WR Strength of Schedule
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.
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The Paur Report
Bender's DFS Pickem Plays: Week 18
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer has decent upside, but has been stuck as the primary backup to Brock Bowers this season. That being said, Mayer hasn't done much this season outside of a seven-catch performance in Week 14. Since then, Mayer has two receptions for 25 yards over the last three games. The 23-year-old has played over 60 percent of the offensive snaps over the last five games. However, he's unlikely to be a viable fantasy option with Bowers healthy. Mayer might be worth holding in dynasty leagues, but isn't someone worth streaming for the Week 18 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely moved into a bigger role partway through the game against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday after Zay Flowers (knee) left the game. The 24-year-old finished with three catches for 38 yards on five targets but wasn't able to find the end zone. In his third season, Likely set career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He has shown flashes of starting tight end abilities as he finished in the top 20 for fantasy points per game at the position, but remains behind Mark Andrews. He'll likely see some more opportunities during their first playoff game though with Flowers probably sidelined.
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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith is expected to see more of the field during the Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants. The Eagles are playing a majority of their backups during the regular season finale. That means, Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, and Smith should all see increased playing time this weekend. Also, third string quarterback Tanner McKee is under center, so none of these wideouts are going to have great value here. The increased reps will be nice for Smith, but he isn't someone worth streaming for Week 18.
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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews ended the season on a six-game run with at least one touchdown in each matchup, including one against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday to help win the division. He registered four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown on eight targets which pushed him into fourth for the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL. The only three currently ahead of him are Ja'Maar Chase, Terry McLaurin, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Despite his small rough patch this season, he'll likely finish as a top-five fantasy tight end again and awaits a big role in their first-round playoff matchup since Zay Flowers (knee) is likely out.
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Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (back) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's Week 18 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Reynolds seemed fine all week until popping up on the injury report on Friday. As a result, Reynolds gets tagged as questionable for this game with could leave the Lions shorthanded with David Montgomery (knee) already ruled out. That means, Jermar Jefferson would likely serve as the primary backup if Reynolds is unable to play. Last week, Reynolds rushed seven times for 31 yards while hauling in both his targets for 35 yards in the win. Reynolds could be a possible deep league option for fantasy managers still in championship games this weekend. Otherwise, Reynolds can be avoided for this big Sunday night matchup.
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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. has seen increased playing time over the last few weeks. Austin has seen 70 percent of the offensive snaps or more during each of the last three games. Sadly, Austin hasn't been able to do much with the extra snaps. The 24-year-old has three receptions for 48 yards over the span. The expectation is Austin will continue seeing plenty of the field during Sunday's regular season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Austin hasn't done enough on the field lately to be considered a viable fantasy option.
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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman finished off the best season of his career with another touchdown as the team wrapped up the division with a win over the Cleveland Browns. The Minnesota product finished with five receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. After four touchdowns combined in his first three seasons, Bateman registered nine scores this season to go along with 756 yards and 45 receptions on 72 targets. Before the rest of the Week 18 games kickoff, Bateman is tied for the ninth-most receiving touchdowns in the NFL.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) was forced to exit early during Saturday's game against the Cleveland Browns. Flowers injured his knee while hauling in his lone reception on the game during the second quarter of Saturday's win. He walked off the field under his own power, but Flowers didn't return to the game. The expectation is Flowers will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. Right now, the Ravens are preparing to be without Flowers for at least next week. Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace would likely be the primary receiving options if Flowers is forced to miss time.
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson led the team to another AFC North title while dismantling the Cleveland Browns by a score of 35-10 on Saturday. The two-time MVP finished the game with 217 yards and two touchdowns on 16-for-32 throwing and nine carries for 63 yards. This game put him over the 4,000 passing-yard mark for the first time in his career and he became the first QB to ever finish with at least 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards. He also leads the league in seven different passing stats according to pro-football-reference. Jackson and company will host a first-round playoff game once the matchups are decided.
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Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox hasn't been able to much on the field this season. In fact, Knox has two receptions or less in each of the last five games. The 28-year-old is now the backup tight end with Dalton Kincaid emerging as the top option in Buffalo. Knox has fallen back on the pecking order with the Bills having a handful of viable receiving options. That being said, Knox won't be much of a fantasy option for the Week 18 matchup against the New England Patriots. Possibly, Knox gets more chances if the Bills rest some starters, but fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help this weekend.
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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell has been fairly quiet outside of his six-catch performance in Week 10. Last week, Mitchell hauled in two of his four targets for 22 yards in the loss to the New York Giants. The rookie wideout has put together a lackluster rookie season with 23 receptions for 312 yards and zero touchdowns heading into the Week 18 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mitchell is too far down on the depth chart to be considered a viable option right now.
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Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry posted a huge game to finish off the regular season and help the team go back-to-back as AFC North champs. The veteran back posted 138 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries to go along with two catches for 23 yards on three targets. He averaged a ridiculous 6.9 yards per carry as he punished the Browns' defense. Henry now has six seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and fell just 106 yards shy of his career high. The Ravens now wait to see who they will host in the first round of the playoffs.
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants. Pickett suffered a ribs injury in relief of Jalen Hurts (concussion) in Week 16. Pickett received the start last week, but only made it through three quarters before exiting due to his ribs issue. Pickett hasn't practiced this week and won't suit up for the regular season finale. That means, Tanner McKee will be under center with a majority of the Eagles backups playing on Sunday.
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Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass has a lower floor in Week 18 given the expectation that many of his teammates will play a limited number of snaps. The Bills have already secured the AFC's No. 2 seed, and that won't change with the outcome of Sunday's contest against the New England Patriots. As a result, several key starters, including quarterback Josh Allen, are expected to only play a select number of drives in the regular-season finale. Mitchell Trubisky and Mike White are both in line to earn meaningful snaps against the Patriots, but the Bills' offensive upside is capped given that Trubisky and White have combined for just five pass attempts all year long. If the two veteran quarterbacks have some trouble moving the ball down the field, scoring opportunities will be much harder to come by for Bass. He still ranks as a fringe top-12 fantasy kicker, but both his ceiling and floor have been reduced for Week 18. Managers would be wise to at least explore alternative options before Sunday's games kick off.
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Tennessee Titans kicker Matthew Wright is not a household name in fantasy football, but he should generate some buzz on the waiver wire in deep leagues. Wright is replacing Nick Folk (abdomen) for the second week in a row, and as he takes on the Houston Texans this Sunday, he'll look to build on last week's solid stat line that included one extra point and a 2-for-2 success rate on field goals. The 28-year-old kicker has been dependable in stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs this year, helping him rank as a top-18 fantasy kicker for the final week of the regular season. Wright warrants consideration among fantasy managers seeking a last-minute fill-in.
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Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin remains an unreliable option in fantasy football lineups ahead of Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. Franklin, a rookie out of Oregon, has continued to showcase his existing rapport with quarterback Bo Nix, catching 26 passes for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2024. However, he hasn't caught more than two passes in a single game since Week 7, and he remains behind Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, and Marvin Mims Jr. in the offensive pecking order. As long as the Broncos' top three receivers stay healthy, Franklin won't see enough snaps or targets to justify starting him in fantasy football. He can be benched in dynasty leagues and left on waivers in redraft formats.
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Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson warrants some consideration in deeper fantasy leagues as he continues to take on an expanded role. With both Stefon Diggs (knee) and Tank Dell (knee) done for the season, Hutchinson has been tasked with stepping up as the Texans' No. 2 receiver behind Nico Collins. He caught two of four targets against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day, but he certainly wasn't alone as the entire offense stalled repeatedly. He and his Texans teammates have a chance to get back on track in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans, who have allowed the third-most points to opposing teams in 2024. Tennessee has surrendered the second-fewest receiving yards and fantasy points to wide receivers in 2024, but we still like Hutchinson's ability to build on last week's subpar showing and catch at least a few passes from quarterback C.J. Stroud on Sunday. The second-year receiver out of Iowa State ranks as a low-end WR4 in fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is not a reliable fantasy option for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. Slayton did catch a 32-yard touchdown pass last weekend, but he has just one catch in each of his last three games. The 27-year-old has settled into the No. 3 receiver role, taking a backseat to both Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson. He took advantage of opportunities to shine earlier in the year, but as long as Nabers and Robinson are both healthy, Slayton's floor and productivity are both limited. Fantasy managers can leave Slayton on waivers in most leagues as the Giants take on the Eagles in their final game of the season.
From RotoBaller
With Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (quad) off the Week 18 injury report, backup Cam Akers is not a starting option against the Detroit Lions. Though the veteran has become Minnesota's clear second option out of the backfield and scored touchdowns in two of the past three weeks, he has recorded fewer than 40 rushing yards in eight straight games. With only six catches during that time frame, Akers simply isn't getting enough volume to be trustworthy in the Vikings' most important game of the regular season. Managers in formats that play Week 18 should look for another option at running back.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (concussion) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. However, given that he logged a full practice on Friday, the rookie should be able to suit up for Sunday's regular-season finale, barring a setback. Shipley has taken a backseat to Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell this season, but with Barkley expected to sit out Week 18, the rookie out of Clemson has a chance to earn increased opportunities. The 22-year-old has been mostly used as a ball carrier this season, rushing 20 times while failing to command a single target. He's likely headed for a change-of-pace role in Week 18, but with his exact involvement unknown, Shipley is tough to trust in fantasy football. He ranks as a low-end RB4 and should be avoided in most leagues.
From RotoBaller
