Opposing Defenses: 6th Easiest

Opposing Pass Defenses: 8th Easiest

The expectations are high for Jameis Winston in 2017 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went out and acquired a number of new offensive weapons for the third-year quarterback. Already throwing to one of the best receivers in the game in Mike Evans, Winston's new targets include DeSean Jackson, O.J. Howard, and Chris Godwin.

In addition to the new playmakers he has on offense, Winston will be supported by a favorable schedule this upcoming season.

The Buccaneers are set to face the eighth-easiest schedule of opposing pass defenses, according to projected Defensive NEP. Overall, Tampa Bay will play the sixth-easiest schedule of opposing defenses.

In part, Winston's schedule is favorable because of the division in which he plays. He will play the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints twice, teams that are projected to have bottom-10 pass defenses, per our Defensive NEP metric. WInston also has matchups against the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, two more teams expected to have bottom-10 pass defenses.

After finishing 2016 as QB16 in fantasy football, Winston may be able to continue ascending the ranks in 2017 due to the team's key additions on offense. His schedule is just one more reason to like him.