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Auburn Fantasy Football League Est. 2008
FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

WR Strength of Schedule

Fri May 31 10:52am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Lamb could top last season


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the receiver position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to receivers last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the receivers with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the receivers that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  WR SOS  
1. Denver Broncos 531.34
2. Los Angeles Chargers 536.08
3. Miami Dolphins 537.31
4. Kansas City Chiefs 549.96
5. Las Vegas Raiders 552.89
6. Pittsburgh Steelers 554.85
7. New England Patriots 555.93
8. Buffalo Bills 556.13
9. Houston Texans 561.75
10. San Francisco 49ers 565.73
11. New Orleans Saints 566.06
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 566.19
13. Cincinnati Bengals 566.32
14. Jacksonville Jaguars 570.07
15. Baltimore Ravens 571.77
16. Seattle Seahawks 573.41
17. Minnesota Vikings 573.91
18. Philadelphia Eagles 574.46
19. Carolina Panthers 575.49
20. Los Angeles Rams 575.79
21. Washington Commanders 575.91
22. Detroit Lions 576.36
23. Atlanta Falcons 577.76
24. New York Jets 577.99
25. Tennessee Titans 578.06
26. Indianapolis Colts 578.18
27. Cleveland Browns 583.5
28. Arizona Cardinals 586.09
29. New York Giants 586.93
30. Chicago Bears 601.21
31. Dallas Cowboys 608.4
32. Green Bay Packers 610.22

 

The Packers have the easiest fantasy schedule for receivers. Jayden Reed and Christian Watson could be setup for career best seasons with this schedule. These are guys you can get a little later come draft day and mid-round options that could be difference makers for fantasy owners.

CeeDee Lamb is considered the No. 1 overall fantasy receiver for many and his schedule helps make that claim even stronger. Lamb has the second most favorable schedule for receivers. Lamb was huge last year and could improve on that even more, especially since the Cowboys could struggle to run the ball with their current options.

The Bears, Giants and Cardinals also round out the top-five most favorable receiver schedules. Chicago has a great trio of receivers with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze.  These guys could produce big as long as rookie Caleb Williams gets the job done at quarterback in year one. Moore has more to compete with for targets this year, but you still have to like his chances for a big season in year two with the Bears.

The Giants and Cardinals both have some question marks at receiver, but a couple rookies lead the way for both teams. Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison could have big rookie seasons with their new teams. These guys both have a chance to lead all rookie fantasy receivers in scoring.

On the opposite side of things, the Broncos have the most challenging schedule for receivers. The Broncos have all sorts of questions at receiver outside of Courtland Sutton. This is a unit of receivers you just might want to avoid come draft day. This schedule won’t make anything easier for this group.

The Chargers are a similar team to the Broncos, having openings and questions at receiver. So once again, it might be best to let someone else put Chargers receivers on their roster. Plus, the Chargers could be a lot more run heavy with a new coach running the show. The tough schedule and new offense make taking any Chargers receiver a bit of a risk.

There are two really good offenses on the list that have tough schedules for receivers. Both the Dolphins and Chiefs have a top-five least favorable schedule for receivers. The Dolphins have one of the best receiver duos in football, so it is tough to fade them because of this schedule. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should be able to produce big numbers once again in this offense.

The Chiefs are a little more concerning. This offense is a little matchup proof, but don’t have that elite receiver on their roster. Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown lead the way. Brown hasn’t been great in recent seasons and Rice is facing a suspension. These guys will carry some risk come draft day, especially after seeing this schedule.

Davante Adams is usually another star receiver that is matchup proof, but you have to wonder a little this year. He has some question marks at quarterback, which could hurt his production when you pair it with this schedule. Adams is dealing with the fifth toughest fantasy schedule for receivers.

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy receivers. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the receivers with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.

  WR PLAYOFF SOS  
1. Los Angeles Rams 501.93
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 515.53
3. Kansas City Chiefs 519.43
4. New York Giants 521.63
5. Miami Dolphins 532.77
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 534.53
7. Houston Texans 538
8. Buffalo Bills 540.87
9. Las Vegas Raiders 541.9
10. Carolina Panthers 549.33
11. Cincinnati Bengals 552.17
12. Detroit Lions 553.73
13. Arizona Cardinals 555.27
14. Cleveland Browns 555.4
15. Minnesota Vikings 560.93
16. New England Patriots 573.03
17. Los Angeles Chargers 573.1
18. Tennessee Titans 575.17
19. Baltimore Ravens 581.27
20. Seattle Seahawks 585.08
21. New York Jets 585.5
22. Denver Broncos 587.2
23. Pittsburgh Steelers 587.8
24. Philadelphia Eagles 589.73
25. Green Bay Packers 590.85
26. Washington Commanders 591.57
27. New Orleans Saints 604.13
28. Dallas Cowboys 609.73
29. Indianapolis Colts 614
30. San Francisco 49ers 641.53
31. Atlanta Falcons 644.93
32. Chicago Bears 647.98

 

The Bears and Cowboys are the teams that make both the top five easiest receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. Chicago has the easiest for the entire playoffs. Once again, their top trio of receivers are looking pretty good come draft day.

Lamb continues to make his case to be the first receiver selected come draft day. He could have a monster season and finish strong as well with the fifth easiest schedule for the playoffs. Lamb might be the most surefire first-round pick come draft day.

The Falcons, 49ers and Colts also have a top-five favorable playoff schedule for receivers. Atlanta receivers were looking up to begin with, getting a legit quarterback throwing them passes this year. And this schedule makes their options look even better, especially Drake London. He could have a breakout season.

San Francisco has great options at receiver in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. They are pretty safe picks come draft day. And they get a very favorable playoff schedule that could make them even more appealing to fantasy owners. These guys both have really solid floors come draft day in this offense.

Michael Pittman keeps getting it done as the No. 1 option for the Colts. If Anthony Richardson can become that true No. 1 at quarterback for Indy, Pittman would look even better. Pittman has produced in recent year despite having some quarterback issues. His game could go to a higher level this year if Richardson breaks out. Pittman could be a league winner if everything breaks his way in 2024.

The Chiefs and Dolphins are two of the best offenses in football but also the only two teams to make the top five most unfavorable receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. This is a tad concerning for both teams, Again, it is tough to bet against Hill, but maybe you drop him down your rankings just few spots behind the other elite guys because of this. You hate to use an early round pick on a receiver to see him maybe not produce what he should come playoff time.

And as mentioned with the Chiefs, their top two receivers already face a few question marks, so maybe their tough schedules make them players to let someone else draft. Both Brown and Rice could be a little erratic.

The Rams actually have the toughest playoff schedule for receivers. They are another team with two of the best receivers in football. It is tough to bet against either Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp, but the playoff schedule is a little scary, especially for Kupp. He seems to be trending down at this stage of his career.

The Jaguars and Giants are the two other teams with a top-five unfavorable fantasy schedule for the playoffs. The Jags have Christian Kirk and Gabriel Davis as their top two receivers. Kirk is normally pretty steady but Davis can be boom or bust. Seeing his playoff schedule should bump him down a few spots in your rankings. It could be more of the same for Davis with his new team.

And the Giants are an outlier here, having an easy schedule for receivers during the regular season but the fourth toughest for the playoffs. This makes it tough come draft day. Their receivers could be good values for the regular season but disappoint when it counts. You do have to just make the playoffs, though, so we aren’t sure we shy away from Giant receivers just because of their tough playoff schedule. You still might be able to get good value with their options that help you win during the season.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Tyler Goodson Oct 21 12:50am ET
Tyler Goodson

Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson ran the ball 14 times for 51 yards and a touchdown in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Goodson out-touched running back Trey Sermon for the first time since Jonathan Taylor (ankle) has been out, seeing 14 carries to Sermon's eight. Goodson was productive, breaking away multiple chunk runs that eventually led to a first-half touchdown. If Taylor is out again in Week 8 against the Houston Texans, fantasy managers can look to Goodson as a viable RB2 option, given his increased workload.

From RotoBaller

Christian Kirk Oct 21 12:50am ET
Christian Kirk

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk turned three targets into just one catch for 24 yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. The 27-year-old has underperformed over his last two games, tallying just four catches and 63 yards during that span. Immediately upon returning stateside next week, he gets a tough matchup against a very tough Green Bay Packers secondary. Fantasy managers should leave Kirk on the bench in 12-team leagues.

From RotoBaller

Gabriel Davis Oct 21 12:50am ET
Gabriel Davis

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis was targeted twice during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He finished with just one catch for 13 yards, representing a massive step backward from Week 6 when he totaled five catches, 45 yards, and two touchdowns. Brian Thomas Jr. and Evan Engram have cemented themselves as Trevor Lawrence's favorite targets, leaving Davis and Christian Kirk fighting for the scraps in Jacksonville's passing attack. Neither Davis nor Kirk are dependable fantasy options when the Jaguars return stateside to face a tough Green Bay Packers secondary in Week 8.

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George Pickens Oct 21 12:40am ET
George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in five receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown on nine targets in a 37-15 victory over the New York Jets. With Russell Wilson starting at quarterback, Pickens was consistently given opportunities downfield. He came down with multiple highlight-reel grabs and found pay dirt for the first time this season on an 11-yard fade route near the end of the second quarter. While Pickens was clearly the favorite target of Justin Fields, his skillset seems to better align with Wilson's strengths, which include stretching the field vertically. The 23-year-old should find himself back in fantasy WR2 territory next week in a bout with the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Will Reichard Oct 21 12:40am ET
Will Reichard

Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard went 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points during Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions. Although Minnesota lost, Reichard kept the Vikings in the game with another perfect effort, hitting key field goals from 42, 48, and 57 yards out. He has been extremely accurate through six games in his rookie campaign, converting all 12 of his field goal attempts and all 18 of his extra point attempts. Moving forward, Reichard is a reliable top-12 kicking option in fantasy football given his accuracy, power, and Minnesota's scoring tendencies.

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Pat Freiermuth Oct 21 12:40am ET
Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth logged two receptions for 51 yards on three targets in a 37-15 win over the New York Jets. Freiermuth was surprisingly given fewer opportunities than fellow tight end Darnell Washington, who earned a career-high four targets. Still, Freiermuth outgained Washington and was extremely effective with limited touches. He turned a short completion from Russell Wilson into a 30-yard gain in the second quarter and later came down with a 21-yard deep ball. Pittsburgh's passing attack was more aggressive and fast-paced with Wilson at the helm, which should prove beneficial to Freiermuth going forward. He'll remain on the fantasy radar for a Week 8 meeting with the New York Giants.

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Brian Thomas Jr. Oct 21 12:30am ET
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught all five of his targets for 89 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He also added two rushing yards on two attempts. The rookie was the Jaguars' most productive pass-catcher as they recorded their second win in the last three weeks. Not only did he find the end zone, but he also delivered a 58-yard reception to put the Jaguars on the edge of the red zone late in the first half. Thomas should continue to be treated as a solid WR2 option in fantasy football, including next week when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers.

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Evan Engram Oct 21 12:30am ET
Evan Engram

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram caught all five of his targets for 35 yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. The veteran pass-catcher has been quite productive in two weeks since returning from injury, catching 15 passes for 137 yards during that span. One would have to imagine that his strong stretch of games will continue when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers next week. After all, Engram is looking like the Jaguars' second-best pass-catcher behind Brian Thomas Jr. Fantasy managers should treat the 30-year-old as a mid-to-low TE1 option in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

D'Ernest Johnson Oct 21 12:30am ET
D'Ernest Johnson

Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson rushed for 38 yards on nine carries during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He also got involved as a pass-catcher, hauling in three of his four targets for an additional 32 receiving yards. While Johnson operated as the clear backup to Tank Bigsby on Sunday, it was promising to see him stay productive while earning double-digit touches. With that said, his usage could decrease in a more negative game script scenario, such as next week versus the Green Bay Packers. Johnson is worth monitoring on the fantasy radar, but managers can't justify starting him in 12-team leagues yet.

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Jalen Nailor Oct 21 12:30am ET
Jalen Nailor

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor caught four of his five targets for 76 receiving yards during Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions. Nailor operated as the Vikings' No. 3 receiver, but he still played 73.3 percent of the offensive snaps and was clearly heavily involved in the passing attack. In fact, Nailor had more targets, receptions, and yards than Jordan Addison, and he came just five receiving yards shy of Justin Jefferson's Week 7 mark. It's not often that you can plug a team's No. 3 receiver into your fantasy lineups, but Nailor has become an appealing option ahead of Week 8 versus a suspect Los Angeles Rams defense.

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Ricky Pearsall Oct 21 12:20am ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall made his NFL debut in a 28-18 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. The Arizona native came into the game as the assumed third option for quarterback Brock Purdy with Jauan Jennings (hip) ruled out, but inherited even more snaps after Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel (illness) left during the game. Pearsall missed the first six weeks of the season due to a gunshot wound and received a standing ovation from the home crowd after his first catch. He finished with three receptions on five targets for 21 yards. If Aiyuk has torn his ACL as feared, Pearsall will be worth a look on waivers, although the situation is muddied by the probable return of Jennings in Week 8, not to mention fellow rookie Jacob Cowing having a few games more experience and a more impactful performance today. Pearsall is the better bet long-term though, as San Francisco waited until the fourth round to take Cowing after taking Pearsall in the first. The 49ers get the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday Night Football in Week 8.

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Trevor Lawrence Oct 21 12:20am ET
Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 15 of 20 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots. He also rushed for 13 yards and didn't take a single sack. The former No. 1 pick led the Jaguars to their second win over the last three weeks. As much flak as Jacksonville has taken this year, Lawrence has quietly played good, turnover-free football, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,527 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He'll rank as a mid-to-low QB2 when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.

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Tank Bigsby Oct 21 12:20am ET
Tank Bigsby

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He was unable to haul in his lone target. The 22-year-old stepped up as the Jaguars' No. 1 running back with Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) sidelined, and it's safe to say that he impressed. Interestingly, Bigsby's best games have come in the Jaguars' two victories this year. When Jacksonville wins, Bigsby is averaging 124 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. That could just be a coincidence over a small sample size, but it's also possible that Bigsby's performance on the ground is one of Jacksonville's integral keys to victory. As long as he continues to handle a large workload, he'll rank as a solid RB2 in fantasy football. That holds true despite next week's tough matchup against the Green Bay Packers back in the United States.

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Jaylen Warren Oct 21 12:20am ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled 12 carries for 44 yards and came down with two of three targets for 15 receiving yards in a Week 7 win over the New York Jets. Although he was once again outshined by Najee Harris, Warren was given his biggest workload of the season on Sunday night. He operated as the primary pass-catching option out of the backfield for quarterback Russell Wilson and was on the receiving end of an important third-down conversion in the third quarter that eventually led to a touchdown. Warren should continue to operate in a similar role moving forward and could eventually play his way into weekly flex consideration. He's worth stashing in most fantasy leagues and will look to contribute against the New York Giants in Week 8.

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Brandon Aiyuk Oct 21 12:13am ET
Brandon Aiyuk

Dynasty | The 49ers believe wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL in the loss to the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: Brutal. Aiyuk had a ridiculously long holdout, only to finally get his big money contract. After a few up and down weeks, this happens. We'll wait to get an official diagnosis, but it's rare for a team to come out and say they believe a player has torn an ACL only to find out they're wrong. If this is indeed the case, dynasty managers will have to look elsewhere for a WR2 the rest of the way. Stay tuned.

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Najee Harris Oct 21 12:10am ET
Najee Harris

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris handled 21 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in a 37-15 win against the New York Jets. He failed to haul in his only target of the contest, but Harris was nonetheless productive and efficient on the ground. Although he ran hard throughout the game, he did not find the end zone until only 26 seconds remained in the fourth quarter, rumbling in for a 10-yard score to seal the victory. After a slow start to the campaign, Harris has looked great over the past two weeks. Additional goal-line opportunities could be in store for him going forward as Pittsburgh's offense seems more capable of pushing the ball downfield with quarterback Russell Wilson under center. Harris should project as a solid fantasy RB2 next week against the New York Giants.

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Geno Stone Oct 21 12:10am ET
Geno Stone

X-rays came back negative on Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (shin), according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The defensive starter exited late during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns. While any injury is concerning, it's great news that his X-rays were negative. Still, it's possible that Stone will miss some time. If so, look for Tycen Anderson to earn more snaps on defense.

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Russell Wilson Oct 20 11:50pm ET
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 16 of 29 pass attempts for 264 yards and two touchdowns, adding three carries for three yards and a score on the ground in a 37-15 victory over the New York Jets. Wilson and the Steelers' offense got off to a slow start but started to get in rhythm in the second quarter. He displayed chemistry with wide receiver George Pickens as the duo connected on multiple deep balls and an 11-yard touchdown on the team's last possession of the first half. The 35-year-old later scored on a QB sneak and found Van Jefferson in the end zone from four yards out. Although Justin Fields led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start, it seems Wilson will be the starter moving forward after a convincing win in which the Steelers scored 31 unanswered points. Fantasy managers can view him as a QB2 option heading into a Week 8 meeting with the New York Giants.

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Jordan Mason Oct 20 11:10pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason was mostly held in check by the Kansas City Chiefs in a 28-18 home loss on Sunday. He ran for 58 yards on 14 carries and caught both of his targets for 11 yards. A large chunk of his yardage came on a 26-yard third-quarter run. Mason also had a couple of nice runs called back by holding penalties and was something of a game-script victim with the 49ers falling behind 14-3 early. Coming into the game, Mason was the second-leading rusher in the NFL and should have better days ahead of him until Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) returns. Unless CMC surprises everybody and comes back next week, Mason will look to get back on track against a porous Dallas Cowboys run defense at home on Sunday Night Football.

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Brock Purdy Oct 20 11:00pm ET
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a rough day at the office in a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Purdy finished with 17 completions on 31 attempts for 212 yards, no passing touchdowns, and three interceptions. Overall, it was a sloppy performance but Purdy's day was saved in fantasy with a couple of touchdowns on quarterback sneaks. He finished with eight rushes for 27 yards and the two scores. Although a substandard Purdy made his share of mistakes, it didn't help that he was without receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) for most of the game. Looking ahead, Purdy will probably slip in weekly rankings if Aiyuk has suffered an ACL tear as feared, at least until rookie receivers Ricky Pearsall and/or Jacob Cowing prove reliable. A return by Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) at some point would help buoy Purdy's value. Purdy gets the Dallas Cowboys at home next Sunday night.

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