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
Denver Broncos rookie fifth-round running back Audric Estime only handled five carries in the team's preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Empower Field and gained 18 yards (3.6 yards per rush), but he found the end zone for one of two Denver rushing scores in the 38-12 victory. Estime also caught his only target for a 14-yard pickup. Blake Watson led the backfield with 11 carries for 38 yards while also catching his only target for eight yards. The 20-year-old Estime got the start in this one and only played on one drive. If Samaje Perine makes Denver's final 53-man roster, Estime will likely begin his first season in the NFL as Denver's RB4 behind Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Perine. Estime is a physical, between-the-tackles runner and could be utilized in specific short-yardage and goal-line situations, but he can likely be left alone in 12-team fantasy leagues for now.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills linebacker Deion Jones was released on Sunday, according to a post from broadcaster Chris Brown on X. Jones' release isn't necessarily surprising, but it's still noteworthy given his veteran status and previous success in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 and has tallied 731 tackles, 13 interceptions, 12 sacks, and five forced fumbles through 109 career games. In 13 games with the Carolina Panthers last year, Jones registered 35 tackles, one sack, and one interception. His experience as a key defender in the NFL should be enough to generate some buzz around his name on the open market. However, he may wait to sign a new deal until the dust settles after rosters trim down on Tuesday.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos third-string quarterback Zach Wilson got pretty much all the run in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field on Sunday with rookie first-round starter Bo Nix taking a seat. In the 38-13 beatdown of Arizona, Wilson went 16-for-25 passing for 251 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while also carrying the ball two times for 22 yards and a rushing TD. Jarrett Stidham started the game and went 2-for-4 for 28 yards on just one possession. Wilson's best play of the day was a 46-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Johnson in the fourth quarter. The 25-year-old QB also fumbled, but it was recovered by Denver. It was nice to see Wilson get some positive momentum heading into the regular season, but the former first-rounder is still expected to be Denver's QB3 behind Nix and Stidham when Week 1 arrives in two weeks.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs tight ends Noah Gray and Jared Wiley "can be interchangeable within the offense as the second tight end in some formations," according to Nate Taylor of The Athletic. Gray had an impressive campaign in 2023, and although Wiley hasn't necessarily stood out in his first training camp, it sounds like the coaching staff trusts him enough to get on the field over Gray at times. Of course, the exact depth chart doesn't matter much for fantasy football purposes since Travis Kelce is the clear-cut alpha tight end and remains the only Chiefs tight end worth rostering in redraft leagues. Even if Kelce misses time in 2024, the fact that Gray and Wiley are interchangeable would make it difficult to trust either in fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
Nate Taylor of The Athletic projects that Kansas City Chiefs rookie Carson Steele will make the initial 53-man roster as a depth running back or primary fullback. The Chiefs seem to have hit the jackpot with Steele, an undrafted free agent whose physicality is nearly unparalleled at the running back position. Kansas City still lists him as a fullback, but he never played there at UCLA. Furthermore, Taylor projects the Chiefs to release all running backs not named Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, meaning Steele would function as the de facto RB3 in Kansas City. Regardless of the exact depth chart dynamic, Chiefs fans and fantasy football managers alike have to be very excited about what they've seen from Steele this preseason. He's an intriguing speculative addition in dynasty formats.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) exited Sunday's preseason finale after taking a sack. He finished his day having completed two of four passes for 19 yards through the air. Drake Maye replaced Brissett and played the remainder of the first half. The Patriots are one of the few NFL teams still holding a competition for their starting quarterback job, and it remains to be seen whether Brissett's injury and Maye's extra reps Sunday could swing the pendulum in the rookie's favor. Regardless of who wins the job coming out of training camp, neither quarterback will have much appeal in redraft fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
The Denver Broncos are expected to carry backup quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham on their initial 53-man roster, according to comments from head coach Sean Payton following Sunday's preseason finale. In discussing the quarterback room of Wilson, Stidham, and rookie Bo Nix, Payton said, "I see the three of them making it." Nix has already been declared the Broncos' starter, and it sounds like both Wilson and Stidham will keep their jobs, too. It's unclear which signal-caller will be given the backup designation and which quarterback will serve as the emergency third-stringer on gameday, though it's worth noting that Stidham appeared to have the edge on Wilson prior to Sunday's preseason contest. Regardless of the exact depth chart, Nix is the only Broncos quarterback worth considering for a roster spot in fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints receiver A.T. Perry hauled in two receptions for 67 yards in Sunday's preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. The second-year receiver flashed as a deep threat as a rookie and continued his impressive run of big plays this preseason. He projects as a starter in three-receiver sets with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed and is an intriguing late-round stash.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints receiver Equanimeous St. Brown had an impressive preseason showing in Sunday's loss to the Tennessee Titans as he fights for a spot on the initial 53-man roster. St. Brown hauled in three catches for 40 yards and a score in the loss, including an impressive over-the-shoulder touchdown grab from rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler. The seventh-year pro hopes to make the roster over the likes of Cedrick Wilson, Bub Means, and Mason Tipton.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson started in Sunday's preseason finale, marking his first preseason action of the year after opening training camp on the PUP list. The veteran tight end was one of the lone Saints starters to suit up for the game, and his action was short-lived as he was just targeted once. Nonetheless, it was encouraging to see Johnson on the field after missing a significant portion of training camp. He will be ready to roll in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener started in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans. The second-year pro completed 8-of-17 passes for 87 yards while also gaining six yards on a scramble. Haener was outplayed by rookie Spencer Rattler in a pivotal game for the backup quarterback job. The backup will likely be named this week with roster cutdown day on Tuesday. Haener finished the preseason with 270 passing yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler was impressive in the team's final preseason game. Rattler completed 7-of-13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown while also scrambling twice for 13 yards. The 23-year-old had two highlight-reel passes, showcasing the ability to be a future NFL starter. It remains to be seen if he has won the backup job over second-year quarterback Jake Haener, although he outplayed his competition on Sunday. Rattler remains an intriguing dynasty league stash, given that incumbent quarterback Derek Carr appears to be on a short leash along with head coach Dennis Allen.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (shoulder) is set to return to practice on Monday, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. This is great news considering Pearsall has been sidelined throughout the preseason due to a lingering shoulder issue. However, there is still plenty of time for Pearsall to get ready to play before the season opener. The saga of Brandon Aiyuk is still ongoing, which makes Pearsall's value difficult to determine. He's unlikely to have great fantasy value right away, but is worth a look in deep leagues. Pearsall has a bright future, so he's worth the investment in dynasty formats or keeper leagues.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (ankle) is uncertain to be available for the season opener, according to head coach Shane Steichen. Downs has been sidelined since he suffered a high-ankle sprain in early August. The 23-year-old appears to be making progress, but he still has more work to do before being ready to play. The absence of Downs is a blow to this offense considering he registered 68 receptions for 772 yards in 17 games last season. If he misses time, Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell would both see a boost in targets and fantasy value early in the season.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos defensive back Damarri Mathis (ankle) was removed early during Sunday's preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Mathis had to be carted off the field after suffering what looked to be a bad ankle injury during Sunday's game. The assumption is that the Broncos will have Mathis undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. At the moment, it's uncertain if Mathis will be ready to play in the regular season opener. That being said, Riley Moss would likely be the next man up to start alongside Patrick Surtain, assuming Mathis misses time. The absence of Mathis would certainly be a hit to the Broncos secondary.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints kicker Charlie Smyth (groin) didn't suit up during Sunday's preseason contest against the Tennessee Titans. The rookie kicker has been dealing with an ongoing groin issue since Friday. Head coach Dennis Allen said that the team wanted to play it safe and hold Smyth out of this game. In his absence, Blake Grupe handled the kicking duties during the preseason finale. He connected on both his field goal attempts and made all three of his extra point attempts as well. It remains to be seen which kicker the team decides to ride with into the regular season. Grupe is probably the favorite after making 30-of-37 field goal attempts and all 40 extra point attempts during his rookie season with the Saints in 2023.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Damiere Byrd has been released by the organization on Sunday. The veteran latched onto the Bills in August after being cut by the Washington Commanders. Byrd spent most of his 2023 campaign on the practice squad with the Atlanta Falcons. He caught his lone pass of the preseason for 20 yards during Saturday's game. His best year came with the New England Patriots in 2020 when he caught 47 passes for 604 yards and one touchdown in 16 games. Since then, Byrd hasn't done anything noteworthy, so now he'll look to catch on elsewhere as depth.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Dolphins have released quarterback Mike White. Dynasty Analysis: White was signed to a two-year contract worth $8 million last season but has seemingly lost the backup job to Skylar Thompson this off-season. He had some nice moments with the Jets in the past but obviously didn't do enough to comfort the Dolphins in the event Tua Tagovailoa was to get injured again. He'll hit the free agent pool and likely resurface as a backup somewhere but the shine is clearly off White and he doesn't belong on dynasty rosters at the moment.
Dynasty | The Dolphins have released quarterback Mike White, paving the way for Skylar Thompson to be the backup quarterback. Dynasty Analysis: This is interesting as White was signed to a two-year contract worth $8 million last season. Thompson outplayed him in training camp and Miami obviously feels better about Thompson under center should Tua Tagovailoa suffer an injury or miss time. Thompson isn't an option in conventional dynasty leagues but would be worth a look in very deep 2QB formats.
Dynasty | The Jaguars have released wide receiver Denzel Mims. Dynasty Analysis: The former Jets second round pick was trying to carve out a roster spot but it wasn't meant to be in Jacksonville. Still just 25, Mims could latch on elsewhere but this is a bad sign for his career. After failing to impress with the Jets over three seasons and in short time with the Lions and Steelers as well, Mims is looking for his fourth team in less than a year. He's well off the dynasty radar at this point and has no business on a dynasty roster.
