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 DFS Pickem Plays: Week 7
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) is officially active for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction ahead of this weekend. The 25-year-old has been quite productive in the Commanders' up-and-coming offense, posting 393 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns through five games so far this year. He'll rank as a low-end RB1 for fantasy football in Week 7.
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Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (concussion) exited Sunday's game to be evaluated for a concussion and was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the contest. At the time of his departure, he had registered one tackle, bringing his season total to 52. Ty'Ron Hopper should handle more defensive snaps for the duration of Walker's absence.
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Indianapolis Colts linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ankle) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. He had initially been evaluated for a calf issue, but after additional testing, it was determined that he had an ankle injury and would not be able to return. Carlies had been quite productive prior to his departure, tallying five tackles and bringing his season total to 21. The rookie also registered his first career sack. Grant Stuard should see more defensive snaps with Carlies done for the day.
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (coach's decision) is inactive for Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers. He was activated from the non-football injury list several days ago and did not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game, which means he's a healthy scratch this week. This shouldn't be a major surprise given that he's buried behind Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine, and Carson Steele on the depth chart. Edwards-Helaire can be left on waivers in most fantasy leagues.
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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) is officially active for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction ahead of kickoff. The veteran receiver is coming off an impressive seven-catch, 130-yard performance prior to the Chiefs' Week 6 bye. So far, he has shown that he's capable of handling increased opportunities with Rashee Rice (knee) sidelined. Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce, and Xavier Worthy figure to lead the Chiefs' pass-catching attack on Sunday afternoon. Smith-Schuster is a viable WR3 in fantasy football.
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San Francisco 49ers rookie first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (chest) is active for Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had been listed as questionable but was expected to play after being activated from the non-football injury list. The rookie pass-catcher, who will make his NFL debut on Sunday, was sidelined for the first six weeks after being shot during an armed robbery attempt. He'll presumably operate as the 49ers' No. 3 receiver behind Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel this week.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering a serious-looking, non-contact injury during the second quarter. He was having one of his best games of the year at the time of his departure, completing 15 of 17 passes for 128 yards. He also took two sacks. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Browns fear Watson tore his Achilles, which would end his season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson replaced Watson late in the first half, and he will presumably remain Cleveland's starting quarterback going forward. Jameis Winston, who is inactive as the Browns' emergency third quarterback this week, could also compete for playing time going forward.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (back) is officially inactive for Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders. He had cleared concussion protocol a few days ago but was still questionable for Week 7 with a back issue. Ultimately, he'll have to wait at least one more week before returning to the lineup. Ja'Tavion Sanders and Ian Thomas should operate as Carolina's primary tight ends this Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ribs, hamstring, ankle) is officially active for Week 7 against the Washington Commanders. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction ahead of this weekend. Johnson figures to operate as the Panthers' top receiver and could thrive with a favorable matchup and a negative game script. He has played quite well with Andy Dalton under center and will continue to rank as a mid-to-low fantasy WR2 this week.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (shoulder) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. He had initially been listed as questionable before being downgraded. The veteran pass-catcher finishes Week 7 with one target and zero receptions. Even if he's able to get healthy in time for Week 8, he'll remain off the fantasy radar in his role behind Amari Cooper, Khalil Shakir, and even Keon Coleman.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is officially inactive for Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams. He had been listed as doubtful entering the weekend, so this update is not much of a surprise. The 27-year-old will miss his second consecutive game after starting the season with 25 catches, 273 yards, and one touchdown over the first five weeks. With Meyers sidelined and Davante Adams traded to the New York Jets, Tre Tucker and DJ Turner should handle additional opportunities in the passing game.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (groin) is officially active for Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after logging a full practice on Friday. White will presumably operate in tandem with Alexander Mattison, who has played well so far this season. Mattison has more fantasy appeal than White given the former's productivity around the goal line and in pass-catching situations.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (leg) exited during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering a serious-looking, non-contact injury. He was having one of his best games of the year at the time of his departure, completing 15 of 17 passes for 128 yards. He also took two sacks. Based on footage from the CBS broadcast and analysis from Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, Watson might have suffered an Achilles tear. Still, he'll have to undergo additional testing before the Browns confirm any sort of diagnosis. In the event that his season is over, Dorian Thompson-Robinson would presumably step up as the Browns' starting quarterback, with Jameis Winston also a candidate to earn playing time.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (ankle) is officially inactive for Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the wrong direction ahead of kickoff. The star pass-catcher has been sidelined since injuring his ankle in the middle of Week 2. He dominated during the season opener, catching 14 of 21 targets for 110 yards and one touchdown. As soon as he's healthy enough to play, he'll rank as a WR1 while catching passes from Matthew Stafford. In the meantime, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell will step up as Los Angeles' top two wide receivers. Colby Parkinson and Demarcus Robinson will also remain heavily involved.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) has returned to Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. He had briefly exited the game and was listed as questionable, but he didn't spend much time on the sideline before returning to the contest. He'll continue to operate in tandem with Jahmyr Gibbs for the remainder of Week 7.
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Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) is questionable to return to Sunday's divisional clash with the Minnesota Vikings. The veteran didn't have much time to get involved before suffering a knee injury, so he'll finish with three yards off two carries, adding two catches for 25 yards if he doesn't return. But considering he couldn't put weight on his leg and needed assistance off the field, fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's ruled out. Of course, Jahmyr Gibbs will pick up most of the slack, although Craig Reynolds will presumably get the residual touches.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons (hamstring) is officially active for the Week 7 game on Sunday against the visiting Seattle Seahawks. Simmons didn't practice on Wednesday but was limited on Thursday and Friday before picking up a questionable tag on the final injury report. The 30-year-old won't end up missing a game after suffering a hamstring injury in the Week 6 win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers. It's good news for the Falcons defense as they take on a talented group of Seahawks receivers this weekend. Simmons will start at strong safety for Atlanta. In his first year with the team in six games played, the two-time Pro Bowler has 23 tackles (10 solo), one interception and two pass breakups. Against a potent Seahawks offense, fantasy managers should be fading Atlanta's defense/special teams unit in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (head) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was officially listed as questionable but ultimately did not return to the contest. He finished Week 7 with zero catches on three targets. He continues to be plagued by drops and also fell down while being targeted on a two-point conversion attempt on Sunday. The Patriots are struggling to stay healthy on the offensive side of the ball with Polk off the field and Demario Douglas (illness) playing a reduced role. Douglas should be good to go for Week 8 against the New York Jets, but Polk is less of a sure thing. He'll presumably be evaluated for a potential concussion and closely monitored ahead of next week's contest. For the time being, Polk is off the fantasy radar.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (illness) is officially active for the Week 7 contest against the hosting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Walker was a late addition to the injury report on Saturday due to an illness and was listed as questionable, but apparently he's feeling better and will suit up. However, there's a chance we could see backup Zach Charbonnet spell Walker a bit more in what could be a high-scoring affair between two high-paced offenses. Although there might be a bit more bust potential for Walker this weekend, there's no reason for fantasy managers to pull him out of their starting lineups as an RB1. The 24-year-old will look to bounce back on his birthday on Sunday after averaging just 2.68 yards per carry on 19 rushing attempts the last two weeks. The good news is Walker has five touchdowns already in 2024 and has scored in three of his four games.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (hip) and linebacker Brian Burns (groin) are both active for the Week 7 divisional contest on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Lawrence and Burns were both listed as questionable coming into Sunday's contest. Meanwhile, cornerback Adoree' Jackson (neck) is out, while safety Dane Belton (illness) is active. With Lawrence officially active, he's in play in IDP fantasy leagues as a starting defensive lineman. The two-time Pro Bowler already has seven sacks in six games in 2024 and is well on his way to setting a new career-high in the category. Burns, who is eligible as a D-lineman and linebacker in many leagues, is also worth a start as a defensive lineman in IDP leagues now that he's officially active. Burns has three sacks and 23 combined tackles so far this year for the Giants defense.
From RotoBaller
