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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

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.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 11

Player Notes
Kirk Cousins Nov 18 11:00am ET
Kirk Cousins

The Denver Broncos defense/special teams unit bounced back nicely in Week 11 against the visiting Atlanta Falcons after failing to record a takeaway in last week's loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Not only did Denver's defense lock down the Falcons offense and keep them out of the end zone in the 38-6 victory, but they picked off quarterback Kirk Cousins and were able to sack him three times for a loss of 21 yards -- they added another sack in the fourth quarter when Atlanta sat Cousins down in favor of rookie first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. In addition, they held star running back Bijan Robinson to only 35 rushing yards (2.9 yards per carry) in a dominant performance. Denver's D has proven to be a top-five unit in the NFL through the first 11 weeks of the season, and they'll be a must-start, high-end defense for Week 12 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Nov 18 10:40am ET
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz only attempted one field goal in Week 11 on Sunday against the visiting Atlanta Falcons but was able to stay busy with extra-point attempts in the 38-6 rout to finish as a top-12 fantasy kicker for the week. One week after missing both of his field-goal tries -- the potential game-winner was blocked at the end of regulation against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 -- Lutz made his only field-goal attempt (from 45 yards out) and was successful on all five of his extra points against the Falcons. The 30-year-old has been one of the most accurate kickers in the league in 2024 (86.4% success rate) and ranks eighth among all kickers in total fantasy points after 11 weeks. When you add a rising Broncos offense under impressive rookie QB Bo Nix, Lutz's fantasy stock as a reliable streamer will continue in Week 12 against the floundering Las Vegas Raiders.

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Troy Franklin Nov 18 10:30am ET
Troy Franklin

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin found paydirt for the second time in his career in the 38-6 beatdown of the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Week 11 action, catching both of his targets on the day for 15 yards and the score. Franklin was one of four pass-catchers for the Broncos to haul in touchdown passes against a soft Falcons secondary to help the team get back over .500 at 6-5. His touchdown was his first since the Week 5 loss to the Chargers. The 21-year-old rookie out of Oregon has plenty of chemistry with quarterback Bo Nix from their time together in college, but Franklin, who is rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues, just isn't seeing enough volume to be a weekly starting option for fantasy managers. Franklin has only gone over two receptions once in 10 games and still hasn't eclipsed 50 receiving yards in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Nate Adkins Nov 18 10:30am ET
Nate Adkins

Denver Broncos tight end Nate Adkins, the team's backup TE, came out of nowhere in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday to catch his second touchdown pass of the year. In the 38-6 blowout victory, Adkins caught his only target for a 12-yard touchdown score that put the Broncos on the scoreboard early in the first quarter. They would never look back, with rookie quarterback Bo Nix throwing for over 300 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Adkins' first touchdown of the year came in the Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers. The 25-year-old shouldn't be a waiver-wire consideration at all this upcoming week after his second score, as he now has only six receptions for 34 yards and two TDs on seven targets in 11 games in 2024. There's a good chance we won't hear from the second-year TE again.

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Devaughn Vele Nov 18 10:20am ET
Devaughn Vele

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele quietly had a strong performance in the 38-6 blowout win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Week 11, although he wasn't on the receiving end of one of rookie quarterback Bo Nix's career-high four touchdown passes. Vele finished with four receptions on five targets for 66 receiving yards. Both his targets and yards were second on the team behind Courtland Sutton. The 26-year-old seventh-rounder out of Utah has had some impressive moments in his first NFL season, and while his 66 yards were his second-highest yardage total of the year, he's also failed to reach 40 yards in five of his seven games. Vele will continue to develop alongside Nix but can't realistically be trusted in starting fantasy lineups as anything more than a boom/bust WR5/flex in deeper leagues.

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Ja'Lynn Polk Nov 18 10:20am ET
Ja'Lynn Polk

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk saw the field on Sunday but didn't show up in the box score. During the 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Polk saw 41% of the offensive snaps but didn't see a single target. This marks his first game with zero targets and his third with zero receptions. He came into his rookie season with some higher expectations but currently sits behind Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte in terms of priority in the passing game. The Patriots head to Miami to take on the Dolphins in Week 12.

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Adonai Mitchell Nov 18 10:10am ET
Adonai Mitchell

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell had a quiet Sunday afternoon in the team's 28-27 win over the New York Jets. The rookie was able to catch one of his two targets for a big gain of 33 yards and received one carry for two yards. The Colts' offense was able to outduel the Jets in a big way as Anthony Richardson threw 20-for-30 with 272 yards. Mitchell just hasn't built consistent chemistry and remains lower in the pecking order compared to Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce. He'll look to break off some big plays against a tough Detroit Lions defense in Week 12.

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Braelon Allen Nov 18 10:10am ET
Braelon Allen

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen was firmly in the backup role during the Week 11 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He finished with two carries for six yards and didn't see any targets in the passing game. In comparison, Breece Hall received 16 carries and seven targets. The biggest hit to Allen's fantasy value was always the amount of work Hall receives, and when he's rolling, Allen will disappear. The Jets will go up against a vulnerable run defense in the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12, so Allen may get some more work if they get a lead early on.

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Rashod Bateman Nov 18 10:00am ET
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has been operating as the team's deep threat this year but wasn't able to find much open field against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday's loss. The Minnesota product finished with two receptions for 30 yards on five targets. The passing game went stale as Lamar Jackson completed under 50% of his throws, and Bateman couldn't get open down the field. The offense will look to bounce back in a big way against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night in Week 12.

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Caleb Farley Nov 18 9:50am ET
Caleb Farley

According to agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, cornerback Caleb Farley is moving up to the Carolina Panthers active roster for the long term. Farley has bounced back and forth between the team's practice squad and active roster, as he's appeared in three games for them this season. He was the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the Tennessee Titans before two separate stints on the IR and one season on the PUP list. So far this season, he's played 29 snaps on defense and 23 on special teams.

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Tommy DeVito Nov 18 9:40am ET
Tommy DeVito

New York Giants quarterback Tommy Devito will return under center after Daniel Jones has been benched coming out of the team's bye week. The Giants sit at 2-8 which is the worst record in the entire NFC through almost 11 weeks. To make matters worse, they've scored the least amount of points in the NFL with 156. Enter Tommy Cutlets, who captured a lot of hearts last season as an underdog, heartwarming story. He guided the Giants to a 3-3 record during his starts while accumulating 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions on a 64.0% completion percentage along with 195 yards and another score on 36 attempts.

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Daniel Jones Nov 18 9:30am ET
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has been underwhelming, to say the least, after receiving his big contract extension. With the team sitting at 2-8 coming out of the bye week, they have decided to bench their starting quarterback and move in a different direction. Through 10 starts this year, Jones has amassed 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions on a 63.3% completion percentage. He also registered a 79.4 passer rating and was sacked 29 times, which is fifth-most in the league. The bad news for the Giants is that Jones isn't set to become a free agent until 2027.

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba Nov 18 9:24am ET
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dynasty | Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had ten catches for 110 yards in Seattle's win against San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: It really looks as if JSN has passed Tyler Lockett as Seattle's WR2 behind DK Metcalf. In fact, he has a whopping 24 targets over the past two weeks and that's big-time news for a player who was badly needing a breakout season. While he hasn't been the dominant force many hoped he'd be thus far in his career, things are clearly looking much better for him this season. At this point, it's safe to say any "buy low" window has closed.

Bo Nix Nov 18 9:24am ET
Bo Nix

Dynasty | Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed 28-of-33 passes for 307 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a blowout win over Atlanta. Dynasty Analysis: Wow. While much of the talk this year has revolved around Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, Nix is doing his best to hang with the best of the bunch and today was an absolute masterpiece,. It certainly looks like Sean Payton has found his quarterback and Nix himself is starting to look like a QB1 instead of a QB2 in the process. His dynasty value is clearly on the rise.

Nick Bosa Nov 18 9:24am ET
Nick Bosa

Per beat writer Tracy Sandler of FGSN, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (obliques) is now having trouble with both obliques. Bosa was forced from the team's 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 after injuring his oblique. The 27-year-old came into Sunday's home tilt after missing practice due to a hip/oblique ailment and reported overcompensating on his second sack of quarterback Geno Smith and injuring the other one. Unfortunately, the superstar pass-rusher noted that he's concerned he'll have to miss some time but said, "We're going to see." San Francisco had not let up a touchdown to their division rivals on Sunday until the former first-round pick exited the game. He will almost certainly miss practice again this week, but the 49ers will hope to have him back for their Week 12 road matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Nick Chubb Nov 18 9:23am ET
Nick Chubb

Dynasty | Browns running back Nick Chubb had 50 rushing yards in a loss to the Saints. Dynasty Analysis: Chubb had a good matchup on paper and posted a healthy 4.5 yards per carry on the day. However, a negative game script put him on the bench for most of the game as Jameis Winston threw the ball 46 times on the day. Chubb has been decent since returning, but the Browns offense just isn't one to rely on at the moment. He should be on dynasty benches for the time being.

Amon-Ra St. Brown Nov 18 9:23am ET
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dynasty | Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had 11 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Jaguars. Dynasty Analysis: ASB caught every one of his targets and could have honestly went for more than 200 yards today if the game was even remotely competitive. Whlie Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson get a lot of the headlines, there are few players better to have in dynasty leagues than St. Brown, who has looked every bit the part of a dominant wide receiver in dynasty leagues all season. He's untouchable at the moment.

Raheem Mostert Nov 18 5:50am ET
Raheem Mostert

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert carried the ball three times for a loss of two yards in Sunday's 34-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. In the wake of Mostert's fumble troubles, it's looking increasingly like head coach Mike McDaniels favors turning to youngster Jaylen Wright behind De'Von Achane for the RB2 role. In recent weeks, Wright has seen a slight uptick in involvement, outpacing Mostert in carries four to three on Sunday. He went from a combined 30 carries in Weeks 7-9 to three in the last two weeks. Although there are still some opportunities to escape the doghouse, Miami has little margin for error in a tight battle for a playoff spot. The next matchup is at home against the struggling New England Patriots.

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Jason Sanders Nov 18 5:50am ET
Jason Sanders

Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and 4-for-4 on extra points in their 34-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11. He hit from 31 and 46 yards out. This marks the fourth straight game where Sanders has made all his kicks. With the offense presenting more scoring opportunities in recent weeks, it's fitting to see him taking advantage. The 29-year-old has shown the consistency to be a weekly start in fantasy lineups moving forward. Sanders and the Dolphins will host the New England Patriots in a game that should present plenty of chances to rack up points in Week 12.

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Keenan Allen Nov 18 5:40am ET
Keenan Allen

On Sunday, Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen had another quiet performance in the team's Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Allen finished with just four receptions for 41 yards, a far cry from the dynamic playmaker he was last season. Despite being targeted 8 times by quarterback Caleb Williams, Allen could not make a significant impact. That said, it was encouraging to see him come up clutch on a few vital third-down plays, proving he's still effective at getting open in critical situations. The recent coaching change, with Thomas Brown taking over as offensive coordinator, seems to have sparked some life in the Bears' offense, even if Allen's production didn't reflect that shift. The Bears won't have much time to regroup as they host the tough Minnesotabrutalngs at Soldier Field next Sunday. A challenging matchup against Brian Flores' defense awaits.

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