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.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 6
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was solidly involved in the Packers' 34-13 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Jacobs took 18-of-29 running back carries on the afternoon for 62 rushing yards. He also caught all three of his targets on day for 29 yards, to account for the most total yards of any skill-position player on the team. All four offensive scores came via the pass from Jordan Love, but the run was utilized heavily as the team had a total of 38 rushes to 32 pass attempts. Jacobs' workhorse role was slightly in question with Emanuel Wilson's emergence but after Love returned, Wilson has merely spelled Jacobs. The Packers stay home in Week 7 to match up with the Houston Texans, where Jacobs will be a low-end RB1 for fantasy purposes.
From RotoBaller
After what has been a frustrating start to the season, Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell broke out Sunday at New England with seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown on a team-high nine targets. The second-year receiver was involved early, finishing Houston's first drive with a two-yard touchdown reception, his first scoring play of the season. Houston will be without star wide receiver Nico Collins for at least three more weeks, so Dell's usage at New England could be a preview of the weeks to come. The former Houston Cougar will look for more production when the Texans travel to Green Bay in Week 7.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper caught four of his six targets for 42 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Cooper turned in another pedestrian outing in the loss to the Eagles as he has been held to 42 yards or fewer in four of his six games played and has gone over 10.0 PPR fantasy points just once all season. The veteran wide receiver's name has come up as a possible trade candidate with the Browns sitting at 1-5 on the season and a trade to a contender could be a path to unlocking some fantasy value for Cooper for the remainder of the season. As it stands, he will be a boom/bust WR3 heading into a Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught one of his three targets for a 35-yard gain in a 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Jeudy was quiet for most of the game but his 35-yard catch helped to set up a 31-yard Dustin Hopkins field goal with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter. The veteran receiver has shown some promise this season but he will continue to be tough to trust with Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland offense struggling to move the ball. Jeudy will not be a strong fantasy option heading into a Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns RB D'Onta Foreman rushed for 31 yards on 10 carries against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. He also caught two passes for 16 yards during the game.
Fantasy Spin: Foreman shared playing with several other running back during the game but led the team in carries. His role for Week 7 is uncertain because of Jerome Ford's injury but could be a flex option in some deeper leagues if receives most of the work at running back.
From TheHuddle
Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner rushed seven times for just 24 yards in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers. He added four receptions for 22 yards on five targets.
Fantasy Spin: Conner has been putting up some strong number this season, putting him in the borderline low-end RB1 or high-end RB2 neighborhood, but that certainly wasn't the case in Week 6. He'll look to bounce back in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. Treat him as more of a RB2 for that one.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns running back D'Onta Foreman carried the ball 10 times for 31 yards and added two catches for 16 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Foreman saw an uptick in work with Jerome Ford leaving during the first quarter with a hamstring injury and eventually getting ruled out for the remainder of the game. Despite the additional opportunities, Foreman struggled to gain much traction in yet another game where the Cleveland offense had a hard time moving the ball. The Browns may be getting Nick Chubb (knee) back for Week 7's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, which would put a big dent into Foreman's workload in the future. If Chubb ultimately ends up not playing in Week 7 and Ford isn't ready to return, Foreman could operate as the team's lead back next week, giving him flex appeal in fantasy. Stay tuned.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon delivered in his first game back from an ankle injury, compiling 132 total yards, two catches, and two touchdowns in a 41-21 defeat of the New England Patriots. The first-year Texan caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud in the first quarter, then went to work on the ground, finishing with 13 carries for 102 yards. Mixon's 20-yard touchdown carry in the fourth quarter was his first scoring run since Week 1, and his 30 receiving yards ranked third on the team Sunday. The former Cincinnati Bengal continues to be option No. 1 out of the Houston backfield as the Texans prepare for Green Bay in Week 7.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. carried the ball eight times for 43 yards and caught two of his three targets for 35 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Strong got extra work in the loss after the Browns lost starting running back Jerome Ford to a hamstring injury in the first half and he wound up tying for second on the team in receiving yards with Jerry Jeudy. Ford's status for Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals is up in the air, so Strong could be in play as the Browns' main pass-catching back against their divisional foes. If Ford ultimately does not play, Strong would have some low-end flex appeal in PPR leagues for Week 7.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs compiled another productive week with seven targets, six catches, 77 receiving yards, and a touchdown in Houston's 41-21 triumph on Sunday at New England. The 30-year-old found the end zone for the fourth time (three receiving, one rushing) in six games with Houston. Diggs has maintained consistently high usage in the Texans' offense, which carried over Sunday without the presence of top target Nico Collins (hamstring), who is now on injured reserve. The Maryland product has been a steady option week-in and week-out for Houston, which is now 5-1. The Texans will look to keep the trend going in Week 7 at Green Bay.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson went 16-for-23 for 168 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. He also rushed for 17 yards on four carries during the game.
Fantasy Spin: Watson has been held to under 200 passing yards in every game this season and failed to record a passing touchdown for the second time this season. He should be avoided in fantasy leagues until he is more productive on the field.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 16 of his 23 passes for 168 yards and no touchdowns while adding four carries for 17 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Watson struggled against a weak pass defense for a second consecutive week as he was unable to lead his team on any touchdown-scoring drives in the close road loss. The veteran quarterback has now failed to throw for more than 196 yards in any of his six games this season as the Browns have struggled mightily on offense. Steadily sinking into low-end QB2 territory in fantasy, Watson will take five touchdowns and three interceptions into a Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders DT Jonathan Allen (pectoral) suffered a pectoral injury during the Week 6 game and has been ruled out.
From TheHuddle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (hamstring) exited after making a tackle near the end of the first quarter of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. He registered one tackle prior to his departure, bringing his season total to 43. Tyrek Funderburk should step up and earn more opportunities for the duration of Dean's absence. Tampa Bay hosts the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7.
From RotoBaller
Updating a previous report, Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert (hamstring) will not return to the Week 6 game because of his hamstring injury.
Fantasy Spin: Fantasy players will need to monitor Goedert's practice participation this upcoming week to see if he has a chance to play in Week 7. Grant Calcaterra has played well in place of Goedert and could be a low-end No. 1 tight end in deeper leagues if Goedert is not able to play.
From TheHuddle
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. He initially exited midway through the second quarter and did not return. The standout rookie finishes Week 6 with zero catches on two targets. This is a crushing blow for managers who have inserted the No. 4 overall pick as a WR1 or WR2 in fantasy football this year. Not only is he done for this week, but he'll face an uphill battle to clear concussion protocol and be eligible to play in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Look for the Cardinals' passing attack to run through Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Greg Dortch until Harrison can return.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle) is officially active for Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons. He had been listed as questionable after being limited in practice all week long, but he was trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's game. Johnson's being active gives the Panthers a key weapon as they take on their divisional foe, the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson has played quite well with Andy Dalton under center; if you exclude last week's game in which Johnson got hurt, he's averaging 7.5 catches, 102.5 yards, and one touchdown per game with Dalton at quarterback. The former Steelers wide receiver is a solid fantasy WR2 this week in Carolina.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring) is now listed as questionable to return to Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old saw six carries out of the backfield before leaving the game. He was able to get 27 yards out of those carries. Tony Pollard has dominated a lot of the touches in this game, and Julius Chestnut will step up to take on the backup duties until Spears can get back in the game.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (shoulder) has officially been ruled out of the rest of the game against the Arizona Cardinals. Wicks saw three targets and registered one reception for nine yards before exiting the game. Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed should all see more opportunities while they have a touchdown each so far in this one. The severity of Wicks' injury will likely be known when they can run some more tests on Monday.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles CB Darius Slay (knee) suffered a knee injury during the Week 6 game and is considered questionable to return.
From TheHuddle