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 DFS Pickem Plays: Week 7
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing got his first career action in the passing game during a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The fourth-round pick had seen most of his work this year as a punt returner but became involved in the offense when Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) left near the end of the first half, and with Jauan Jennings already having been ruled out earlier in the week. Cowing finished with two receptions for 50 yards on three targets. One of those receptions was an important-at-the-time 41-yard fourth-quarter bomb. If Aiyuk's injury is a torn ACL as feared, Cowing will be a deep-league waiver target -- along with fellow rookie Ricky Pearsall. Pearsall has the long-term edge over Cowing based on Pearsall's first-round pedigree, but Cowing had a more impactful day and Pearsall hadn't played an NFL snap until today, including preseason. San Francisco will host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 on Sunday Night Football.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce caught two of his five targets for 15 yards in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Pierce led Indy in targets, tied with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Pierce and quarterback Anthony Richardson did connect on a 28-yard pass that nearly had him in the end zone, but the play was ultimately negated due to an illegal formation penalty. Pierce has been a very boom-or-bust option for fantasy managers and will likely continue to stay in a similar role moving forward. That being said, Pierce will have a more favorable matchup in Week 8 against the Houston Texans and can potentially be viewed as a WR4/5 option in the contest.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay made all three of his field goals and connected on his only extra-point opportunity in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Gay accounted for ten of Indy's six points, making a huge difference in Sunday's low-scoring contest. His longest field goal came from 52 yards out, with his other two coming from 22 and 38 yards out, respectively. Gay was 0/2 from 50+ yard attempts before Sunday's contest but was able to put one through in the second quarter. He'll look to build on his strong performance in Week 8 when the Colts take on the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs caught just one of his three targets for three yards in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. The Colts struggled to move the ball through the air throughout the contest, relying on their run game to help lead them to a win. Downs had seen some high-level production in previous weeks with quarterback Joe Flacco as the starter but has struggled to see a similar fantasy output with quarterback Anthony Richardson at the helm. The Dolphins' secondary has been a stingy unit so far this season, and Downs and company are in store for a better matchup in Week 8 against the Houston Texans. That being said, Downs can be viewed as a WR3/4 option in the contest.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell caught two of his three targets for 30 yards in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Mitchell finished second in receiving yards for Indy, behind Michael Pittman Jr., who finished with 63. All of Indy's pass-catchers finished with underwhelming stat lines, given Miami's run funnel defense. Despite finishing second in yards, Mitchell continues to see a very low snap share, logging just 14 total snaps with six routes run in the matchup. While he has still seen production in the limited snaps, it does make him hard to trust as a viable option moving forward. The former Longhorn is likely off the radar in Week 8 when the Colts take on the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. caught three of his five targets for 63 yards in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Pittman accounted for almost half of Indianapolis' receiving yards on Sunday, with quarterback Anthony Richardson throwing for just 129 yards in the contest. Most of Pittman's production came from a 33-yard throw from Richardson in the first half that set up a field goal before the half expired. Like the rest of Indy's pass-catchers, their ceilings take quite a hit with Richardson as the starter, but Pittman showed today he still provides a solid floor and can be trusted moving forward. He can be viewed as a WR3 option in Week 8 when the Colts take on the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson completed ten of his 24 passing attempts for 129 yards in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins, throwing no touchdowns and no interceptions. Richardson found some success on the ground, running the ball 14 times for a team-high 56 yards, but did lose a fumble in the red zone in the first half. Richardson has struggled to put up big numbers through the air this season and hasn't seen incredibly high numbers on the ground to help compensate from a fantasy perspective. Fantasy managers can view Richardson as a low-end QB1 option in Week 8 when the Colts visit the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Trey Sermon carried the ball eight times for 36 yards in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Sermon also caught his only target for another 13 yards through the air. Sermon took a backseat to running back Tyler Goodson in Sunday's matchup, being out-touched 14-to-nine, marking the first time Goodson had the higher opportunity share since the two overtook the backfield in Jonathan Taylor's (ankle) absence. Sermon had some issues with efficiency in the previous week but improved on that, averaging 4.5 yards per carry on Sunday. Sermon's fantasy value does take quite a hit with Goodson's expanded role, and the two may both be off the radar in Week 8 if Taylor were to return. If Taylor sits out again in Week 8 against the Houston Texans, Sermon can be viewed as a RB3/4 option.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell nailed all three of his field goal attempts and converted on all four of his extra-point tries in a 37-15 victory against the New York Jets. The Steelers offense got off to a slow start but quickly picked up momentum, pushing the ball downfield and generating an abundance of opportunities for Boswell. He has been one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL this season and has provided value for fantasy purposes. If Pittsburgh can continue putting up points at this rate, Boswell will project as a must-start on a weekly basis. He can be confidently deployed against the New York Giants in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers logged one sack, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and a blocked field goal while surrendering 15 points to the New York Jets in a Week 7 victory. Pittsburgh's pass rush was surprisingly held in check on Sunday night, but its secondary came through with a game-changing performance. Undrafted rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. picked off quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice and nearly scored while returning an interception in the third quarter. The Steelers DST has been steady for fantasy purposes through seven weeks and will remain a must-start option against the New York Giants in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson ran the ball 14 times for 51 yards and a touchdown in the team's 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Goodson out-touched running back Trey Sermon for the first time since Jonathan Taylor (ankle) has been out, seeing 14 carries to Sermon's eight. Goodson was productive, breaking away multiple chunk runs that eventually led to a first-half touchdown. If Taylor is out again in Week 8 against the Houston Texans, fantasy managers can look to Goodson as a viable RB2 option, given his increased workload.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk turned three targets into just one catch for 24 yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. The 27-year-old has underperformed over his last two games, tallying just four catches and 63 yards during that span. Immediately upon returning stateside next week, he gets a tough matchup against a very tough Green Bay Packers secondary. Fantasy managers should leave Kirk on the bench in 12-team leagues.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis was targeted twice during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He finished with just one catch for 13 yards, representing a massive step backward from Week 6 when he totaled five catches, 45 yards, and two touchdowns. Brian Thomas Jr. and Evan Engram have cemented themselves as Trevor Lawrence's favorite targets, leaving Davis and Christian Kirk fighting for the scraps in Jacksonville's passing attack. Neither Davis nor Kirk are dependable fantasy options when the Jaguars return stateside to face a tough Green Bay Packers secondary in Week 8.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in five receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown on nine targets in a 37-15 victory over the New York Jets. With Russell Wilson starting at quarterback, Pickens was consistently given opportunities downfield. He came down with multiple highlight-reel grabs and found pay dirt for the first time this season on an 11-yard fade route near the end of the second quarter. While Pickens was clearly the favorite target of Justin Fields, his skillset seems to better align with Wilson's strengths, which include stretching the field vertically. The 23-year-old should find himself back in fantasy WR2 territory next week in a bout with the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard went 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points during Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions. Although Minnesota lost, Reichard kept the Vikings in the game with another perfect effort, hitting key field goals from 42, 48, and 57 yards out. He has been extremely accurate through six games in his rookie campaign, converting all 12 of his field goal attempts and all 18 of his extra point attempts. Moving forward, Reichard is a reliable top-12 kicking option in fantasy football given his accuracy, power, and Minnesota's scoring tendencies.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth logged two receptions for 51 yards on three targets in a 37-15 win over the New York Jets. Freiermuth was surprisingly given fewer opportunities than fellow tight end Darnell Washington, who earned a career-high four targets. Still, Freiermuth outgained Washington and was extremely effective with limited touches. He turned a short completion from Russell Wilson into a 30-yard gain in the second quarter and later came down with a 21-yard deep ball. Pittsburgh's passing attack was more aggressive and fast-paced with Wilson at the helm, which should prove beneficial to Freiermuth going forward. He'll remain on the fantasy radar for a Week 8 meeting with the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught all five of his targets for 89 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He also added two rushing yards on two attempts. The rookie was the Jaguars' most productive pass-catcher as they recorded their second win in the last three weeks. Not only did he find the end zone, but he also delivered a 58-yard reception to put the Jaguars on the edge of the red zone late in the first half. Thomas should continue to be treated as a solid WR2 option in fantasy football, including next week when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram caught all five of his targets for 35 yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. The veteran pass-catcher has been quite productive in two weeks since returning from injury, catching 15 passes for 137 yards during that span. One would have to imagine that his strong stretch of games will continue when the Jaguars return stateside to face the Green Bay Packers next week. After all, Engram is looking like the Jaguars' second-best pass-catcher behind Brian Thomas Jr. Fantasy managers should treat the 30-year-old as a mid-to-low TE1 option in fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson rushed for 38 yards on nine carries during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots in London. He also got involved as a pass-catcher, hauling in three of his four targets for an additional 32 receiving yards. While Johnson operated as the clear backup to Tank Bigsby on Sunday, it was promising to see him stay productive while earning double-digit touches. With that said, his usage could decrease in a more negative game script scenario, such as next week versus the Green Bay Packers. Johnson is worth monitoring on the fantasy radar, but managers can't justify starting him in 12-team leagues yet.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor caught four of his five targets for 76 receiving yards during Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions. Nailor operated as the Vikings' No. 3 receiver, but he still played 73.3 percent of the offensive snaps and was clearly heavily involved in the passing attack. In fact, Nailor had more targets, receptions, and yards than Jordan Addison, and he came just five receiving yards shy of Justin Jefferson's Week 7 mark. It's not often that you can plug a team's No. 3 receiver into your fantasy lineups, but Nailor has become an appealing option ahead of Week 8 versus a suspect Los Angeles Rams defense.
From RotoBaller