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.
Top DFS Pickem Plays: Week 1
New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein will head on the road to take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1. Zuerlein had a strong season for the Jets in 2023, hitting 35 of his 38 field-goal tries while adding 15 extra points. He should see more scoring opportunities with Aaron Rodgers back under center after missing almost the entire season last year. Zuerlein can be treated as a top-15 fantasy option against a 49ers defense that allowed the 18th-most fantasy points per game to kickers last season.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is coming off a career season in 2023 where he grabbed 109 catches for 1152 yards and four touchdowns. He'll look to follow up his strong campaign on Sunday when the Colts host the Houston Texans. Pittman was quietly one of the most targeted receivers in football last season, seeing an influx of volume when the team turned to QB Gardner Minshew after QB Anthony Richardson's injury. He's in line for a decent matchup against the Texans, a team that was in the bottom-half of fantasy points allowed to receivers and the bottom-ten of receiving yards allowed last season. While it's unclear how much passing volume the Colts will implement, Pittman will likely be Richardson's No. 1 target and makes him a strong start this week. Fantasy managers should target Pittman as high-end WR2/low-end WR1 this week.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson will kick off his third NFL season with a road matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1. The 49ers pose a middle-of-the-road matchup for Wilson as they allowed the 14th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers in 2023. Wilson will enjoy catching passes from Aaron Rodgers this season after he struggled through some rough quarterback play last season following Rodgers' Week 1 Achilles rupture. Fantasy gamers can feel confident locking Wilson into their starting lineups as a top-10 fantasy wide receiver for the regular-season opener.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams will take on the San Francisco 49ers on the road to kick off his 2024 season. Williams appeared in just three games for the Los Angeles Chargers last season before he tore his ACL and missed the remainder of the year. That being said, he was off to a hot start before the injury, racking up 249 receiving yards in his three games before getting hurt. Williams will slot in as the No. 2 receiver for the Jets opposite Garrett Wilson and could return WR3 value in fantasy in some weeks. The 49ers don't pose a particularly tough matchup for Williams as they allowed the 14th-most fantasy points per game to receivers in 2023. Treat Williams as a solid flex option for Week 1.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin will kick off his 2024 season with a road game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1. Conklin will open the year as the starting tight end for the Jets and could be in line for a solid season catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was behind some big seasons for his tight ends while he was with the Green Bay Packers and could lean on Conklin in the middle of the field with the Jets. The 49ers allowed the 22nd-most fantasy points per game to tight ends in 2023 but Conklin is worth a look as a solid TE2 in PPR leagues for Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL. Dynasty Analysis: While Love is going to miss some time this season, this really was the best case scenario after what transpired last night. MCL sprains can last anywhere from two-to-twelve weeks, so we still need quite a bit more information before truly evaluating this. Still, the Packers are going to turn to either Malik Willis or Sean Clifford in the short term. As a result, the skill players of the Packers need to be downgraded for as long as Love is out.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson gears up for his second season in the NFL when the Colts host the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon. The former Florida Gator is expected to be fully healthy after missing the majority of his rookie campaign with a shoulder injury. All the stars have aligned for Richardson to have a breakout fantasy year with Indy's strong offensive line, quality skill position players, and HC Shane Steichen's play calling. He enters a favorable matchup on Sunday against the Texans, a team that allowed the tenth most fantasy points to QBs as well as the tenth most passing yards last season. The game also provides some shootout potential, furthering the case for Richardson to have a strong fantasy outing. Richardson is a must-start in all formats, and has a shot to finish as the QB1 in Week 1.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Breece Hall will open his 2024 season with a road matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. It sets up as a difficult matchup against a 49ers defense that allowed the 29th-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Hall finished his 2023 season with nine total touchdowns, 994 rushing yards, and 591 receiving yards on 76 catches after tearing his ACL in October of the 2022 season. The third-year running back is worth starting as a top-four fantasy option on Monday night despite the difficult matchup for him.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return to the field for the first in almost a year when he takes on the San Francisco 49ers on the road in Week 1. Rodgers ruptured his Achilles on the Jets' first drive of the season in 2023 and missed the remainder of the year. He will look to make up for lost time in a tough Week 1 matchup against the 49ers. San Francisco allowed just the 24th-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks last year and could present problems for Rodgers, who will hope to shake off the rust quickly. Fantasy gamers can treat Rodgers as a mid-range QB2 for the season opener on Monday night.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Robbie Chosen has been elevated to the active roster ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 31-year-old has experience in this system as he played with the Dolphins last season. He finished with four receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown in nine games with the Dolphins. He figures to serve as extra depth and is unlikely to see much work behind Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, and Grant DuBose. Fantasy managers can continue to leave Chosen on the waiver wire ahead of Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver DJ Chark (hip) has been placed on the injured reserve on Saturday. This means Chark will now miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season. He continues battling a hip issue that looks like it's going to need more time to heal. His absence should mean more targets for Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, and rookie Ladd McConkey to open the season. Out of the three, Palmer probably has the most streaming appeal, but Johnson and McConkey should get chances as well. Chark isn't someone who needs to be stashed in most fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (groin) will suit up for Monday's game against the New York Jets. The rookie back missed over a week of practice due to a groin issue, but was able to get in a few limited practice sessions. Guerendo practiced in full on Saturday and has no injury designation ahead of Week 1. Lead back Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game. Guerendo would likely see a significant workload if McCaffrey sits out which seems unlikely. That being said, Guerendo could see a few touches as the third string back. He looks more like a stash for fantasy managers in dynasty or deep leagues.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey and fullback Michael Burton have been elevated ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Humphrey has experience in this system as he played a full season with the Broncos in 2023. He finished with 13 receptions for 162 yards and three touchdowns last season. The assumption is that Humphrey is going to be extra depth heading into this game, so he probably won't see much time on the field. As for Burton, he should be the starting fullback, but there's not much fantasy value that comes along with that spot. Both players can be kept off the fantasy radar heading into Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) will suit up for the Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears. The veteran wideout returned to practice this week after sitting out three weeks due to a knee issue. Hopkins told reporters that he's dealing with a torn MCL. Despite that, Hopkins plans to play through the issue, but he's expected to be limited. It sounds like Hopkins will play on Sunday, but fantasy managers still shouldn't have much faith in him. At the end of the day, Hopkins is probably a shaky WR4 with it being a pain tolerance type of injury. Fantasy managers who are rostering Hopkins should probably look for a better streaming choice ahead of Week 1.
From RotoBaller
In his first year with the Denver Broncos in 2023, kicker Wil Lutz finished as the No. 18 fantasy kicker by making 30 of his 34 field-goal attempts and 29 of his 31 extra-point opportunities in 17 games. It was enough to get the Broncos to sign him to a two-year contract extension in the offseason after it initially looked like he was about to jump ship and join the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 30-year-old veteran was a Pro Bowler in 2019 and has made 85.2% of his kicks in seven NFL seasons. It's not that he's an unreliable kicking option, but there are just much better options in fantasy to begin the season. The biggest reason why Lutz remains off the fantasy radar heading into a Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks is that he's kicking for an offense that will be led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Consistent field-goal opportunities may be hard to come by for the veteran.
From RotoBaller
After another injury-plagued year in 2023 in which he managed to play in just two games, Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich went undrafted in most standard-sized, 12-team fantasy leagues. Dulcich opens his third year in the NFL listed as the No. 2 TE on Denver's depth chart behind Adam Trautman, although it's widely expected that he'll end up as the Broncos' most targeted tight end when all is said and done this year. The 24-year-old caught 33 of 55 targets for 411 yards and two TDs in 10 games as a rookie and has shown upside as a fantasy TE when healthy. The problem is he's rarely been healthy. Entering Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, Dulcich will be an upside TE3 stash in deeper fantasy leagues. If he stays healthy and earns the trust of rookie quarterback Bo Nix as a safety blanket, Dulcich could become a waiver-wire consideration in shallower leagues.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) is questionable to play Monday night against the New York Jets. The superstar running back suffered a calf injury in August, knocking him out of the preseason and most of training camp. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan never seemed concerned about McCaffrey missing Week 1. Every indication has been that the veteran will be on the field for the Monday night matchup against the Jets. Yet, fantasy players should have a backup plan on their roster if McCaffrey is a last-minute inactive. Jordan Mason and Deebo Samuel will see most of the team's rushing workload if McCaffrey doesn't play.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (illness) is questionable to play tomorrow against the New England Patriots. The superstar wide receiver was already questionable to play after barely practicing this week because of contract negotiations. Unfortunately, it feels like Chase is trending towards not playing in Week 1, leaving the Bengals with limited options at wide receiver. Tee Higgins (hamstring) isn't expected to play against the Patriots, meaning Andrei Iosivas and Jermaine Burton will likely get the start. Fantasy players with Joe Burrow on their roster should consider other options in Week 1, including adding Justin Fields off the waiver wire with Russell Wilson (calf) not expected to suit up against the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, Chase will be a snap count if he plays, making him a risk start for fantasy players.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds came to Denver in the offseason and essentially will replace Jerry Jeudy in 2024 as the team's WR2 behind Courtland Sutton. A season ago in Detroit, Reynolds finished with a 40-608-5 line in 17 regular-season games. His five touchdowns matched his career-high set back in 2018 with the Rams. Reynolds has never surpassed 618 receiving yards in any of his seven NFL campaigns and not much is expected of him in his first year with the Broncos in an offense that will be led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix. The 29-year-old went undrafted in most standard-sized, 12-team fantasy leagues, therefore he should be on most benches in deeper leagues in a Week 1 tilt in Seattle against the Seahawks. Reynolds dealt with a minor Achilles injury in August but practiced in full earlier this week and is good to go for the season opener.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton found the end zone a career-high 10 times on 59 receptions and 772 yards in 16 games in 2023. But that came with quarterback Russell Wilson at the helm, and now rookie Bo Nix will be leading the offense in a tough Week 1 draw in Seattle against the Seahawks. Fantasy managers should have drafted Sutton with the realistic expectations that he won't score double-digit TDs in 2024. Despite that, they should rest easy knowing target volume shouldn't be an issue. The Seahawks defense was a top-12 matchup for wideouts last year, and Nix could pepper Sutton with targets in his NFL debut in a hostile environment at Lumen Field. Sutton should be considered a WR4/flex with a safe floor in the season opener, and his stock could improve as the season goes on if he's able to establish chemistry with Nix like he had with Wilson last year.
From RotoBaller