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FFL: Week 10 | NFL: Week 10

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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10

Player Notes
Christian McCaffrey Nov 10 11:20pm ET
Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey made his 2024 debut in a 23-20 victory in Tampa over the Buccaneers on Sunday. In a bit of a fantasy disappointment to managers waiting for a return on their first-round investment, McCaffrey took 13 carries for 37 yards rushing and caught six of seven targets for 68 yards receiving. Credit should go to Tampa Bay's ground defense for consistently bottling up San Francisco's rushing attack. If not for one 13-yard rush, McCaffrey would have averaged 2.2 yards per carry. Still, today's game represents the floor for a healthy McCaffrey. Importantly for CMC managers who remain in the playoff hunt, there were no signs of a setback with the dual Achilles tendinitis that held him out until today. McCaffrey did come off the field a few times, probably due to some combination of the Florida heat and his conditioning, but he only ceded two carries to his backups. Assuming he came away unscathed, McCaffrey is a must-start in Week 11 versus Seattle.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 22-of-35 passes for 151 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: This is about as bad as it gets for the Jets and Rodgers, who are now 3-7 on the season and a team quickly fading into irrelevance. Rodgers himself just hasn't looked like himself on the year and now has just 2,258 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season. He also had a costly fumble at the three yard line that turned the game on its head. The Jets were listless on the day and it's fair to wonder what we can expect from this group moving forward. Rodgers is a QB2 right now with a dynasty value that's really hit the skids.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Davante Adams Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Davante Adams

Dynasty | Jets wide receiver Davante Adams had six catches for 31 yards in the Jets loss to Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: Adams was targeted 13 times (seven more than any other Jets player), but that resulted in meager results. The Jets simply look lost and the addition of Adams looks now like a desperation play that's going to fail to turn anything around. He'll continue to be a volume based option, but it's going to be at "boom or bust" WR2 levels at best. It's hard to see Adams being a huge difference maker the rest of the way and while he could be a target for dynasty managers who are contending, he's also one poised to disappoint each and every one of them.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Trey Lance Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Trey Lance

Dynasty | Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush completed 13-of-23 passes for 45 yards in a blowout loss to Philadelphia. Dynasty Analysis: Yikes. This was about as bad as it gets and Rush was eventually replaced by Trey Lance. The Cowboys offense was only able to muster 146 total yards, and that was with the Eagles defense resting virtually the entire fourth quarter. We'll see where the Cowboys turn moving forward, but it would be no surprise to see a 3-6 Dallas team turn to Lance to see if he has anything to give them the rest of the way. Rush has no dynasty value at this point, especially after this disaster.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

CeeDee Lamb Nov 10 11:13pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

Dynasty | Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 21 yards in a loss to Philadelphia. Dynasty Analysis: Ugh. The Cowboys are a total disaster and regardless of his immense talent, Lamb just isn't going to be able to overcome this most weeks. Today was clearly a disappointing one as he was targeted ten times but just couldn't break off anything of substance. Lamb is going to be a WR2 option unless one of the Dallas quarterbacks can show some semblance of rhythm moving forward. It's quickly looking like a lost season for anyone with a star on their helmet.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Will Levis Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Will Levis

Dynasty | Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley had five catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Ridley now has 32 targets over his last three games after complaining about his role in the offense. While his production is bound to be spotty (he has just one 100-yard game this year), the Titans have little choice but to get him the ball. On the plus side, Will Levis did look a lot better today than he has in most weeks, so there's that. Ridley will be a plus WR2 moving forward and his dynasty value has evened out over the past couple of weeks.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Gus Edwards Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Gus Edwards

Dynasty | Chargers running back JK Dobbins had 50 rushing yards, three catches and five receiving yards in a win against Tennessee. Dynasty Analysis: Dobbins has had a great start to the year, but he shared the load with Gus Edwards today and that's going to be a major concern moving forward. If the Chargers make this more of a committee again, this could be a major problem moving forward for dynasty managers. Dobbins is going to be a sketchy play until we see how Los Angeles is going utilize these players moving forward.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Will Levis Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Will Levis

Dynasty | Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18-of-23 passes for 175 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Levis and the Titans lost the game, but this was about as good as he's looked all season. With the Titans at 2-7, you can bet the second half of the season will be used to evaluate Levis more than anything else. He passed the test today, but has to string together some good games moving forward to really create any buzz amongst dynasty managers. At this point, the Titans look to be a team looking for a new start in the 2025 NFL Draft, but Levis will at least have some say in that. He remains a player worth holding, but he's hardly a sure thing at this point.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Chris Olave Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Chris Olave

Dynasty | Saints receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling had three catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in a win against Atlanta. Dynasty Analysis: Well, OK then. MVS is traditionally pretty streaky and this one came out of nowhere. The challenge here is the fact he did all his damage on only three catches and three targets. A boom or bust player if there ever was one, he'll look to keep things going on a team in dire need of pass catchers with Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave both on the shelf. MVS is roster worthy, but we're going to see a lot more before recommending him in lineups.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Audric Estime Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Audric Estime

Dynasty | Broncos running back Javonte Williams had one rushing yard, two catches and six receiving yards in a loss to Kansas City. Dynasty Analysis: Meanwhile, Audric Estime had 14 carries in the game. It's hard to say if this is going to be a permanent move to the rookie, but Williams saw just 16 snaps in a game that was close all the way through. Sean Payton is notoriously hard to read, but Williams should be on fantasy benches moving forward until it shakes out. His dynasty value is starting to tank and today may speed that up.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Caleb Williams Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Caleb Williams

Dynasty | Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 16-of-30 passes for 120 yards in a loss to the Patriots. Dynasty Analysis: The Bears clearly have not gotten over the hail mary defeat that was inflicted on them against Washington two weeks ago and this was rock bottom for their season. Williams led a listless offense that put up only 142 total yards on the day against a team that came in at 2-7 on the season. Williams himself looks like a player who is hitting the rookie wall a little early and despite his 30 attempts, he was only able to post those 120 yards. He won't be a recommended option moving forward and while he has shown some flashes, dynasty managers need to see more from him moving forward to build around him.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Drake Maye Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Drake Maye

Dynasty | Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye completed 15-of-25 passes for 184 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a win against Chicago. Dynasty Analysis: Oddly enough, Maye didn't have to do too much against a Bears team that looks like they're stuck in molasses at the moment. For his part, Maye did make some plays here and there but also simply minimized mistakes. He's certainly had some bright spots this year and while today won't light up the fantasy scoreboard, it looks like he's a future QB2 in dynasty leagues at worst.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Darnell Mooney Nov 10 11:10pm ET
Darnell Mooney

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney was targeted 10 times on Sunday, catching five passes for 96 yards in the 20-17 loss to the Saints. The 27-year-old has caught five passes in three of the last four games and went over 86 yards receiving for the fifth time this season. Despite not finding the end zone, the fifth-year pro remains highly productive in this Atlanta offense, especially in PPR formats. The former fifth-round draft pick has 684 yards receiving thus far, which is sixth-most in the NFL and 35 more than teammate Drake London (649), while finding paydirt five times. Week 11 poses a challenge, however, as the Falcons travel to Denver against a strong pass defense. Mooney projects as a WR2 in that matchup.

From RotoBaller

Kyler Murray Nov 10 11:00pm ET
Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was sensational in the Cardinals' 31-6 victory over the New York Jets. Murray's official stat line was 22/24 for 266 passing yards and one passing touchdown while adding 21 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Murray had very few negative plays and operated the Cardinals' offense with elite efficiency, helping to end the game early. Murray and rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. got back on track, connecting for a 9-yard touchdown reception. With the Cardinals' offense firing on all cylinders and a favorable upcoming schedule, Kyler Murray is a must-start for the foreseeable future. However, fantasy managers must look to other options in Week 11, when the Cardinals are on a bye.

From RotoBaller

Sam LaPorta Nov 10 11:00pm ET
Sam LaPorta

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) suffered a shoulder injury in the Sunday night game against the Houston Texans and is considered questionable to return in the second half. The good news for LaPorta's fantasy managers is that the 23-year-old second-year tight end already had a season-high 66 receiving yards on three receptions with his third touchdown of the season before injuring his shoulder. The Texans' defense has made it a point to limit top Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown on Sunday night, which has led to LaPorta being wide open for several big gains on the evening. It's unclear how serious LaPorta's injury is or if it will put him in danger of missing the Week 11 contest next Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If LaPorta ends up missing any time with his shoulder injury, Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra will see more snaps, with Wright being the better pass-catching option.

From RotoBaller

Adonai Mitchell Nov 10 10:50pm ET
Adonai Mitchell

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell capitalized on the absence of Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 10, snaring all six of his targets for 71 yards in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Bills. The six catches and the yardage total were both easily season-highs for the rookie wideout who had two catches or less in eight of nine games coming into Sunday. The Colts selected him in the second round of this year's draft and after this performance, another solid week could be in the cards for the 22-year-old should Pittman miss another week. It could be tough to replicate though in Week 11 as the Colts face the Jets in the Meadowlands next Sunday, a pass defense that has been superb at limiting production to pass catchers. The product out of the University of Texas should be on the WR4/5 map if Pittman misses another week.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Nov 10 10:10pm ET
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith reeled in 2-of-3 targets for 14 yards in the team's 34-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Smith wasn't called on to do much in this one -- nor was much of the Eagles' offense -- as no other pass-catcher but fellow wideout A.J. Brown recorded more than 27 yards receiving. Quarterback Jalen Hurts combined for four total touchdowns on the afternoon while the Cowboys could not muster an iota of offense. If fantasy managers can find any solace in the subpar performance, the Alabama product was tied for second on the team in targets with tight end Dallas Goedert. Smith should be used more frequently his next time out when Philadelphia faces off against their division-rival Washington Commanders at home this Thursday night.

From RotoBaller

Jalen McMillan Nov 10 10:00pm ET
Jalen McMillan

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan was banged up heading into this game, but ended up being active ahead of this Week 10 contest. However, fantasy managers might not have noticed McMillan was active given his performance. The rookie wideout finished with a goose egg as he wasn't targeted in the loss to the San Francisco 49ers. This is not a good sign given the Bucs are already limited at the wideout spot. It shows that the Bucs don't have much faith in their third-round rookie. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should hold McMillan, but he looks like a drop-candidate everywhere else.

From RotoBaller

Alec Pierce Nov 10 10:00pm ET
Alec Pierce

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce caught two garbage-time passes on the Colts' final drive, including a 10-yard touchdown reception, giving him four catches for 81 yards and a score in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Bills. In Michael Pittman Jr.'s (back) absence, Pierce tied a season-high in targets with seven, and the TD was his fourth of the season -- although just his first since Week 5. As of now, Pittman is considered week-to-week, so keep an eye on his status, as that could again mean a few extra targets for Pierce in Week 11 should Pittman miss another game. Regardless, Pierce is always a threat to score on a deep ball given his speed, but in Week 11, the 24-year-old will have to do it against a strong Jets pass defense, putting him in the WR4/5 range again.

From RotoBaller

Quincy Williams Nov 10 10:00pm ET
Quincy Williams

The New York Jets defense was blown out by the Arizona Cardinals in a 31-6 loss in Week 10 on Sunday. New York managed just one sack and was unable to force any turnovers as they fell down 24-6 at halftime. The Jets got their lone sack from Quincy Williams in the blowout loss. New York's defense will look to bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11.

From RotoBaller