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FFL: Playoff Week 3 | NFL: Week 17

TE Strength of Schedule

Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

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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 DFS Pickem Plays: Week 17

Player Notes
Dawson Knox Dec 28 5:10pm ET
Dawson Knox

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox should not be relied upon for fantasy purposes this weekend when his team lines up against the New York Jets. The 28-year-old is back to a low-volume role in Buffalo's offense with the return of fellow tight end Dalton Kincaid. Since his return in Week 15, Kincaid has racked up eight receptions on 14 targets, to Knox's four catches on five looks. It'd be one thing if the second-year pro were out-producing him on a larger share of snaps, but Knox has led the duo in that regard over that stretch. On top of his diminished role, the Jets are giving up the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends in 2024 (10.6) -- further hampering his chances at a viable fantasy output. The Ole Miss product ranks as RotoBaller's PPR TE34 ahead of Week 17's slate.

From RotoBaller

Kevin Austin Jr. Dec 28 5:00pm ET
Kevin Austin Jr.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. will not be a viable fantasy option in his meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday. The third-year wideout was the Saints' leading snap-getter at the position in last week's 34-0 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Still, it resulted in just 17 yards and one reception on four targets. That's been the story for the 24-year-old -- decent playing time but little production to show for it. He'll line up across from one of the better units in the league against fantasy WRs this Sunday. Las Vegas has allowed the eleventh-fewest points per game to wideouts (31.8) and the tenth-least passing yards per game in the NFL. Fantasy managers can undoubtedly find a better option than Austin Jr. ahead of championship weekend. He'll rank as RotoBaller's PPR WR92 in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Cam Akers Dec 28 4:40pm ET
Cam Akers

Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers should not be started in this Sunday's divisional tilt against the visiting Green Bay Packers. The 25-year-old's workload has mostly been contingent on game script and the health of backfield mate Aaron Jones in 2024. Akers had gotten some extended run when Jones was dinged up or the game was safely at hand. However, this season, he's been less effective with a larger rush share. Since his move to Minnesota, the Florida State product has yet to run for more than 2.9 yards per carry when he receives ten or more attempts. This starkly contrasts the 6.68 he's averaged over the other 19 carries. The Vikings' meeting with Green Bay projects to be a good one, as both teams are vying for playoff spots -- so Akers does not figure to see an increase in workload unless Jones misses snaps or is loose with the football. He comes in as RotoBaller's PPR RB52 ahead of this week's slate of action.

From RotoBaller

Mack Hollins Dec 28 4:30pm ET
Mack Hollins

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins won't be on the fantasy radar for his meeting with the division-rival New York Jets in Week 17. The veteran wideout has broken free for a few big plays in 2024 but has generally been an unreliable option regarding fantasy. Despite participating on the most snaps for a Bills WR, Hollins clocks in at fourth in total receptions on the squad (26) -- averaging just 1.73 catches and 21.3 yards per reception in 15 appearances. Additionally, the Jets have been one of the worst matchups for wideouts this season, allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to the position (29.9). Outside of a dart-throw DFS shot, the 31-year-old holds little lineup appeal as RotoBaller's PPR WR85 in this week's rankings.

From RotoBaller

Ray Davis Dec 28 4:10pm ET
Ray Davis

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis will not be a viable fantasy option in Sunday's divisional clash with the New York Jets. The rookie back has been used sparingly over the last few weeks and is mostly uninvolved when Buffalo is in a close game. He's been effective with his touches when he has seen the field but has generally been the third backfield option behind teammates James Cook and Ty Johnson. Davis hasn't met or exceeded the 20-snap mark since Week 6's matchup with New York (40) when Cook was dealing with a toe injury. The 25-year-old erupted for 152 total yards on 23 touches in that meeting -- flashing his upside. However, fighting for reps with his backfield mates hurts his value despite picking up snaps in an elite offense. He lands as RotoBaller's PPR RB45 ahead of fantasy championship weekend.

From RotoBaller

Tommy Tremble Dec 28 4:00pm ET
Tommy Tremble

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble should not be started in an formats in Week 17 when he faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tremble logged two limited practice sessions during the week due to shoulder and back injuries but is no longer listed on the injury report. Over his past three games, Tremble has seen just 2.3 targets per game while splitting opportunities with rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders. Over this three-game stretch he has tallied just 16.7 yards per game. Over his past five games, Tremble has surpassed 40+ receiving yards just once. Given his lack of consistent production, fantasy managers should keep him out of all lineups despite facing a weak Tampa Bay secondary that has allowed the sixth-most PPR points to opposing tight ends this season.

From RotoBaller

CeeDee Lamb Dec 28 3:50pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

According to the team, the Dallas Cowboys have placed wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) on the injured reserve, officially ending his 2024 season. Earlier this week, the Cowboys announced that Lamb would miss the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old has delt with a lingering AC joint injury throughout the season. Lamb will finish the campaign with 101 receptions, 1,194 yards and six scores. He added 70 yards on 14 attempts. Over his past three games, Lamb was very productive averaging 21.4 PPR points per game. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, and Jake Ferguson to lead the passing attack during the final two weeks of the season. Ferguson should be viewed as a low-end TE1 this weekend while Cooks and Tolbert enter flex territory in deeper formats.

From RotoBaller

Joseph Ossai Dec 28 3:30pm ET
Joseph Ossai

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (illness) and safety Geno Stone (illness) are both active for Saturday's matchup against the Denver Broncos. Ossai was unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday while Stone popped up on the injury report on Thursday. However, both were able to turn the corner in time for kickoff. Ossai has tallied 12 tackles and three sacks over his past four contests. Stone is currently riding a three-game interception streak and has tallied nine tackles over this stretch. Both should continue to see starting opportunities on the Cincinnati defense.

From RotoBaller

Josh Palmer Dec 28 3:30pm ET
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (heel) is questionable to return to Saturday's game with a heel injury. The wideout sustained this injury during the third quarter of the game. Before exiting, Palmer brought in four of his six targets for 41 yards. His longest reception of the game went for 19 yards. At the time of departing, he had the third-most targets on the team, behind only Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.

From RotoBaller

Isaac Guerendo Dec 28 3:10pm ET
Isaac Guerendo

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (hamstring/foot) is expected to play on Monday evening. The rookie running back was unable to suit up last weekend and has logged two limited practice sessions earlier this week. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status on Saturday's final injury report as a full practice session may help him avoid an injury designation. While sidelined, Patrick Taylor Jr. was given the starting nod and tallied just 24 yards on eight attempts. Guerendo has averaged a solid 19.1 PPR points per game during Weeks 14 and 15 and should be viewed as an RB2 if he is able to suit up on Monday, despite facing a tough Detroit run defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest PPR to the position.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Dec 28 3:10pm ET
Tee Higgins

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle/knee) is officially active for Saturday afternoon's matchup against the Denver Broncos. Higgins remained a limited participant throughout practice the week but carried a questionable tag heading into the weekend. Over his past five contests, the Clemson product has averaged a stellar 18.3 PPR points per game. During this stretch has averaged a strong 77.3 yards per game and has found the end zone four times. He has also seen double-digit targets in three of these five contests. Despite facing a tough Denver secondary that has allowed the seventh-fewest PPR points to opposing wideouts, Higgins should be locked into all lineups as a solid WR2.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Tavion Sanders Dec 28 3:00pm ET
Ja'Tavion Sanders

Carolina Panthers rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders is not a viable option in Week 17 when he faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Over his past three contests, Sanders has seen just two targets across and did not bring in any of them. However, earlier in the season, Sanders saw a solid 4.1 targets per game, during Weeks 5 through 12. During this span, he tallied 8.2 PPR points per game and found the end zone one time. The Panthers will be without top running back Chuba Hubbard (knee), which could force them to rely on Bryce Young to push the ball downfield to keep up with a potent Tampa Bay offense. However, given Sanders' unreliable target share of the past month, fantasy managers should not consider starting him in any format.

From RotoBaller

Tony Pollard Dec 28 2:50pm ET
Tony Pollard

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle/illness) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pollard was unable to practice all week due to an ankle injury and came down with the flu on Saturday. It was reported earlier that Pollard was not going to travel with the team, and now he will set his sights on returning in Week 18 to face the Houston Texans. Pollard has been dealing with this lingering ankle injury over the past two weeks and has averaged a mere 40.0 yards per game over this span. As a result, Tyjae Spears will get the starting nod and should be viewed as a high-end RB2 in all formats facing a Jaguars defense that has allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing RBs this season.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Coker Dec 28 2:40pm ET
Jalen Coker

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker projects to be a risky flex option in deeper formats in a Week 17 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last weekend, Coker caught only two of his five targets for a mere eight yards. However, in Week 15, Coker tallied 110 yards and a score on four receptions. During Weeks 5 through 10, Coker saw 4.2 targets per game and has continued to see a slight increase in opportunities as the season has progressed. In addition, No.2 wideout Xavier Legette (hip) is listed as questionable and could open up more targets for Coker if he cannot suit up. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the inactive report before kickoff as Coker could move up the depth chart prior to the game. In addition, No.1 running back Chuba Hubbard (knee) has been ruled out which could encourage Carolina to rely on their passing attack more often. Despite this, fantasy managers in deeper 3WR formats should only consider starting Coker as a desperation flex option given his unstable production this season, even in a favorable matchup against the Tampa Bay secondary that has allowed the sixth-most PPR points to opposing wideouts.

From RotoBaller

David Moore Dec 28 2:40pm ET
David Moore

Carolina Panthers wide receiver David Moore should be viewed as a desperation flex option in deeper formats in Week 17 when he faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While he has seen a solid 6.2 targets per game over his past four contests, Moore has only averaged 3.2 receptions per game. During this span he has tallied just 40.8 yards per game while being deployed as the No.3/No.4 wide receiver in this offense. However, with Xavier Legette (hip) listed as questionable, Moore could have a path to be a starting option this weekend. In addition, with top running back Chuba Hubbard (knee) on the IR, the Panthers may need to rely on their passing attack to keep up with Tampa Bay. Facing a weak Tampa Bay Secondary that has allowed the sixth-most PPR points to opposing wideouts still makes Moore a risky flex option given his placement on the depth chart.

From RotoBaller

Tony Pollard Dec 28 2:20pm ET
Tony Pollard

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle, illness) has the flu, which could put him in danger of missing Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fowler noted that Pollard will not travel with the team. In addition, Pollard was unable to practice all week with an ankle injury but was planning on "playing through that." Pollard carried a questionable tag into last weekend's game but played and ceded a majority of the snaps to Tyjae Spears. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on Pollard's status leading up to Sunday's game. If Pollard is unable to play, Spears would be viewed as a must-start, high-end RB2 in all formats while facing a Jaguars defense that has allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing running backs this season.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Jones Dec 28 2:20pm ET
Jonathan Jones

According to the team, New England Patriots defensive back Christian Gonzalez (concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of Saturday's game due to a concussion. Gonzalez suffered this injury during the second quarter. Before exiting, the 22-year-old tallied one solo tackle. Jonathan Jones should be expected to see an uptick in playing time during the remainder of the game. Through 15 games this season, Gonzalez tallied 58 tackles with 11 deflections and two interceptions.

From RotoBaller

Anthony Richardson Dec 28 2:10pm ET
Anthony Richardson

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (back/foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New York Giants. Richardson was unable to participate in practice all week and will set his sights on returning in Week 18 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a result, veteran Joe Flacco will get the starting nod. Over his past five games Richardson has been very productive from a fantasy standpoint tallying 23.1 PPR points per game and finding the back of the end zone nine times over this stretch. Flacco has been productive when given opportunities this season. Across five games, he has averaged 233.4 passing yards per game with a 9:5 TD:INT ratio. He is a solid QB2 in Superflex formats facing the Giants who have allowed the 17th-most PPR points to opposing QBs this season.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Dec 28 2:00pm ET
Drake Maye

According to the New England Patriots, rookie quarterback Drake Maye (head) has returned to Saturday's game. Maye left the field after their first offensive drive after taking a hard hit to the head. He was seen in the blue medical tent and eventually went to the locker room. However, Maye was able to return and missed only one offensive drive. Veteran Jacoby Brissett went 0-for-1 on his lone passing attempt in relief.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Dec 28 2:00pm ET
Tua Tagovailoa

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday's match against the Cleveland Browns. Tagovailoa was initially listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report after logging three straight limited sessions during the week. Schefter noted that Tagovailoa is still pushing to play, but if he cannot turn the corner, than Tyler Huntley would get the starting nod. The 26-year-old missed four games earlier this season due to a concussion. After tallying 337.5 passing yards per game during Weeks 12 through 14, Tagovailoa has struggled over the past two weeks throwing for a mere 205.5 passing yards per game. If Tagovailoa is able to turn the corner in time to play, he should be viewed as a high-end QB2. If Huntley gets the start, he should only be started in deep Superflex formats.

From RotoBaller