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.
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 11
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson has yet to find the amount of success he enjoyed when catching passes from Andy Dalton earlier this season. Head coach John Harbaugh did say that Johnson's involvement would be ramped up, but the Ravens have a tougher matchup in Week 11. They take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson's former team, who are one of the tougher defenses against opposing passing games. Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Rashod Bateman have all been big pieces to this offense, so it's still unknown how Johnson fits into the mix. He could be a flex play in very deep leagues, but he's not much of a trustworthy option.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews delivered a vintage performance in Week 10 while Isaiah Likely was sidelined. He finished as the TE1 on the week and had an 87% snap share. In Week 11, Likely has been cleared to return and the Ravens take on their long-time rival the Pittsburgh Steelers. Andrews has gone up against the Steelers nine times in his career and has yet to find the end zone. He averages 50.7 yards and just shy of five receptions per game. The Steelers are currently around the middle of the pack against tight ends and allow 8.5 fantasy points per contest. Andrews' biggest question mark will be his snap share with Likely back which is why he hovers around the lower part of TE1 territory.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason will back up All-Pro Christian McCaffrey in a Week 11 home date with the Seattle Seahawks. Mason was found money in fantasy in the early part of the year, performing like an RB1 with McCaffrey (Achilles) sidelined. That was until Mason struggled with a shoulder injury of his own and ceded snaps to rookie Isaac Guerendo. Last week as predicted, the return of McCaffrey was near-absolute, even in his first game back. Mason and Guerendo each received one carry and no targets. It was proof that head coach Kyle Shanahan's idea of easing his starter back from a lengthy absence doesn't include significant involvement from his other running backs. CMC is the bell cow, making Mason no more than a bench stash in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is looking to bounce back after a disappointing outing but will have a tough matchup to do so. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the tougher defenses against opposing quarterbacks and passing offenses. They're 23rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers in half-PPR formats. Flowers will likely matchup with Beanie Bishop Jr. who has allowed the most receiving touchdowns out of the Steelers' corners, but only allows an average depth of target of 6.8 yards. The speedy wideout carries WR2 value going into this matchup.
From RotoBaller
The San Francisco 49ers D/ST unit will look to give the division-rival Seattle Seahawks a rude welcome to Santa Clara on Sunday. The 49ers are the sixth-most productive unit among fantasy D/STs. Seattle's offense shouldn't pose too much of a challenge, ranking as the ninth-best team in the NFL by yardage and 15th-best by points scored. The Seahawks have struggled taking care of the ball, tied for seventh in giveaways. They are also allowing 3.1 sacks per game, which is also tied for seventh-worst. San Francisco's best defensive weapon Nick Bosa (hip) is truly questionable though, telling the San Francisco Chronicle mid-week that "it's going to be close". Cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal) will miss his second consecutive game. Seattle's offense will be missing tight end Noah Fant (groin), but wideout DK Metcalf (knee) is set to return. The Niners' D holds the No. 5 spot in RotoBaller's Week 11 rankings.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been nothing short of amazing this season and has propelled the offense to new heights. Even though Saquon Barkley is the current rushing leader after Thursday night, Henry has two more touchdowns, a higher yards per attempt average, and sits at RB1 on the season. In Week 11, he'll go up against the Pittsburgh Steelers who give up an average of 19.0 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields in half-PPR formats. They've allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league and only seven rushing touchdowns all season. Henry still boasts RB1 potential, however, because the Steelers are more stout against the passing game, so the game plan will likely go through the backfield.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody will kickoff to the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 11 home matchup on Sunday. Last week, Moody had fantasy managers pulling their hair out, as they watched the second-year pro miss three consecutive field goals (49, 50, 44) before hitting the game-winner from 44. In 2023, Moody went through a stretch where he missed three of five attempts, including a potential game-winner in Cleveland, which had some in the media speculating about his job security. He would recover though, only missing two the rest of the way. San Francisco is sticking with the 2023 third-rounder once again. Hopefully, Moody can right the ship and demonstrate that last week's misses were a product of rust in his first game back from an ankle injury that took a month to heal. Seattle's defense is in the bottom third of the league, so Moody should get opportunities to put up points. He's a top-5 option in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has picked apart almost every team in the NFL throughout his career. One team, however, has been a constant thorn in his side and it happens to be their biggest rival the Pittsburgh Steelers. In six career games against them, he has a 2-4 record and has accumulated 870 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions on 78-for-132 throwing with 262 yards on 53 carries. While he has struggled mightily against them, he remains a must-start fantasy asset because he's never faced them with as good of an offense as this one. His potential is always through the roof, but he could end up as a low-end QB1 since he has never scored more than 17 fantasy points against the Steelers.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will line up against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 at home. The rookie out of Florida scored his first NFL touchdown last week in Tampa on a 46-yard catch-and-run to the pylon, part of a six-target, four-reception, 73-yard performance. The matchup for Pearsall is enticing, with Seattle allowing the 11th-most WR half-PPR points per game. The problem with Pearsall as a starting option, however, is that he's stuck in the 49ers' third-receiver role for now, which has been mostly fantasy-irrelevant in recent years. Teammate Jauan Jennings has grabbed hold of Brandon Aiyuk's outside receiver role, as evidenced by Jennings' 11 targets in Week 10. With Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) back in action, Pearsall is just the latest example of the too-many-mouths-to-feed problem in San Francisco during the Brock Purdy era. Pearsall looks like a quality NFL receiver with big-play potential, but target insecurity makes him a very risky WR4/FLEX play for now.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis has had his moments in his first year in the NFL, but he'll be a low-upside deep-league flex option for fantasy managers in a Week 11 showdown against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs and their stingy defense. Not only will Davis continue to have limited volume behind lead back James Cook, but the Chiefs defense has allowed the fewest half-PPR fantasy points to RBs through 10 weeks in 2024. The 25-year-old played only 11 of the team's 74 offensive snaps in the Week 10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, finishing with three carries for six yards. Davis is an explosive back and is one of the better stashes at the position in fantasy, especially if you have Cook rostered, but in terms of weekly value, he leaves a lot to be desired with limited usage. He's averaging 4.2 yards per carry on 64 attempts for 268 yards and two TDs in his first 10 NFL games.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is coming off his bye week and will continue to serve as the backup to Kenneth Walker III for a big divisional game in Week 11 on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. In the Week 9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Charbonnet saw only two rushing attempts for eight yards and caught two of his three targets for 25 yards. The 49ers defense hasn't been as strong as recent seasons and they have allowed the 13th-most half-PPR points per game to RBs this year, but as long as Walker is healthy in Seattle's backfield, Charbonnet is only going to be provided with scraps. The 23-year-old is a great handcuff for those that have Walker rostered, but there's little standalone fantasy value to speak of. In the first meeting against San Fran on Oct. 10, Charbonnet had five carries for 20 yards and caught his only target for a 15-yard gain.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns elevated wide receiver Kadarius Toney from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster for Sunday's Week 11 contest versus the New Orleans Saints. Toney will be making his 2024 debut if he's active for Sunday's contest in the Big Easy. The 25-year-old former first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2021 hasn't lived up to his draft stock, mainly due to nagging lower-body injuries. If active for Week 11, Toney will provide the Browns with receiving depth behind Cedric Tillman, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore while competing for playing time with Jaelon Darden and rookie Jamari Thrash. Toney missed over a month earlier this season due to an undisclosed injury but appears to be fully healthy for now. He's unlikely to be on the field for many snaps in his first game in 2024.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. will face the Seattle Seahawks for the eighth career time in a Week 11 divisional matchup. Samuel Sr. has had more good games than bad against Seattle over the years, including Week 6 this season when he had 117 total yards and a touchdown. Less encouragingly, the game mentioned above was the last time Samuel Sr. exceeded half-PPR projections. Before that, you'd have to go back to Week 2, and he's averaged 5.2 targets and 2.7 carries per game since then. It's not like San Francisco hasn't been passing either, see Jauan Jennings' 11 targets last week. Samuel Sr. has been injured off-and-on this season, perhaps nagging injuries are playing a role. Still, the 28-year-old is just as likely as anyone to rip off a big play, and the 10 half-PPR points he's put up in each of the past two weeks aren't horrible. Seattle has allowed the 11th-most points per game to fantasy receivers. Samuel Sr. checks in on Sunday at the WR1/2 border.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas was a more attractive deep-league flex option the last three weeks with Tee Higgins (quadriceps) sidelined, but with Higgins returning for the Sunday night game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11, he'll lose most of his streaming appeal. It's not like Iosivas really made a ton of noise in the three games that Higgins missed anyway, as he combined for three receptions on 11 targets for 39 yards and one touchdown in Weeks 8-10. The 25-year-old was talked up in training camp this summer and already has matched a career-high with four touchdown grabs, but he's had a difficult time standing out otherwise as the No. 3 behind Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. Iosivas is outside the top 50 at his position through 10 weeks and should be avoided on Sunday night with Higgins returning against a stout Chargers defense.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks comes off his bye week to face a tough Chicago Bears defense on the road on Sunday in Week 11. The Bears secondary has allowed the third-fewest half-PPR points to opposing receivers in 2024, so the Packers passing attack could struggle to move the ball consistently this weekend. Wicks, meanwhile, will hope to contribute something after going catchless on three targets in the Week 9 loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions. He does have four touchdowns on the season, but he has only eclipsed 50 receiving yards in a game once in nine games and not since Sept. 29 against the Minnesota Vikings. The 23-year-old has 16 receptions for 192 total yards and is outside the top-50 wideout in average fantasy points per game. Wicks profiles as a low-upside, touchdown-dependent flex option in deeper fantasy leagues against Chicago.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson comes off his bye week to face the division-rival Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday in Week 11. Before the bye, Watson led the team with seven targets and hauled in three of them for 37 yards in the Week 9 loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions. The 25-year-old saw 13 targets in the two games before the bye, which equaled the number of targets he saw in the first six games of the year. Jayden Reed is easily the most trustworthy fantasy wideout in a crowded Packers receiving corps because of his frequent involvement as a rusher as well. It was good to see Watson get more involved in the last two games, but he's likely to remain a volatile boom/bust, touchdown-dependent WR4/flex against a Bears defense that has allowed the third-fewest half-PPR points to receivers this year.
From RotoBaller
The Las Vegas Raiders activated tight end Michael Mayer (personal) from the Non-Football Illness list on Saturday before the Week 11 contest on Sunday on the road against the Miami Dolphins. It's a big lift for the Raiders offensively, but Mayer is a poor TE2 streamer given the team's offensive struggles this year under quarterback Gardner Minshew II. Mayer has also taken a clear back seat to impressive rookie tight end Brock Bowers in 2024. The 23-year-old was listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report, so he still isn't a lock to suit up on Sunday, although being activated from the NFI list is a good sign for his availability this weekend. Mayer hasn't played since the Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers and hasn't even reached 2.0 half-PPR points in his three games played in 2024. He only has four catches on seven targets for 21 yards this year.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) returned to a full practice on Friday and was removed from the final Week 11 injury report, so he will be available this Sunday night to face the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. Edwards returned in the Week 10 win over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday after missing the previous four games with his ankle injury and played only 15 offensive snaps while carrying the ball 10 times for 55 yards. The 29-year-old should have a bigger role in his second game back, but he's not relied on in the passing game and will remain the clear backup to J.K. Dobbins, making him impossible to rely on as a starter in fantasy lineups. Unless Dobbins goes down with an injury, Edwards is mostly a deep-league handcuff. After scoring a career-high 13 TDs last year in Baltimore, Edwards has 48 carries for 168 yards and no scores in five games with the Bolts.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little is not a great fantasy kicking option this week against the Detroit Lions. After the Jaguars offense scored just seven points last week against the Minnesota Vikings and Little scored just one fantasy point, it is hard to imagine things will be much different this week with Mac Jones still starting at quarterback. The rookie kicker has also scored one fantasy point each of the last two weeks, so in general, expectations should be low. Unless the Jaguars can somehow move the ball enough to get field goal attempts against a good Lions defense, Little shouldn't be expected to produce much more than he has recently. It is best to bet against Little from a fantasy perspective in Week 11 against the Lions.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson could get some opportunities to produce this week against the Detroit Lions. With Tank Bigsby out with an ankle injury, Johnson should serve as the clear backup to Travis Etienne Jr. While the Jaguars have used multiple backs for most of the season, that is mostly due to Etienne Jr.'s previous season performances and Bigsby's emergence this season. In the weeks when Etienne Jr. missed due to injury, Johnson didn't produce much. He did do decent against the Patriots in Week 6, producing 70 total yards on 12 touches. However, the Patriots have been one of the worst run defenses this season, while the Lions have been one of the better run defenses this season. Unless Johnson gets involved in the passing game, he is nothing more than a desperate fantasy option in Week 11 against the Lions.
From RotoBaller