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.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was the offensive star for the Packers in their 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil on Friday night. Reed took a jet sweep for a 33-yard touchdown early in the second quarter and then caught a 70-yard touchdown just a few minutes later on the next Packers' possession. As the most dynamic playmaker for the Packers, Reed was a menace all over the field and was second on the team in targets next to Romeo Doubs. Reed is off to a great start to his second season in green and gold and is primed to build off of a rookie campaign that saw him score 10 touchdowns and put up over 900 yards from scrimmage. The Packers play the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 and Reed should be considered a low-end WR2 in fantasy as long as Jordan Love is the starting quarterback, as Love left the game late in Week 1 with a leg injury.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk will make his NFL debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. A second-round pick out of the University of Washington, Polk could open the year as New England's No. 2 wide receiver. As the preseason wrapped up, both he and K.J. Osborn were competing for that role with Demario Douglas in line to serve as the No. 1 receiver. It's possible that Osborn draws the start given his experience in the NFL, but there's no denying that Polk flashed real potential this summer and will be on Osborn's heels, at the very least. Polk should be rostered in most dynasty leagues but lacks redraft appeal, especially with the Patriots projected to finish last in the NFL this year.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown looked good in the Week 1 win over the Packers. While the field conditions in Brazil weren't ideal, the wideout still had a stellar outing, leading his team in receiving by amassing five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Brown received a lucrative three-year, $96 million contract extension this offseason after piecing together back-to-back 1,400-yard receiving seasons. Without question, fantasy managers were certainly pleased with his performance on Friday night. With a win, Philadelphia will head home to await the Atlanta Falcons for a Week 2, Monday Night Football matchup. Of course, Brown should remain starting in any fantasy format imaginable.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs put together a modest fantasy effort in the Packers' 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil on Friday night. Doubs led the Packers in targets with seven, catching four of those targets for 50 yards. Of the group of wide receivers, Doubs ran the most routes on the team and also led the receivers with an 87% snap share, per Nathan Jahnke of PFF. Even though Doubs ran the most routes and earned the most snaps, he's still a bit of a risky proposition to start in fantasy, especially with a potential Jordan Love injury at the end of Week 1 to factor in. The utilization for Doubs makes him a bit safer as a player you know will be on the field a ton, but with that safety comes the fact that Doubs was a bit touchdown-dependent last season. Consider Doubs a low-end WR3 for fantasy in Week 2 if Love is the starter at quarterback.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs finished his first game with the Packers in bounce-back fashion in their Week 1 34-29 loss to the Eagles in Brazil. Jacobs had a nightmare first half where he had six carries for just four yards on the ground. Jacobs' second half was excellent as he reeled off a few nice runs including a 32-yard scamper in the fourth quarter as he finished with 84 yards rushing on 16 carries, while catching 2-of-3 targets for 20 yards on the night. Carrying the rushing volume for the Packers to the tune of 80% of the carries in the backfield, Jacobs was relied upon as the workhorse with MarShawn Lloyd ruled inactive and Emanuel Wilson seeing four carries. Against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, Jacobs should be a high-end RB2, but if Jordan Love's injury at the end of the game forces somebody else other than Love to start at quarterback, Jacobs' fantasy value would take a bit of a tumble.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts helped guide his team to a win over the Packers on Friday night. The field conditions in Brazil weren't favorable. Yet, the signal-caller still put together an acceptable showing for fantasy managers, throwing for 278 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks off 20-for-34 passing. He added 13 carries for 33 yards. With Jason Kelce now retired, Hurts had issues getting on the same page as center Cam Jurgens, resulting in some botched snaps. However, things will likely get sorted out ahead of the Eagles Week 2 meeting with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. With that said, Hurts will remain a must-start in all fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas has generated some buzz as a potential fantasy starter in deeper leagues for Week 1. As the Patriots prepare for battle against the Cincinnati Bengals, quarterback Jacoby Brissett will likely be looking for reliable options in the passing attack, including Douglas. Brissett will have very little time to throw behind the porous offensive line. Therefore, he could connect early and often with Douglas, who typically runs shorter routes and can be a reliable presence over the middle. Douglas won't rack up major yardage, but he could be a PPR darling with the amount of targets he gets Sunday, especially if the Patriots are playing from behind (as expected). With that said, a lack of bye weeks and injuries this early in the season has left plenty of appealing options at the wide receiver position, lowering Douglas' ranking. He's the top fantasy receiver in New England, though, and is best viewed as a low-end FLEX play in deeper leagues this week.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had a stellar showing in the 34-29 win over the Packers in Brazil. Making his debut with the Eagles on Friday night, Barkley ran the ball 24 times, amassing 109 yards while finding the end zone twice. It didn't end there, with the former Giant catching both targets for 23 yards and a touchdown. The veteran signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles this offseason after spending his entire career with the Giants. His talent has never been questioned. However, he'll need to stay healthy, which has been an issue in the past. With a win in the books, the Eagles will fly home for some rest before preparing for a Week 2 Monday Night Football showdown with the Atlanta Falcons. As always, Barkley would is considered a must-start in all fantasy formats for that one.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett is gearing up for his second stint with the team. He'll draw the start for New England in Week 1 but remains off the radar in most fantasy leagues. His below-average play coupled with the Patriots' weak pass-catching group lowers Brissett's floor, as well as his upside. He also has a tough matchup against an up-and-coming Cincinnati Bengals defense that finished with the eighth-most interceptions in the NFL last year. If you're a fantasy manager who waited to select a quarterback until the very end of your draft in 2-QB leagues, maybe you should consider Brissett. Otherwise, though, he has a bleak outlook this week and should be treated as one of the least preferable QB options in fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has more fantasy football allure than the rest of his teammates heading into a Week 1 clash with the Cincinnati Bengals. While the Patriots have a very bleak outlook in general this year, there's still an opportunity for players like Stevenson to see decent volume. That starts this week against a Bengals defense that allowed the ninth-most rushing touchdowns and the 12th-most rushing yards to running backs in 2023. Stevenson will lose some touches to Antonio Gibson, but he's still the No. 1 back in this offense and has workhorse potential. He has also consistently shown his value as a runner, receiver, and blocker, which should allow him to get on the field and earn reps in all types of situations this year. He ranks as a low-end RB2, but managers should expect reduced touchdown opportunities with the Patriots projected to finish as the worst team in the NFL this year.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense/special teams was great for fantasy purposes last season and will kick off the 2024 campaign in Atlanta against the Falcons. The Steelers allowed the eighth-fewest points in the NFL in 2023, and although the Falcons scored just under 19 points per contest, Atlanta's offense should be much improved this season with Kirk Cousins under center. Nonetheless, Sunday will be Cousins' first game action since tearing his Achilles last October and it may take some time for the new-look Falcons offense to find its rhythm. The Steelers boast the most expensive defense in the league and have the talent to show for it. Fantasy managers should feel confident rolling with the Steelers D/ST in their lineups this week.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (undisclosed) exited Friday's meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles. The signal-caller played most of the contest. However, he took a hit with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and needed help off the field due to what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Love would finish the night by throwing for 260 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick off 17-for-34 passing before being replaced by Malik Willis, who failed to connect on his only pass attempt. Without question, fantasy managers will anxiously await an update on his condition. Fortunately, the Packers have time before the Week 2 matchup with the Colts. With that in mind, there should be word on Love's injury soon.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a solid starting option against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. The Miami defense was below league-average against quarterbacks in fantasy last season and lost some pieces on defense, making for a solid opening matchup for the Jaguars quarterback. Lawrence finished as the QB13 in fantasy points per game last season, and expectations for this season are around the same level. The Clemson product's weaponry includes returning top options and intriguing new faces. Once again, Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, and Travis Etienne Jr. should be reliable options in the short and intermediate passing game. Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. were brought in to stretch the field more, replacing Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones. The receiving core will look a bit different this season, meaning it may be smartest to wait and see how Lawrence does in Week 1 before trusting him as a fantasy starter. However, fantasy managers can do much worse with their starting QB and should expect a solid floor and solid ceiling out of Lawrence in their Week 1 lineup.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was extremely steady in 2023 and will hope to find success against the Atlanta Falcons in the first contest of his 10th professional season. Atlanta allowed nearly 22 points per game and gave up the third-most fantasy points to opposing kickers last year. Boswell could provide fantasy value in this matchup, but it is difficult to predict how the Steelers will fare in their first game under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and with quarterback Russell Wilson's (calf) status in limbo. Boswell can be considered in a pinch but fantasy managers would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach with Pittsburgh's offense.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields may see the field sooner than anticipated in a Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Mike Tomlin hinted at a potential package for the 25-year-old last week, but Fields could be in line to draw the start on Sunday with Russell Wilson (calf) limited on Friday and highly questionable to suit up. Even in his first start as a Steeler, Fields should immediately be considered amongst the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks. The Falcons surrendered plenty of production to opposing quarterbacks in 2023 and Fields has averaged nearly 19 fantasy points per game over the past two years. Fantasy managers that opted to pass on the early-round quarterbacks should add Fields and monitor the status of Wilson heading into Sunday. Fields' abilities as a runner give him a safe floor and high ceiling as a starting-caliber fantasy QB1 when under center.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth just secured a long-term extension and will look to carry positive momentum into a Week 1 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. There are many questions surrounding the new-look Steelers offense, including who will start at quarterback on Sunday, but Freiermuth could nonetheless be in line for a productive outing. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been known to heavily feature tight ends and Atlanta surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to the position last season. Freiermuth may not offer the same upside as many of the elite tight ends, but fantasy managers who drafted him shouldn't go searching the waiver wire to replace him in this matchup. He projects as a top-15 option and is especially viable in PPR formats.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas found the end zone four times as a rookie. As a result, many expect him to get more involved in the offense this season, especially with Tyler Boyd no longer on the roster. However, his level of involvement could increase even more in the Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots. Ja'Marr Chase (not injury-related) and Tee Higgins (hamstring) aren't a lock to suit up. If that's the case, Joe Burrow (wrist) could look in Iosivas' direction more than initially anticipated, potentially giving him value as a flex option in deeper fantasy setups. But first, Chase and Higgins will officially need to be ruled out.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (toe) scored twice in the preseason. Yet, it's logical to assume it will still take him at least a year or two before he's consistently relevant for fantasy managers. With that said, Ja'Marr Chase (not injury-related) and Tee Higgins (hamstring) may not be available for the Week 1 opener versus the New England Patriots. If that's the case, the rookie could see more snaps than anticipated, assuming he's cleared to suit up. Granted, Burton will need to compete primarily with Trenton Irwin and Andrei Iosivas for the attention of Joe Burrow. Still, fantasy managers in 12-team leagues and up should keep Burton on the back burner in the event Chase and Higgins are both ruled out.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson will face off against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, in Week 1. Jefferson has flashed potential since entering the league in 2020 and begins his fifth professional season with an opportunity to become the WR2 in Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old impressed throughout camp and drew praise from the Steelers' coaching staff all summer. Unfortunately, he'll have his work cut out for him on Sunday against a Falcons defense that limited wideouts to the sixth-fewest fantasy points in the NFL last season. Jefferson's role in new play-caller Arthur Smith's offense is worth monitoring but he is best left on fantasy waiver wires for now.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington (quad) has been officially ruled out for the team's home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Washington was able to practice Wednesday and Thursday in a limited fashion, but a downgrade for Friday's practice will sideline him for Week 1. Unfortunately, the explosive rookie's debut will be delayed -- and, as of now, the timetable for his return is unclear. It's ill-fated news for the sixth-round pick as there is a window for him to make his case as the Dolphins' WR3 with Odell Beckham Jr. and River Cracraft to miss the season's first four games while on the PUP. Braxton Berrios will work as Miami's third wideout for the majority of the matchup, with Grant DuBose mixing in to give him a break. Receivers Anthony Schwartz and Tahj Washington are also on IR, leaving the Fins with just four healthy wide receivers.
From RotoBaller