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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

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 DFS Pickem Plays: Week 17

Player Notes
Kyle Pitts Dec 27 11:00pm ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts caught a single pass last week, the fifth time in the last seven games in which he's caught just one pass or fewer. Bijan Robinson, whose involvement in the passing attack has diminished recently, has 27 targets over the last seven games compared to Pitts' 24. As the fifth option in an offense that has a quarterback making only his second career start in Michael Penix Jr., Pitts makes for quite the gamble in Week 17 against a Commanders defense that has been fairly good at limiting production to TEs, not having allowed any single tight end to surpass more than 66 receiving yards on the year. The former first-round draft pick has theoretical upside, but hits his floor more often than not, so should not be trusted at this critical time of the fantasy season. The 6-foot-6 pass catcher is a low-end TE2 for Sunday's matchup in Washington, D.C.

From RotoBaller

Ray-Ray McCloud Dec 27 10:40pm ET
Ray-Ray McCloud

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III caught three of four targets in Michael Penix Jr.'s first career start last week, but totaled only 19 yards on those receptions. The 28-year-old has had a pretty reliable target share in this offense all season, working as the third option behind receivers Drake London and Darnell Mooney but ahead of tight end Kyle Pitts. While the yardage totals won't typically amount to much and he's scored only once all season, the sixth-year pro's usage can be somewhat useful in PPR formats. With Penix Jr. making only his second career start this Sunday, McCloud's short 6.08 aDOT could again come in handy if the young QB is looking for a safety valve. Unless desperate, however, fantasy managers vying for championships shouldn't be relying on the Clemson product as he projects as a WR5/6 on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Allen Lazard Dec 27 10:10pm ET
Allen Lazard

New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard caught two of his five targets for 20 yards in a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Lazard will look for a bigger performance on the road against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. The Bills represent a middle-of-the-road matchup for Lazard as they are allowing the 14th-most fantasy points per game to the position this year. Lazard could see a larger role heading into Week 17 as the Jets have listed Davante Adams (hip) as questionable. While Adams expressed optimism that he would be able to take the field, Lazard would slot in as the team's No. 2 receiver if the former ultimately can't play. Fantasy managers will want to monitor the situation leading up to Sunday as Lazard could be used as a sneaky flex option if Adams is ruled out. Lazard went for 114 yards and a touchdown back when the Jets faced the Bills in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Conklin Dec 27 10:10pm ET
Tyler Conklin

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin was productive in a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, catching five passes for 59 yards. He will look to keep rolling in Week 17's road matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been solid against tight ends this season, allowing the 15th-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Conklin has 12 catches over his past three games but he hasn't shown much of a ceiling in fantasy this year, leaving him as a low-end TE2 heading into Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Braelon Allen Dec 27 10:00pm ET
Braelon Allen

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen saw just three touches in a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He will look to bounce back in a road matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. The Bills have struggled to contain opposing running backs this season, allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to the position. Allen is now sharing backup running-back touches with fellow rookie Isaiah Davis, making both players difficult to trust heading into Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Garrett Wilson Dec 27 10:00pm ET
Garrett Wilson

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught six of seven targets for 54 scoreless yards in a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. With just one touchdown over his past six games, Wilson will look to finish the final two games of the season on a high note, starting with a Week 17 road matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been average against opposing receivers this season, allowing the 14th-most fantasy points per game to the position. Fantasy managers rostering Wilson will want to monitor the status of Davante Adams (hip) heading into the weekend. Adams is listed as questionable with a hip injury. If he ultimately ends up playing, Wilson can be considered a low-end WR1 in fantasy but if Adams does suit up, Wilson downgrades to a low-end WR2. Stay tuned.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Dec 27 9:50pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee) injured his knee but played the entire game in a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Despite the injury, Rodgers practiced fully all week and is listed without an injury designation heading into Week 17 against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been tough on quarterbacks this season, allowing the 12th-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. That being said, Rodgers was solid when these two teams met earlier in the season, throwing for 294 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He sets up as a low-end QB2 in fantasy heading into Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Jake Bates Dec 27 9:50pm ET
Jake Bates

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates is afforded one of the better matchups of Week 17 when he lines up against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The 25-year-old has been excellent this season -- driving through all but one of his 59 extra-point attempts and knocking in 23-of-26 field goal tries across 15 games. Coincidentally, all three of his missed field goals have come over the last four contests. He gets a 49ers defense this Monday night, which has been tough on opposing offenses but is one of the more favorable ones for fantasy kickers. San Fran is letting up the twelfth-most points per game to opponents in 2024, and Detroit should come out swinging as they're still fighting for first place in the NFC North. Bates ranks as RotoBaller's K2 ahead of this weekend's action.

From RotoBaller

Breece Hall Dec 27 9:50pm ET
Breece Hall

New York Jets running back Breece Hall appears to be over his early-month knee injury as he practiced fully all week heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been generous to opposing running backs this season, allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to the position. Hall has found the end zone three times over his past four games but a struggling Jets offense is a bit of a concern for him. Fantasy managers should treat Hall as a high-end RB2 heading into Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Dustin Hopkins Dec 27 9:40pm ET
Dustin Hopkins

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins is struggling through a tough season as he has made just 16 of his 25 field-goal attempts. He will hope to finish out the final two games of the season on a high note, starting with a Week 17 home matchup against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have been generous to kickers this season, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position. That being said, Hopkins' struggles paired with Cleveland's issues moving the ball on offense make him a low-end fantasy option heading into Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Taylor Dec 27 9:40pm ET
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran for a season-high 218 yards and scored three times last week. When Taylor is in the backfield, he monopolizes the touches and typically handles a workhorse load, logging 20-plus carries in eight of the 12 games he's played in. The only competition he faces is usually from quarterback Anthony Richardson, which is partly why the 25-year-old hadn't scored a rushing TD since Week 8 prior to last week's outburst. Richardson hasn't practiced all week due to back and foot ailments, and if he were to miss the game it should provide a boost to Taylor's chances of finding paydirt in back-to-back weeks. Regardless of QB, Taylor should handle a heavy load against a Giants rush defense that is bottom-third in the NFL in allowing fantasy production to RBs, making him a mid-range RB1 in this matchup.

From RotoBaller

Craig Reynolds Dec 27 9:40pm ET
Craig Reynolds

Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds won't be a recommended fantasy option this Monday in his team's meeting with the San Francisco 49ers. The 28-year-old had been used sparsely this season until Week 16, when he was thrust into a backup role to fill in for injured backfield mate David Montgomery (knee). Reynolds handled four carries -- commanding one target -- in Detroit's 34-17 win over the Bears, working behind teammate Jahmyr Gibbs. He received one more touch than Jermar Jefferson -- out-rushing him by five -- and played twice as many snaps than the latter's five in the victory. While the Lions' RB situation could be fluid from week to week behind Gibbs, Reynolds is currently listed as the team's second-string rusher and deserves to be rostered as a high-end handcuff. He clocks in at RotoBaller's PPR RB48 ahead of this week's slate of action.

From RotoBaller

Jameson Williams Dec 27 9:30pm ET
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will square off with the San Francisco 49ers in a difficult matchup this Monday night. The Alabama product has been a bit all or nothing in 2024 but vastly improved from his prior two seasons in the pros. He's currently third-best in the league, with a ludicrous 18.94 yards per reception. Volume and consistency have been Williams' bugaboos this season, but he's been better lately -- commanding seven or more targets and five receptions in four of five contests. He'll line up against a staunch 49ers defensive unit in Week 17 that's tied for the fewest fantasy points allowed per game to wideouts (29.3). Fantasy managers could be displeased with his performance if the former first-round pick doesn't break free for a long score in the Monday night clash. Still, Williams should be involved as the passing attack's third option at worst, and this meeting projects with a favorable 50.5-point over/under. He comes in at RotoBaller's PPR WR29 in this week's ranks.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Akins Dec 27 9:30pm ET
Jordan Akins

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins will step in as the team's starter after David Njoku (knee) was ruled out of Week 17's game against the Miami Dolphins. Akins draws a plus matchup against a Miami defense that is allowing the 14th-most fantasy points per game to tight ends in 2024. While Akins should play a full complement of snaps, he will be tough to trust in a Dorian Thompson-Robinson-led passing attack. Akins sets up as a TE3 who should only be started out of desperation in fantasy heading into Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Chase McLaughlin Dec 27 9:30pm ET
Chase McLaughlin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin is coming off a somewhat quiet, but clean outing against the Dallas Cowboys last week. McLaughlin connected on all three of his extra point attempts and his lone field goal in the loss. McLaughlin is now 8-of-9 on field goal attempts over his last four games. He'll now head into a game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17. McLaughlin knocked down four field goals last time these two teams played in Week 13. The assumption is that this game will be a high-scoring affair, which makes McLaughlin a viable kicking choice for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Trey Palmer Dec 27 9:20pm ET
Trey Palmer

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer has moved into the third wideout role heading into the Week 17 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Bucs are without Sterling Shepard (foot, hamstring) for Sunday's game, which means Palmer should get more looks. Palmer hauled in two of his four targets for 31 yards during last week's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. A majority of his playing time came after Shepard exited the contest, so it might've been a bigger night if he had played the whole game. Regardless, it's going to be tough to trust Palmer for fantasy purposes. He hasn't done much this season and isn't guaranteed a ton of targets with Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan both healthy. Possibly, Palmer could offer desperation flex value in deep leagues for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Jerry Jeudy Dec 27 9:20pm ET
Jerry Jeudy

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee/shin) is coming off a slow two-catch, 20-yard outing in a Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. After being limited in practice throughout the week, Jeudy is listed without an injury designation and will look to bounce back at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. The Dolphins have been tough on wide receivers this season, allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position thus far. Jeudy's slow performance in Week 16 coincided with the Browns giving Dorian Thompson-Robinson the start, a move that severely limits the entire team's passing ceiling. One glimmer of hope for Jeudy is that the Browns will be without Thompson-Robinson's favorite target, David Njoku (knee), who was ruled out on Saturday. Jeudy sets up as a high-end WR4 option heading into Week 17 against Miami.

From RotoBaller

Payne Durham Dec 27 9:20pm ET
Payne Durham

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Payne Durham saw an expanded role last week with Cade Otton (knee) sidelined. That is likely to happen again with Otton remaining on the sideline for the Week 17 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Last week, Durham hauled in five of his seven targets for 29 yards in the loss. The 24-year-old played 93 percent of the offensive snaps and did a fine job as the sole passing-catching option at tight end. Despite his success, Durham is a risky streaming option for this weekend. There is no guarantee he'll get seven targets again, so fantasy managers should probably look elsewhere for help. At best, Durham is a desperation deep league choice for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Elijah Moore Dec 27 9:20pm ET
Elijah Moore

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore has been struggling to produce over his past two games, combining to catch just four passes for 20 yards over that span. He will look to bounce back at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. The Dolphins represent a tough matchup for Moore as they are allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers this season. Cleveland's decision to bench Jameis Winston for Dorian Thompson-Robinson ahead of Week 16 has negatively affected the entire passing attack, making Moore impossible to trust in fantasy championships this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Ford Dec 27 9:10pm ET
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford has shown a penchant for big plays of late, ripping off a 62 and a 66-yard run over his past two games. He will look to stay hot at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. The Dolphins have been solid against fantasy running backs this season, allowing just the 20th-most fantasy points per game to the position. That being said, Ford has shown himself to be dangerous in the passing game and the Browns should skew run-heavy with Dorian Thompson-Robinson slated to make the start. Treat Ford as a mid-range RB2 heading into Week 17 against Miami.

From RotoBaller