TE Strength of Schedule
Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Bowers could have big year one
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the tight end 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 tight ends last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the tight ends with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the tight ends that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
| TE SOS | ||
| 1. | Cincinnati Bengals | 186.39 |
| 2. | Miami Dolphins | 193.98 |
| 3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 196.38 |
| 4. | Washington Commanders | 197.75 |
| 5. | Houston Texans | 198.15 |
| 6. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 199.18 |
| 7. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 199.68 |
| 8. | New York Giants | 201 |
| 9. | Dallas Cowboys | 201.18 |
| 10. | Los Angeles Rams | 201.38 |
| 11. | Buffalo Bills | 201.39 |
| 12. | Chicago Bears | 201.66 |
| 13. | Arizona Cardinals | 201.76 |
| 14. | New York Jets | 202.56 |
| 15. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 202.86 |
| 16. | Baltimore Ravens | 203.04 |
| 17. | Denver Broncos | 203.95 |
| 18. | Los Angeles Chargers | 204.02 |
| 19. | Atlanta Falcons | 204.25 |
| 20. | Cleveland Browns | 204.59 |
| 21. | New Orleans Saints | 205.62 |
| 22. | Seattle Seahawks | 205.73 |
| 23. | San Francisco 49ers | 206.80 |
| 24. | Indianapolis Colts | 206.89 |
| 25. | Detroit Lions | 207.92 |
| 26. | New England Patriots | 208.23 |
| 27. | Kansas City Chiefs | 210.92 |
| 28. | Tennessee Titans | 211.44 |
| 29. | Green Bay Packers | 212.07 |
| 30. | Minnesota Vikings | 212.23 |
| 31. | Carolina Panthers | 213.66 |
| 32. | Las Vegas Raiders | 213.81 |
A rookie led fantasy tight ends in scoring last year and the top rated rookie tight end this year gets the easiest fantasy schedule for tight end. Brock Browers and the Raiders have the most favorable schedule for tight ends. Sam LaPorta showed last year that a rookie can make an immediate fantasy impact, so don’t discount Browers to have big-time success in year one. He certainly looks the part of an elite tight end.
Another rookie with a good chance to start has the second easiest schedule for tight ends. Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders will compete with Tommy Tremble to start, but should emerge and be the top pass-catching tight end. He is looking like a good late-round gamble for fantasy teams.
The Vikings, Packers and Titans round out the top-five most favorable schedules for tight ends. T.J. Hockenson would be looking like a great pick if he wasn’t returning from a major injury. He is no sure thing to play early in the year. But once he is healthy, he could help fantasy teams in a big way once again.
Green Bay is likely to have Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft split a lot of the work at tight end, hurting both their value. They could produce some big games along the way, though, making them decent No. 2 fantasy tight ends this season. Both produced well in an expanded role last year.
Lastly, Chin Okonkwo didn’t quite have the breakout season many hoped last year, but he wasn’t bad by any means. Maybe he gets a few more chances this year and has some bigger games along the way with this favorable schedule. He is another decent tight end to grab as your backup.
The teams that top the list for toughest fantasy tight end schedules are teams that haven’t really utilized the tight end much in recent seasons. The Bengals have the toughest schedule followed bye the Dolphins. Mike Gesicki is the starter for the Bengals, but probably isn’t worth the risk with this schedule and the Bengals recent track record with tight ends.
Miami uses their tight ends to block more than anything in their offense. They have the occasional big game, but Jonnu Smith is going to be a risky weekly fantasy play. He would have looked much better landing with a different team.
There are a couple big-time fantasy tight ends that have unfavorable schedules. Dallas Goedert has the third toughest schedule. Goedert can be a little hit or miss to begin with in this offense, so this schedule gives him a little more concern. You might want to pass on him come draft day and go with another elite tight end with a better schedule and more consistency.
Dalton Schultz is the other elite tight end with a top-five unfavorable schedule. Schultz had a big first season with the Texans, becoming a favorite target of C.J. Stroud. He should get the targets this year. But he has a challenging schedule and more to compete with for targets, so his consistency might be a little off this year compared to last.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy tight ends. 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 tight ends with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big-money contests.
| TE PLAYOFF SOS | ||
| 1. | Atlanta Falcons | 175 |
| 2. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 182.37 |
| 3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 184.73 |
| 4. | Arizona Cardinals | 187.67 |
| 5. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 187.77 |
| 6. | New England Patriots | 189.83 |
| 7. | Miami Dolphins | 190.37 |
| 8. | New Orleans Saints | 191.3 |
| 9. | Los Angeles Rams | 192.17 |
| 10. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 192.43 |
| 11. | Cincinnati Bengals | 196.1 |
| 12. | Detroit Lions | 196.12 |
| 13. | Houston Texans | 196.2 |
| 14. | Indianapolis Colts | 198.97 |
| 15. | Buffalo Bills | 199.63 |
| 16. | Kansas City Chiefs | 203.03 |
| 17. | New York Jets | 204.13 |
| 18. | Carolina Panthers | 205.7 |
| 19. | Baltimore Ravens | 205.9 |
| 20. | Green Bay Packers | 207.7 |
| 21. | Chicago Bears | 213.73 |
| 22. | New York Giants | 214.27 |
| 23. | Seattle Seahawks | 214.72 |
| 24. | Cleveland Browns | 214.97 |
| 25. | Dallas Cowboys | 215.8 |
| 26. | Las Vegas Raiders | 219.4 |
| 27. | Washington Commanders | 220.13 |
| 28. | Denver Broncos | 220.8 |
| 29. | Minnesota Vikings | 221.72 |
| 30. | Tennessee Titans | 223.73 |
| 31. | San Francisco 49ers | 225.53 |
| 32. | Los Angeles Chargers | 228.53 |
The Titans and Vikings are the only two teams with the most favorable fantasy schedule for tight ends during the regular season and playoffs. Hockenson is the intriguing one because he might not be fully healthy until late in the season. So while he might not be a huge fantasy factor for the regular season, Hockenson might be a difference maker in the playoffs.
Okonkwo is looking like a player worth grabbing as a No. 2 fantasy tight end, especially if you have an established starter ahead of him. Okonkwo has a high fantasy ceiling for the coming year because of a schedule that could facilitate a breakout season for him.
The Chargers actually have the best fantasy playoff schedule for tight ends. Donald Parham is the likely starter and has some potential in an offense looking for playmakers in the passing game. This could be his best season to date, making him an intriguing late-round gamble.
George Kittle is the biggest name on the list for top-five favorable fantasy tight end playoff schedules. He is going to produce big and could be even better down the stretch with a schedule setup for success.
The Falcons have the most challenging playoff schedule for fantasy tight ends. This is not good news for Kyle Pitts. He is already a polarizing fantasy player, so this schedule won’t do him any favors to get in good graces with more fantasy owners. Many think he could finally turn things around this year with a new coaching staff in place, but nothing is certain with this situation. Pitts could be a boom or bust pick once again.
The Eagles are the only team on both the top five most difficult fantasy schedules for tight ends for the regular season and playoffs. Goedert is looking like a player you might want to let someone else grab come draft day. There are a lot of good, young options at tight end this year. Going with one of those guys over Goedert might be the play on draft day.
Trey McBride is a favorite for many fantasy owners this year for a breakout season. He had a huge finish to last year and is shooting up draft boards. We wouldn’t avoid him come draft day because he has the fourth toughest fantasy playoff schedule. It is a little bit of a concern, but not a huge red flag for the talented tight end. Maybe just prepare for his numbers to dip a tad during the playoffs.
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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The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans came into Sunday's game with 13 receptions for 156 yards and three touchdowns over his last two games. Sadly for fantasy managers, Evans was held in check during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. The veteran wideout hauled in 2-of-6 targets for 34 yards in the win. He took a backseat to fellow wideout Chris Godwin who had 11 receptions for over 100 yards and two touchdowns. It's worth noting that Evans did leave this game for a period of time but he finished out the final two quarters. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about his status heading into next week's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Evans should be a borderline WR1 for that game.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has picked up the slack over the last few weeks. On Sunday, Otton hauled in two of his six targets for 15 yards and a touchdown in win over the New Orleans Saints. The third-year tight end had one catch through the first two games. Since then, Otton has 18 receptions for 158 yards over the last four games. Fantasy managers should keep Otton on the TE2 radar for next week's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Jags tight end Evan Engram had ten catches for 102 yards in a loss against Chicago in London. Dynasty Analysis: Engram's game was about the only thing that went well for the Jags, who were humiliated by the Bears on Sunday morning. With his injury possibly in the rearview mirror, Engram should be poised for a solid season as Jacksonville seems intent to force him the ball. His dynasty value should be stable moving forward, despite being on one of the league's worst teams.
Dynasty | Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 23-of-29 passes for 226 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: He added 56 rushing yards on the day. Feel free to put a * on this game based on the fact it was played against the Jaguars, but you may be doing so at your own risk. Williams looks like a player who is developing very quickly and today could have easily been his coming out party. While not quite on the QB1 line as of yet, Williams looks like a solid hold in dynasty leagues and the talk of the Bears (and dynasty managers) missing out on Jayden Daniels will subside for at least a week.
Dynasty | Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze had two catches for 40 yards in the Bears win over Jacksonville in London. Dynasty Analysis: This is a little concerning given the fact Caleb Williams threw for four touchdowns (nearly five) and only targeted Odunze twice on his 29 throws. Fact is, Odunze is clearly behind DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet in the pecking order and dynasty managers are going to need to exhibit some real patience with him this season. Odunze is starting to represent a possible "buy low" in dynasty leagues for savvy owners ready to pounce on impatient ones.
Dynasty | Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 16-of-23 passes for 168 scoreless yards in a loss to the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: The Browns are now 1-5 in what's looking like a lost season. Speaking of lost, Watson was again highly ineffective and seems incapable of making anything but the simplest of plays. With just five touchdowns and three interceptions through six games this season, the experiment could be coming to a close. Jameis Winston is waiting in the wings and it's going to be tough for the Browns to trot out Watson many more times. His dynasty value is near zero at this point.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 24-of-35 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Baltimore. Dynasty Analysis: He also led the Commanders with 22 rushing yards. Washington lost the game 30-23, but you can't put that on Daniels, who dealt with a complete lack of a rushing attack and tried to shoulder the entire offensive load on his own. If this is the floor for Daniels (and there are few places tougher to play than Baltimore), he's locked in as a QB1 for the long haul. If you missed out on Daniels this off-season, you're not getting him any time soon.
Dynasty | Ravens running back Derrick Henry had 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Now with eight touchdowns in six games and a score in every contest this season, Henry is clearly liking his new home and could make a serious run at being the overall RB1 this season. At age 30, he's on pace for close to 2,000 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. While his pace will likely slow, he remains a prime candidate for a contender to trade for as an aging, but ridiculously productive running back.
Dynasty | Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers had nine catches for 132 yards in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: It was a weird day for Flowers, who did all of his damage in the first half. Still, this represented a career day and hopefully a sign to come in a passing offense that has been wildly unpredictable this season. Flowers' falling dynasty ranking will likely take a week off, but we need to see more before recommending him on a weekly basis.
Dynasty | Bucs running back Sean Tucker had 136 rushing yards, three catches, 56 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Tampa's win against New Orleans. Dynasty Analysis: The Bucs put up a whopping 51 points today and Tucker was a huge part of it. Tucker came into the game with 30 total rushing yards in his career but took advantage of the injury to Rachaad White to team up with Bucky Irving and run over the Saints. While this is likely not a sign of things to come, Tucker should certainly be on dynasty rosters at the moment and anyone who has held on to him for this long should be congratulated.
Dynasty | Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 22-of-40 passes for 243 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in a loss against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: The Saints defense was obliterated in this one as the Bucs scored 51 points. With that being said, it's hard to pin much on Rattler, who did his best to keep his team in it. In the end, Rattler showed some poise and times but also forced some throws at others. In short, he looked a little like a rookie, though one with clear talent. It would be a surprise if the Saints moved on from him next week as Derek Carr misses more time.
Dynasty | Saints wide receiver Chris Olave had one catch for five yards before leaving early with concussion symptoms against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: This has been a season to forget for Olave as he now has just 23 catches for 280 yards and one touchdown on the year. Today was excusable as he was knocked out of the game early, but dynasty managers are still going to be frustrated. Olave remains on the WR1/2 line moving forward, but we'll need to see some production before moving him down the rankings in the coming weeks.
Dynasty | Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 20-of-33 passes for 243 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start. Dynasty Analysis: Maye certainly made some mistakes in this one, but he threw for more touchdowns in this one (three) than Jaboby Brissett had in five games (2). While Maye has a long way to go, anyone who watched this game would tell you Maye simply looks like a better option. The Patriots are looking at a lost season but Maye should have a chance to provide QB2 value the rest of the way.
Dynasty | Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 16-of-27 passes for 95 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a loss against the Colts. Dynasty Analysis: The challenge Levis seems to have at the moment is the fact he just isn't very good. Today was especially awful as he averaged just 3.5 yards per attempt and failed to surpass even 100 passing yards. His struggles have killed the values of virtually every Titans pass catcher with just Tony Pollard being the only startable option on the team. At 1-4, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Titans replace him and start looking towards the future. Levis' dynaty value is tanking by the week.
Dynasty | Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 22-of-32 passes for 258 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in a blowout win over Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: At this point, it's safe to say last year was no fluke for Love, who now has 12 touchdown passes in just four games played this season. While his six interceptions are a bit of an issue, Love looks like a quarterback to build around in fantasy and reality. He hit nine different receivers today and has the looks of a QB1 moving forward this season and beyond in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | Packers receiver Romeo Doubs had three catches for 49 yards and two touchdowns in a win against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that works. A week after being suspended for complaining about playing time and essentially walking out on the team, Doubs was targeted four times and made the most of those opportunities. The Packers and Jordan Love spread the ball around better than most anybody, so this will have to be taken with a grain of salt. Still, this was a big step in the right direction for Doubs, who should see his dynasty value slide stop for the time being.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was seemingly unstoppable on the field during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. The veteran wideout had taken a backseat to Mike Evans lately, but had another breakout performance this weekend. Godwin hauled in 11-of-13 targets for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Godwin has been a consistent option all season long with five receptions or more in every game. He has also posted 53 receiving yards or more in all six games. The move back to the slot as done a tremendous amount of good to Godwin's game. He'll be a WR1 for next week's game against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving made his first career start during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. The rookie back did a nice job in place of lead back Rachaad White (foot) on Sunday. He rushed 14 times for 81 yards and a touchdown in the win. He was outshined by fellow back Sean Tucker who rushed for 136 yards with two scores. Despite that, Irving has made a strong push to be the full-time starter, but White and Tucker should both remain in the mix. Irving continues to impress on a weekly basis and should be in the RB2 conversation for next week's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was the odd man out from the big production in the Packers' 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Kraft, who had been the overall TE1 the last two weeks in fantasy football, was kept to a relatively quiet day, bringing in just two receptions on four targets for 13 yards. He also added a rushing attempt for two yards as he watched Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed score receiving touchdowns from quarterback Jordan Love, who had four touchdown throws on the day. With the returning weapons back in the lineup for the Packers, it was possible that the targets would be spread out once again and that's exactly what happened as 10 Packers notched at least one target. Even after a quiet game from Kraft, he's still a low-end TE1 option when the Packers stay home to face the Houston Texans in Week 7.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker shocked everybody with his incredible performance on the ground during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. The Bucs decided to split up the running back role on Sunday with Rachaad White (toe) being inactive. Both backs played well, but Tucker was nearly unstoppable on the field. He rushed 14 times for 136 yards and a touchdown in the win. He also added three receptions for 56 yards and an additional score through the air. Tucker was fairly unknown coming into this game, but will now be one of the most popular adds on the waiver wire. It's unclear if White will be back next week, but regardless he has struggled on the ground. Tucker has earned his way into the rotation, but Bucky Irving isn't going away anytime soon. Tucker is worth adding for fantasy managers in desperate need of help, but it's unlikely he tops this performance anytime soon.
From RotoBaller
