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
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 11
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell once again finds himself in boom-or-bust Flex/WR3 territory with the Texans taking on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11. The 25-year-old receiver ranks a disappointing 40th at his position in PPR formats, though the Houston offense is due a major boost with the return of fellow receiver Nico Collins. Now that wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) is out for the year, the Houston offense could again look like it did in 2023 with Collins and Dell powering the passing attack. Even against middling Dallas pass defense, though, fantasy managers will have to weigh the risk of starting a No. 2 receiver on a team in the midst of major pass-protection issues.
From RotoBaller
Already in great form, Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon finds himself with an excellent matchup Monday against the fading Dallas Cowboys. The running back's age-28 season has seen him score touchdowns five weeks in a row, during which he is averaging 117 total yards and more than three targets per game. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are a mess. Dallas is a bottom-five defense against fantasy running backs that has allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns and third-most rushing first downs. Through nine games, opposing ball-carriers are averaging 4.7 yards per carry against the Cowboys. Mixon is a top-shelf running back in any format this week.
From RotoBaller
After a challenging past month, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud meets the struggling Dallas Cowboys at a great time. Last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year averaged under 200 yards during his past four games, during which he had just two passing touchdowns and two interceptions. Opposing defenses have exposed the Texans' pass protection for a dozen sacks in the past two weeks, obviously limiting Stroud's ability to deliver production. Now, however, comes a Dallas defense that ranks 26th against fantasy quarterbacks and is bottom-five against the run. Given Dallas' team-wide struggles, Stroud is starting-caliber in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine will remain the primary backup with Isiah Pacheco (ankle) ruled out for the Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Perine hasn't done much in the rushing game, but has hauled in two receptions or more in each of the last three games. Kareem Hunt has seen a majority of the workload in the backfield and that will likely remain the case once again this weekend. Perine doesn't carry enough value to be considered a reliable streaming option for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) was a full participant in Friday's practice and is not on the final injury report for their Week 11 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Hill has not been the WR1 fantasy managers were hoping for when they drafted him. This week's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders has the potential for a breakout game. Overall, the Raiders have been relatively good this season against wide receivers, but their start cornerback Nate Hobbs (ankle) has been ruled out. They also rank 26th in pressure rate and 18th in yards per play on the road, which could give quarterback Tua Tagovailoa more time for plays to develop down the field. This looks to be the perfect matchup; start him as a WR1. Hill comes in as RotoBaller's WR8 in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is tough to trust in Week 11 despite a decent matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Other than Week 1, the only performance in which he eclipsed 46 receiving yards was last week against the Los Angeles Rams, when he had 57. He has only one touchdown on the year and hasn't received more than six targets in a game since Week 5. Overall, he has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2024 season. The Raiders have allowed the seventh least receiving yards in 2024, but their star cornerback Nate Hobbs (ankle) will not be in the lineup. There isn't any justification to have him in your lineup; avoid him at all costs. He ranks as RotoBaller's WR33 in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel is coming off a game where he saw a season-high eight targets last week. The 28-year-old figures to once again see an increased workload heading into the Week 11 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills are without wideout Keon Coleman (wrist) and Amari Cooper (wrist) is questionable to suit up. The absence of both receivers should mean plenty of targets for Samuel on Sunday. Samuel hasn't done much this season, but his 89 percent snap count does give him more appeal. Fantasy managers should consider Samuel a low-end streaming option for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz continues to be a TE2 option as Houston takes on his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, in Week 11. The 28-year-old is coming off a season-best 66 receiving yards last week, but volume remains an issue, and now the Texans are slated to get top receiver Nico Collins back in the lineup. The veteran tight end has been one of the more frustrating fantasy holds on the season: he's starting in a good offense, but not trustworthy enough to start confidently. Against a bad Dallas defense, he's a touchdown-dependent play.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright will be the next man up with Sam LaPorta (shoulder) ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wright has only seen two targets over the last four games. He has been on the field for over 55 percent of the snaps over each of the last two contests. He figures to see more involvement in the passing game with LaPorta unable to play. Wright hasn't done enough to be trusted in most fantasy formats. He could be a dart throw in DFS contests, but is nothing more than a desperation streaming option.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (groin) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Pierce is set to get back on the field for the first time since Week 8. He has been banged up this season and has only played in four games, but is expected to be the primary backup to Joe Mixon. The return of Pierce should take some of the workload off Mixon, but Pierce is unlikely to play enough to warrant starting in fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Anderson suffered an ankle injury in Week 9 and hasn't been able to suit up since then. The 23-year-old has 7.5 sacks and 27 tackles through his nine games this season. His absence is certainly going to be a hit to this defensive unit heading into Monday's game. The absence of Anderson should mean more snaps for Jerry Hughes and Derek Barnett.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets kicker Anders Carlson has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Carlson is now the fourth kicker for the Jets this season, but will hopefully be a long term solution. He is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts during his two games with the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the season. Carlson struggled as a rookie, but is worth a look as a streaming option for fantasy managers needing an option for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
The Dallas Cowboys have yet again deemed cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) inactive ahead of Monday night's road tilt against the Houston Texans. The team also ruled out defensive back Jourdan Lewis (neck) for the game. Bland has not logged even a limited practice session since Week 6 and hasn't appeared in a game this season while tending to a foot injury. On the other hand, Lewis is the Cowboys' second-leading snap participant in their defensive backfield. He will miss his first outing of 2024 after apparently picking up a neck injury in their 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10. Fortunately, teammate Trevon Diggs (calf) was a full participant all week and carries no designation for Dallas' matchup against the visiting Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has an excellent opportunity for a good showing in his Week 11 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Last week against the Los Angeles Rams was somewhat of a letdown compared to the previous two outings. The Raiders defense has been torched by running backs all year, ranking 26th in fantasy points per game allowed, allowing 104.1 rushing yards a game, and is eighth-worst in red zone points per game to running backs. According to Pro Football Focus, the Raiders have faced the seventh-highest rate of running back targets, and Achane is one of the best-receiving backs in the league. Achane is primed for an RB1 workload; he's a surefire start in every lineup. He comes in as RotoBaller's RB4 in the Week 11 RB rankings.
From RotoBaller
The Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams put up a fantasy stinker in Week 10 after allowing 34 points and 470 total yards. Their one saving grace has been that they've forced at least one turnover in every week but Week 6. On the flip side, they only have one game with double-digit fantasy points and seven games with five or fewer. The Ravens have the worst pass defense in the league while Russell Wilson has led the Pittsburgh Steelers to 26 or more points in each of the three games he's started. At this stage of the season, the Ravens defense is better left on the bench or waiver wire.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert comes into Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders after an alarming performance against the Los Angeles Rams last week. He did not log a rushing attempt and only caught two of three targets for 34 yards. The 2023 rushing touchdown leader has also not scored a touchdown in his last two games. Mike McDaniels is not pleased with the costly fumbles, and due to Miami's (3-6) record, the margin for error for the rest of the season is minimal. While the Raiders defense has given up the seventh most points per game to opposing running backs and allowed 1,007 total rushing yards on the season, it isn't easy to imagine Mostert getting enough touches to justify starting him. Be cautious if starting him this week; he could be very touchdown-dependent. Mostert is this week's RB35 in the Week 11 RotoBaller rankings.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has an excellent matchup in a Week 11 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Last week's performance against the Los Angeles Rams left fantasy managers much to be desired. Since returning from a concussion in Week 8, Miami has averaged 25.6 points per game. The Raiders defense allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and ranks 26th in pressure rate. This should lead to many clean pockets and time to throw for Tagovailoa. Just in their last two games, Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes have thrown seven touchdowns against them. Las Vegas will also be without their top cornerback, Nate Hobbs (ankle), which could spell big trouble for their secondary. He's a solid start in any format and comes in at No. 13 on this week's RotoBaller QB rankings.
From RotoBaller
According to Ben Arthur of Fox Sports, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (back) has been added to the team's injury report and is officially questionable for Week 11. The ninth-year wideout is a late addition to Tennessee's report, putting his status for their home tilt against the Minnesota Vikings in question. Due to the timing of the injury, the decision of whether he'll be active could go right up until game time. The Vikings and Titans will square off at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday. Even if Boyd is active, he will not be a recommended option for fantasy, with just 21 receptions and 184 receiving yards through nine appearances in 2024. Moreover, the veteran has not recorded a single target in his prior two contests.
From RotoBaller
Per the NFL's Ian Rapoport, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (back) was limited in the team's Saturday practice with a back injury. The 25-year-old is officially questionable for Dallas' home tilt against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. Rapoport also noted that Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said he's "not of high concern" regarding Lamb's injury. It's encouraging to hear McCarthy's positivity toward the superstar wideout's affliction, but that he's suddenly popped up on Dallas' injury report is mildly concerning for fantasy managers. The former Oklahoma Sooner's value has taken a significant hit with the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the remainder of the season, so an injury doesn't exactly help his case. Lamb's owners will need to temper expectations if they're relying on him against a Houston defense letting up just 5.2 yards per pass attempt to their opponents -- the second-lowest mark in the league. Keep an eye on his status over the next 48 hours.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is without a designation heading into Week 11's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. The 25-year-old wideout has been shelved since he picked up a hamstring injury while scoring a 67-yard touchdown in Houston's 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills back in Week 5. He'd miss the ensuing five contests but will make his return this Monday against the team's in-state rivals. Before sustaining the ailment, Collins was on fire, racking up at least 78 yards in all five of his appearances. He should immediately slot back in as the preferred option in the Texans' passing attack. The former Michigan Wolverine is averaging 113.4 receiving yards per game and is a strong WR1 play for Week 11's outing. Collins is RotoBaller's PPR WR9 for Monday night's matchup.
From RotoBaller
