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FFL: Week 10 | NFL: Week 10

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.

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Player Notes
Kendrick Bourne Nov 10 6:30pm ET
Kendrick Bourne

The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan reports that New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was informed on Saturday that he may not play on Sunday in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears as the coaching staff prioritizes playing time for their younger players, according to a source. Bourne had played 78 percent of the team's offensive snaps the last two games, but he was the only receiver not to see the field through the first five offensive drives, and he finished the 19-3 victory with no targets. In last week's overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Bourne had his best game of the season, catching four of six targets for 41 yards. The 29-year-old got a late start to the season due to injury and just hasn't regained any fantasy relevance in an offense that has struggled under both quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett.

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Darius Slay Nov 10 6:20pm ET
Darius Slay

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) returned to the Week 10 divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys after leaving with a tweaked left ankle early in the first quarter. Slay injured his ankle on the first defensive series of the game and was initially deemed questionable to return to Sunday's game. It's good news for the Eagles defense while going up against an offense that could be without starting quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the rest of the season. With Slay back on the field for the second half, he'll return to trying to keep Cowboys leading receiver CeeDee Lamb in check. Going into this one, the Eagles defense/special teams unit was a popular DFS pick in quarterback Cooper Rush's first start of the 2024 campaign.

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Daniel Jones Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Daniel Jones

Dynasty | Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-37 passes for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Jones not only missed open receivers, he flat-out failed to even throw to them at times. After the game, the Giants went on record saying they were evaluating the position. With Jones looking this bad against one of the league's worst defenses and the Giants sitting at 2-8, it would be no surprise to see Drew Lock under center here soon. With just eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year, the Jones era in New York is surely coming to an end and the Giants may very well be players in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Malik Nabers Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Malik Nabers

Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had six catches for 50 yards in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Nabers had a quiet day and that included leaving briefly to be evaluated for a concussion. The Giants are considering a quarterback change and it certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact Nabers has been able to post the numbers he has this season with the offensive struggles the Giants have endured is a modern day miracle. He remains a solid WR1 regardless of who may be under center for the G-Men.

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Sam Darnold Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Sam Darnold

Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 24-of-38 passes for 241 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Darnold was white hot at the beginning of the season but has just three touchdowns and five interceptions the past two weeks. To make things worse, Darnold's interceptions were all deep inside Jags territory and those red zone turnovers were nearly killers for the Vikings. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward as he essentially auditions for other teams this season with JJ McCarthy waiting in the wings.

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Mac Jones Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Mac Jones

Dynasty | Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had 44 rushing yards, one catch, and -1 receiving yard in a loss against Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: Tank Bigsby was hurt in the game and that opened up the door for Etienne for more touches. Unfortunately, a Mac Jones-led offense just didn't do much in this one and Etienne couldn't get on track. This has been a tough season for Etienne, who clearly has talent but the Jaguars aren't committing much to him and he's playing on a team that just isn't very good. A lost season isn't a death knell for Etienne, but he's hardly a lineup lock at this point in the season. His dynasty value is continuing it's slow descent as a result.

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Russell Wilson Nov 10 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14-of-28 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Wilson isn't putting up vintage yardage totals this year, but it's hard to argue with six touchdowns, one interception, and all three games won at the helm of the Steelers thus far. Wilson was fairly efficient today and while he did make one mistake, it's hard to look at this game and say Justin Fields could make some of the same throws Wilson did. While more a QB2 than a QB1 this year, Wilson looks like he could be in the midst of a comeback season. His dynasty value has stabilized and is starting to tick up this year.

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Mike Williams Nov 10 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams had one catch for 32 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Williams caught just one pass in his Steelers debut, but it was the biggest catch he's made in some time as it sealed a huge win against Washington. Williams will likely be integrated more in the offense moving forward, but this was certainly a good sign. He remains a bit of a roster clogger at the moment, but we'll see if he can build on this performance.

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Jayden Daniels Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed just 17-of-34 passes for 202 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: Leave it to Mike Tomlin to be the Coach who finally cracks the code and keeps Daniels contained. While this was a disappointing performance, it's hardly an indictment on his fantasy value. He'll remain on the QB1 line moving forward and he's solidified himself as an elite-level dynasty asset already.

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Christian McCaffrey Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Christian McCaffrey

Dynasty | 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 39 yards and added six catches for 68 receiving yards in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: McCaffrey didn't score in this one, but he looked as good as ever. While dynasty managers may be a little disappointed in the lack of a touchdown, there's a silver lining here and that's the fact he entered and left the game healthy. Expect McCaffrey's workload to increase as the weeks move forward, but he should be an elite-level player the rest of the way. His dynasty value will likely never see top-five value again based on his age, but he's still a weapon like no other.

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Rachaad White Nov 10 6:13pm ET
Rachaad White

Dynasty | Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving had 73 rushing yards and a touchdown in a loss against San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: Irving continues to post solid numbers whenever he sees an opportunity. The only problem here is the fact his 16 touches on the day matched those of Rachaad White. It may take an injury for Irving to truly emerge, but he's clearly one of the most promising rookies in this year's class. His dynasty arrow continues to point up.

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Bijan Robinson Nov 10 5:40pm ET
Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson led the offense with 20 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns, adding three catches for 28 yards as well, but his team still fell to the Saints 20-17 on Sunday afternoon. Robinson was nearly not afforded the opportunity for his first score, as the Falcons decided to hand the ball off to Tyler Allgeier three straight times from the 1-yard line, only to be stuffed on all three tries. However, Atlanta went for it on 4th-and-1, with Robinson cashing it in for a TD. It was the fifth consecutive contest in which the 22-year-old went over 100 total yards rushing and receiving and seventh straight that he's caught at least three passes, making him even more valuable in PPR formats. The former first-round draft pick now has six rushing TDs on the season along with a receiving TD as well. The Falcons may lean more on the ground game again in Week 11 against a tough Broncos pass defense and Robinson will once again be locked in as an RB1.

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Josh Oliver Nov 10 5:30pm ET
Josh Oliver

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver caught 4-of-6 targets for 52 yards in the team's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. The 27-year-old now has back-to-back weeks with at least four receptions and 50 yards, ironically the first two contests for which teammate T.J. Hockenson has been active. Oliver's yardage total was second on the team to his fellow tight end (who was superb in his own right with an 8/72 line), and the six targets were good enough for the same mark. Whether this kind of usage is prescriptive moving forward remains to be seen, but Jacksonville did an excellent job clamping down on the Vikings' wideouts in this one. Minnesota will get another tough test in Week 11 when they line up against the Tennessee Titans.

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Joe Flacco Nov 10 5:30pm ET
Joe Flacco

According to Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, quarterback Joe Flacco will remain under center "until he says otherwise." With Anthony Richardson benched, Flacco threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns off 26-for-35 passing in Sunday's loss to Buffalo. However, he also tossed three interceptions, with one resulting in a pick-six. With that in mind, the signal-caller hasn't been terrible in his starts this season, so he should continue to have sporadic value in multi-QB fantasy setups moving ahead as long as he remains starting, including against the Jets in Week 11, even more so if Michael Pittman Jr. (back) can suit up after missing Sunday's contest.

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Isaiah Rodgers Nov 10 5:20pm ET
Isaiah Rodgers

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys. The 33-year-old entered Week 10 with 27 tackles, one forced fumble, and five passes defensed. But after missing the Week 9 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars because of a groin injury, he lasted just three plays in this one before going down with an ankle injury. If he doesn't return, he'll finish without making any statistical contributions on the defensive end. Isaiah Rodgers could see more time on the field if Slay can't make it back.

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Bryce Young Nov 10 5:13pm ET
Bryce Young

Dynasty | Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 15-of-25 passes for 126 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: He added 30 rushing yards. Young has looked far from dynamic recently but he's also not looking like a complete bust, either. At this point, Carolina is likely going to give him the rest of the season to prove he can be counted on and he's been doing much better of late. Young made some difficult throws today and managed the game well, even having a second touchdown pass wiped off due to a penalty. His dynasty value has been crushed, but he's still roster worthy at the moment.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr. Nov 10 5:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Giants running back Tyrone Tracy had 103 rushing yards and a touchdown, but also a costly fumble in a loss to Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Tracy put up another solid day of running, including a 32-yard touchdown scamper in the second half. Unfortunately, he coughed the ball up deep in Giants territory in overtime and that set up the Panthers for the game winner. He was visibly upset on the sidelines and it marred an otherwise solid performance. Tracy has supplanted Devin Singletary as the starter and that shouldn't change. His dynasty value is still pointing up, despite the miscue.

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Chuba Hubbard Nov 10 5:13pm ET
Chuba Hubbard

Dynasty | Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard had 153 rushing yards, four catches, and 16 receiving yards in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: Hubbard isn't going away, folks. The Panthers rewarded him with a solid contract extension and while Jonathon Brooks is waiting in the wings, Hubbard is still going to likely operate as the primary running back or "1A" in the offense when Brooks makes his debut. This has the makings of an ugly timeshare at some point, but Hubbard has been borderline amazing this season and the Panthers are going to keep riding him moving forward. He looks like a relative bargain at this point in dynasty leagues.

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T.J. Hockenson Nov 10 5:10pm ET
T.J. Hockenson

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson reeled in 8-of-9 targets for 72 yards in Sunday's 12-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was anticipated that his usage would begin to tick up as he got further out from his knee injury, but the former Iowa Hawkeye pulled out an excellent performance in just his second game back from the IR. Hockenson's reception and yardage total both led the team, while his nine targets tied wide receiver Justin Jefferson for the most on the squad. The only thing missing from his line was a touchdown. Fellow tight end Josh Oliver was still decently involved (4/52), but this performance from the 27-year-old should put any feelings of unease about his workload moving forward to rest. The Vikings will hit the road in Week 11 to take on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

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Kirk Cousins Nov 10 5:10pm ET
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 308 yards on 23 of 38 passing, but failed to throw any touchdowns and tossed one interception in the 20-17 loss to the undermanned Saints. Bijan Robinson recorded both of the Falcon touchdowns on the ground, with many drives stalling and leading to four field goal attempts for kicker Younghoe Koo, only one of which he converted. There have been just two games this season in which Cousins was held without at least one TD pass, and both have come against the Saints. Now averaging 263 yards passing per game through the first ten weeks with a 17:8 TD:INT, the 36-year-old will look to get back on track next week, although it won't come easy against a strong Broncos pass defense. Look for him to be in the QB2 range in Week 11.

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