Guest of the League
All World League Est. 2003
FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

TE Strength of Schedule

Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 6

Player Notes
Chris Boswell Oct 13 8:50pm ET
Chris Boswell

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell drilled four field goal attempts and converted on both of his extra-point tries in a 32-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Boswell followed up a quiet showing in Week 5 with his best fantasy performance since Pittsburgh's season opener. He nailed his longest field goal of the day, a 52-yarder, on the Steelers' first possession of the contest and proceeded to hit from 49, 37, and 36 yards out. The 33-year-old is in the midst of a stellar campaign with 16 field goals on 17 attempts and 10 extra points on as many tries. Although he is producing like an every-week fantasy starter, there will likely be more games in which Boswell is limited by Pittsburgh's offense. One such outing could be in Week 7 against a tough New York Jets defense.

From RotoBaller

Pat Freiermuth Oct 13 8:40pm ET
Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth caught two of his three targets for 16 yards in a 32-13 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Freiermuth was on a two-game touchdown streak heading into the contest but failed to extend it. He came up short of making a significant impact in the passing game with his lowest reception and yardage totals of the campaign. The fourth-year pro is maintaining a role in the offense, but it is difficult to project him for weekly fantasy success with Pittsburgh's passing attack struggling to find its footing. That's unlikely to change in a difficult matchup against the New York Jets in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jake Elliott Oct 13 8:40pm ET
Jake Elliott

Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott converted two of his three field goal attempts and nailed both extra-point tries during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. After three straight down weeks for the 29-year-old, he was able to give fantasy managers a solid performance even with a blocked field goal attempt that turned into a touchdown. The Eagles offense is still going for it at a high rate on fourth down, leading to frustrating results for fantasy managers. With that said, the Eagles' next three matchups are against the New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, and Jacksonville Jaguars. None of those defenses are scary by any means, and the Eagles offense should be able to get into scoring range often. Elliott will be on the streaming radar again next week.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Oct 13 8:40pm ET
J.K. Dobbins

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins scored a touchdown in a Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos. Dobbins has been operating as the team's lead back, and that will be even more true now with Gus Edwards (ankle) being placed on IR. Dobbins ran the ball 25 times, gaining 96 yards and scoring a touchdown on a four-yard run in the second quarter. He was also targeted twice in the passing game, making two catches for a total of six yards. While his per carry average wasn't excellent, Dobbins got RB1 volume and did well enough against a strong defense. He'll continue as a solid starting option in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Oct 13 8:30pm ET
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught three of four targets for 64 yards and a touchdown during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns. The former Heisman winner recorded his lowest target share of the season but salvaged his fantasy performance with a 45-yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter that gave the Eagles the lead and ultimately the win. Smith still tied for second on the team in targets and had a solid fantasy outing. Philadelphia was on the field defensively more than they would have liked, leading to just 25 pass attempts for the offense. Starting tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) left early in the first quarter and did not return. The No. 2 spot in the target pecking order is firmly in possession of Smith, and he will be a locked and loaded WR2 next week when the Eagles travel to New York to take on the rival Giants.

From RotoBaller

Grant Calcaterra Oct 13 8:30pm ET
Grant Calcaterra

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra caught all four of his targets for 67 yards during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. The 25-year-old showed off some impressive ball skills and some explosiveness in relief of starting tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) who left early in the first quarter of the ball game and never returned. Calcaterra took a short pass early in the second quarter for 34 yards and made a few impressive snags on his way to a solid fantasy performance. The 25-year-old is entering year three with the Eagles offense and has shown flashes in the past. With no timetable on Goedert's potential return, fantasy managers may want to look Calcaterra's way after he proved to fill in admirably for the veteran starter. He will be on the streaming radar against the rival New York Giants next week if Goedert is ruled out.

From RotoBaller

George Pickens Oct 13 8:30pm ET
George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in three of eight targets for 53 yards in a Week 6 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Pickens was the subject of much discussion heading into the contest after seeing limited playing time in Week 5. He once again was the favorite target of quarterback Justin Fields and managed to lead the Steelers in receiving on Sunday. Still, he dropped a few passes and underwhelmed relative to expectations as the team's clear WR1. The 23-year-old came down with a deep ball from Fields late in the fourth quarter for a 31-yard gain, but this was with the game well in hand. He'll hope to turn things around next week at home against the New York Jets.

From RotoBaller

Justin Herbert Oct 13 8:30pm ET
Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert led his team to a 23-16 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 6. Herbert finally shed his injury designation for an injured ankle and looked healthy in this one, attempting 34 passes and completing 21 of them for 237 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw an interception, but took three sacks, losing 15 yards. He also fumbled, but it was recovered by the Chargers. His touchdown came on a 38-yard pass to Kimani Vidal in the first quarter. Herbert and the Bolts will play on Monday Night Football in Week 7 against the Cardinals.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Oct 13 8:20pm ET
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown caught six of nine targets for 116 yards and a touchdown during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. The star receiver made his first start since Week 1 of the regular season and did not disappoint, fighting for the ball in tight coverage and breaking multiple tackles on his way to a solid fantasy performance. His highlight catch came in the second quarter when he caught a 22-yard touchdown in a scrap to maintain procession from the defender. It was a typical A.J. Brown performance against a solid Browns pass defense. The 27-year-old will look ahead to next week when the team goes on the road to take on the division-rival New York Giants. Brown will be a top-tier play again in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Oct 13 8:20pm ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled six carries for seven yards and caught all three of his targets for 11 receiving yards in a 32-13 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Warren, who had missed the past two weeks with a knee injury, failed to deliver much in the way of production as backfield mate Najee Harris enjoyed his best game of the season. Harris appears to still have a strong hold on RB1 duties in Pittsburgh, but Warren should see an uptick in utilization in the coming weeks. While the 25-year-old is worth rostering in most fantasy formats, he cannot be trusted in starting lineups until he is given a notable role in the offense. A home bout with the New York Jets is on tap for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Oct 13 8:10pm ET
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 16 of 25 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns, adding 14 carries for 33 yards during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns. With both of his top weapons back at full strength, the 26-year-old had a much better outing than his previous three showings. The offense was still a bit slow to start, but Hurts was able to lead the Eagles on a scoring drive in the first quarter for the first time all season. Perhaps even more important than the solid passing total was his zero in the turnover department. Hurts has struggled with turning the ball over in 2024, but held onto the ball this week and completed some tough throws through tight coverage, especially to star receiver A.J. Brown. The Eagles signal caller did lose starting tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) on the first drive of this game and could be without him for a few weeks. With that said, Grant Calcaterra stepped in and showed off his explosiveness a few times against Cleveland, so there are capable hands ready to fill in for the veteran. Hurts will go on the road to face the division-rival New York Giants in Week 7 and should be considered a high-end QB1 in that matchup.

From RotoBaller

Najee Harris Oct 13 8:10pm ET
Najee Harris

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris turned 14 carries into 106 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for 16 yards on two targets in the team's Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Harris broke free for a 36-yard scamper in the third quarter that resulted in his first trip to the end zone this season. After struggling with efficiency through the first five weeks, Harris gained 7.57 yards per carry on Sunday for a new career-high. Backfield mate Jaylen Warren ran clearly behind Harris and failed to make much of an impact in his first game back from a knee injury. Fantasy managers who have been relying on Harris' workload should be thrilled to see it translate to actual production this week. While it may be difficult for him to find similar success against the New York Jets in Week 7, Harris should remain a volume-based RB2 moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Saquon Barkley Oct 13 8:10pm ET
Saquon Barkley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took 18 carries for 47 yards and caught both of his targets for a gain of seven yards during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. This was by far the worst outing for the star back as a part of the Eagles, as he was stymied at just about every turn when handed the ball Sunday. The biggest run of the day for Philadelphia was by Kenneth Gainwell, who gained 19 yards on a carry in his very limited role. While the stat line is disappointing, especially considering the matchup, there is no reason to worry about the 27-year-old moving forward. Next week will loom large on Barkley's mind as he is set to visit his former team, the New York Giants. The revenge game narrative will headline the matchup and fantasy managers shouldn't hesitate to keep him in the starting lineup.

From RotoBaller

Caleb Williams Oct 13 8:06pm ET
Caleb Williams

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.

Rome Odunze Oct 13 8:06pm ET
Rome Odunze

ynasty | 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.

Sean Tucker Oct 13 8:06pm ET
Sean Tucker

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.

Romeo Doubs Oct 13 8:05pm ET
Romeo Doubs

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.

Rashod Bateman Oct 13 8:00pm ET
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman continues to be heavily involved in the passing game this year. During the 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders, Bateman registered four catches for 71 yards on four targets. He was tied for the second-most targets with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. He's on pace for a career-high in receiving yards and has already tied his career-high for touchdowns in a single season. He also has his second-best yards per target right now with 9.2. Bateman will try to get back into the end zone in Week 7 on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Oct 13 8:00pm ET
Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 14 of his 24 pass attempts for 145 yards and handled 11 carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Similar to his performance in Week 5, Fields struggled to get anything going through the air for much of the contest, but he got help from running back Najee Harris in this one to put the Steelers on top. Although the 25-year-old is producing for fantasy and avoiding turnovers, it's possible that Russell Wilson eventually takes over starting duties if Fields can't find a rhythm in the passing game. For now, though, the Steelers are 4-2 and likely to roll with Fields under center at home against the New York Jets in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Cedrick Wilson Oct 13 7:53pm ET
Cedrick Wilson

New Orleans Saints WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. had two receptions for 28 yards on three targets in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From TheHuddle