Best and worst quarterback fantasy football strength of schedules

Which quarterbacks have the easiest schedules against pass defenses for fantasy football and which have the worst? We break them down.

By Pete Hernandez May 12, 2023, 2:00pm PDT

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 14: Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of the game in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at TIAA Bank Field on January 14, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida.

With the NFL officially unveiling the 2023 schedule on Thursday, May 11, it provides fantasy managers the opportunity to get some early research done ahead of another fantasy football season. A team’s strength of schedule can determine their likelihood of success in the regular season, but it also gives fantasy players another piece of data to consider when drafting their rosters.

With that in mind, let’s break down which quarterbacks have enticing matchups on the horizon, and which ones to beware in the 2023 season.

Best QB fantasy matchups

Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers):

The Chargers’ franchise QB faces a slate of opponents that gave up an average of 18.8 fantasy PPG to opposing quarterbacks in 2022, highlighted by matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs (19.5 fantasy PPG allowed), Tennessee Titans (19.0 fantasy PPG allowed), and the Las Vegas Raiders (18.5 fantasy PPG allowed).

Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints):

Carr couldn’t ask for a better welcome gift with this new team as his slate of opponents allowed an average of 18.7 fantasy PPG to his position. The Saints’ new franchise signal-caller faces four teams that ranked in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to QBs: Detroit Lions (21.9 PPG), Titans (19.0 PPG), Bears (18.2 PPG), and Jacksonville Jaguars (17.5 PPG).

Justin Fields (Chicago Bears):

Fields has a new weapon in D.J. Moore and the tandem should wreak havoc on a 2023 slate of opponents that allowed 18.6 fantasy PPG to opposing QBs last year. The Bears QB faces a Lions defense that allows the most fantasy PPG to signal-callers (21.9) as well as two teams that finished in the top 10 fantasy points allowed to his position in the Raiders and Arizona Cardinals (17.4 PPG).

Worst QB fantasy matchups

Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams):

The veteran QB faces a slate of teams that allowed 16.8 fantasy PPG to signal-callers during the 2022 season, and it never helps when you face the San Francisco 49ers twice (13.6 PPG allowed), Cincinnati Bengals (14.5 PPG allowed), as well as the Dallas Cowboys (14.3 PPG allowed).

Daniel Jones (New York Giants):

Jones gets a brand new weapon in tight end Darren Waller, but the QB will have his work cut out for him against a schedule of opponents that gave up 17.0 fantasy PPG to his position. Like Stafford, Jones will face a stingy Cowboys defense next season twice, as well as a Philadelphia Eagles defense that allowed only 13.7 PPG to opposing quarterbacks.

Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Steelers):

Steelers fans are hoping Pickett takes a leap in year two, though his schedule will be an obstacle as his upcoming opponents allowed just 17.1 PPG on average to signal-callers last season. Facing the Bengals twice a year is no easy feat, as well as dates with the 49ers and Houston Texans, who surprisingly allowed the fewest PPG (12.9) to signal-callers last season.