Guest of the League
All World League Est. 2003
FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

WR Strength of Schedule

Fri May 31 10:52am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Lamb could top last season


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the receiver position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to receivers last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the receivers with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the receivers that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  WR SOS  
1. Denver Broncos 531.34
2. Los Angeles Chargers 536.08
3. Miami Dolphins 537.31
4. Kansas City Chiefs 549.96
5. Las Vegas Raiders 552.89
6. Pittsburgh Steelers 554.85
7. New England Patriots 555.93
8. Buffalo Bills 556.13
9. Houston Texans 561.75
10. San Francisco 49ers 565.73
11. New Orleans Saints 566.06
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 566.19
13. Cincinnati Bengals 566.32
14. Jacksonville Jaguars 570.07
15. Baltimore Ravens 571.77
16. Seattle Seahawks 573.41
17. Minnesota Vikings 573.91
18. Philadelphia Eagles 574.46
19. Carolina Panthers 575.49
20. Los Angeles Rams 575.79
21. Washington Commanders 575.91
22. Detroit Lions 576.36
23. Atlanta Falcons 577.76
24. New York Jets 577.99
25. Tennessee Titans 578.06
26. Indianapolis Colts 578.18
27. Cleveland Browns 583.5
28. Arizona Cardinals 586.09
29. New York Giants 586.93
30. Chicago Bears 601.21
31. Dallas Cowboys 608.4
32. Green Bay Packers 610.22

 

The Packers have the easiest fantasy schedule for receivers. Jayden Reed and Christian Watson could be setup for career best seasons with this schedule. These are guys you can get a little later come draft day and mid-round options that could be difference makers for fantasy owners.

CeeDee Lamb is considered the No. 1 overall fantasy receiver for many and his schedule helps make that claim even stronger. Lamb has the second most favorable schedule for receivers. Lamb was huge last year and could improve on that even more, especially since the Cowboys could struggle to run the ball with their current options.

The Bears, Giants and Cardinals also round out the top-five most favorable receiver schedules. Chicago has a great trio of receivers with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze.  These guys could produce big as long as rookie Caleb Williams gets the job done at quarterback in year one. Moore has more to compete with for targets this year, but you still have to like his chances for a big season in year two with the Bears.

The Giants and Cardinals both have some question marks at receiver, but a couple rookies lead the way for both teams. Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison could have big rookie seasons with their new teams. These guys both have a chance to lead all rookie fantasy receivers in scoring.

On the opposite side of things, the Broncos have the most challenging schedule for receivers. The Broncos have all sorts of questions at receiver outside of Courtland Sutton. This is a unit of receivers you just might want to avoid come draft day. This schedule won’t make anything easier for this group.

The Chargers are a similar team to the Broncos, having openings and questions at receiver. So once again, it might be best to let someone else put Chargers receivers on their roster. Plus, the Chargers could be a lot more run heavy with a new coach running the show. The tough schedule and new offense make taking any Chargers receiver a bit of a risk.

There are two really good offenses on the list that have tough schedules for receivers. Both the Dolphins and Chiefs have a top-five least favorable schedule for receivers. The Dolphins have one of the best receiver duos in football, so it is tough to fade them because of this schedule. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should be able to produce big numbers once again in this offense.

The Chiefs are a little more concerning. This offense is a little matchup proof, but don’t have that elite receiver on their roster. Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown lead the way. Brown hasn’t been great in recent seasons and Rice is facing a suspension. These guys will carry some risk come draft day, especially after seeing this schedule.

Davante Adams is usually another star receiver that is matchup proof, but you have to wonder a little this year. He has some question marks at quarterback, which could hurt his production when you pair it with this schedule. Adams is dealing with the fifth toughest fantasy schedule for receivers.

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy receivers. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the receivers with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.

  WR PLAYOFF SOS  
1. Los Angeles Rams 501.93
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 515.53
3. Kansas City Chiefs 519.43
4. New York Giants 521.63
5. Miami Dolphins 532.77
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 534.53
7. Houston Texans 538
8. Buffalo Bills 540.87
9. Las Vegas Raiders 541.9
10. Carolina Panthers 549.33
11. Cincinnati Bengals 552.17
12. Detroit Lions 553.73
13. Arizona Cardinals 555.27
14. Cleveland Browns 555.4
15. Minnesota Vikings 560.93
16. New England Patriots 573.03
17. Los Angeles Chargers 573.1
18. Tennessee Titans 575.17
19. Baltimore Ravens 581.27
20. Seattle Seahawks 585.08
21. New York Jets 585.5
22. Denver Broncos 587.2
23. Pittsburgh Steelers 587.8
24. Philadelphia Eagles 589.73
25. Green Bay Packers 590.85
26. Washington Commanders 591.57
27. New Orleans Saints 604.13
28. Dallas Cowboys 609.73
29. Indianapolis Colts 614
30. San Francisco 49ers 641.53
31. Atlanta Falcons 644.93
32. Chicago Bears 647.98

 

The Bears and Cowboys are the teams that make both the top five easiest receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. Chicago has the easiest for the entire playoffs. Once again, their top trio of receivers are looking pretty good come draft day.

Lamb continues to make his case to be the first receiver selected come draft day. He could have a monster season and finish strong as well with the fifth easiest schedule for the playoffs. Lamb might be the most surefire first-round pick come draft day.

The Falcons, 49ers and Colts also have a top-five favorable playoff schedule for receivers. Atlanta receivers were looking up to begin with, getting a legit quarterback throwing them passes this year. And this schedule makes their options look even better, especially Drake London. He could have a breakout season.

San Francisco has great options at receiver in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. They are pretty safe picks come draft day. And they get a very favorable playoff schedule that could make them even more appealing to fantasy owners. These guys both have really solid floors come draft day in this offense.

Michael Pittman keeps getting it done as the No. 1 option for the Colts. If Anthony Richardson can become that true No. 1 at quarterback for Indy, Pittman would look even better. Pittman has produced in recent year despite having some quarterback issues. His game could go to a higher level this year if Richardson breaks out. Pittman could be a league winner if everything breaks his way in 2024.

The Chiefs and Dolphins are two of the best offenses in football but also the only two teams to make the top five most unfavorable receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. This is a tad concerning for both teams, Again, it is tough to bet against Hill, but maybe you drop him down your rankings just few spots behind the other elite guys because of this. You hate to use an early round pick on a receiver to see him maybe not produce what he should come playoff time.

And as mentioned with the Chiefs, their top two receivers already face a few question marks, so maybe their tough schedules make them players to let someone else draft. Both Brown and Rice could be a little erratic.

The Rams actually have the toughest playoff schedule for receivers. They are another team with two of the best receivers in football. It is tough to bet against either Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp, but the playoff schedule is a little scary, especially for Kupp. He seems to be trending down at this stage of his career.

The Jaguars and Giants are the two other teams with a top-five unfavorable fantasy schedule for the playoffs. The Jags have Christian Kirk and Gabriel Davis as their top two receivers. Kirk is normally pretty steady but Davis can be boom or bust. Seeing his playoff schedule should bump him down a few spots in your rankings. It could be more of the same for Davis with his new team.

And the Giants are an outlier here, having an easy schedule for receivers during the regular season but the fourth toughest for the playoffs. This makes it tough come draft day. Their receivers could be good values for the regular season but disappoint when it counts. You do have to just make the playoffs, though, so we aren’t sure we shy away from Giant receivers just because of their tough playoff schedule. You still might be able to get good value with their options that help you win during the season.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 6

Player Notes
Wan'Dale Robinson Oct 12 4:20am ET
Wan'Dale Robinson

New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson has been a reliable target this season, posting 32 receptions for 230 yards and two touchdowns on 47 targets. In Week 5's win against Seattle, Robinson had six catches for 36 yards and a touchdown, stepping up with Malik Nabers sidelined. Heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Robinson faces a defense that ranks 18th against the pass, allowing 214 passing yards per game and 10 receiving touchdowns. Given the injury to Nabers, Robinson's high target volume, and the Bengals' vulnerability to short-yardage receivers, Robinson is a solid PPR option, making him a strong flex play this week.

From RotoBaller

Blake Grupe Oct 12 4:10am ET
Blake Grupe

New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe went without a field goal attempt for the first time this season in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Grupe went 1-for-2 on extra point attempts in the game, making it his second missed point through the first five weeks of the season. Grupe's sophomore season started with a bang as he hit four field goals (including two 50-yarders) in Week 1 and benefited from the Saints' early offensive explosion by knocking home 10 extra points over their first two games. However, Grupe has not reached double-digit fantasy points since Week 1, and there's no reason to believe he is due for a big turnout in Week 6. The expected point total for the NFC South matchup against the Buccaneers is a mere 42 points, which is among the lowest on Sunday's slate. Grupe is not a bad option, per se, but fantasy managers can probably find a more promising option elsewhere.

From RotoBaller

Chris Olave Oct 12 4:00am ET
Chris Olave

Expectations for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave will have to be tempered in Week 6 with Derek Carr (oblique) lost to injury. Carr's fill-in, rookie Spencer Rattler, offered some reassurance in comments to the media after being named the starter when he stated his intent to feed Olave the ball. That would be a welcome change from Week 5, when Olave was targeted four times, making two catches for a season-low 10 receiving yards, his worst game since his two-catch, 11-yard performance in Week 1. In the three weeks between, Olave gave fantasy managers more of what they were hoping for when they drafted him, catching 18 of his 22 targets in that span and racking up at least 81 yards in each game. There is no denying Olave's talent but his success is still contingent on how Rattler performs in his professional debut. Fantasy managers should also be aware that Tampa's heavy utilization of zone coverages favors Rashid Shaheed (hip) more than it does Olave. Olave rates as a risky WR3 in Week 6 given the situation in New Orleans.

From RotoBaller

Juwan Johnson Oct 12 4:00am ET
Juwan Johnson

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson saw season highs in targets, receptions, and yards in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The fifth-year veteran caught all five balls thrown his way for 31 receiving yards, bringing his 2024 totals to nine receptions for 70 yards. Johnson may yet again see more involvement in the passing game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Taysom Hill (ribs) has been ruled out and while he isn't utilized as a traditional tight end his absence does leave the door open for more opportunities for others. With Derek Carr (oblique) sidelined due to injury, Spencer Rattler might look for the big-bodied tight end as a safety valve as is often the case for rookie quarterbacks. Even with the allowances for optimism, the fact of the matter is that Johnson is not a priority in the Saints' offense. He rates as a low-end TE2 in Week 6 and should be avoided in most leagues.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton Oct 12 4:00am ET
Darius Slayton

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is coming off his best performance of the season, posting 122 yards on eight receptions (15.3 yards per catch) in a Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Slayton has become a key target with 244 yards and one touchdown on the season, especially with injuries in the receiving corps (most notably, Malik Nabers). In Week 6, he faces a Cincinnati Bengals defense that ranks 18th against the pass, allowing 214 yards per game and 10 receiving touchdowns. Given Slayton's ability to stretch the field and his three end-zone targets this season, he's a solid flex play with the potential for a big day against a vulnerable secondary.

From RotoBaller

Tyrone Tracy Jr. Oct 12 3:50am ET
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. has shown flashes of potential this season, rushing for 158 yards on 5.3 yards per carry, but has yet to find the end zone either as a runner or receiver. In Week 5's 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Tracy was efficient on limited touches, contributing 129 rushing yards on 18 carries in his first start. Facing the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, Tracy can exploit a defense that's been vulnerable on the ground, as the Bengals have allowed 126 rushing yards per game in 2024. Tracy could start again in this game and see the majority of work if Devin Singletary sits out due to injury (he is officially questionable).

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Oct 12 3:30am ET
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has had a solid start to the 2024 season, with 1,138 passing yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions through five games. Coming off a 29-20 win against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5, where he threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns, Jones will look to build momentum against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6. The Bengals' pass defense ranks 18th in the NFL, allowing 214 passing yards per game and 19.63 fantasy points to quarterbacks (28th in the league), making this a favorable matchup. With Cincinnati giving up two passing touchdowns per game, Jones has a solid chance to post another multi-touchdown outing, making him a viable streaming option for fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Cam Little Oct 12 1:30am ET
Cam Little

Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little might have a tougher time against the Chicago Bears in London than he did in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jaguars put up 37 points against the Colts, giving Little a 13-point performance. The rookie kicker now has two straight weeks of double-digit fantasy production. Little has been accurate so far this season, only missing one field back in Week 2. The Bears defense has been good overall so far, but that has meant decent fantasy outputs from opposing kickers. The Bears have given up 10 field goals on 12 attempts through five games, meaning if the Jaguars do manage to move the ball, they could be in for multiple field goal attempts. The Jaguars offense has looked better lately and could be returning two starting weapons in Gabe Davis and Evan Engram. Little serves as a mid-tier fantasy play in Week 6 in London.

From RotoBaller

Robert Woods Oct 12 1:20am ET
Robert Woods

Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods (foot) won't suit up for Sunday's matchup with the Patriots. Nico Collins (hamstring) landed on the injured reserved list, so the Texans will be shorthanded on the receiving end. Of course, Stefon Diggs is expected to be the primary target for C.J. Stroud versus New England, with Tank Dell in line to see more attention. However, with Woods and Collins out of the equation, Xavier Hutchinson, who had two catches for 31 yards in Week 5, could benefit the most. There's also a chance Joe Mixon (ankle), who is questionable, gets more passes out of the backfield, which would improve his PPR stock.

From RotoBaller

Joe Flacco Oct 12 1:20am ET
Joe Flacco

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense/special teams unit is best left out of starting lineups in most leagues even with a decent London matchup with the Chicago Bears. The Jaguars defense just hasn't cut it both from an NFL and fantasy football standpoint. They are coming off allowing 34 points to Joe Flacco and the Indianapolis Colts, and only have forced two turnovers all season (a forced fumble in each of the last two games). The only thing the defense has going for them is sacks, which they couldn't even manage in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, giving them a negative output for the week. As one of the worst defenses in the NFL, it is hard to trust them in fantasy against any opponent. Caleb Williams had some early rookie struggles, which could mean more turnovers forced than usual, but the Bears offense has looked better lately and should score plenty of points. Fantasy managers should avoid the Jaguars D/ST in Week 6 and beyond.

From RotoBaller

Dameon Pierce Oct 12 1:00am ET
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) is off the injury report for Sunday's game against the Patriots. The 24-year-old has been sidelined since last appearing in Week 1 versus the Colts, when he finished with three carries for 16 yards. With Joe Mixon (ankle) potentially also returning for this one, Pierce's fantasy outlook isn't promising. However, even if Mixon misses another contest, Pierce will likely back up Dare Ogunbowale and Cam Akers, who have been handling things out of the backfield.

From RotoBaller

Hunter Henry Oct 12 12:50am ET
Hunter Henry

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry lacks much fantasy appeal heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans, but he could see a slight boost in his value with Drake Maye installed as the team's new starting quarterback over Jacoby Brissett. Tight ends are typically productive when playing with backup or rookie quarterbacks because their height, physicality, and shorter routes make them a valuable security option for signal-callers who need some help in the short passing game. As a result, even though Henry has more than two catches in just one game this season, he should jump into the low-end TE2 tier as he supports Maye in his first NFL start.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Oct 12 12:50am ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (ankle) was limited in Friday's practice. He was also limited on Thursday because of a sprained ankle suffered during the loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, barring a setback, the signal-caller should be good to go for Monday's divisional clash with the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers hasn't had the best 2024-25 campaign, throwing for 1,093 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 61.0% of his throws. With the Jets looking for answers, the team resorted to firing Robert Saleh and naming Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach. But unless things change on the offensive side of the ball for New York moving ahead, Rodgers is a shaky fantasy option in any format.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Conklin Oct 12 12:50am ET
Tyler Conklin

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (hip) logged another limited practice on Friday. The 29-year-old picked up a hip injury during Sunday's loss to the Vikings in London. However, he is expected to suit up in the Monday night divisional clash with the Buffalo Bills, barring a setback. Conklin hasn't been a consistent fantasy tight end this season. Yet, he's had five or more catches in two of the Jets' five games this season. Although he's still a risky fantasy option in any format, especially if Aaron Rodgers (ankle) doesn't play, the upside is there for those in need of a streaming option in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Joey Slye Oct 12 12:50am ET
Joey Slye

New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye finds himself off the fantasy radar heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Slye had a promising start to the season, but now he's 9-for-11 on field goals, averaging fewer than two made three-point tries per game. He does have a powerful leg that can generate plenty of distance, which could be helpful this week if New England's Drake Maye-led offense can't get too far beyond midfield. On the other hand, the Texans are a powerful team and enter this weekend as heavy favorites, so scoring opportunities could be few and far between for New England. All in all, Slye has shown flashes of promise, but his field goal percentage and matchup make him tough to trust as a streamer heading into Sunday's contest.

From RotoBaller

Demario Douglas Oct 12 12:40am ET
Demario Douglas

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas has been peppered with targets lately, and that trend should continue when he faces the Houston Texans at home in Week 6. The 23-year-old receiver has nine targets in two of his last three games, and he's averaging seven targets per game over the last three weeks. His production has been solid while catching passes from Jacoby Brissett, and he figures to get a boost with Drake Maye taking over as the Patriots' starting quarterback this Sunday. While wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk has started to emerge as the top wide receiver in New England, Douglas remains a high-volume pass-catcher with significant appeal in PPR leagues. He remains a WR3/FLEX play in leagues with at least 14 teams.

From RotoBaller

Antonio Gibson Oct 12 12:30am ET
Antonio Gibson

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson will start against the Houston Texans in Week 6 with Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) already ruled out. Gibson is on track to make his second consecutive start, but this time, he won't have to worry about Stevenson overtaking him early in the game. The former Commanders running back has the top role in the backfield all to himself, and his versatility as a runner and pass-catcher make him an appealing option in all fantasy leagues, regardless of scoring format. Gibson is averaging 69 scrimmage yards per game over the last four weeks but is still looking for his first touchdown of the 2024 season. It should be noted that the Patriots made a quarterback change this week, replacing Jacoby Brissett with No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. While Maye is less proven and could face some adversity behind a porous offensive line, he also has higher upside while leading New England's offense. Gibson ranks as a RB3/FLEX in fantasy football this week.

From RotoBaller

Christian Kirk Oct 12 12:30am ET
Christian Kirk

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk is still a decent starting option in a Week 6 trip to London, but is a bit risky of a play against a tough Chicago Bears secondary. With the potential returns of wide receiver Gabe Davis and tight end Evan Engram, Kirk could suddenly have much more competition for targets. He still should serve as a good intermediate passing option for Trevor Lawrence, but he doesn't quite have the big play potential of Brian Thomas Jr., or the ability to be a mismatch like Engram. Kirk seems to have a decent floor after settling in over the past three weeks, but his upside should be limited. As long as Trevor Lawrence can move the ball somewhat, he should be fine fantasy-wise. Kirk fantasy managers should try to find higher upside options for their flex if they can, but they can do much worse than the veteran receiver in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Rashod Bateman Oct 12 12:30am ET
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (groin) will suit up for Sunday's matchup with the Commanders. The 24-year-old didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited in Thursday's session. Fortunately, he was back on Friday, clearing him for Week 6. Washington has struggled against opposing wideouts in 2024-25. Still, Bateman's fantasy success is contingent mainly on whether or not he'll find the end zone, considering he has three or fewer catches in four games this season. However, he at least garners flex consideration for the favorable matchup.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Lynn Polk Oct 12 12:30am ET
Ja'Lynn Polk

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk will look to capitalize on expanded opportunities while catching passes from Drake Maye, who was installed as the team's starting quarterback over Jacoby Brissett heading into Week 6. Polk got off to a slow start early in his rookie campaign but has come around strong lately, commanding 13 targets over his last two games. He played every single offensive snap last Sunday, caught his first career touchdown in Week 2, and almost had another score in Week 5 if not for his foot just barely stepping out of bounds. We don't know exactly what type of role Polk will have in his first game with Maye, but he's trending toward becoming the Patriots' No. 1 receiver. He's worth deploying as a WR3 in deep fantasy leagues, but managers must remember he has a low floor.

From RotoBaller