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.
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed wide receiver Ben Skowronek to their practice squad Friday, per Adam Schefter. Skowronek had made waves early on in camp as a part of the Houston Texans but missed time due to a leg injury and was ultimately cut by the team earlier this week. The 27-year-old was never given a full complement of snaps during his three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, though he did perform admirably when given the opportunity. The former seventh-round pick should stand a better chance to crack the Steelers' active roster than he did buried in a deep Houston wide receiver room. With the regular season kicking off in just under a week, Pittsburgh will roll into their road opener against the Atlanta Falcons with George Pickens, Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin III starting at wide receiver. Skowronek does not project to be a viable fantasy option, though this could be a situation to monitor with a thin corps in front of him.
From RotoBaller
Linebacker Tyus Bowser was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad on Friday and will look to build up to his first in-game action since 2022. Bowser previously spent his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens but was released by the team back in March to free up $5.5 million in salary cap. The 29-year-old was among one of the most versatile linebackers in the league when he was healthy and was a beacon of consistency for the Ravens up until missing eight games in 2022 after a torn Achilles and all of 2023 with a knee injury. He also led Baltimore in sacks with seven in 2021. A former second-round pick, Bowser will reunite with Mike Macdonald in Seattle after playing under him in Macdonald's first year as the Ravens' defensive coordinator. Because Bowser was not on a pre-season roster, being signed to the practice squad will give his body time to reacclimate to football. Look for him to vie for a spot on the active roster.
From RotoBaller
The NFL suspended free-agent wide receiver Michael Thomas (knee) for the first week of the 2024 regular season for violating the league's personal-conduct policy related to an incident with a construction worker from last fall. Things continue to get worse for Thomas, who was the best receiver in the NFL as recent as 2019. While it's only a one-game suspension, it's not going to help the 31-year-old veteran's cause as he looks to find a new team for the 2024 season. He was cut by the New Orleans Saints back in March after catching 39 of his 64 targets for 448 yards and just one touchdown. A knee injury limited Thomas to only 10 games (seven starts), and he hasn't played in over 10 games in a season since his All-Pro campaign in 2019. Even if Thomas does land with another team, he will merely be competing for a depth role.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Friday that they re-signed wide receiver Quez Watkins to their practice squad after releasing him earlier this week. Watkins will return to Pittsburgh as extra receiving depth to begin the 2024 campaign behind George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller and rookie Roman Wilson. The fact that the 26-year-old wasn't able to impress the coaching staff enough during training camp and the preseason to win a 53-man roster spot in one of the weakest WR rooms in the league pretty much says all you need to know about Watkins. He was a sixth-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 out of Southern Mississippi and racked up 98 receptions on 147 targets for 1,249 yards and six touchdowns in his four years in Philly over 49 games (25 starts). Watkins is well off the fantasy radar for now in Pittsburgh.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers released running back Isaiah Spiller from their practice squad on Friday, according to a source. Spiller missed out on making the 53-man roster out of training camp and has now been pushed off the team entirely after the club claimed RB Hassan Haskins off waivers from the Tennessee Titans earlier this week. The 23-year-old wasn't able to win one of the last RB spots over rookie Kimani Vidal and will now be free to join any team in the league as RB depth. Spiller failed to make an impact with the Bolts after they drafted him in the fourth round (123rd overall) in 2022 out of Texas A&M. In his first two years in the league, he carried the ball 55 times for 137 yards (2.5 yards per carry) and no touchdowns, adding only nine receptions (nine targets) for 47 yards without a touchdown in 15 games (zero starts).
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins have signed running back Deneric Prince to their practice squad on Friday. The second-year back was recently cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. Prince had a few nice showings during the preseason, but his mistakes outshined his success. There is certainly potential with Prince, so we'll see how he does in Mike McDaniel's system. The Dolphins have a fairly crowded backfield that features Jaylen Wright, Jeff Wilson Jr., Raheem Mostert, and De'Von Achane. There's a small chance that Prince makes an impact in Miami this season. This looks more like a depth move to see if the Dolphins can unlock something in Prince.
From RotoBaller
The Baltimore Ravens have signed free-agent quarterback Tyler Huntley on Friday. This news comes a day after Huntley was let go by the Cleveland Browns. Huntley spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore before joining the Browns this offseason. The 26-year-old has proven himself to be a reliable backup to Lamar Jackson over the last few seasons. He has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in 20 games (nine starts) with the Ravens since 2020. There won't be much fantasy value here, but the Ravens will get a familiar face that knows the system well in case of an emergency.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker has signed a long term extension with the organization on Friday. The two sides have agreed on a four-year extension worth $22 million, which includes $12.5 million in guaranteed money. This makes Dicker one of the highest paid kickers in the league. To be fair, Dicker has been one of the most reliable kickers over the last two seasons. He connected on 31-of-33 field goal attempts last season while hitting all his extra point attempts. There's not many kickers that are more accurate in the game right now than Dicker.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Samaje Perine will both be available in the season opener on Thursday evening against the Baltimore Ravens, according to Pete Sweeney of the Arrowhead Pride. Head coach Andy Reid noted that the team would be cautious about overloading Perine during the opener. Both Smith-Schuster and Perine signed with Kansas City earlier this week after hitting free agency. Smith-Schuster played in Kansas City in 2022 and totaled 933 yards on 78 catches that season but struggled in New England last fall. Perine posted a career-high 50 receptions and 455 receiving yards last season in Denver. Perine should be expected to serve as the third-down back throughout the season, while Smith-Schuster will serve as a depth option in the wide receiver room.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine received praise from his new head coach on Friday afternoon about his potential as a third-down back. According to Adam Teicher of ESPN, Reid expressed, "He's been a phenomenal third down back. The opportunity to have a guy in here that can do the run game and the pass game . . . That is a great addition." The 28-year-old running back signed with Kansas City earlier this week after being released by the Denver Broncos. Last season in Denver, Perine saw a career-high 50 receptions and 455 receiving yards, with an added 238 on the ground. With these recent comments, fantasy managers should expect Perine to serve in a similar role with the Chiefs, primarily entering the game in passing situations. However, Isiah Pacheco will still likely see the vast majority of backfield touches this upcoming season.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy may not be given a full workload early in his rookie season. According to Adam Teicher of ESPN, head coach Andy Reid expressed some concern about relying on the rookie early in the season. However, Reid did add that, "We'll just see how it goes when things are flying here fast and furious." Worthy has been making some noise in the preseason as he saw five targets from Patrick Mahomes in their preseason match against the Detroit Lions. In addition, he also found the end zone later in that game and finished with 63 total yards. Worthy was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft earlier this spring and is known for his elite speed as he set a new record in the 40-yard dash. Fantasy managers should feel confident stashing Worthy on their bench as he could emerge as a viable starter down the stretch, given his record-breaking speed.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (undisclosed) returned to practice on Friday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. This is the first time the 28-year-old has returned to the practice field since being involved in a car accident on August 14. Andrews, fortunately, did not suffer any injuries during the accident, and it is a great sign to see him back on the field, as it looks like his prolonged absence was just precautionary. Last season, the tight end appeared in only ten games as he suffered a lower-leg injury in Week 11, which ended his regular season. He caught 45 passes for 544 yards and six scores. Andrews remains one of the top tight ends in fantasy and should serve as Lamar Jackson's primary target once again in 2024.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (foot, toe) missed a large chunk of training camp and the preseason due to injuries, but he returned to practice this week and says he's ready for the start of the 2024 regular season. "It felt really, really good today. I feel like I didn't lose a step. I stayed on top of everything that I needed to throughout the rehab process, so I would be able to be fast and play free and be on the same page with our quarterbacks," Shaheed said. With a new offensive scheme in place under coordinator Klint Kubiak, Shaheed missed valuable time getting reps on the field, but he said he's not worried and already feels that he has a good physical rhythm in the offense. The 25-year-old could have an expanded role in what the Saints are hoping is an improved offense in 2024, but for Week 1 against the Panthers, Shaheed should be considered more of a boom/bust WR5/flex in fantasy lineups.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said in his opening news conference on Friday that he doesn't expect wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) to play in next Thursday's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens due to a sternoclavicular dislocation that he suffered in the preseason opener on Aug. 10. This has pretty much been the expectation since Brown suffered the injury, especially since he hasn't been able to return to practice yet. The 27-year-old was given a four- to six-week timetable initially. Brown will most likely officially be ruled out for Week 1 next Wednesday, but there's a chance he could be available for Week 2 at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. The injury has obviously dropped Brown down fantasy draft boards, but he's still worth taking as a potential great value as a WR4/flex. Rookie Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice will see an early-season boost for however long Brown is out.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said that running back Rico Dowdle will get fewer special teams spans this year because he's expected to be a bigger part of the offense with an expanded workload. Dowdle is expected to open the 2024 season as the co-starter with veteran Ezekiel Elliott, but the recent signing of Dalvin Cook could put a damper on Dowdle's fantasy value this year. The 26-year-old former South Carolina product had just seven carries for Dallas in his first two years in the league, but his role expanded considerably in 2023, as he had 89 rushing attempts for 361 yards and two touchdowns and added 17 receptions for 144 yards and two more scores in 16 regular-season games. Dowdle almost certainly isn't going to take over this backfield single-handedly, which probably caps his fantasy value as a RB4/flex, at best.
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins signed head coach Mike McDaniel to a contract extension on Friday that will take him through the 2028 season, according to sources. The Dolphins had the top-ranked offense in the league last year under McDaniel for the first time since 1994, and they also had their first back-to-back playoff appearances in 23 years. McDaniel has an especially strong working relationship with general manager Chris Grier, CEO Tom Garfinkel and salary cap guru Brandon Shore. The next step for McDaniel and the organization will be to win in the postseason. Miami has not won a playoff game since 1999 and have lost two AFC wild-card games under McDaniel. The head coach has had a noticeable impact on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's development after leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023. Tagovailoa also signed a four-year extension this offseason, so he and McDaniel are in it together.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is heading into a big season as the number-one receiver on the new-look Broncos offense. He's undoubtedly the leader of the receiving corps after the team opted to go younger by trading away Jerry Jeudy and letting Tim Patrick walk. The coaching staff has noticed improvements that he's made over the offseason and he'll look to help boost up rookie quarterback Bo Nix with consistent performances. Last year, in a volatile offense, the six-year pro posted 772 yards and 10 touchdowns while catching 59 of his 90 targets. The last time Sutton was the clear number-one was in 2019 when he caught passes from Joe Flacco and Drew Lock, he finished with 124 targets, 72 receptions, 1112 yards, and six scores.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin showed some lackluster highlights in the first preseason games of his NFL career. After the team let Tim Patrick walk, it was a sign that they still had some confidence in the rookie's progress. According to head coach Sean Payton, the coaching staff is pleased with where Franklin currently sits with his progress and he'll get the chance to keep growing with this new-look offense. When it comes to the depth chart, he's still slotted behind Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, and Marvin Mims Jr., so he may not see too many snaps to start out the season. Right now, his fantasy relevance is higher when it comes to dynasty formats.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers re-signed free-agent S Tony Jefferson to the practice squad on Thursday, Aug. 29.
From TheHuddle
The Washington Commanders signed free-agent DL Sheldon Day (Vikings) to the practice squad on Thursday, Aug. 29.
From TheHuddle