Fri May 31 10:52am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
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.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) was officially placed on the team's injury report on Thursday, but it seems like he's on track to still play in Week 1. According to Ian Rapoport, the superstar back "should be fine" to suit up against the New York Jets on Monday night. It also helps that he gets one more day to get some rest and work out the calf and Achilles issues. This is huge news for all of the fantasy managers that spent a top-three pick on the RB1 from last season, especially with the 49ers backup, Elijah Mitchell (hamstring), out for the season. With McCaffrey likely in the lineup, fantasy managers will be able to start him with confidence as long as there aren't any setbacks before Monday.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely posted a huge performance in the 20-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday and almost became the game's savior. The 24-year-old saw 12 targets in the season opener and caught nine of them for 111 yards and a touchdown. His biggest play of the night came during the first snap of the fourth quarter when Likely caught a pass from a scrambling Lamar Jackson, ran down the sideline with some shifty moves, and walked into the end zone for a 49-yard score. Then, with time running out, Likely hauled in a difficult catch in the back of the end zone for what everyone thought was a touchdown. After a video review, it showed that his toe was on the end line and it was unfortunately waved off. As far as the first game goes, Likely seemed to be the TE1 on the team while Mark Andrews only saw two targets.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews had just two catches for 14 yards in Baltimore's season-opening loss to the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: It's not time to panic with Andrews but let's just say we're at DEFCON 3 at the moment. First, Andrews didn't look completely healthy, thought that could be debatable. More importantly, Isaiah Likely looks like a player ready to take on a much bigger role this year, possibly eating into the target share of Andrews. A solid week two will get dynasty managers off the ledge but this was a concerning look on offense for anyone deploying Andrews at tight end.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice caught seven passes for 103 yards on nine targets in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Rice came out and proved what many believed to be the case, he is the WR1 for the Chiefs. The 24-year-old paced the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in this contest against a strong Ravens defense. Rice could continuously find soft spots in the secondary and connect with Mahomes to move the chains. While he finished without a touchdown in this contest, fantasy managers should be excited about this strong performance. Rice will build on this performance in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers last year, so Rice is in a good spot. It will be interesting to see how his target share is impacted by the anticipated arrival of Marquise Brown next week, but Rice should still be the top dog in this Mahomes-led offense.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had two catches for 47 yards and a touchdown in the 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The first-round rookie wasted no time making his mark in this game as he had a 21-yard touchdown rush on the Chiefs first drive. Worthy scored his second touchdown on a 35-yard strike from Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter. The rookie with record-breaking speed had 68 total yards and two touchdowns on just three touches in this contest. It was an exciting start to Worthy's career, and fantasy managers should be hopeful for his future in the Kansas City offense. Worthy and the Chiefs will face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The Bengals allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers in 2023, so Worthy could be in for another big game. Worthy will likely have to compete with another receiver, Marquise Brown, in Week 2, but the rookie should see his whole in the offense expand as the season goes on. Worthy should be considered a high-upside flex play moving forward.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce ended the night with three catches for 34 yards on four targets in the Chiefs 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Kelce is a focal point of the Chiefs offense, but he was not a difference-maker in this contest. Kelce did not see a single target until halfway through the second quarter. The star tight end finished the game with four targets, good for second-most on the team, but was fourth in receiving yards. The tough Baltimore defense likely learned from their mistakes in the 2023 AFC Championship game, when Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. The 34-year-old may be a declining talent while the rest of the Chiefs offense around him is ascending, but it will take more than one bad game to reach that conclusion. Kelce will get a chance to bounce back in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals gave up the third-most receiving yards per game to opposing tight ends in 2023. Kelce will still be ranked as a TE1 until proven otherwise.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 20 of 28 passes (71.4%) for 291 yards and a touchdown in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Mahomes threw his first touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter of this game. He connected with first-round rookie Xavier Worthy for a 35-yard catch and run for the score. In the second quarter, Mahomes became the Kansas City Chiefs' all-time leader in passing yards on a pass to Travis Kelce. The Chiefs quarterback also threw an interception towards the end of the second quarter on a pass intended for Rashee Rice. Mahomes did enough to edge the Ravens in this contest despite the pedestrian stats. Mahomes will look to continue the Chiefs' winning streak against the Cincinnati Bengals next week. The Bengals allowed the 12th-most points per game to opposing offenses last season and have a high-powered offense, so their Week 2 matchup should be full of scoring. Mahomes will again be a strong QB1 next week despite his mediocre output this week.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco had 45 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The Baltimore defense came to play as they held Pacheco to just 3.0 yards per carry in this contest. Pacheco's longest run of the game gained only five yards, but he still managed to find the endzone on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Despite his low rushing yardage in this one, the Chiefs lead running back still handled 15 of the 20 total carries for the team. Pacheco also corralled two of his three targets for 33 receiving yards in this contest. Pacheco is undoubtedly the lead back on this high-powered Kansas City offense and should be more productive in this role moving forward. The Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The Bengals gave up the seventh-most rushing yards per game in 2023. Pacheco will have a chance to bounce back on the ground in addition to his contributions in the receiving game.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster was targeted once and did not have a catch against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5.
From TheHuddle
Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce caught three of his four targeted passes for 34 yards during the team's Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
From TheHuddle
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes went 20-for-28 for 291 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5. Mahomes also ran twice for three yards and caught his own deflected pass for a two-yard gain.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens LB Roquan Smith had a team-leading seven tackles, including four solo tackles and a tackle for loss, a pass defensed, and an interception versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews had two receptions (on two targets) for 14 yards during the club's Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fantasy Spin: It's far too early to be concerned about Andrews, but watching Isaiah Likely serve as the Ravens' go-to guy on offense is definitely something to keep an eye on in Week 2. For the moment, stay the course with Andrews and be ready to plug him into your TE1 slot versus the Raiders.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had nine catches for 111 yards and one touchdown in the Ravens season-opening loss against the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: Anyone who watched the game also knows he was one inch away from an even bigger night as his last second touchdown was called back after it was deemed his toe was out of bounds on the game-tying catch. Dynasty managers won't complain much as all the hype we've been hearing all off-season about Likely being a big part of this offense have proven to be more than just puff pieces. Likely will be climbing up the rankings this week.
Dynasty | Ravens running back Derrick Henry had 46 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Ravens season-opening loss to the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: Henry salvaged his night with a touchdown but was otherwise a non-factor as the Chiefs defensive line manhandled the Ravens offensive unit. There will be better days ahead for Henry but this performance showed he's going to be a thumper but a non-factor in the passing game, making him a bit of a boom or bust option each week.
Dynasty | Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy had two catches for 47 yards and added 21 rushing yards with two touchdowns in his NFL debut. Dynasty Analysis: He certainly made the most of his four touches on the night. Worthy could battle some bouts of inconsistency this season but it's clear he adds a new dynamic to the Kansas City offense. In short, Worthy looks the part of a first round rookie pick, though he likely won't quite hit his current pace of 34 touchdowns (tongue in cheek).
Dynasty | Rashee Rice led Kansas City with seven catches for 103 yards in the Chiefs opening night win against Baltimore. Dynasty Analysis: Rice looked the part of the Chiefs clear WR1 from the start as his nine targets were five more than any other Chiefs player. Rice is clearly under a dynasty microscope this year as we await his NFL suspension but it's also clear he's on the way to a possible breakout season. Buckle up.
Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry tallied 13 carries for 46 yards (3.5 YPC) and a touchdown versus the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 5. Henry was targeted twice in the passing game but did not register a reception.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson completed 26 of his 41 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown during the team's Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Jackson also ran the ball 16 times for a game-high 122 yards. The 16 rushing attempts were his most in a single game since Nov. 28, 2021.
From TheHuddle
On the initial Week 1 injury report for the New Orleans Saints, cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip) was listed as limited due to a persistent hip issue. However, he was upgraded to a full participant in Thursday's practice. Lattimore's 2023 season was plagued by injuries, including an ankle problem that kept him to just ten games and a kidney laceration that limited him to seven games the year before. These health issues sparked trade rumors during the offseason, but the Saints decided to keep him. Lattimore is set to start on Sunday, providing a significant boost to the Saints' defense against a Carolina Panthers offense that is expected to have difficulties. His presence will be a considerable challenge for Bryce Young and the Panthers' receiving corps.