Fantasy Football Playoffs: Strength of Schedule

These quarterbacks, running backs and receivers have the easiest and toughest schedules during the fantasy playoffs. Plan accordingly.

It’s important to always look ahead in fantasy football to know what’s coming down the pike. With Thanksgiving approaching, it’s high time to look ahead to the fantasy postseason. In most cases (which is how we’ll address it here), fantasy playoffs are Weeks 15-17. (If Week 18 is part of your playoff schedule, talk to your commissioner about changing that for the future.)

Some teams have already locked up a spot in their league’s playoffs while others are still duking it out for position. No matter what spot you’re in, it’s never too early to take a peek at what the playoff matchups hold. Below, you’ll find the 10 teams with the easiest and hardest playoff schedules for quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

Do with this information what you will. If your trade deadline hasn’t passed yet, maybe make a deal. If it’s too late to trade, a few of the players with easy schedules can be found on waivers and some with difficult slates are borderline droppable.

(Rankings are prior to Week 11 and based on FantasyPros’ fantasy points allowed data through 10 weeks. Scoring settings are for four-point passing touchdowns and half-point per reception.)

Lamar Jackson has cooled off after a hot start to the season, but his matchups during the fantasy playoffs are favorable :: Stephen Lew/USA Today Sports

Quarterback

10 Easiest Schedules (Weeks 15, 16, 17)
1. Texans — Davis Mills: KC, TEN, JAX
2. Jets — Zach Wilson: DET, JAX, SEA
3. Panthers — P.J. Walker/Baker Mayfield: PIT, DET, TB
4. 49ers — Jimmy Garoppolo: SEA, WAS, LV
5. Steelers — Kenny Pickett: CAR, LV, BAL
6. Ravens — Lamar Jackson: CLE, ATL, PIT
7. Falcons — Marcus Mariota: NO, BAL, ARZ
8. Patriots — Mac Jones: LV, CIN, MIA
9. Packers — Aaron Rodgers: LAR, MIA, MIN
10. Browns — Deshaun Watson: BAL, NO, WAS

There’s not a whole lot that’s actionable at the top of this list, as any managers making a playoff run in 10-, 12- or even 14-team single quarterback leagues likely aren’t relying on Mills, Wilson or any of the Carolina signal callers. A few names do stand out, though. A light schedule for Jackson in the postseason will certainly be welcome considering how much he’s slowed down since his bonkers start. Garoppolo and Mariota are also interesting as potential streaming options for managers who may have been let down by their QB1 (i.e. Tom Brady or Justin Herbert). And though Rodgers has still yet to have a 20-point performance this season, at least Green Bay will be fighting tooth and nail to win games down the stretch. The schedule for Watson is at least intriguing, but we’ll still have to see how he looks in Cleveland upon his return from suspension.

10 Hardest Schedules (Weeks 15, 16, 17)
1. Rams — Matthew Stafford: GB , DEN, LAC
2. Titans — Ryan Tannehill: LAC, HOU, DAL
3. Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence: DAL, NYG, HOU
4. Dolphins — Tua Tagovailoa: BUF, GB, NE
5. Vikings — Kirk Cousins: IND, NYG, GB
6. Chiefs — Patrick Mahomes: HOU, SEA, DEN
T-7. Bengals — Joe Burrow: TB, NE, BUF
T-7. Commanders — Taylor Heinicke/Carson Wentz: NYG, SF, CLE
9. Bears — Justin Fields: PHI, BUF, DET
10. Cardinals — Kyler Murray: DEN, TB, ATL

Stafford and Tannehill haven’t been particularly relevant for fantasy all season, so relying on them in crunch time against tough schedules is not what you want. Lawrence has been up and down all year and it will be hard to count on him when it matters most against those opponents—the same goes for the Washington quarterback, whoever it might be at that point. As for the rest of these quarterbacks, with the possible exception of Cousins, they’re all in your lineup each and every week.

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Running Back

10 Easiest Schedules (Weeks 15, 16, 17)
T-1. Jets — Michael Carter, James Robinson: DET, JAX, SEA
T-1. Saints — Alvin Kamara: ATL, CLE, PHI
3. Chiefs — Isiah Pacheco, Jerrick McKinnon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire: HOU, SEA, DEN
T-4. Ravens — Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kenyan Drake: CLE, ATL, PIT
T-4. Lions — D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams: NYJ, CAR, CHI
6. Titans — Derrick Henry: LAC, HOU, DAL
7. Steelers — Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren: CAR, LV, BAL
8. 49ers — Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell: SEA, WAS, LV
9. Rams — Darrell Henderson Jr., Cam Akers, Kyren Williams: GB, DEN, LAC
T-10. Broncos — Melvin Gordon, Latavius Murray: ARZ, LAR, KC
T-10: Buccaneers — Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White: CIN, ARZ, CAR

The postseason will be kind to quite a few running back committees: Carter and Robinson in New York, Williams and Swift in Detroit, Gordon and Murray in Denver and the trios in Kansas City and Los Angeles, though you might want to avoid the Rams crew entirely. Kamara, Henry (who gets Houston in Week 16) and McCaffrey, three of the top players at the position, will continue to deliver big performances against light schedules. It’s been rough going for Harris this year and Fournette has had his struggles, but perhaps both can be trusted against easier opponents—and their backups could potentially be in play as well.

10 Hardest Schedules (Weeks 15, 16, 17)
1. Raiders — Josh Jacobs: NE, PIT, SF
2. Bengals — Joe Mixon: TB, NE, BUF
T-3. Browns — Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt: BAL, NO, WAS
T-3. Giants — Saquon Barkley: WAS, MIN, IND
T-5. Chargers — Austin Ekeler: TEN, IND, LAR
T-5. Seahawks — Kenneth Walker: SF, KC, NYJ
T-5. Packers — Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon: LAR, MIA, MIN
T-8. Cardinals — James Conner: DEN, TB, ATL
T-8. Dolphins — Jeff Wilson Jr., Raheem Mostert: BUF, GB, NE
10. Commanders — Antonio Gibson, Brian Robinson Jr.: NYG, SF, CLE

If any backs are going to be able to overcome such tough schedules, it’s these guys. Six of the 10 (Jacobs, Mixon, Chubb, Barkley, Ekeler and Jones) are top-12 backs on the year and Walker, Gibson, Wilson and Mostert are all top 24 at the position. Perhaps you should temper expectations for their performances down the stretch against stout defensive opponents, but don’t worry too much about what’s ahead for them.

Wide Receiver

10 Easiest Schedules (Weeks 15, 16, 17)
1. Texans — Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins: KC, TEN, JAX
2. Ravens — Devin Duvernay: CLE, ATL, PIT
3. Panthers — D.J. Moore, Terrace Marshall Jr: PIT, DET, TB
4. Steelers — Diontae Johnson, George Pickens: CAR, LV, BAL
5. Browns — Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones: BAL, NO, WAS
6. Cowboys — CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup: JAX, PHI, TEN
7. Broncos — Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy: ARZ, LAR, KC
8. Saints — Chris Olave: ATL, CLE, PHI
9. Packers — Allen Lazard Christian Watson: LAR, MIA, MIN
10. Jets — Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis: DET, JAX, SEA

A lot of the names on this list have underperformed so far based on their average draft position – namely Cooks, Moore, Johnson and Sutton – so the easy playoff schedules should do them all well. Cooper, Lamb and the rookies Olave and Wilson have been solid for most of the season and rookie pass catchers tend to come on even stronger late in the year. For the Browns receivers, Watson will be back on the field by this point. There’s little to do with Baltimore’s easy slate for receivers with Rashod Bateman out for the year.

10 Hardest Schedules (Weeks 15, 16, 17)
1. Chiefs — JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling: HOU, SEA, DEN
2. Vikings — Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen: IND, NYG, GB
3. Rams — Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson: GB, DEN, LAC
4. Dolphins — Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle: BUF, GB, NE
5. Bengals — Ja’marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd: TB, NE, BUF
6. Jaguars — Christian Kirk, Zay Jones: DAL, NYJ, HOU
7. Bills — Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis: MIA, CHI, CIN
8. Titans — Robert Woods, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Treylon Burks: LAC, HOU, DAL
9. Commanders — Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel: NYG, SF, CLE
10. Lions — Amon-Ra St. Brown: NYJ, CAR, CHI

Once again, some of the best players in the sport will face the toughest challenges. Jefferson, Hill, Diggs, Kupp and Chase are matchup proof, though Kupp and Chase both have injuries to work their way back from. This does complicate things for the currently banged-up Kansas City receiver room, but Patrick Mahomes can be trusted to make it work no matter what. This could affect Kirk, McLaurin and St. Brown the most, especially considering the attention they each attract, but you’re still starting them all. It will be tough to count on any of Tennessee’s receivers in the playoffs, though Tannehill has played inspired football since his return so their play is worth monitoring.

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