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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

TE Strength of Schedule

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

Related photo caption below

Bowers could have big year one


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the tight end position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to tight ends last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the tight ends with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the tight ends that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  TE SOS  
1. Cincinnati Bengals 186.39
2. Miami Dolphins 193.98
3. Philadelphia Eagles 196.38
4. Washington Commanders 197.75
5. Houston Texans 198.15
6. Pittsburgh Steelers 199.18
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 199.68
8. New York Giants 201
9. Dallas Cowboys 201.18
10. Los Angeles Rams 201.38
11. Buffalo Bills 201.39
12. Chicago Bears 201.66
13. Arizona Cardinals 201.76
14. New York Jets 202.56
15. Jacksonville Jaguars 202.86
16. Baltimore Ravens 203.04
17. Denver Broncos 203.95
18. Los Angeles Chargers 204.02
19. Atlanta Falcons 204.25
20. Cleveland Browns 204.59
21. New Orleans Saints 205.62
22. Seattle Seahawks 205.73
23. San Francisco 49ers 206.80
24. Indianapolis Colts 206.89
25. Detroit Lions 207.92
26. New England Patriots 208.23
27. Kansas City Chiefs 210.92
28. Tennessee Titans 211.44
29. Green Bay Packers 212.07
30. Minnesota Vikings 212.23
31. Carolina Panthers 213.66
32. Las Vegas Raiders 213.81


A rookie led fantasy tight ends in scoring last year and the top rated rookie tight end this year gets the easiest fantasy schedule for tight end. Brock Browers and the Raiders have the most favorable schedule for tight ends. Sam LaPorta showed last year that a rookie can make an immediate fantasy impact, so don’t discount Browers to have big-time success in year one. He certainly looks the part of an elite tight end.

Another rookie with a good chance to start has the second easiest schedule for tight ends. Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders will compete with Tommy Tremble to start, but should emerge and be the top pass-catching tight end. He is looking like a good late-round gamble for fantasy teams.

The Vikings, Packers and Titans round out the top-five most favorable schedules for tight ends. T.J. Hockenson would be looking like a great pick if he wasn’t returning from a major injury. He is no sure thing to play early in the year. But once he is healthy, he could help fantasy teams in a big way once again.

Green Bay is likely to have Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft split a lot of the work at tight end, hurting both their value. They could produce some big games along the way, though, making them decent No. 2 fantasy tight ends this season. Both produced well in an expanded role last year.

Lastly, Chin Okonkwo didn’t quite have the breakout season many hoped last year, but he wasn’t bad by any means. Maybe he gets a few more chances this year and has some bigger games along the way with this favorable schedule. He is another decent tight end to grab as your backup.

The teams that top the list for toughest fantasy tight end schedules are teams that haven’t really utilized the tight end much in recent seasons. The Bengals have the toughest schedule followed bye the Dolphins. Mike Gesicki is the starter for the Bengals, but probably isn’t worth the risk with this schedule and the Bengals recent track record with tight ends.

Miami uses their tight ends to block more than anything in their offense. They have the occasional big game, but Jonnu Smith is going to be a risky weekly fantasy play. He would have looked much better landing with a different team.

There are a couple big-time fantasy tight ends that have unfavorable schedules. Dallas Goedert has the third toughest schedule. Goedert can be a little hit or miss to begin with in this offense, so this schedule gives him a little more concern. You might want to pass on him come draft day and go with another elite tight end with a better schedule and more consistency.

Dalton Schultz is the other elite tight end with a top-five unfavorable schedule. Schultz had a big first season with the Texans, becoming a favorite target of C.J. Stroud. He should get the targets this year. But he has a challenging schedule and more to compete with for targets, so his consistency might be a little off this year compared to last. 

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy tight ends. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the tight ends with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big-money contests.

  TE PLAYOFF SOS  
1. Atlanta Falcons 175
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 182.37
3. Philadelphia Eagles 184.73
4. Arizona Cardinals 187.67
5. Jacksonville Jaguars 187.77
6. New England Patriots 189.83
7. Miami Dolphins 190.37
8. New Orleans Saints 191.3
9. Los Angeles Rams 192.17
10. Pittsburgh Steelers 192.43
11. Cincinnati Bengals 196.1
12. Detroit Lions 196.12
13. Houston Texans 196.2
14. Indianapolis Colts 198.97
15. Buffalo Bills 199.63
16. Kansas City Chiefs 203.03
17. New York Jets 204.13
18. Carolina Panthers 205.7
19. Baltimore Ravens 205.9
20. Green Bay Packers 207.7
21. Chicago Bears 213.73
22. New York Giants 214.27
23. Seattle Seahawks 214.72
24. Cleveland Browns 214.97
25. Dallas Cowboys 215.8
26. Las Vegas Raiders 219.4
27. Washington Commanders 220.13
28. Denver Broncos 220.8
29. Minnesota Vikings 221.72
30. Tennessee Titans 223.73
31. San Francisco 49ers 225.53
32. Los Angeles Chargers 228.53


The Titans and Vikings are the only two teams with the most favorable fantasy schedule for tight ends during the regular season and playoffs. Hockenson is the intriguing one because he might not be fully healthy until late in the season. So while he might not be a huge fantasy factor for the regular season, Hockenson might be a difference maker in the playoffs.

Okonkwo is looking like a player worth grabbing as a No. 2 fantasy tight end, especially if you have an established starter ahead of him. Okonkwo has a high fantasy ceiling for the coming year because of a schedule that could facilitate a breakout season for him.

The Chargers actually have the best fantasy playoff schedule for tight ends. Donald Parham is the likely starter and has some potential in an offense looking for playmakers in the passing game. This could be his best season to date, making him an intriguing late-round gamble.

George Kittle is the biggest name on the list for top-five favorable fantasy tight end playoff schedules. He is going to produce big and could be even better down the stretch with a schedule setup for success.

The Falcons have the most challenging playoff schedule for fantasy tight ends. This is not good news for Kyle Pitts. He is already a polarizing fantasy player, so this schedule won’t do him any favors to get in good graces with more fantasy owners. Many think he could finally turn things around this year with a new coaching staff in place, but nothing is certain with this situation. Pitts could be a boom or bust pick once again.

The Eagles are the only team on both the top five most difficult fantasy schedules for tight ends for the regular season and playoffs. Goedert is looking like a player you might want to let someone else grab come draft day. There are a lot of good, young options at tight end this year. Going with one of those guys over Goedert might be the play on draft day.

Trey McBride is a favorite for many fantasy owners this year for a breakout season. He had a huge finish to last year and is shooting up draft boards. We wouldn’t avoid him come draft day because he has the fourth toughest fantasy playoff schedule. It is a little bit of a concern, but not a huge red flag for the talented tight end. Maybe just prepare for his numbers to dip a tad during the playoffs.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 11

Player Notes
Foster Moreau Nov 17 12:10am ET
Foster Moreau

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau began the 2024-25 campaign by catching all four targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. However, outside of two more trips to the end zone, the 27-year-old has been quiet through the first 10 weeks. Granted, he has logged more snaps than Juwan Johnson, although he hasn't been as productive. Still, even with the potential for more attention from Derek Carr in the Week 11 meeting with the Cleveland Browns, Moreau is hard to trust from a fantasy standpoint, meaning he's only a starting option for those with nowhere else to turn.

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Evan McPherson Nov 16 11:50pm ET
Evan McPherson

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson burst on to the scene as a rookie and finished his first season by making nearly 85% of his kicks. However, he has seemingly regressed over the years and is currently having the worst season of his career, successfully draining just 76.5% of his attempts. While McPherson is still a capable performer, he hasn't been too productive for fantasy managers in 2024-25. Still, considering injuries and teams on a bye, the 25-year-old has a place in all fantasy lineups for the Sunday night encounter with the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Jermaine Burton Nov 16 11:40pm ET
Jermaine Burton

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton looked good during the preseason, finding the end zone twice. As a result, expectations were high for the 2024 No. 80 overall pick heading into the regular season, even with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the equation. However, he hasn't done much, amassing only three catches (10 targets) for 99 yards. Burton has also been held out of a few contests, one of which was for disciplinary reasons. With that in mind, the 23-year-old may have a bright future, so keeping him stashed on dynasty rosters is recommended. Yet, his fantasy outlook for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign doesn't look promising, including in Week 11 versus the Chargers, especially with Chase, Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Chase Brown, and Mike Gesicki all looking for Joe Burrow's attention.

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Jaylen Warren Nov 16 11:20pm ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (back) is expected to play in Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens. He didn't practice on Thursday, although he was back on the practice field for a limited session on Friday. Still, it wasn't enough for Warren to avoid a questionable tag heading into Week 11. The 26-year-old hasn't done much to benefit fantasy managers this season, totaling 217 yards off 55 carries to the tune of 3.9 yards per touch, adding 14 grabs for 96 yards. With Najee Harris in the lineup, Warren isn't expected to be involved enough to be considered a reliable fantasy option, so managers should consider keeping him on the bench for the AFC North matchup.

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Chigoziem Okonkwo Nov 16 10:10pm ET
Chigoziem Okonkwo

Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo can be safely avoided by fantasy managers this Sunday when he squares off against the visiting Minnesota Vikings. The 25-year-old is Tennessee's clear TE1, though it has yet to amount to much in the fantasy department. Okonkwo is averaging an abysmal 2.3 receptions and 19.2 receiving yards per contest through nine games. Additionally, he'll face a tough test this weekend in a Vikings defense that has been stout against opposing passing attacks this season, letting up the seventh-fewest yards per pass attempt (5.7). Minnesota has been solid against tight ends, too, with 5.3 fantasy points allowed per game to the position. The Maryland product is RotoBaller's PPR TE29 for this weekend's slate.

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Tanner Hudson Nov 16 9:50pm ET
Tanner Hudson

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson is not a viable fantasy option in Week 11 when his team lines up against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road at SoFi Stadium. The seventh-year veteran has seen his usage tick up since rookie TE Erick All Jr (knee) went down for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. In Week 10, Hudson had his best outing of the season when he churned out 42 yards and a touchdown on 6-of-7 receiving against a sieve-like Baltimore Ravens defense. However, he'll have a much more difficult outing this weekend against one of the top defenses in the league. The Chargers are affording opposing tight ends an average of 4.7 fantasy points per outing and are the top scoring defense in the NFL -- letting up just 13.1 points per game. Additionally, the 30-year-old will continue to contend with teammate Mike Gesicki for targets and now has wide receiver Tee Higgins (quad) back in the fold, vying for his own share. Hudson is RotoBaller's PPR TE28 ahead of Week 11's outing.

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Jalen Nailor Nov 16 9:30pm ET
Jalen Nailor

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor can be safely avoided for fantasy purposes this Sunday when the team travels to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans. The third-year wideout had a few useful fantasy performances in the season's early going but has recorded just four receptions and 34 yards on eight targets over the prior three contests. Nailor will get a difficult test this weekend against a Titans defense that has been excellent against the pass thus far in 2024. Tennessee is allowing their opponents 5.3 yards per pass attempt and has let up an average of just 13.6 fantasy points per game to the WR position. Additionally, Nailor has become an even more distant option in the Vikings' air attack, with tight end T.J. Hockenson back in the fold. The 25-year-old is RotoBaller's PPR WR74 in this week's rankings.

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Noah Gray Nov 16 9:20pm ET
Noah Gray

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray will not be a recommended option this Sunday when his team squares off against the Buffalo Bills in a premiere matchup. The 25-year-old is far and away the team's second option at TE, registering nearly 300 more snaps than the next-closest player at the position sans Travis Kelce. However, his involvement needs to be more consistent to warrant fantasy viability. Gray is averaging just 2.1 receptions and 25.1 yards per contest as a distant fourth option at best in Kansas City's passing attack. If Kelce were to miss time, the Duke product would become an intriguing option. Until then, he can safely be avoided for fantasy purposes. Gray is RotoBaller's PPR TE27 in this week's ranks.

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Jaylen Wright Nov 16 9:10pm ET
Jaylen Wright

Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright is little more than a dart-throw option in Week 11 when his team lines up against the Las Vegas Raiders. The rookie back has seen his snap share dwindle over the last few weeks with the return of teammate Raheem Mostert, topping out at six carries since his return in Week 7. Week 10 was a low point for the 21-year-old, as he averaged just 0.6 yards on his five rush attempts (three yards). Wright has all the talent in the world but is buried on Miami's depth chart behind the veteran and second-year RB De'Von Achane -- who has dominated the Dolphins' snaps and touches out of the backfield. Until the former fourth-round pick's role is elevated, fantasy managers can continue to relegate him to their bench. He's RotoBaller's PPR RB42 for this weekend's slate of games.

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Jonnu Smith Nov 16 7:50pm ET
Jonnu Smith

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith gets a great matchup in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders. For most of the season, he has maintained a good target share and has carved out a meaningful role in the offense. He's garnered six or more targets in four of his last five games. The Raiders defense has been porous against tight ends this year, giving up the fourth most fantasy points per game to the position. They've also allowed the fifth most touchdowns to tight ends this season. In their last two games, Travis Kelce and Mike Gesicki had 90 receiving yards and a touchdown. If you need a replacement starter this week, Smith could be a viable option. He checks in as RotoBaller's TE17 for Week 11.

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Cooper Rush Nov 16 7:30pm ET
Cooper Rush

A Monday Night Football matchup with the floundering Dallas Cowboys puts the Houston Texans D/ST on the short list of top defenses to start in Week 11. The Texans pressure more than 27% of dropbacks, which ranks fourth in the NFL, and they're coming off a five-interception game against Detroit last week. Now comes a Dallas team down to Cooper Rush and Trey Lance at quarterback to go with the second-worst running game in the league at 3.8 yards per attempt. The Cowboys are scoring on only 18% of their drives this season, which is worse than everybody except the Las Vegas Raiders. Given the matchup, Houston is a no-doubt starting option.

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Dak Prescott Nov 16 7:20pm ET
Dak Prescott

Houston Texans kicker Kai'imi Fairbairn remains the overall No. 1 fantasy option at his position with another favorable matchup on Monday against the Dallas Cowboys. The Houston kicker is up to 11 made field goals from beyond 50 yards already, which ties the NFL record in a season with two more months still to go. Houston will take on a Cowboys defense that is allowing opponents to score on 46.5% of drives, which is worse than everyone except Carolina, and could be even further stressed due to their offense's struggles without quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring). Fairbairn should be in all starting lineups against Dallas.

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Tyquan Thornton Nov 16 7:13pm ET
Tyquan Thornton

Dynasty | The Patriots have waived wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Dynasty Analysis: The former second round pick looks like a classic case of a workout wonder gone wrong. Thornton has the speed and genetic makeup to compete in the NFL, but he just never got it together, despite being a second round pick in 2022. In 28 total games, he has just 39 catches for 385 yards and two touchdowns, including a 4/47/0 line this season. Thornton could re-emerge somewhere, but he doesn't belong on dynasty rosters at the moment.

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Aaron Rodgers Nov 16 7:13pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers may not be guaranteed a roster spot next season. Dynasty Analysis: Rodgers himself said this week he expects to be back with the Jets next season, but it certainly takes two to tango and New York may want to move in a different direction. This is just speculation at this point, but the Jets could be in position to draft his successor this off-season. It still seems likely Rodgers returns (especially since Davante Adams would have likely been assured of it), but teams that have performed this poorly rarely have anything set in stone. Rodgers is clinging to a little dynasty value, but it's dropping by the week.

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Tank Dell Nov 16 7:10pm ET
Tank Dell

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell once again finds himself in boom-or-bust Flex/WR3 territory with the Texans taking on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11. The 25-year-old receiver ranks a disappointing 40th at his position in PPR formats, though the Houston offense is due a major boost with the return of fellow receiver Nico Collins. Now that wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) is out for the year, the Houston offense could again look like it did in 2023 with Collins and Dell powering the passing attack. Even against middling Dallas pass defense, though, fantasy managers will have to weigh the risk of starting a No. 2 receiver on a team in the midst of major pass-protection issues.

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Joe Mixon Nov 16 7:10pm ET
Joe Mixon

Already in great form, Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon finds himself with an excellent matchup Monday against the fading Dallas Cowboys. The running back's age-28 season has seen him score touchdowns five weeks in a row, during which he is averaging 117 total yards and more than three targets per game. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are a mess. Dallas is a bottom-five defense against fantasy running backs that has allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns and third-most rushing first downs. Through nine games, opposing ball-carriers are averaging 4.7 yards per carry against the Cowboys. Mixon is a top-shelf running back in any format this week.

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C.J. Stroud Nov 16 7:10pm ET
C.J. Stroud

After a challenging past month, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud meets the struggling Dallas Cowboys at a great time. Last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year averaged under 200 yards during his past four games, during which he had just two passing touchdowns and two interceptions. Opposing defenses have exposed the Texans' pass protection for a dozen sacks in the past two weeks, obviously limiting Stroud's ability to deliver production. Now, however, comes a Dallas defense that ranks 26th against fantasy quarterbacks and is bottom-five against the run. Given Dallas' team-wide struggles, Stroud is starting-caliber in Week 11.

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Samaje Perine Nov 16 7:10pm ET
Samaje Perine

Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine will remain the primary backup with Isiah Pacheco (ankle) ruled out for the Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Perine hasn't done much in the rushing game, but has hauled in two receptions or more in each of the last three games. Kareem Hunt has seen a majority of the workload in the backfield and that will likely remain the case once again this weekend. Perine doesn't carry enough value to be considered a reliable streaming option for Week 11.

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Tyreek Hill Nov 16 7:00pm ET
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) was a full participant in Friday's practice and is not on the final injury report for their Week 11 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Hill has not been the WR1 fantasy managers were hoping for when they drafted him. This week's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders has the potential for a breakout game. Overall, the Raiders have been relatively good this season against wide receivers, but their start cornerback Nate Hobbs (ankle) has been ruled out. They also rank 26th in pressure rate and 18th in yards per play on the road, which could give quarterback Tua Tagovailoa more time for plays to develop down the field. This looks to be the perfect matchup; start him as a WR1. Hill comes in as RotoBaller's WR8 in Week 11.

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Jaylen Waddle Nov 16 7:00pm ET
Jaylen Waddle

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is tough to trust in Week 11 despite a decent matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Other than Week 1, the only performance in which he eclipsed 46 receiving yards was last week against the Los Angeles Rams, when he had 57. He has only one touchdown on the year and hasn't received more than six targets in a game since Week 5. Overall, he has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2024 season. The Raiders have allowed the seventh least receiving yards in 2024, but their star cornerback Nate Hobbs (ankle) will not be in the lineup. There isn't any justification to have him in your lineup; avoid him at all costs. He ranks as RotoBaller's WR33 in Week 11.

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