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FFL: Week 2 | NFL: Week 2

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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Fantasy Preview: Week 2

Player Notes
Marquise Brown Sep 13 11:40am ET
Marquise Brown

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve on Friday. The veteran receiver suffered a shoulder injury early in the preseason. After missing the Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Brown was expected to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Unfortunately, he needs surgery to repair the injury. With Brown going on injured reserve, the Chiefs will be without their big-name free-agent addition for at least the next four games, if not longer. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy will continue to see an uptick in targets and snaps with Brown out of the lineup.

From RotoBaller

Devon Achane Sep 13 11:30am ET
Devon Achane

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane rushed 22 times for 96 yards and scored in Thursday night's 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He had an additional 69 yards through the air, catching all seven of his targets. With Raheem Mostert (chest) sidelined for the matchup, the second-year back received 29 touches as Mike McDaniel's clear lead-back. Achane played 62% of snaps and was largely effective despite Miami having trouble getting their offense on track against a Bills' team that looked like they had something to prove. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) was forced to exit the game early after a scary-looking collision with defender Damar Hamlin. He's day-to-day for now, with Tagovailoa to undergo further testing to determine the severity of his injury. If he cannot go in Week 3, Skylar Thompson will suit up for Miami's first road game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. Achane would tick down the rankings if that were the case, but would still be a strong play on the back of his athleticism and projected volume.

From RotoBaller

Deshaun Watson Sep 13 10:40am ET
Deshaun Watson

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense/special teams unit is a great starting option in Week 2 against Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns. The Browns offense looked out of sorts in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys defense, who scored 17 fantasy points, aided by a punt return touchdown. The Jaguars limited the high-powered Miami Dolphins offense to just 20 points, but only produced four fantasy points. The key to a great fantasy outing for the Jaguars D/ST will be to generate sacks and turnovers. The Browns will likely try to run the ball as much as possible to limit the Jacksonville pass rush, so making the most of the plays Watson drops back to pass is important. The Cowboys mustered six sacks against the Browns, meaning the Jaguars have a good chance of generating sacks of their own. Add on a pick-six or return touchdown, and the Jaguars D/ST has the potential to put up double-digits in Week 2.

From RotoBaller

Skylar Thompson Sep 13 10:30am ET
Skylar Thompson

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson entered Thursday night's game near the end of the third quarter when Tua Tagovailoa left the game with a concussion. Thompson completed eight of his 14 passing attempts for 80 yards and one carry for four yards. While the team evaluates Tagovailoa further on Monday, head coach Mike McDaniel said that Thompson is the "next man up." The amount of time that Tagovailoa will have to miss is still to be determined, so we'll see how the offensive game plan might change accordingly. Thompson last appeared in seven games for the Dolphins in 2022 and he posted 534 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions on 60-for-105 throwing. The biggest fantasy value increase could be the ground game if Tagovailoa has to miss extended time.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aubrey Sep 13 10:10am ET
Brandon Aubrey

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey remains one of the top kicking options heading into a Week 2 matchup with the New Orleans Saints. The 29-year-old went 4-for-4 in field goals and 3-for-3 in extra points in Week 1, with his longest kick of the day clocking in at 57 yards. In a lot of formats, he put up 20+ fantasy points. Now, with a home matchup, and an offense that will still be able to move the ball into kicking range, Aubrey remains a must-start. In 2023, Aubrey made all 21 of his field goal attempts at home and knocked through 28 of his 29 extra points. Fantasy managers can be confident starting Aubrey each week as long as the Cowboys offense is moving the ball down the field.

From RotoBaller

Brandin Cooks Sep 13 9:50am ET
Brandin Cooks

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks put together a solid Week 1 finishing in the top 24 receivers in the WR2 range. His touchdown was a big part of that finish, but he also saw a good bit of volume against what was expected to be a solid defensive unit in the Cleveland Browns. Now, the Cowboys get a home game against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints posted a big performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, and their secondary isn't one to scoff at. Cooks should still receive close to the same target share (21.8%), but going up against Tyrann Mathieu, Paulson Adebo, and Marshon Lattimore is going to prove to be more difficult. Currently, Cooks sits in the mid-flex area since CeeDee Lamb will be the one to deal with Lattimore the most.

From RotoBaller

Mike McDaniel Sep 13 9:20am ET
Mike McDaniel

The Buffalo Bills DST secured three interceptions and took one back for a touchdown in the team's 21-point victory over the Miami Dolphins. The pick-six came on a desperation throw away from Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter to put Buffalo ahead by three touchdowns. The unit also picked up two sacks. It was a surprising result against the high-powered Miami offense. The Dolphins' secondary kept Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle contained, prompting head coach Mike McDaniel to try and win the game on the ground. The Bills get a mini-bye week and will return to host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football in Week 3.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Sep 13 9:20am ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) was forced to leave the Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills after colliding with safety Damar Hamlin and suffering a concussion. The fifth-year signal-caller has had a history of concussions and has seen some scary moments over the past few seasons. According to Grant Gordon of NFL.com, Tagovailoa will undergo further testing and evaluation on Monday to understand the extent of head injury and to determine how long he may be out. Head coach Mike McDaniel said that Tagovailoa will be day-to-day for now until they get the full picture. Skylar Thompson filled in on Thursday and ended up throwing 8-for-14 with 80 yards, and barring any kind of transaction, Thompson will likely be the starter if Tagovailoa needs to miss any time.

From RotoBaller

Devon Achane Sep 13 9:18am ET
Devon Achane

Dynasty | Dolphins running back De'Von Achane had 96 rushing yards, seven receptions, 69 receiving yards and a touchdown in Miami's blowout loss to Buffalo. Dynasty Analysis: Achane was questionable entering the night but clearly performed more than admirably, leading the Dolphins in virtually every major statistical category. Raheem Mostert could be back as soon as next week, so Achane could have his workload scaled back. However, we've seen enough over the past season (and more) to say Achane is a lineup lock moving forward. He should be a matchup-proof option moving forward and his dynasty value seems to actually be trending up, despite it already being high. The best part of all this is he seemed to exit this game healthy and now has a nice break before the Dolphins play again in week three.

Dalton Kincaid Sep 13 9:10am ET
Dalton Kincaid

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid caught four passes for 33 yards in the team's 31-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The final stat line isn't ideal, especially when Kincaid was quiet in Week 1. However, the Bills made a clear effort to involve Kincaid early. The 24-year-old caught Josh Allen's first two pass attempts of the game and again secured the first attempt on the first play of the second half. Because most of his receptions came in the flats, he ended with an underwhelming yardage total. The Bills won easily and only completed 13 passes. In a more competitive contest, Kincaid could have been a great start. He'll have another shot to put together a breakout game in Week 3 when the Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From RotoBaller

Khalil Shakir Sep 13 9:10am ET
Khalil Shakir

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught all five of his targets for 54 yards and added one rush for two yards on Thursday Night Football. Josh Allen, who completed just 13 passes on the night, targeted Shakir early. Five of Shakir's six touches came in the first half as Buffalo built their lead. Thanks to James Cook and a stifling defense, the Bills were up 21 points midway through the third quarter and didn't need to throw to maintain their dominant victory. The 24-year-old appears to be the safest Buffalo receiver to roster in fantasy football. He'll be a low-end WR3 when the Bills host the Jaguars on Monday Night Football in Week 3.

From RotoBaller

Keon Coleman Sep 13 9:10am ET
Keon Coleman

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman did not secure his lone target on Thursday Night Football, resulting in a goose egg in the box score. It's a disappointing step back for the rookie, who led the team in receptions and yards in Week 1. It can't all be blamed on Coleman, however. Josh Allen only completed 13 passes in the blowout victory. The Bills looked toward Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid in the passing game early. After three touchdowns from James Cook gave Buffalo a big lead, they didn't need to open things up on offense. Coleman and the Bills will enjoy a mini-bye week and return to the field on Monday Night Football in Week 3 against Jacksonville.

From RotoBaller

Josh Allen Sep 13 9:00am ET
Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 13 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown in the team's 31-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. An unfortunate game script led to Allen's worst fantasy performance since his rookie season. Allen threw the first touchdown of the game to running back James Cook, who scored the next two on the ground. One Buffalo pick-six later, Allen found his team up big and didn't need to throw. He didn't add anything on the ground either (two carries for two yards). Allen will return with a QB1 status ahead of a Week 3 matchup against Jacksonville a week from Monday.

From RotoBaller

James Cook Sep 13 9:00am ET
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook caught one touchdown and ran for two more in the team's dominant victory over Miami on Thursday Night Football. He totaled 95 yards and is now an early favorite to be the RB1 in Week 2. Cook started the scoring with a 17-yard reception on fourth down on the Bills' first drive. A few drives later, Cook punched it in from the one-yard line, a rare site in his young career. Finally, he sprinted away from defenders on a 49-yard touchdown run up the middle. Cook has now matched his rushing touchdown total from last season. His night could have been bigger but the Bills remained up three touchdowns throughout the entire fourth quarter and let rookie Ray Davis burn the clock. Cook will be in the RB1 range when the Bills take the field against Jacksonville a week from Monday.

From RotoBaller

Luke McCaffrey Sep 13 8:30am ET
Luke McCaffrey

Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Luke McCaffrey led all Commander wideouts in receiving yards in the season opener and will look to continue to stake his claim on the open No.2 spot against the Giants. The Rice product logged the second most snaps at the position, only behind Terry McLaurin, and caught all three of his targets for 18 yards. While 18 yards is not an impressive feat and will rarely be the most out of the wide receiving corps, seeing the 23-year-old look comfortable in an every-down role in his regular-season debut was promising. McCaffrey is worth taking a flier on as a stash option in deeper leagues but should not be relied on in any starting lineups this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Zach Ertz Sep 13 8:30am ET
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz caught three of his four targets for 28 yards in their Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the modest output, Ertz saw 24.0% of the team's air yards and 16.7% of the team's targets. In addition, the veteran logged 39 total snaps, just under 70% of the team's total snaps. As rookie QB Jayden Daniels continues to develop at the professional level, the 33-year-old should continue to establish a connection with him and serve as a safety valve in the middle of the field. For now, Ertz should just be deployed in DFS settings as a cheap value play, as he has not yet proven that he should be relied upon in a redraft setting.

From RotoBaller

Austin Seibert Sep 13 8:30am ET
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert will make his 2024 regular season debut as the Commanders recently cut ties with Week 1 starter Cam York. York missed two field goal attempts in the season opener and will hit the free-agent market. Seibert has played on several teams throughout his four-year NFL career and holds an 80.4% field goal mark. From 50+ yards, he has gone just 2-for-6. Seibert should not be relied on as a streamer, given his inconsistencies over the past few seasons. However, if the 27-year-old could establish himself in D.C., he could eventually grow into a deeper league streaming option.

From RotoBaller

Emmanuel Forbes Sep 13 8:30am ET
Emmanuel Forbes

The Washington Commanders defense stumbled in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they have a great opportunity to turn things around in Week 2 as they face the New York Giants. Baker Mayfield looked unfazed last week against the Commanders as he went 24-for-30 with 289 yards and four touchdown passes. All three Tampa Bay wideouts found the end zone, with Chris Godwin leading the way with 83 yards. The Commanders will enter this game slightly short-handed in the secondary as they will be without cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who underwent thumb surgery on Thursday. However, morale around the Washington defense could change quickly as they will face Daniel Jones, who went 22-for-42 with 186 yards, two interceptions, and no scores last week. While Jones usually terrorizes the Commanders with a stellar 5-1-1 record against them, given how poorly he played in the opener, the Commanders will be a popular streaming option this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Sep 13 8:20am ET
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels relied on his legs in his regular season debut as he ran for 88 yards and two scores on 16 carries. Through the air, he went 17-for-24 for 184 yards. The Commanders could not find much consistency in their passing attack, which forced the reigning Heisman winner to utilize his legs much more than his coaching staff would like. However, fantasy managers hope that the LSU product does not shy away from taking off, as his running ability placed him as the No.3 QB in total points last week. This weekend, he will face the New York Giants, which allowed over 200 passing yards to Sam Darnold. While Daniels will still need time to develop as a passer, fantasy managers should feel confident starting him this weekend in any league size.

From RotoBaller

Brian Robinson Jr. Sep 13 8:20am ET
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. looks to continue to stake his claim as the lead runner in the Washington offense and should be locked into all lineups as an RB2 this weekend. Robinson saw 12 carries in the season opener compared to two from backfield mate Austin Ekeler. Robinson caught three passes on four targets through the air, while Ekeler caught four. Robinson tallied 89 total yards and a score against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was just a few inches away from punching in a second score but was tackled at the one-yard line, which set up a Jayden Daniels QB run. It was a promising sign to see the Alabama product begin to emerge as not just the "1A" of the backfield but the clear leader. Fantasy managers should feel confident starting Robinson in a game where he should see plenty of red zone opportunities against a weak Giants team.

From RotoBaller