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.
Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (shoulder, elbow) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Raimondi noted that even though this is the first time Cousins has been on the injury report this season, "nothing seems to be concerning" regarding his availability for this weekend. In addition, seeing him participate in a limited capacity is already a promising sign. Last weekend in their loss to the New Orleans Saints, Cousins threw for 306 yards, his second-highest total of the season, but he could not find the end zone. Throughout his first season in Atlanta, the veteran QB has averaged 20.0 PPR points per game and should be viewed as a low-end QB1 in Week 11 when he faces a tough Denver Broncos defense.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (quadriceps) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned but should continue to monitor his status throughout the week. However, seeing him already participate albeit in a limited capacity is a promising sign for his availability for this weekend. Throughout his first season in Green Bay, the former first-round selection as averaged a solid 14.7 PPR points per game with 84.7 rushing yards per game. If he is able to suit up this weekend to face the Chicago Bears, Jacobs should be viewed as an RB2 with upside.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to his status throughout the week, as he could be in danger of missing Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens if he misses another session. Last weekend in their victory over the Washington Commanders, Harris eclipsed double-digit PPR points for the fourth straight contest. Through nine games this season, the Alabama product has averaged 71.7 yards per game with 17.4 attempts and 2.7 targets per game. Fantasy managers should view Harris as a solid RB2 heading into a divisional tilt against the Baltimore Ravens, who have allowed the eighth-fewest PPR points to opposing RBs.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) will be a limited participant during Wednesday's practice, according to Tracy Sandler of FGSN. Sandler noted that his previous injury did not act up at all after the game and this is "part of the plan." McCaffrey made his 2024 season debut last weekend after sitting out the entire first half due to tendinitis in both of his Achilles. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the week, but this could simply be a way to manage his workload given the time he missed. The 28-year-old looked sharp last weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and tallied 39 rushing yards and 68 receiving yards on 19 total touches. Fantasy managers should continue to view him as an elite RB1 going forward given his integral role on one of the best offensive units in football.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (hamstring) will not practice on Wednesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The standout tight end sustained this injury during last week's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week, as he could be in danger of sitting out this weekend if he misses another practice. The 31-year-old has been enjoying another fantastic campaign. Kittle has found the end zone in all but two games this season and has averaged a stellar 17.6 PPR points and 70.0 receiving yards per game. If Kittle can suit up to face the Seattle Seahawks this weekend, fantasy managers should continue to lock him into all starting lineups as a high-end TE1.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) is off the injury report and is good to go for Thursday's divisional tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles. Robinson has been sidelined for the past two games with a hamstring injury. In his absence, Austin Ekeler has been deployed as the top running back with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. operated as depth options. However, fantasy managers should expect Robinson to reclaim his lead role on Thursday evening and for Ekeler to revert back to his third-down role. The 25-year-old Alabama product has averaged a solid 14.1 PPR points per game this season and found the end zone six times in seven games. He should be viewed as a solid RB2 facing the Eagles who have allowed the second-fewest PPR points to opposing RBs.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) will practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. Metcalf missed the team's last two games after spraining the MCL in his knee in Week 7, but he had the benefit of resting during last week's bye and could be trending toward making his return for a Week 11 divisional showdown against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. The team has been optimistic all along that the 26-year-old pass-catcher could return coming out of the bye week, so as long as he doesn't suffer a setback in practice, fantasy managers could have him back in their starting lineups. In the loss to the 49ers on Oct. 10, Metcalf caught only three of 11 targets for 48 yards. Metcalf is a fantasy starter when active, though, and his impending return will mean fewer targets and upside for both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) remains day-to-day but did not take part in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. LaPorta's status for the Week 11 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday is firmly up in the air after he suffered an AC joint sprain of his shoulder in the Week 10 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday night. The 23-year-old second-year tight end will need to return to practice on either Thursday or Friday to have at playing this weekend. As such, fantasy managers should have a backup plan in place in case LaPorta doesn't receive the green light. Brock Wright would most likely have the most upside at the position in Detroit from a fantasy perspective if LaPorta is inactive. Although LaPorta found the end zone last Sunday, he's mostly been a disappointment in his sophomore campaign after finishing as the TE1 in fantasy in 2023.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (hamstring) is at practice on Wednesday after missing each of the last four practices and the Week 10 game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a hamstring injury. It's early in the week, so fantasy managers should monitor his official status on the injury report all week leading up to the Week 11 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Likely kicked off the 2024 season with a bang, catching nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. However, he has been the TE30 in half-PPR formats since that game, averaging just 4.4 half-PPR fantasy points per game. He is not on the fantasy radar for now, but his return to the lineup could have a slight negative impact on Mark Andrews.
From RotoBaller
The San Francisco 49ers signed punter Pat O'Donnell to the practice squad on Wednesday with starter Mitch Wishnowsky (back) dealing with a back injury. O'Donnell has appeared in 145 games with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers and has punted 616 times in his career. The 31-year-old has a career average of 45.1 yards per punt, and 36.4% of his punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line. While punters don't directly affect fantasy football, losing a starter could put defenses in tougher positions.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (ribs) will " probably" be limited at practice on Wednesday, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. The veteran suffered a rib injury in the Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he returned to the game and could still play in Week 11. It's early in the week, so fantasy managers with Jones should monitor his status through Friday and leading up to Sunday's contest with the Tennessee Titans. Jones is the overall RB16 in half-PPR formats, averaging 13.5 fantasy points per game. If he's active, he has an RB2 outlook against a Tennessee defense that has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points per game to QBs. If he cannot go, Cam Akers will likely handle the majority of Vikings backfield touches, though Ty Chandler could also be involved.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd (ankle) is practicing on Wednesday for the first time since he was placed on Injured Reserve after Week 2 due to an ankle injury. The third-rounder out of USC rushed six times for 15 yards and caught one pass for three yards in the Week 2 game against the Indianapolis Colts. It will be interesting to see if Lloyd can push Emanuel Wilson for the RB2 job behind Josh Jacobs in the second half of the 2024 campaign, but that is not a given. Fantasy managers in deep formats can consider stashing him, but it might be a bit early to consider him in leagues of 12 teams or fewer. He's unlikely to have a significant role when he returns as long as Josh Jacobs remains healthy and active.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) underwent a second knee surgery this week after an uptick in his rehab activity led to swelling, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. The 21-year-old suffered a season-ending knee injury before his first regular season began, and although this news is not what fantasy managers or Vikings fans want to hear, the second procedure is not expected to change his timeline to return to action. The first-round pick out of Michigan should still be ready for his sophomore campaign, and he is still viewed as the quarterback of the future despite Sam Darnold having a good year until the last few weeks. With weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson to work with in Kevin O'Connell's offense, McCarthy has an intriguing upside, and this could be a good buy window for him in dynasty formats.
From RotoBaller
The Seattle Seahawks placed offensive tackle George Fant (knee) on Injured Reserve and activated offensive tackle Abraham Lucas (knee) from the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list on Wednesday, according to NFL.com. Lucas played in just six games last season and has yet to play a snap in 2024, but it looks like he's nearing a return. Fant has played just 30 snaps this year, so his absence is not likely to make a significant impact. Lucas, a 2022 second-round pick out of Washington State, is expected to occupy the starting right tackle job when he's fully back in action, and he could provide an upgrade in protection for quarterback Geno Smith and run blocking for running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce announced that veteran Gardner Minshew II will start at quarterback against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11. There was speculation that former Atlanta Falcons starter Desmond Ridder would get the nod, but the organization is rolling with Minshew for at least one more week. Minshew has been benched three times this year and has not had much success through his first eight games in the Silver and Black. The 28-year-old has completed 67% of his passes for 1,501 yards, six touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 2024. He is not on the fantasy football radar in single-QB formats.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said he's encouraged with wide receiver Tee Higgins (quadriceps) for Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Higgins will not take any practice repetitions on Wednesday. It's good news that the Bengals are optimistic about Higgins after he missed the last three games with a quad injury, but he's going to need to get back on the practice field if he wants to be cleared to play this Sunday evening. Cincy also plays in the Sunday night game against the Bolts, so if Higgins is a game-time decision, it will make him an even riskier fantasy play. If the 25-year-old pass-catcher returns on Sunday, he'll be a WR3/flex for fantasy managers, albeit in a tough matchup against a stingy Chargers defense. Tight ends Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson have benefitted from bigger roles in the passing game the last few weeks with Higgins sidelined.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) is likely to return and play in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills on the road. Smith-Schuster has not played since injuring his hamstring in a win over the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 20, but he's expected to return to practice this week and play this weekend. The week prior to his injury, Smith-Schuster went off for seven catches and 130 yards in the win over the New Orleans Saints, prompting plenty of waiver-wire consideration with the Chiefs' receiving corps so banged up. However, since his injury, KC landed DeAndre Hopkins in a trade with the Tennessee Titans. The 27-year-old will have a role in the Chiefs' passing attack when he returns, but the addition of Hopkins makes him less exciting from a fantasy perspective.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert (hip) has officially been ruled out for the Week 11 game against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. Seibert was unable to practice this week and will miss his second straight game. The good news is he'll have extra time to recover before hopefully returning for another divisional contest in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys. With Seibert ruled out again, Zane Gonzalez should serve as Washington's kicker yet again after making both of his field-goal attempts and all three of his extra-point tries in the Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gonzalez was on point in his return to NFL action last Sunday, but fantasy managers should be able to find better streaming options at the position than Gonzalez against the Eagles on Thursday Night Football.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) has been ruled out for the Week 11 contest on Thursday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, so he'll have to wait to make his debut with the team until Week 12 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. Lattimore is still nursing a hamstring injury that he suffered before being acquired in a trade from the New Orleans Saints. The 28-year-old veteran defensive back injured his hamstring in Week 8 and has not played since, but he'll have extra time to heal up following Thursday night's game. Lattimore was brought in specifically to help improve a Commanders secondary that has been their weakness in 2024, but he won't be available to try and help slow down Eagles receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on Thursday night.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (leg) will return to practice on Wednesday, but head coach Andy Reid said it's unlikely that he will play on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11. The Chiefs are eyeing a potential late-November return for Pacheco, who is recovering from a fractured fibula suffered in Week 2, so the team is likely going to use all of the 25-year-old's 21-day practice window before officially activating him from Injured Reserve. Pacheco needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues, but it's probably going to be at least several more weeks before he's active on game day. For now, Kareem Hunt will continue to serve as the Chiefs' primary back and needs to be locked into all starting fantasy lineups as the team travels to Buffalo to take on the Bills this weekend.
From RotoBaller