Strength of schedule importance?

[Guru13]

I'm starting to think I put way too much value in strength of schedule. I feel like the odd ball that isn't going crazy over CJ Spiller this year, aside from the fact that he doesn't have a quarterback with the ability to draw attention away from him or the O-Line to really give him any decent holes he has the single most difficult schedule for running backs this year, atleast according to FFToolbox. Personally that's a bit of warning sign, obviously every game isn't going to be against a stifling run D, but inconsistency is certainly a big possibility. All that being said I'm not asking about CJ Spiller, I'm wondering how you all value strength of schedule/consider matchups when drafting, making trades, etc.

edit: same reason (prior to the Revis shenannigans anyhow) I had Miles Austin ranked over Randy Moss.

[Matthias]

I don't look at it at all. Teams change year to year, and the NFL scheduling from the year before which encourages parity by matching up the struggling teams of 2008 with the struggling teams of 2009 has the potential to overstate how good/bad a certain team was in 2009. All in all, I think it's just more confusing than it is helpful.

That said, if certain individual teams are pretty universally accepted to be terrible, then you may consider those matchups individually.

[PuntinFool]

I still think the overall team ability/options is the main thing I look at when considering players, (so I would agree with you about Spiller despite the hype train). I use Strength of Schedule more as a deciding factor between a group of players that I feel may have a similar output, or in a draft scenario, may have to flip a coin to figure out who to choose. If someone has a better schedule, I choose that player and hope for the best.

Superficially, I also know that choosing someone with a reportedly better schedule will make me feel better each week when I see them face off against weaker defenses, even if they end up getting less points than Spiller versus the Jets. (shrug)

[Chibears]

I must disagree. I think strength of schedule is VERY important when drafting or auction bidding. Come fantasy playoff time it's all the more important. If you have a lousy D from the year before and transpose with additions and subtractions to that D during the offseason, you can get a pretty good feel for what D's are gonna be good or bad. My question, can anybody get me a link with strength of schedule? Crazy as it sounds, I have looked and looked and cannot find one anywhere! Doh! Thanks ahead of time if so!

[Guru13]

http://fftoolbox.com/football/strength_of_schedule.cfm

[B3N1ZJAM1N]

Strength of schedule is massively important. I'll be honest and admit that I'm stupid and when I draft I never take it into consideration. This is the time I really think about it and during the season when I'm trying to figure out who to start that week.

[exp]

I only use SOS as a tie break between closely rated players within tiers. In fact I don't even look at the schedule for each team until I'm done with projections and division into tiers. After that I may bump guys up or down 1-2 spots, but only if the schedule is pretty extreme either way (usually less than a half dozen players in my ranking are affected each season). Also, FWIW I put more emphasis on playoff SOS (weeks 14-16) over regular season.

[jdogg_ffc]

So according to this Charles or TJ or maybe both should have a huge yr.
I don't have Charles but I do have T. Jones (crosses fingers and prays for a miracle)