The UDK offers numerous tools to enhance your fantasy football success. Effectively leveraging these tools can significantly impact your draft, trade, and roster management strategies. The UDK Strength of Schedule (SoS) report is one such tool, capable of giving you an edge over league mates when used effectively.
Here is a rundown of how to use the SoS Report, what you can learn from it, and how you can leverage it to help you in fantasy this season!
Strength of Schedule Report Basics
Accessing the report is straightforward: navigate to ” UDK” from the main page, then select “Research,” then “Strength of Schedule Report.”
The landing page features three key elements on the left. A “How to use the Strength of Schedule” video by Jason Moore provides general guidance. Below it, positional tabs (QB, RB, WR, TE, DST, K) organize the report, and a search box allows you to focus on specific teams.
On the right, you will find the color-coding legend for schedule strength. The “Weeks” tab dynamically ranks schedule strength within a chosen timeframe, a feature we will explore further.
Finally, the “More” section offers options to re-watch Jason’s video, print the report, copy a text-based version, or download the selected positional SoS report in CSV format.
Strength of Schedule Report Usage
The QB SoS report, typically the first view, is easy to read. Teams are listed on the left, along with their season-long SoS ranking (1st being the easiest, 32nd being the hardest). This ranking is based on the sum of opponents’ 2024 fantasy points allowed to that position.
While a season-long view has limitations due to unpredictable events (such as Christian McCaffrey‘s health last season), it offers value in choosing between “unbenchable” players. For instance, if you are between drafting CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson, the season-long SoS can serve as a valuable tie-breaker.
The Power of the Week Slicer: Dynamic Matchup Analysis
The true power of the UDK SoS tool lies in its dynamic week slicer. Fantasy football is a weekly game, and the NFL landscape constantly shifts. A defensive juggernaut in Week 1 might be vulnerable by Week 8. This tool provides season-long projections for strategic planning, allowing you to prepare for inevitable fantasy emergencies.
The week slicer defaults to the full 18-week schedule, but you can adjust the window you want to examine by selecting the start and end weeks of the desired window. There are also some shortcuts for the first 3, 5, or 8 weeks.
Adjusting the “Weeks” slicer enables analysis of a player’s schedule for specific periods:
- Early Season Advantage (Weeks 1-4): Identify players with easy starts for immediate production. Conversely, be cautious of players facing tough defenses to start the season.
- Mid-Season Pivots (Weeks 5-10): As team strengths become clearer, use the slicer to pinpoint players entering favorable stretches, making them prime trade or waiver wire targets. This proactive approach helps maintain momentum or reverse a slow start.
- Playoff Push (Weeks 14-17): This is critical. Setting the slicer to your league’s playoff weeks reveals players with easy paths to success. Drafting or trading for players with “soft” playoff schedules can be a league-winning strategy, but always have a pivot plan ready if circumstances change.
Positional Nuances in SoS Usage
The SoS report is broken down by position because opponent strength impacts each position differently:
- Quarterbacks (QB): QBs thrive against pass-vulnerable defenses. Look for QBs with easy schedules, especially high-volume passers. However, do not place undue weight on tough matchups for elite QBs. Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes types can often overcome tough matchups.
- Running Backs (RB): RBs benefit from weak run defenses and vulnerability to pass-catching backs. Remember that offensive line strength is not factored into SoS; a great schedule can be negated by poor O-line run-blocking.
- Wide Receivers (WR) & Tight Ends (TE): These positions are heavily influenced by opposing secondaries and linebackers. Target WRs and TEs facing defenses that are weak against their specific roles. Target share within their own offense remains critical, but a favorable matchup elevates their floor and ceiling. Understanding how a defense struggles against the pass is crucial.
- Defense/Special Teams (DST): SoS is excellent for streaming DSTs; target units facing low-scoring offenses or turnover-prone teams. The week slicer is invaluable for getting ahead of the curve when employing a DST streaming strategy.
- Kickers (K): Kickers can be streamed based on SoS. Target kickers on offenses that move the ball well but frequently stall in the red zone, leading to field goal attempts. Strong offenses facing tough defenses can also be good targets.
Strategic Applications: The Draft and Beyond
The UDK SoS tool is a season-long asset, not just for draft day.
Draft Strategy:
- Identifying Sleepers: Find late-round QBs, TEs, or DSTs with easy early-season schedules. They offer great value before potential upgrades.
- Early Season Stacks (Weeks 1-4): Consider stacking Jalen Hurts (best QB SoS) and Dallas Goedert (2nd best TE SoS) for a hot start. In a comparable four-game stretch in 2024, Jalen Hurts averaged ~27 fantasy points per game. Dallas Goedert, despite missing much of 2024, averaged 4.3 receptions, 53.8 receiving yards, and ~11 PPR points per game during the Super Bowl LIX run.
The Chicago Bears stack also presents an intriguing upside: QB Caleb Williams (6th-best QB SoS) under new head coach Ben Johnson. Bears receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore benefit from the 2nd-best WR SoS through the first four weeks. Johnson’s offense could improve Williams’ accuracy, potentially boosting Rome Odunze‘s 3.5% rookie season catch rate with more catchable targets. The 2024 catchable target rate for Odunze shows us the upside.
REALLY BAD LUCK!
Worst Catchable Target Rate [Last 3 Years] + min. 50 targets
1. Adonai Mitchell, 2024 (57.7%)
2. Rome Odunze, 2024 (61.2%)
3. Demarcus Robinson, 2024 (65.0%)
4. Nico Collins, 2022 (65.1%)pic.twitter.com/1Z3l31zNQL
— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) June 19, 2025
- Avoiding Early Burdens: If two players are close in your rankings, a brutal early schedule might be the tie-breaker. For the Lamb vs. Jefferson scenario, the Cowboys are dead last in QB/WR SoS, while the Vikings are 15th/22nd. Justin Jefferson is the clear choice.
- Playoff Stacks (Weeks 13-17): High-upside stacks include Kyler Murray (1st QB SoS) and Trey McBride (2nd TE SoS), especially with McBride’s positive TD regression indicated by the UDK Red Zone Report. During the last three weeks of 2024, Murray posted 26.22 fantasy PPG while McBride earned 28% red zone target share (per FootballGuys). A more dependable option is Matthew Stafford (3rd QB SoS) with Puka Nacua/Davante Adams (4th WR SoS) and Kyren Williams (6th RB SoS). In the final three weeks of 2024, Nacua averaged 94 receiving yards per game, and Williams averaged over 104 scrimmage yards with two total TDs.
Waiver Wire & Trade Strategy:
- Waiver Wire Pickups: Use the week slicer to identify players entering green stretches. Picking up a player a week or two before their easy matchups can give you an advantage. Use the UDK Stream Finder for in-season opportunities.
- Mid-Season Pivot (RB): If you do not draft him up front, monitor Bucky Irving. Tampa Bay RBs are last in SoS early but ascend to 4th in the pivot window and top in the playoff window. After his rookie bye week, Irving averaged 119.1 scrimmage yards, three receptions, and 0.6 TDs per game (seven games). Look to acquire him if the Buccaneers struggle to run the ball early.
- Trade Targets: Similar to the above example, identify players on other teams with upcoming easy schedules who might be undervalued. Conversely, consider selling high on your early window players, heading into a red stretch. Combining these strategies (leveraging a soft schedule beneficiary in a trade to acquire a buy-low target) provides profit opportunities.
Integrating SoS with Other UDK Tools
For a comprehensive analysis, combine the SoS tool with other UDK features:
- Projections: SoS helps understand why projections might be high or low for certain weeks. A player with a low projection but an easy upcoming schedule could be a buy-low candidate.
- Player Profiles: Understand player strengths and weaknesses and how they interact with SoS. A dominant receiver might be matchup-proof, while a less established one is more sensitive. Use the UDK Market Share tool to evaluate fantasy opportunity distribution, especially among WR groups.
- Targets & Touches: High-volume players are less susceptible to tough matchups, but SoS can highlight weeks where they might perform closer to their floor. The UDK Target Breakdown tool provides positional target distribution for WRs, TEs, and RBs, offering additional context for favorable SoS matchups.
- ADP: Integrating ADP helps value SoS differences between players, potentially allowing for more patient tier-based drafting.
Final Thoughts: A Tool, Not a Crystal Ball
The UDK Strength of Schedule tool is a powerful analytical asset, but it is a guide, not a definitive prediction. The NFL is unpredictable; injuries, breakouts, and coaching changes can alter defensive strength overnight.
Use the SoS as a foundational piece of your fantasy football analysis. It helps exploit projected matchups and make informed decisions, giving you a crucial edge. While I prefer film analysis, data drives curiosity. Mastering its dynamic capabilities will equip you to maneuver the inevitable emergent challenges during the fantasy season with confidence.
from Fantasy Footballers Podcast https://ift.tt/U6bPr3a
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