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
The Athletic's Daniel Popper thinks that if all the Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers stay healthy this year, Joshua Palmer will lead the team in targets. Palmer is the returning player with the most targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns from quarterback Justin Herbert. He's also the fourth-most targeted receiver in Herbert's career, behind Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler. Palmer has earned Herbert's trust in his first three years in the NFL, and Popper thinks trust will be especially important in the early going in 2024 after Herbert missed three weeks of training camp with a plantar-fascia injury. In addition, the Bolts have installed a new offense under coordinator Greg Roman. Palmer has upside this year, but he's mainly a WR5/flex because of the fact that he hasn't been able to stay healthy. He missed six games in 2023 with a knee injury and also battled an ankle injury and a concussion in 2022.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he doesn't need a long-term contract extension done before the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sept. 8 against the Cleveland Browns. "I think it says a lot if it is or if it isn't," Prescott said. "But 'however' doesn't really matter to me, to be honest with you." Prescott is heading into the final year of a four-year, $160 million deal he signed in 2021 and is scheduled to make $29 million in 2024 and count $55 million against the salary cap. Dallas has talked with Prescott's agent, Todd France, throughout the summer, but a deal doesn't seem close. Prescott said it's up to France and the Cowboys if negotiations continue into the regular season. The Cowboys cannot place the franchise tag on Prescott after the season, so if they are serious about getting an extension done, it must come before the end of the 2024 campaign.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Joey Bosa (hand) said on Thursday that he suffered a broken hand during a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 4 that required surgery. Bosa returned to practice for the first time this past Tuesday and was wearing a black club around his left hand. He will not miss any of the Chargers' games to begin the 2024 regular season. The 29-year-old pass-rusher said he had "three really good practices" this week although admitted that his conditioning "needs work." Bosa will play with the club on his hand to begin the year and declined to give a timetable on when he would play without it. He can be one of the most dynamic pass-rushers in the game, but Bosa has had trouble staying on the field the last two years. Bosa made four Pro Bowls in his first six seasons but has played in just 14 games the last two years with hamstring, foot and toe injuries.
From RotoBaller
According to sources, the Cincinnati Bengals are intensifying their efforts to sign star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase to a long-term contract extension with just over a week left until the Bengals kick off the regular season with a Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots. Chase did step foot on the practice field last week for a day but has mostly been a hold-in at training camp while he seeks a new deal. A new long-term extension with Chase would be for well above $30 million per season for one of the best pass-catchers in the game. Nothing is imminent yet, but people inside the Bengals building are somewhat optimistic. Negotiations have been more difficult because the three-time Pro Bowler still has two years left on his current deal. Despite the hold-in, Chase should be considered a top-five fantasy wideout and should come off the board in the middle of the first round for those still yet to draft.
From RotoBaller
The Arizona Cardinals have released running back Tony Jones (shoulder) from injured reserve with an injury settlement, according to Howard Balzer of CardsWire. Jones had injured his shoulder during the final week of the preseason and was placed on season-ending injured reserve. However, now that he was released with a settlement, Jones immediately becomes a free agent and is technically free to sign with any team. Teams will wait until he's fully healthy before making any sort of deal, but at least there's now a chance for him to suit up again this season, rather than spend the whole year sidelined. Jones had 132 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in 2023, and he remains nothing more than a depth piece on NFL rosters. He should be avoided in all fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers have signed free agent running back Jaret Patterson to their practice squad. He had been released from the 53-man roster earlier in the week but is now back in the building. The 24-year-old registered 339 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2021, but his production has scaled back since then and he didn't even register a touch last year. He's merely a depth option behind the four running backs on the Chargers' active roster and therefore isn't expected to see the field much in 2024.
From RotoBaller
The Carolina Panthers have signed veteran quarterback John Wolford to their practice squad. He had been released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during last week's series of roster cuts. Wolford reunites with Dave Canales, who was his offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay last year and is now the head coach of the Panthers. "John's fantastic. Hands down, the smartest guy in the room," Canales previously said about Wolford. He added, "It's a great feeling for a quarterback coach or an offensive coordinator when you know before the play starts where the ball should go, and it goes there. That's John Wolford. He's just like, 'Alright, so this ball should go to the backline right here, and there it is, bang.' Perfect." Evidently, the Panthers' new head coach has plenty of faith in Wolford and presumably jumped at the opportunity to bring him onto the practice squad when Tampa Bay cut him loose. He'll presumably open 2024 as Carolina's emergency No. 3 quarterback behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton.
From RotoBaller
The New York Giants have re-signed cornerback Adoree' Jackson to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Financial terms were not immediately reported. Jackson had spent the last three seasons with the Giants. Just last year, he racked up 63 tackles, eight passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble. He should start at cornerback alongside Deonte Banks in Week 1, giving New York some extra defensive help as they take on Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster could play in the team's Week 1 contest against the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Andy Reid said. Smith-Schuster was signed out of free agency earlier this week, leaving him with around two weeks to get acclimated in the offense before the season kicks off. That's not a lot of time, but nevertheless, Reid is leaving the door open for Smith-Schuster to play. It likely helps that Smith-Schuster played with the Chiefs in 2022, so at least he has some familiarity with the offense.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb (knee) may not return to a full workload until the final month of the season, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com.
Fantasy Spin: Chubb is already set to miss the start of the season as he recovers from a knee injury, and depending on how Cleveland's season is going, there may not be a reason to lean too heavily on Chubb at any point.
From TheHuddle
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed wide receiver Ben Skowronek to their practice squad Friday, per Adam Schefter. Skowronek had made waves early on in camp as a part of the Houston Texans but missed time due to a leg injury and was ultimately cut by the team earlier this week. The 27-year-old was never given a full complement of snaps during his three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, though he did perform admirably when given the opportunity. The former seventh-round pick should stand a better chance to crack the Steelers' active roster than he did buried in a deep Houston wide receiver room. With the regular season kicking off in just under a week, Pittsburgh will roll into their road opener against the Atlanta Falcons with George Pickens, Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin III starting at wide receiver. Skowronek does not project to be a viable fantasy option, though this could be a situation to monitor with a thin corps in front of him.
From RotoBaller
Linebacker Tyus Bowser was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad on Friday and will look to build up to his first in-game action since 2022. Bowser previously spent his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens but was released by the team back in March to free up $5.5 million in salary cap. The 29-year-old was among one of the most versatile linebackers in the league when he was healthy and was a beacon of consistency for the Ravens up until missing eight games in 2022 after a torn Achilles and all of 2023 with a knee injury. He also led Baltimore in sacks with seven in 2021. A former second-round pick, Bowser will reunite with Mike Macdonald in Seattle after playing under him in Macdonald's first year as the Ravens' defensive coordinator. Because Bowser was not on a pre-season roster, being signed to the practice squad will give his body time to reacclimate to football. Look for him to vie for a spot on the active roster.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent CB D.J. James (Seahawks), CB Zech McPhearson (Eagles), CB Damarion Williams (Ravens), CB Kyu Blu Kelly (Commanders), QB Chris Oladokun (Chiefs), S Al Blades Jr. (Jets), WR Alex Erickson (Chargers), CB Eric Garror (Titans), CB Jason Maitre (Dolphins), LB Andrew Parker Jr. (Jaguars), OT Julian Pearl (Ravens), LB Yvandy Rigby (Ravens), WR David Wallis (Patriots) and CB A.J. Woods (Commanders) worked out for the New York Giants Thursday, Aug. 29.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent CB Adoree' Jackson (Giants) agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the New York Giants Friday, Aug. 30. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
From TheHuddle
The NFL suspended free-agent wide receiver Michael Thomas (knee) for the first week of the 2024 regular season for violating the league's personal-conduct policy related to an incident with a construction worker from last fall. Things continue to get worse for Thomas, who was the best receiver in the NFL as recent as 2019. While it's only a one-game suspension, it's not going to help the 31-year-old veteran's cause as he looks to find a new team for the 2024 season. He was cut by the New Orleans Saints back in March after catching 39 of his 64 targets for 448 yards and just one touchdown. A knee injury limited Thomas to only 10 games (seven starts), and he hasn't played in over 10 games in a season since his All-Pro campaign in 2019. Even if Thomas does land with another team, he will merely be competing for a depth role.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Friday that they re-signed wide receiver Quez Watkins to their practice squad after releasing him earlier this week. Watkins will return to Pittsburgh as extra receiving depth to begin the 2024 campaign behind George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller and rookie Roman Wilson. The fact that the 26-year-old wasn't able to impress the coaching staff enough during training camp and the preseason to win a 53-man roster spot in one of the weakest WR rooms in the league pretty much says all you need to know about Watkins. He was a sixth-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 out of Southern Mississippi and racked up 98 receptions on 147 targets for 1,249 yards and six touchdowns in his four years in Philly over 49 games (25 starts). Watkins is well off the fantasy radar for now in Pittsburgh.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers released running back Isaiah Spiller from their practice squad on Friday, according to a source. Spiller missed out on making the 53-man roster out of training camp and has now been pushed off the team entirely after the club claimed RB Hassan Haskins off waivers from the Tennessee Titans earlier this week. The 23-year-old wasn't able to win one of the last RB spots over rookie Kimani Vidal and will now be free to join any team in the league as RB depth. Spiller failed to make an impact with the Bolts after they drafted him in the fourth round (123rd overall) in 2022 out of Texas A&M. In his first two years in the league, he carried the ball 55 times for 137 yards (2.5 yards per carry) and no touchdowns, adding only nine receptions (nine targets) for 47 yards without a touchdown in 15 games (zero starts).
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins have signed running back Deneric Prince to their practice squad on Friday. The second-year back was recently cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. Prince had a few nice showings during the preseason, but his mistakes outshined his success. There is certainly potential with Prince, so we'll see how he does in Mike McDaniel's system. The Dolphins have a fairly crowded backfield that features Jaylen Wright, Jeff Wilson Jr., Raheem Mostert, and De'Von Achane. There's a small chance that Prince makes an impact in Miami this season. This looks more like a depth move to see if the Dolphins can unlock something in Prince.
From RotoBaller
The Baltimore Ravens have signed free-agent quarterback Tyler Huntley on Friday. This news comes a day after Huntley was let go by the Cleveland Browns. Huntley spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore before joining the Browns this offseason. The 26-year-old has proven himself to be a reliable backup to Lamar Jackson over the last few seasons. He has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in 20 games (nine starts) with the Ravens since 2020. There won't be much fantasy value here, but the Ravens will get a familiar face that knows the system well in case of an emergency.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent WR Michael Thomas (Saints) was suspended by the NFL for one week due to a violation of league rules on Friday, Aug. 30.
From TheHuddle
