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.
Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 9
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 25 of 28 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns in their 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. It was a second straight outing where the offense looked much improved from weeks prior. The Miami rushing attack created a lot of open space in the secondary for Tagovailoa to create chunk plays. In their previous meeting with Buffalo back in Week 2, Tagovailoa threw three interceptions. It was encouraging to see no turnovers from him against an excellent defense. This also marks back-to-back games where the former Alabama Crimson Tide finished with no turnovers, and the offense scored 27 points. With Miami now sitting at (2-6), they're more desperate than ever to get wins. Look for Tagovailoa to air the ball out next week when they travel to take on the Los Angeles Rams in a game that could be a shootout.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was ejected from Sunday's meeting with the Seattle Seahawks. The wideout wasn't a lock to play after re-aggravating his knee injury. While he was on the field, he didn't last long before getting disqualified for punching Seahawks cornerback Coby Bryant near the end of the second quarter. Nacua will finish this one with only one catch (four targets) for 11 yards, leaving room for Cooper Cupp, Kyren Williams, Demarcus Robinson, and Tutu Atwell to get more involved on the receiving end for the rest of the contest.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns defense allowed 27 points while notching six sacks in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. While Cleveland's pass rush was a problem for the Chargers, they struggled to contain the running game as J.K. Dobbins ripped off 85 yards and two touchdowns in the lopsided loss. The Browns were led by Myles Garrett, who had three sacks, and Dalvin Tomlinson, who had 1.5 sacks. Cleveland will be on bye in Week 10 before a road matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine had five receptions (six targets) for 50 yards in Sunday's win over the New England Patriots. The 27-year-old also found the end zone in this one, extending his streak to four consecutive games with a touchdown. With DeAndre Hopkins now in Kansas City, there is room for others to step up on the receiving end behind Calvin Ridley. While Westbrook-Ikhine will eventually cool off, fantasy managers can continue to start him in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught seven of his 11 targets for 73 yards in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Jeudy wound up leading the Browns in catches while finishing second in targets and yardage in the lopsided loss to the Chargers. The veteran receiver has been productive in his two games with Jameis Winston under center, posting 12 catches for 152 yards over that span. Jeudy's arrow in fantasy is pointing up with him heading into his bye in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught three of his nine targets for 28 yards in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Moore failed to repeat his big outing in Week 8, although his nine targets were encouraging as he has now drawn 21 looks from Jameis Winston over the past two weeks. The veteran wideout will be on bye in Week 10 before he takes on the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley caught five of his eight targets for 73 yards in Sunday's overtime win over the Patriots. With the Titans dealing DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs, Ridley had 10 receptions for 143 yards in the Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions. While the 29-year-old wasn't as productive in Week 9, he still did enough to lead the way on the receiving end. With 15 grabs in the last two weeks, Ridley remains a must-start in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, the wideout's outlook may not be as favorable if Will Levis (shoulder) returns to the lineup and Mason Rudolph heads back to the bench.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut gained waiver attention heading into Sunday's overtime win over the New England Patriots. However, with Tony Pollard (foot) available, Chestnut wasn't very involved, finishing the day with only 22 yards off five carries. As long as Tyjae Spears (hamstring) stays on the shelf, Chestnut should remain the No. 2 option on the depth chart. Still, he won't see enough action to warrant fantasy consideration as long as Pollard is on the field. This will remain true for the Titans Week 10 meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught five of his seven targets for 29 yards in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Njoku was quiet in the lopsided loss just a week after going for 61 yards and a touchdown. That being said, Njoku has now drawn 28 targets over his past three games and should continue to return solid TE1 numbers with Jameis Winston under center. The Browns are on bye in Week 10 before they take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins made one of his two field goals and added an extra point in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Hopkins drilled a 38-yarder in the contest but had a 51-yard attempt blocked by the Chargers in the fourth quarter. The veteran kicker has now made 14 of his 18 field-goal attempts and 10 of his 11 extra points through nine games this season. He will be on bye in Week 10 before heading on the road to face the New Orleans Saints.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carried the ball 15 times for 39 yards and lost four yards on his lone reception in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Chubb was quiet on an afternoon where the Browns fell behind early and had to pass the ball 46 times in comeback mode. The veteran tailback has struggled in his three games this season, posting just 113 yards and one touchdown on 42 carries. Settling in as an RB3 in fantasy, Chubb will be on bye in Week 10 before heading on the road to face off against the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford carried the ball twice for five yards while catching one of his three targets for two yards in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Ford returned to the field after missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury but was hardly used as Nick Chubb dominated the backfield work with 15 carries. Ford was an early-season value in fantasy but his lack of usage in the passing game in Week 9's lopsided loss is concerning as he operates as the team's third-down back when Chubb is active. He does not need to remain rostered in redraft leagues heading into a Week 10 bye.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson rushed 19 times for 86 yards and led his team in receptions for the second straight week after reeling in seven passes for 59 yards in Sunday's 27-21 victory over the Cowboys. The only thing missing was a touchdown, which was vultured by fellow back Tyler Allgeier who had just six carries on the day for 18 yards. The 22-year-old now has four consecutive games with over 100 total yards rushing and receiving, hovering right around the top five RBs for fantasy through the season's first nine weeks. Robinson's Week 10 opponent, the New Orleans Saints, just allowed two rushing touchdowns to Carolina's Chuba Hubbard on Sunday, totaling 10 rushing scores allowed on the season by New Orleans, which is tied for fourth-most in the NFL. With his continued involvement in the passing game, now with the second-most receptions (38) behind only Alvin Kamara (46), Robinson has a high weekly floor and is looking like an RB1 again next Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman caught six of his 11 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Tillman's touchdown came in garbage time as the Browns were down 27-3 when he hauled in a 17-yard score with 44 seconds left in the game. That being said, his performance against a lockdown Los Angeles secondary is encouraging moving forward. Tillman heads into his Week 10 bye with 24 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns, with most of that production coming over the past three games since Amari Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson posted his best fantasy performance of the season in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, catching three passes for 51 yards and a touchdown (the first of his career). Targeted six times, Johnson made his presence felt with a 35-yard grabthe longest play of the game for the Giantshighlighting his potential as a big-play option. Averaging a strong 17 yards per catch, he provided a downfield threat rarely seen from the tight end position on this roster. The rookie finished with 12.6 fantasy points, well above his previous season high of 7.3 in Week 5, Johnson may be earning more looks in the passing game as the Giants search for consistent playmakers.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys have suspended Ezekiel Elliott one game. Dynasty Analysis: Elliott reportedly missed multiple team meetings this week, so the Cowboys had enough. Realistically, he's done next to nothing this season and is more of a luxury than a necessity at this point, and that luxury is more as a figurehead than anything else. Elliott has long since lost his burst and has turned into a bit of a roster clogger at this point.
Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton was a healthy scratch for the Bengals this week. Dynasty Analysis: The rookie wide receiver apparently missed Saturday's walkthough, so the Bengals decided he could miss Sunday's game as well. Burton has been a pretty big disappointment this season as the third round pick has just two catches for 88 yards on the season. He's still a decent hold in dynasty leagues, but any chance he had at contributing this season has long since evaporated and this won't help much.
Dynasty | Saints wide receiver Chris Olave was knocked out of Sunday's game with an apparent concussion. Dynasty Analysis: In what quickly turned into a scary scene, Olave was sandwiched by two defenders and crumpled quickly into the ground. Ironically, Olave went public with his consideration of wearing a guardian cap for today's game, but ultimately chose not to. He was taken to a local hospital but reportedly has movement in all of his extremities. It would be a surprise to see Olave back any time soon after this latest head injury.
New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas caught seven of nine targets for 35 yards during Sunday's Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. After catching just four passes over his last two games, Douglas bounced back with a high-volume showing against the Titans. The 23-year-old isn't a major threat for yardage, but his high target share gives him appeal as a solid WR3/FLEX option in PPR leagues. He's worthy of lineup consideration heading into Week 10 against the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton showcased his deep-threat ability again in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, catching all three of his targets for 49 yards with a solid 16.3 yards per reception. His longest catch went for 23 yards, giving the Giants a much-needed spark downfield, and he added 11 yards on a lone rushing attempt in the red zone. Slayton finished third on the team in receiving yards. Amid ongoing trade rumors, Slayton posted 7.5 fantasy points, potentially boosting his value to both the Giants and fantasy managers looking for a reliable flex option with big-play upside.
From RotoBaller