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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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Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 11

Player Notes
Mike Williams Nov 15 8:10pm ET
Mike Williams

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams made the most of his limited snaps in Week 10 and will look to get more involved in a divisional showdown with the Baltimore Ravens. Williams, who caught his only target for a 32-yard touchdown in his Steelers debut, is likely to see more playing time now in his second week with the team and could get a few shots downfield from quarterback Russell Wilson. This is certainly a matchup that Williams and teammate George Pickens can exploit as the Ravens have surrendered the most fantasy points per game to wideouts this season. While fantasy managers shouldn't be starting Williams in most redraft formats on Sunday, he has some upside as a DFS play in what projects to be a high-scoring affair.

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Jonathan Taylor Nov 15 7:50pm ET
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been highly effective when healthy this season, playing in seven of the Colts' 10 games and averaging 88.0 YPG rushing while adding 12 catches for 108 yards receiving. Along with five TDs on the year, the 25-year-old has been one of the lone bright spots on offense in 2024. With Anthony Richardson back at QB in Week 11, the Colts will likely lean more heavily on the ground attack versus the Jets who have been weak against the run over their past four contests, allowing a pair of 100-yard rushers and five scores during that time. Even so, with the uncertainty at quarterback and the Colts as four-point underdogs in a game with a low expected total, Taylor figures to be more of a fringe RB1 in Week 11.

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Jared Goff Nov 15 7:40pm ET
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) practiced in full on Thursday and Friday and was removed from the final Week 11 injury report, so he will be active on Sunday to face the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars. Decker will return to action to protect quarterback Jared Goff's blind side after sitting out the Week 10 win over the Houston Texans last Sunday night. The 30-year-old former 16th overall pick in 2016 out of Ohio State has started in all 120 games he's appeared in over his nine-year NFL career. His return is great news for Goff and the rest of Detroit's offense this weekend in a game that the Lions are favored by two touchdowns.

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Tee Higgins Nov 15 7:30pm ET
Tee Higgins

Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack (groin) did not practice all week and is listed as questionable for the Week 11 contest on Sunday night against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, defensive back Deane Leonard (hamstring) is also questionable after being limited in practice all week. Mack was active for the Week 10 win over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, but he played only four defensive snaps in the victory. The 33-year-old veteran pass-rusher will probably be active again on Sunday night, but there's a good chance he'll be on a limited snap count yet again, making him one to avoid in starting fantasy lineups in IDP setups. The Bolts defense has been a popular streaming unit in recent weeks with a string of excellent matchups, but they should be faded in Week 11 against a rising Bengals offense that is getting receiver Tee Higgins (quadriceps) back.

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George Pickens Nov 15 7:30pm ET
George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has been highly productive for fantasy recently and should continue to find success on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have been the single-best matchup for fantasy wideouts this season and were eviscerated to the tune of 11 receptions, 264 yards, and three touchdowns by Ja'Marr Chase last week. Through three games with Russell Wilson under center, Pickens has garnered a 26% team target share and found the end zone twice. Although Mike Williams should be more involved in Pittsburgh's offensive game plan this week, Pickens will undoubtedly remain the top weapon in the passing game. The third-year pro is a must-start fantasy option as a WR1 with upside in Week 11.

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Brandon Aiyuk Nov 15 7:20pm ET
Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) had surgery on his right knee earlier this week to fix a torn ACL and other damage. In addition to tearing his ACL, Aiyuk also tore his MCL in the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and will miss the rest of the season. He should have already been dropped in single-season fantasy leagues. It remains to be seen if the 26-year-old will make enough progress in his rehab in the offseason in order to be ready to play in Week 1 of the 2025 regular season next fall. For the rest of 2024, receivers Deebo Samuel Sr. and Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle should be the most-targeted pass-catchers, with rookie first-rounder Ricky Pearsall also seeing an expanded role in the passing attack. Aiyuk was an absolute fantasy bust this year, finishing with 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns in seven games.

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Russell Wilson Nov 15 7:20pm ET
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will hope to tally a fourth consecutive victory in a Week 11 bout with the 7-3 Baltimore Ravens. Although Baltimore's defense has been stingy against the run this season, it is the second-best matchup for fantasy quarterbacks and surrenders the most passing yards per contest in the NFL. The Ravens have given up a top-12 quarterback performance in six of 10 games. This divisional clash is tied for the highest-projected point total of the week, so we should see plenty of scoring in what could become a shootout. Wilson has been incredibly effective through three starts with a 105.9 passer rating and seven total touchdowns to one interception. Outside of the elite tier of fantasy quarterbacks with rushing upside, there aren't many options that should be started ahead of Wilson this week. The 35-year-old can be viewed as a solid QB1 in all formats on Sunday.

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Lamar Jackson Nov 15 7:20pm ET
Lamar Jackson

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (ankle) missed practice all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 11 showdown against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. In addition, cornerback C.J. Henderson (neck) is out, while defensive back Cory Trice Jr. (hamstring) is questionable. Head coach Mike Tomlin said earlier this week that Highsmith is week-to-week, meaning he could miss additional time, including the Week 12 tilt on a short turnaround next Thursday night against the division-rival Cleveland Browns. It certainly will make things more difficult for the Steelers defense against two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and the explosive Ravens offense. Pittsburgh's defense/special teams should be faded in fantasy this week. With Highsmith out, Nick Herbig should take on a bigger role at linebacker.

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Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Nov 15 7:00pm ET
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine will face the Vikings in Week 11 NFL action this Sunday. The career Titan has really stepped up as the second wide-receiver on this team when DeAndre Hopkins left, leading the team in receiving touchdowns with four. Calvin Ridley is still far and away the top option in the passing game for whoever is quarterbacking the Titans, but Westbrook-Ikine has been a sneaky reliable play for the most part since Week 7, finishing as a top-36 fantasy WR three times. The Vikings have not been great at stopping opposing wideouts, as they currently rank 30th against the position, but quarterback Will Levis will likely be under heavy pressure all game which does not bode well for his #2 receiver. The Indiana product is only a flex option in deeper formats for Week 11.

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Dameon Pierce Nov 15 7:00pm ET
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (groin) was a full-go in Friday's practice session after being listed as a limited participant on Thursday. Pierce has missed the team's last two games with his groin injury, but barring a setback in Saturday's practice, he could be cleared to play on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys. The 24-year-old's return would push Dare Ogunbowale back to the RB3 role. If Pierce is able to return in Week 11, he'll return to backup duties in the backfield behind Joe Mixon, who has been excellent in his first year with the team. Pierce has been very efficient (career-high 7.0 yards per carry) in his four games in 2024 after a disastrous second season in 2023 that saw him average just 2.9 yards a tote. However, he hasn't seen enough volume behind Mixon when healthy to give him standalone fantasy value.

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Tyjae Spears Nov 15 6:50pm ET
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears avoided the injury report for the first time since Week 6 and will take on the Vikings in Week 11 action. Spears missed Weeks 7-9 with a hamstring injury but returned for last week's contest vs. the LA Chargers, playing a healthy 46% of snaps. The shifty back still ran behind Pollard in opportunity share, but was able to garner 10 in the game, averaging his highest YPC mark of the season at 6.7. Unfortunately he faces an even tougher run-stopping unit this Week in Minnesota, who are fourth-best at limiting opposing backs. The only saving grace here is that the Vikings are middle-of-the-pack in receptions allowed to RBs, which is a strength of Spears' game. Even so, Spears has a small share of a dysfunctional offense that will have a tough time moving the ball this weekend. He is merely a desperation play in deeper formats, with a slight upgrade in full-PPR.

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Jake Ferguson Nov 15 6:50pm ET
Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (illness) returned to a full practice on Friday after being held out of the first practice of the week on Thursday. The Cowboys play the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football in Week 11, and Ferguson should be ready to roll by then. There's a good chance he'll be removed from the final injury report entirely on Saturday if he can put in another full practice. The real concern for Ferguson's fantasy managers shouldn't be his illness, but rather the fact that quarterback Cooper Rush is now leading Dallas' offense with Dak Prescott (hamstring) out for the season. In Rush's first game under center in last week's blowout loss to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, Ferguson caught four of five targets for only 24 yards. Ferguson is now more of a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 rather than a weekly TE1 option.

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Calvin Ridley Nov 15 6:40pm ET
Calvin Ridley

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley will take on the Minnesota Vikings in a Week 11 matchup. It's been a roller coaster season for the 29-year old who has been the most negatively impacted by the Titans inept offense from a fantasy standpoint, ranking as the WR60 through the first seven weeks. After Hopkins was shipped off to Kansas City, Ridley has been an all-star fantasy asset as the WR2 since Week 8, highlighted by a two-touchdown performance last week against a tough Chargers defense. While Ridley always carries a fair bit of risk given the poor play of the Titans offense overall, he's become a must-start player after commanding 31 targets over the past three weeks. Minnesota is a formidable defensive unit, but are much more susceptible through the air, ranking as the 3rd-worst defense at limiting opposing WRs. Consider Ridley a risky WR2 with some upside this week.

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Noah Fant Nov 15 6:40pm ET
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight ends Noah Fant (groin) and Brady Russell (foot) have been ruled out for Sunday's game against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Week 11. It will be the second straight game that Fant has missed after suffering a groin injury in practice two weeks ago. The bye in Week 10 apparently wasn't enough to get him back on the field. With Fant missing another contest, the Seahawks will likely elevate either Tyler Mabry or the recently signed N'Keal Harry from the practice squad to provide depth behind rookie AJ Barner and Pharaoh Brown. Barner played over 90 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Rams with Fant out and caught four of his seven targets for 27 yards in his first career NFL game. Barner will once again be a TE2 sleeper with Fant out again in Week 11 against the Niners.

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Davante Adams Nov 15 6:40pm ET
Davante Adams

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (illness, wrist) was a full-go in practice on Friday but is listed as questionable to play on Sunday against the visiting Indianapolis Colts in Week 11. Adams was under the weather this week and didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday, and he's also dealing with a minor wrist injury. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said on Friday that Adams is expected to play, so fantasy managers should keep the 31-year-old All-Pro wideout in their lineups and check back on Sunday morning to make sure he's officially active. Adams has a strong matchup this weekend, too, as he'll be facing a Colts defense that has surrendered the sixth-most half-PPR points to receivers in the last three weeks, including three touchdowns. In four games since joining the Jets, the six-time Pro Bowler has a 20-206-1 line on 39 targets.

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Brock Purdy Nov 15 6:30pm ET
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (hip) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) are both listed as questionable to play in Week 11 versus the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. Bosa did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday but put in a limited session on Friday, giving him a chance to suit up this weekend. Williams did not practice all week but was merely being rested, so he should be available to protect quarterback Brock Purdy's blind side on Sunday. The 27-year-old Bosa was able to play through his hip injury in the Week 10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had four tackles, including a sack, which brings him to a disappointing 5.5 sacks through nine games on the season. If active, though, he's a must-start defensive lineman in IDP leagues against a Seahawks offense that will be getting receiver DK Metcalf (knee) back.

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D.K. Metcalf Nov 15 6:30pm ET
D.K. Metcalf

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) practiced in full all week and has been cleared to face the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Week 11 on Sunday. It's excellent news for a Seahawks offense that struggled in the two games that Metcalf missed leading up to their Week 10 bye. Metcalf had been sidelined since suffering an MCL sprain in the Week 7 win over the Atlanta Falcons but will be back in action as quarterback Geno Smith's top target in the passing game. Fantasy managers should ignore the fact that the 26-year-old only caught three of 11 targets for 48 yards and no touchdowns in the Week 6 loss to the Niners. The matchup against San Fran's defense isn't the friendliest for fantasy purposes, but when healthy, Metcalf has been the WR13 in half-PPR points scored per week in 2024 at 13.2. Now that he's back, return him to your starting fantasy lineups.

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Jauan Jennings Nov 15 6:20pm ET
Jauan Jennings

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (ankle) was removed from Friday's final Week 11 injury report and will be available to play on Sunday when the team takes on the division-rival Seattle Seahawks at Levis Stadium. Jennings popped up on the injury report on Thursday after being limited in practice, putting his availability for Sunday's game in question. The 27-year-old is now in the clear, though, and could have another big role in San Fran's passing attack against Seattle after leading the team in targets (11) and receiving yards (93) in the Week 10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jennings had missed the two previous games due to a hip injury. With Brandon Aiyuk (knee) done for the year, Jennings' elevated role should be secure the rest of the year. The Seahawks D has allowed the second-most half-PPR points to receivers in their last two games.

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George Kittle Nov 15 6:10pm ET
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (hamstring) is listed as questionable for the Week 11 divisional game on Sunday versus the Seattle Seahawks. Kittle is dealing with a little hamstring irritation and did not practice on Wednesday before putting in limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he wasn't too worried about Kittle's status for this weekend, so fantasy managers should leave him in all starting lineups, even with the Niners and Seahawks kicking off in the late window on Sunday. The 31-year-old leads all tight ends in fantasy points through 10 weeks and has found the end zone seven times in his eight games this year. Oh, and he also caught five passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting against Seattle back on Oct. 10. Kittle will be a must-start for the rest of the year in fantasy.

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Tony Pollard Nov 15 6:10pm ET
Tony Pollard

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard takes on the Minnesota Vikings and their stout run defense this upcoming Sunday. With Tyjae Spears returning to the lineup last week, Pollard played a season low in snaps at 54% and only received nine carries in the game. The positives were that Pollard received more work in the passing game than Spears and was more efficient, but the latter's stock is definitely on the decline. This week against a Vikings defense that is fourth-best against fantasy running backs and is No. 1 in the league in yards allowed, Pollard is demoted to a low-end flex. The former Cowboy is still in the mix given his role in the offense, but if he doesn't score a touchdown it will likely be a disappointing performance for fantasy managers given Minnesota's propensity to shut down their oppositions ground game.

From RotoBaller