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.
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 11
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele is looking to stay more involved in the Week 11 contest against the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after catching his first career touchdown pass in the Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Vele's 35 offensive snaps he played last Sunday were the most in his first six NFL games, and he caught all four of his targets for 39 yards and the TD. The 26-year-old seventh-rounder out of Utah is actually third on the Broncos in receiving yards (215) this year behind Courtland Sutton and running back Javonte Williams and he should continue to have a role with Josh Reynolds (finger) on Injured Reserve. The Falcons secondary is inconsistent and vulnerable, too, although the lack of consistent volume for Vele makes him hard to recommend for starting fantasy lineups. He's caught 22 of his 27 targets on the year for 215 yards and one TD.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey is 0% rostered in Yahoo fantasy football leagues and is not a recommended play for the Week 11 tilt in Denver against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Humphrey does have some impressive after-the-catch abilities, but Denver's offense just hasn't had enough firepower this year to really support another fantasy-relevant pass-catcher behind Courtland Sutton. The 26-year-old Humphrey only had two receptions (three targets) for 23 yards in last week's loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs, and he's currently fourth on the team in receiving yards (211) on the year. Humphrey also has yet to find the end zone in 2024. He hasn't eclipsed 50 receiving yards in a single game despite seeing a bigger role on offense ever since the injury to Josh Reynolds (finger).
From RotoBaller
The New York Jets defense struggled in Week 10, allowing the Arizona Cardinals to rack up 31 points against them in a blowout loss. They will look to bounce back at home against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11. The Colts have allowed the 13th-most fantasy points per game to fantasy defenses this season and will turn back to struggling second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson after starting Joe Flacco in the previous two games. New York's defense has plenty of talent but they have been a mild disappointment this season. That being said, they are four-point home favorites in a game with a reasonably low 43.5-point over/under, putting New York in the position to post a useful fantasy outing on Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell is off the fantasy radar heading into Week 11 against the New England Patriots. Atwell played admirably in the absences of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua earlier this year, but he has fallen back down the depth chart upon their returns. He has caught just one pass in each of his last three games, playing less than 35 percent of the snaps in all of those contests. Even against a Patriots defense allowing the 11th-most catches and receiving yards to opposing receivers, Atwell can be ignored in fantasy football. In fact, he's droppable in redraft leagues with 14 or fewer teams.
From RotoBaller
The New England Patriots have released wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (personal), according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Thornton had missed Thursday's practice with a personal matter, but he returned in a full capacity on Friday. The former 50th overall pick was underwhelming in two-and-a-half seasons with the Patriots, catching just 39 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns over 28 games. This year alone, he had just four catches for 47 yards. A divorce between Thornton and the Patriots seemed inevitable after the team looked to trade him earlier this month. Nothing came to fruition, and Thornton ended up being a healthy scratch for each of the last two weeks. Despite his underwhelming stats in New England, the 24-year-old still has the allure of draft capital less than three years removed from being a second-round pick. He should generate some interest in free agency.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson should be viewed as a low-floor, high-ceiling option heading into Week 11 against the New England Patriots. Robinson had strung together an impressive two-game stretch with eight catches, 129 yards, and four touchdowns, but he came crashing back down to earth with just one reception for 23 yards last week. Still, he was targeted by Matthew Stafford five times, reaffirming the veteran's interest in getting the ball into Robinson's hands. Given that Robinson is a big-play deep threat, there are going to be some times when he just can't seem to get a spark offensively. Other times, he'll repeatedly catch deep passes and add a score or two. The Patriots aren't dominant against receivers, so Robinson could certainly be capable of breaking off a huge play (or even a touchdown) this week. The alternative, though, is a one-catch game with just a couple fantasy points. Managers should evaluate Robinson against other bench players on their roster, keeping in mind that Robinson ranks as a fantasy WR4.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson appears to have been demoted to the No. 2 role on offense amidst the recent emergence of fellow tight end Davis Allen. In his last two games, Allen has averaged 55 percent and 80 percent of the offensive snaps, respectively. Parkinson, on the other hand, played just 42 percent and 16 percent, respectively. This is a major fall from grace for Parkinson, who had been a respectable streaming option earlier in the year, catching at least three passes in four of his first five games. As long as Allen and the rest of the Rams' pass-catchers stay healthy, Parkinson lacks fantasy appeal.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Davis Allen has snuck onto the lower end of the fantasy radar after two impressive games. The 23-year-old has seemingly taken over as the Rams' top tight end, replacing 25-year-old Colby Parkinson. Allen has simply looked more talented and promising than Parkinson, catching five of his six targets for 34 yards as recently as last week versus Miami. It's a little too early to scramble and add Allen off the waiver wire, but his increased role and productivity are certainly intriguing. He's worth monitoring going forward as a potential midseason waiver claim.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua will look to maintain his steady volume and production during Sunday's Week 11 contest against the New England Patriots. Nacua has been impressive so far this season, averaging eight catches and 102 yards in the two games for which he's been healthy. He remains off the injury report against the Patriots and figures to have a full workload. The Patriots' defense is allowing the 11th-most receptions and touchdown catches to opposing wide receivers, but the 15th-fewest fantasy points to the position. Even with a merely modest matchup on tap, Nacua has shown that he can handle all challenges and should be treated as a low-end WR1 on Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams saw his nine-game rushing touchdown streak come to an end in Week 9, and he hasn't been able to find the end zone in either of his last two contests. He'll look to pick back up and restart his streak this week against the New England Patriots. New England presents a favorable matchup for Williams given that the Rams are favorites to win (and therefore could run the ball more often) and the Patriots' defense has struggled to contain the rushing attack. In fact, the Patriots have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards, fourth-most rushing touchdowns, and sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2024. Fantasy managers should fire up Williams as a strong, mid-range RB1 option.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp looks to continue his impressive stretch of games this Sunday against the New England Patriots. Kupp has totaled 23 catches, 235 yards, and one touchdown through three games since returning from injury, giving him 15+ fantasy points (PPR) in all three of those contests. This week, Kupp faces a Patriots defense that has been susceptible to the pass when tested. Of course, the Patriots have trailed for most of this season, so it's common for their opponents to run the ball more than they pass, especially as the clock winds down later in the game. With that said, the Patriots have still been thrown against. The Patriots' defense is allowing the 11th-most receptions and touchdown catches to opposing wide receivers, but the 15th-fewest fantasy points to the position. Even with a modest matchup on tap, Kupp has proven that he is matchup-proof and should be deployed in all leagues. Fantasy managers can trust him as a low-end fantasy WR1 this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty faces the New England Patriots in Week 11, and he'll look to build on last week's impressive outing in which he drilled five of six field goals, including one from beyond 50 yards. Although New England has merely ranked near the middle of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to kickers, Karty figures to benefit from the Rams being favored to win. The lines put Los Angeles in a position to score plenty of points, which means several field-goal opportunities for Karty. He's a fine streamer this week, ranking as a fringe top-12 fantasy kicker.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford can continue to be benched in most single-QB leagues as he faces the New England Patriots in Week 11. While the Rams enter Sunday's game as favorites and the Patriots' defense hasn't been a major turnover machine this year, it should be emphasized that New England has allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. They've also allowed the 11th-fewest touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks, which could be a result of both their solid goal-line defense and other teams' tendencies to run the ball at a greater rate of frequency. All in all, the stars don't appear to be aligning for Stafford in fantasy football this week. He's outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks, making him startable only in deeper or 2-QB leagues.
From RotoBaller
The New York Jets are expected to deploy Anders Carlson as their kicker heading into Week 11's home matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets went with rookie Spencer Shrader as their kicker in Week 10 but the Kansas City Chiefs signed him from New York's practice squad on Thursday after losing Harrison Butker to injured reserve with a knee injury. That means the Jets will have their fourth kicker in as many weeks when they face off against a Colts defense that is allowing the 12th-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers this season. Carlson is not a recommended fantasy option this weekend.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson turned in his slowest game since Week 4 with a five-catch, 41-yard performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. He will look to bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week 11. The Colts have struggled to contain opposing receivers this season, allowing the 11th-most fantasy points per game to the position. Wilson has seen at least eight targets in all but two of his games this season and is safe to deploy as a solid WR1 in fantasy this weekend.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin has been quiet of late, having caught just two passes for five yards over his past two games. The veteran tight end will look to bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week 11. The Colts represent an excellent matchup for Conklin as they are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this season. That being said, Conklin is not a major piece of the passing attack for the Jets and he may struggle to get the targets needed to take advantage of this cake matchup. Treat Conklin as a low-end TE2 who is worth a look as a streaming option if desperate in fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Breece Hall has been held out of the end zone for three straight games and ran for just 52 yards on 10 carries last week. He will look to break that streak in Week 11's home matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have been an average matchup for running backs this season as they are allowing the 17th-fewest fantasy points per game this season. Despite his recent struggles, Hall remains an explosive player with the potential to do damage in the passing game, which keeps him in the conversation as a mid-range RB1 heading into Week 11.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (hamstring, knee) is coming off one of his slowest games of the year as he threw for just 151 scoreless yards in a blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. He has a chance to bounce back at home against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11. The Colts have struggled to slow opposing passing attacks this season as they are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks thus far. Despite the plus matchup, Rodgers has not been fantasy-relevant very often this season, leaving him as a low-end QB2 for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
The New Orleans Saints D/ST had a bit of a rebound against the Falcons in Week 10. For the first time since Week 3, they held their opponent to 17 points or fewer and they also racked up three sacks and an interception. The team has at least one pick in all but two games this season. In Week 11, they have a favorable matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland's offense is averaging 16.4 points per game, fourth lowest in the league, and is allowing a league-worst 4.8 sacks per game. New Orleans' pressure rate ranks in the middle of the pack but they should have an easier time getting to quarterback Jameis Winston as the Browns' O-line concedes pressure at the fourth-fastest rate in the league. New Orleans is a quality candidate for streamers looking for a D/ST unit in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
The Chicago Bears' defense and special teams will look to bounce back in Week 11 as they face off against the Green Bay Packers in a divisional rivalry game. After a relatively strong performance in Week 10, where the Bear's defense kept things competitive despite a tough loss to the New England Patriots, they now turn their focus to Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Love has talented pass-catchers at his disposal, including Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and tight end Tucker Kraft, all of whom will test the Bears' pass defense. The Bears' secondary will need to step up in a big way to prevent big plays and keep Love from finding rhythm with his weapons. On the ground, Packers running back Aaron Jones (assuming he plays) has been a steady force, and the Bears' run defense, which has been below average all season, will face a tough challenge containing him. While the Bear's defense can make plays, their inconsistenciesespecially against the runmake them a risky fantasy option this week. If you're in a pinch and don't have many better options, they won't necessarily destroy your team, but there are likely better-streaming defenses available for Week 11. It's best to temper expectations, as Green Bay's offense can potentially exploit the Bears' defensive weaknesses.
From RotoBaller