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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.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 5

Player Notes
Fred Warner Oct 8 1:10am ET
Fred Warner

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimation. The star defender has been dealing with a lingering ankle issue over the last couple of weeks. While it hasn't caused him to miss a game yet, it has kept him on the injury report and impacted his practice participation. Fortunately, the fact that he's listed as limited with three days until Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks is a good sign. Warner is trending in the right direction and should be able to suit up in Week 6, barring a setback. He'll look to build on an impressive campaign that has included 39 tackles, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, one touchdown, and one sack.

From RotoBaller

Charvarius Ward Oct 8 1:00am ET
Charvarius Ward

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) were both listed as non-participants on Monday's practice estimate. The 49ers didn't actually practice, but if they had, Ward and Hufanga would have been absent. This raises some concerns for their Week 6 availability given that there are less than three days until the Niners face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. If San Francisco ends up being without Ward, who has 22 tackles this season, Isaac Yiadom would step up in his absence. Meanwhile, Hufanga, who has eight tackles through two games, would be replaced by George Odum.

From RotoBaller

Chris Conley Oct 8 1:00am ET
Chris Conley

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Chris Conley (oblique) was officially estimated as a non-participant on Monday. The 31-year-old missed Week 5 and now runs the risk of missing Week 6, too. The Niners are on a short week with their next game scheduled for Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks. On a positive note, Conley still has two more days to practice in any capacity before the Seahawks have to make an official decision on his game status. In the event that he can't suit up, Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell, and Trent Taylor could all earn additional opportunities. Regardless of Conley's status, he remains off the fantasy radar in all leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dee Williams Oct 8 12:50am ET
Dee Williams

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (ankle) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimate. As the Seahawks gear up for Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, they could be without their talented cornerback. Woolen, who has registered 13 tackles and one interception this year, has two more days to get back on the field in some capacity before Seattle makes an official decision on his status. If he can't suit up against the Niners, Dee Williams and Nehemiah Pritchett would be in line to earn more opportunities on defense.

From RotoBaller

Pharaoh Brown Oct 8 12:50am ET
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (groin) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimate. It's too early to tell whether he'll be able to suit up on Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. He still has two more days to maintain or improve his practice status before the Seahawks have to make an official decision on his Week 6 status. Brown has caught just one pass in each of his last three games, logging a 14 percent snap share in Week 5. He remains behind Noah Fant and AJ Barner on the depth chart and can be avoided in all fantasy football leagues.

From RotoBaller

Derick Hall Oct 8 12:40am ET
Derick Hall

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) will not play in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Mike Macdonald told the media on Monday. Nwosu made his season debut on Sunday but played just 20 percent of snaps and registered three tackles before picking up a thigh injury and exiting the game. With the 27-year-old slated to miss Thursday Night Football against the 49ers, look for Dre'Mont Jones and Derick Hall (foot) to earn more opportunities on defense.

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Derek Carr Oct 8 12:30am ET
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) suffered what head coach Dennis Allen described as a left side injury during Monday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Carr, who exited in the fourth quarter, said postgame that he feels "not good" and left the game because he was unable to make necessary movements or throws. He finished Week 5 with 18 completions, 165 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The veteran quarterback will undergo an MRI and additional testing to determine the severity of his injury when the Saints return to New Orleans on Tuesday. Depending on what those tests reveal, Carr could be at risk of missing next Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jake Haener, who relieved Carr in the fourth quarter against Kansas City, would be in line to start for New Orleans if the veteran is forced to miss additional time. Such a change at quarterback would lead to reduced fantasy value for Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed.

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Derek Carr Oct 7 11:20pm ET
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) was injured in Monday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter and is considered questionable to return. Carr went into the blue medical tent on the sideline with trainers before eventually walking back to the locker room to be checked out. If Carr is unable to return to this game, Jake Haener will finish it out under center for the Saints. Before leaving the game, Carr had gone 18-for-28 for 165 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while being sacked only once. His favorite target was receiver Rashid Shaheed, hooking up with him four times on nine tries for 86 yards, including another long 43-yard touchdown strike. Losing Carr for any amount of time would obviously be a big blow for the Saints' offense. New Orleans next plays this coming Sunday at home against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.

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Rashee Rice Oct 7 11:13pm ET
Rashee Rice

Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice may have only torn his LCL and avoided other major ligament damage. Dynasty Analysis: While a torn LCL is nothing to sneeze at, it's better than a torn ACL, MCL, PCL, meniscus or whatever you want to spin on the "wheel of ligaments." Rice is still likely going to miss the entire season but his timetable may be moved up a few months. More will be known in the coming days but it seems Rice may have at least received some promising news today.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Aidan O'Connell Oct 7 11:13pm ET
Aidan O'Connell

Dynasty | Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce was non-committal when asked about his starting quarterback moving forward. Dynasty Analysis: It's pretty rare when radio silence means your current starter is keeping their job and this doesn't look good for Minshew, who was replaced by Aidan O'Connell on Sunday after he threw a backbreaking "pick-six." Minshew hasn't been the biggest problem for Las Vegas but he also hasn't been much of the solution, either. O'Connell could provide a short-term boost for the offense but he hasn't exactly looked the part of a franchise quarterback, either. The Raiders are likely looking for a long-term solution this Spring. Both quarterbacks currently have some value, but Minshew will be a tough hold in a non-Superflex league should he lose his job.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Deshaun Watson Oct 7 11:13pm ET
Deshaun Watson

Dynasty | Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has settled his latest civil suit out of court. Dynasty Analysis: No details have emerged and they likely won't at this point. All we know is the latest legal issue with Watson has now been put to rest. Unfortunately, that won't put many minds at ease as Watson has been simply terrible on the field since arriving in Cleveland. The Browns were willing to take the obvious PR hit with Watson since he was considered an elite-level player. However, it's fair to wonder how long they're going to stick with him now that he clearly isn't. Watson's dynasty value is in the tank, despite him likely not facing league discipline over his latest transgression (or accusation).

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Deshaun Watson Oct 7 11:00pm ET
Deshaun Watson

A new lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery has been resolved, according to the plaintiff's lawyer, Tony Buzbee. Watson denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The NFL has been reviewing the complaint under their personal-conduct policy but did not place Watson on the commissioner's exempt list because there haven't been formal charges filed. The 29-year-old Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than a dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. It's unclear if he's in danger of being suspended by the NFL again. Watson has not played well in five games in 2024 and is currently the QB20 in fantasy points, but the Browns will continue to stick with him heading into a Week 7 contest versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

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George Kittle Oct 7 10:10pm ET
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ribs) is still listed on the team's injury report on a short week with a divisional matchup coming on Thursday night on the road at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks. Although the Niners didn't practice on Monday, they listed Kittle as limited on their estimated practice report. Kittle suffered a rib injury in Week 4 but played through the injury in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals and was no worse for the wear, catching eight pass on 12 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown. The 30-year-old missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury but has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last three games. He should be fine to suit up this Thursday and will be a must-start TE1 for fantasy managers after seeing a season-high 12 targets against the Cardinals.

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Sydney Brown Oct 7 10:00pm ET
Sydney Brown

Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown (knee) has been designated to return from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Monday. Brown has been working his way back from suffering a torn ACL in Week 18 of last season. Before that, Brown recorded 45 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception in 14 games (six starts) with the Eagles in 2023. The 24-year-old put together a fairly solid rookie season before going down last season. He'd certainly offer the Eagles help at free safety with Reed Blankenship being their primary option right now. The Eagles still have a few weeks to ramp up Brown's activities before having to activate him or shut him down for the season.

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Pharaoh Brown Oct 7 9:40pm ET
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (groin) was estimated as a limited participant during Monday's walkthrough. Fantasy managers shouldn't read much into this as it's not an official practice. Regardless, Brown hasn't been much of a fantasy asset this season anyway. He finished with one reception for seven yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the New York Giants. The 30-year-old mainly serves as depth with Noah Fant being the primary tight end in Seattle. The Seahawks are on a short week with a Thursday matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The absence of Brown would probably mean that AJ Barner has a slightly bigger role.

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Devin Duvernay Oct 7 9:30pm ET
Devin Duvernay

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Devin Duvernay (lower body) could be in danger of missing the Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Duvernay suffered a lower body injury during Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts. The former third-round pick played a big role during this Week 5 win. Duvernay had a 53-yard punt return that set up running back Tank Bigsby for a big third quarter touchdown. Head coach Doug Pederson reportedly seemed concerned about Duvernay's status heading into their matchup with the Bears. The assumption is that wide receiver Parker Washington could be asked to fill in at punt return duties if Duvernay is unable to play. The absence of Duvernay won't have much of an impact for fantasy purposes with him serving mostly as depth, but he's still important to this roster.

From RotoBaller

Matt Prater Oct 7 9:20pm ET
Matt Prater

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (knee) was unable to suit up during Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers. The veteran kicker has been dealing with a left knee issue and was only able to get through one limited practice last week. That being said, the Cardinals held out Prater in Week 5 and elevated Chad Ryland to serve as the kicker. Ryland connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts with his only miss being blocked. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said on Monday that the team will wait and see how Prater does in practice before making a decision for Week 6. Fantasy managers who have Prater rostered should get another kicker in line just in case he misses another game.

From RotoBaller

Marshawn Kneeland Oct 7 7:40pm ET
Marshawn Kneeland

Dallas Cowboys rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) avoided a serious injury in the Week 5 win on Sunday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to sources. Kneeland didn't suffer a season-ending torn ACL, but he did suffer a partial tear to his LCL and will have surgery on Tuesday, according to sources. ESPN Dallas' Todd Archer reports that Kneeland is expected to miss four to six weeks. The 23-year-old could be placed on Injured Reserve, but the good news is he'll have a chance to return down the stretch. The Cowboys defense has been bombarded by injuries to key players in recent weeks. With Kneeland out of action for the foreseeable future, Tyrus Wheat and KJ Henry will have opportunities to step up for Dallas on D. Micah Parsons is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) landed on Injured Reserve last week.

From RotoBaller

Tommy Tremble Oct 7 7:40pm ET
Tommy Tremble

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (concussion) is officially in the league's concussion protocol on Monday after suffering a head injury in the team's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Tremble was knocked out cold by Bears safety Jaquan Brisker after a catch on Sunday, and just by the way it looked, we would not be surprised if Tremble was unavailable to play in Week 6 against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons this weekend. He has only seven catches on nine targets for 59 yards and no touchdowns in four games this year and isn't a realistic fantasy tight end in most leagues when he's healthy. If Tremble is forced to miss any time, rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders would see an elevated role in the passing game in Carolina, although he, too, wouldn't really move the fantasy needle as anything more than a deep TE2 sleeper.

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Mecole Hardman Oct 7 7:30pm ET
Mecole Hardman

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (knee) is officially active for the Week 5 contest on Monday Night Football against the visiting New Orleans Saints. Hardman will be able to go this week despite battling through a knee injury. Even with Rashee Rice (knee) potentially out for the rest of the season, Hardman hasn't been a popular waiver-wire pickup in fantasy. The 26-year-old played a season-high 16% of the offensive snaps in the Week 4 win over the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers after Rice hurt his knee early in that game, but he wasn't targeted at all and has not been targeted a single time in five games in 2024. Hardman should have more chances moving forward, but the Chiefs will mostly be relying on rookie Xavier Worthy, Justin Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster and even Skyy Moore at receiver.

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