which turned into one reception for nine yards and a loss of seven yards on the ground. The ground game was a much bigger focus in this game as they handed the ball off 43 times compared to 23 passing attempts. Detroit was also in the lead for much of this game, so the receivers weren't getting involved as much in general. Williams will look ahead to a primetime matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Sep 23 8:20am CT
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff hasn't had the greatest start to the season as he continues to hover around the QB2 territory each week. He did, however, lead the Lions to their second win of the season behind 199 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 18-for-23 throwing. He also took two sacks on top of three carries for six yards. Right now, Goff has thrown one more interception than touchdowns (4-to-3), and he's averaging 241 yards per game. Detroit's offense has been split almost perfectly down the middle so far as they've had a total of 101 rushing attempts compared to 107 passing attempts. Goff saw a lot of touchdowns come from red zone targets to Sam LaPorta, but there haven't been many of those to start the year. Goff will look to post a big-time performance in a primetime game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton Sep 23 8:10am CT
Darius Slayton

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (thumb) was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a thumb injury but was able to return later on. He underwent some X-rays after the game and they came back negative for any fractures. He finished the game with one reception for seven yards on two targets. Through three games so far, Slayton has accrued 10 targets, seven receptions, and 66 yards with one fumble. He's tied for third on the team in terms of targets with running back Devin Singletary and has significantly fewer targets than both Wan'Dale Robinson and Malik Nabers. The Giants offense is one of the harder units to trust in fantasy, outside of Nabers, even in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Andy Dalton Sep 23 8:08am CT
Andy Dalton

Dynasty | Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton completed 26-of-37 passes for 319 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Carolina's win over the RaIders. Dynasty Analysis: Oh boy. In just one start, Dalton had more yards, three more touchdowns and three fewer interceptions than Bryce Young had in his first two starts of the year combined. While Carolina may be excited to win this game, it also could have solidified the worst - the problem clearly was Young at the helm. With Dalton making this team more than competitive for at least one week, it's clear we won't see Young next week and may not for a while. Young's dynasty arrow is going to go down even further after this.

Diontae Johnson Sep 23 8:08am CT
Diontae Johnson

Dynasty | Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson had eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown in Carolina's win against the Raiders. Dynasty Analysis: Andy Dalton ignited the Panthers offense and nobody benefited more than Johnson, who posted a whopping 14 targets on the day. It was a much-needed breakout for Johnson, who was nearly invisible the first two weeks of the season. While we need to see more from Dalton moving forward, Johnson will clearly be in the mix for lineups moving forward.

Jauan Jennings Sep 23 8:08am CT
Jauan Jennings

Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings had 11 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns in San Francisco's loss to the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: The 49ers can point a lot of fingers as to who to blame for this one, but Jennings clearly did his part. After a couple of solid outings to start the season (he had seven catches for 101 yards in the first two games), Jennings just went nuclear in this one. It's going to be tough to recommend him in lineups with Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk still entrenched as the top two options. However, Jennings has real promise and has now solidified his spot on dynasty rosters permanently.

Kyren Williams Sep 23 8:08am CT
Kyren Williams

Dynasty | Rams running back Kyren Williams had 89 rushing yards, twol catches, 27 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a surprising win against the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: Williams looked like the 2023 version of himself in this one, consistently churning out tough yards and finding his way into the end zone every chance he had. It's clear the Rams are going to use him as their workhorse with the likes of Ronnie Rivers and Blake Corum simply serving as emergency options moving forward. It's a big development in dynasty leagues as Williams again looks like a solid RB1.

Adonai Mitchell Sep 23 8:07am CT
Adonai Mitchell

Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was held catchless in a win against the Bears. Dynasty Analysis: Mitchell has just two catches for 32 yards on the season as Anthony Richardson continues to struggle. This is a big-time buzzkill for a rookie many were hoping would break out early. While all hope is not lost (not even close), Mitchell is currently going to need to stay on dynasty benches for the foreseeable future. If you believe in Richardson, he could also be a decent buy-low at the moment.

Sam Darnold Sep 23 8:03am CT
Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold (knee) will have an MRI after he suffered a knee injury during the game Sunday, Sept. 22. 'It's good, and that's as much as I'm gonna say about that,' Darnold said.

Fantasy Spin: Darnold took a low hit from former Vikings EDGE Danielle Hunter and only missed one play. He's the QB3 in fantasy right now so stay tuned. Nick Mullens is the Vikings' backup.

From TheHuddle

Miles Sanders Sep 23 8:00am CT
Miles Sanders

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders received very limited work in the team's first win of the season, but he did find the end zone. The veteran back received seven carries and two targets which he turned into 17 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and 13 yards through the air. This was Sanders' second touchdown since putting on a Panthers uniform. His only score last season came in Week 3 as well. The touchdown turned a dreadful fantasy week into an okay one. Still, he's not likely to see increased opportunities especially after Chuba Hubbard turned in a big performance with 169 total yards and a touchdown of his own. Sanders isn't much more than a depth option moving forward, especially when Jonathon Brooks returns to the field.

From RotoBaller

Colby Parkinson Sep 23 8:00am CT
Colby Parkinson

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson saw five targets and caught three passes for 21 yards in Week 3 against San Francisco. The five targets tied for a team-high in this game with Tutu Atwell. Quarterback Matthew Stafford spread the ball around in this one with Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Jordan Whittington all factoring into the game plan. With Copper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) out that is to be expected. On top of that, Kyren Williams had 24 carries and was a focal point of the offense, catching the only TD pass in the game from Stafford. All of that made it tough for Parkinson to get going in this one as he was only able to catch three short passes. Until he shows more involvement in the offense, he should be off the fantasy radar, even at the relatively shallow tight-end position.

From RotoBaller

Kyren Williams Sep 23 7:50am CT
Kyren Williams

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams turned in a huge fantasy performance in Week 3's win over the San Francisco 49ers. The versatile running back rushed 24 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 27 yards and a TD. He is fantasy's RB2 on the week behind only Saquon Barkley. Williams dominated the Rams' backfield with Ronnie Rivers getting just two carries as his backup. Against a good 49ers defense, Williams turned his best game of the season and looks like a sure-fire RB1 at the moment. He should continue to dominate touches and be a focal point of the Rams' offensive game plan with Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) sidelined. His touchdown potential and involvement in the passing game make him a good bet to score in each game.

From RotoBaller

Tutu Atwell Sep 23 7:50am CT
Tutu Atwell

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell led all Rams' pass-catchers with 90 receiving yards on four catches in Week 3 against San Francisco. Atwell caught a 50-yard pass to help pad his stats in this one. He saw five targets which tied tight end Colby Parkinson for the team-high as the Rams came back to stun the 49ers. Atwell thrived as the slot receiver with Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) out. There is a lot of uncertainty with the Rams' receiving corps week-to-week as far as who will command the most targets between Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Jordan Whittington. Each of the foursome saw 3-plus targets in Week 3 but it was Atwell who was able to do the most damage. The unpredictability makes it tough to rely on any of the group as a fantasy option moving forward.

From RotoBaller