TE Strength of Schedule
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.
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The Paur Report
Dynasty | Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had 146 rushing yards, two catches, 52 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Barkley just continues to roll this season and tonight's game put him well over 1,000 rushing yards in just ten games. When you add in his nine total touchdowns, you have a running back making a run at overall RB1 status. Barkley looks rejuvenated in the Philadelphia offense and while there are always going to be concerns about possible injuries, he's looking a lot like the player who dominated fantasy football at times early in his career.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 22-of-32 passes for 191 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a loss against the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: After looking unstoppable early in the season, Daniels has now had two games where he's simply looked like a rookie. This is likely just a blip on the radar, but disappointing nonetheless. Daniels will look to get back on track but dynasty managers are clearly hoping this isn't the start of Daniels hitting a rookie wall. If anything, it could also open a quick buy low window for him in dynasty leagues. It's going to take a lot more than this to make him drop down in our dynasty rankings.
Dynasty | Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin had one catch for ten yards in a loss against the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: Philadelphia clearly wanted to take McLaurin out of the game and they succeeded in doing so, Still, this is a shock as McLaurin has been one of the most dependable receivers all season. Dynasty managers shouldn't hesitate in using him moving forward as this likely nothing more than one bad game. McLaurin's dynasty value is actually on the rise of late as he's been paired with a stud quarterback in Washington.
Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert caught all five of his targets for 61 yards against the Washington Commanders on Thursday, Nov. 14.
Fantasy Spin: In his second game back from injury, Goedert was more involved, matching A.J. Brown with five receptions and finishing just four yards behind him. It was the best we've seen from him in a game where both Brown and DeVonta Smith were available. With that in mind, the question becomes, is that all we can hope for from Goedert in an offense that hasn't completed 20 passes since Week 3? At this stage, he's a borderline TE1 that can be tried in the right matchups, but he lacks weekly appeal.
From TheHuddle
Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley posted 26 carries for 146 yards and a pair of touchdowns during a Week 11 win over the Washington Commanders. Barkley also caught two passes (on three targets) for 52 yards.
Fantasy Spin: Barkley wound up just two yards short of 200 total yards on Thursday night. Incredibly, he came within one yard of that mark in Week 9 against the Jaguars, scoring twice in that one as well. While he's hit or miss with the touchdowns due to Jalen Hurts' goal-line abilities, Barkley rates as an elite RB1.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders TE Zach Ertz had six receptions (on seven targets) for 47 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. He also caught a pass for a two-point conversion.
Fantasy Spin: Both the touchdown and conversion happened in the final minute of the game, so they had no impact on the outcome, but they still counted for fantasy owners. The veteran tight end is a nice safety blanket for Jayden Daniels, but he hasn't produced the weekly numbers to be more than a fantasy backup in leagues large enough to warrant carrying a TE2.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders WR Noah Brown was targeted four times, catching one pass for four yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz converted seven targets into six catches for 47 yards and one touchdown during Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ertz found the end zone with 31 seconds left and proceeded to earn an "octopus" by adding a successful two-point conversion catch one play later. Ertz has been a top-12 fantasy tight end this season and continued to put together a strong age-34 campaign as he finished Week 11 with more catches, yards, and touchdowns than all of Washington's wide receivers combined.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders RB Austin Ekeler led the team in targets (9), receptions (8), and receiving yards (89) versus the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11. He also ran the ball twice for seven yards.
Fantasy Spin: On a night when the Eagles locked down Washington on the outside, Ekeler was Jayden Daniels' primary target, ultimately falling just shy of 100 total yards even with Brian Robinson back in action. The veteran back is a capable flex option that can creep into RB3 territory some weeks.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught just one of two targets for 10 yards during Thursday's Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a painfully unproductive performance from McLaurin, but he still managed to lead the Commanders' wide receivers in targets and yardage. The veteran receiver's streak of scoring 14-plus fantasy points (PPR) has ended at eight games. He'll look to bounce back as a mid-to-high fantasy WR2 heading into next week against the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. rushed 16 times for 63 yards and one touchdown during Thursday's Week 11 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He also converted his lone target into a nine-yard reception. Robinson had missed Washington's last two contests due to injury but picked up right where he left off Thursday, scoring his sixth touchdown over the last six games. The 25-year-old ranks as a mid-to-low fantasy RB2 heading into next week's game against the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler rushed for just seven yards on two carries during Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He was much more heavily involved in the passing game, catching eight of his nine targets for an additional 89 yards through the air. The veteran running back was the Commanders' leading receiver as quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a heavy amount of short-range passes on Thursday night. The 29-year-old has posted at least 17 fantasy points (PPR) in each of his last three games and should be treated as a strong RB3 option going into Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 22 of his 32 pass attempts for 191 yards, one touchdown, and one interception during Thursday's Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also took three sacks and rushed for just 18 yards on seven attempts. Daniels got off to an incredibly hot start in his rookie season, but he has quieted down over the last two games, tallying one touchdown, one turnover, six sacks, and 23 rushing yards during that span. This year's No. 2 overall pick still has an impressive track record through just half a season in the NFL and should be treated as a mid-to-low fantasy QB1 heading into Week 11 versus Dallas.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown caught just one of four targets for four yards during Thursday's Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Although Brown had his quietest game of the season, it's still promising given that he led the Commanders' wide receiver room in snaps, targets, and routes run. He was even more involved than Terry McLaurin. Brown should be treated as a high-end fantasy WR4 heading into next week's battle with the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets kicker Anders Carlson is likely to handle the kicking duties during the Week 11 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. It has been musical chairs at the kicker spot for the Jets over the last few weeks. Carlson figures to become the fourth kicker for the team over the four games. Spencer Shrader was kicking for the Jets last week, but he has been signed to the Kansas City Chiefs active roster. Carlson is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts this season from his two-game run with the San Francisco 49ers. Carlson struggled as a rookie last season, but maybe can settle down with the Jets and become their full-time kicker.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson (hamstring) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice. This is now back-to-back days that Johnson has been limited due to a lingering hamstring issue. Johnson has been quiet lately and only played four offensive snaps during last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, Johnson could see a bigger role this weekend with Tank Bigsby (ankle) unable to practice yet this week. Johnson would be the primary backup if Bigsby is unable to play, which would give him an uptick in value.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) was upgraded to a full participant during Thursday's practice session. Henry was limited to open the week, but the veteran tight end appears to be fine now. Fantasy managers shouldn't be worried about his status for this weekend after Henry got in a full practice session here. He figures to be ready to play against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. Henry is looking to bounce back after posting a dud against the Chicago Bears last week. The 29-year-old has looked solid as the safety blanket for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Harrison Bryant (ankle) was able to get through a limited practice session on Thursday. Bryant suffered an ankle injury during the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was off last week with the Raiders having a bye week. Bryant didn't practice to open the week, but returned as a limited participant on Thursday. He seems to have a decent chance at suiting up for the Week 11 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Bryant has seven receptions for 65 yards over his last three games, but doesn't have much fantasy value with Brock Bowers ahead of him on the depth chart.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (groin) was unable to suit up for practice on Thursday. This is now back-to-back missed practices for Fant to start the week. This is not a good sign for Fant coming out of the bye week. He appears to be trending in the wrong direction ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. If he sits, AJ Barner figures to see a majority of the snaps as the starting tight end. The rookie tight end hauled in four of his seven targets for 27 yards in Week 9. He's a possible deep league option if Fant is unable to play this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) was able to practice in full for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Metcalf appears to be much healthier coming out of the team's Week 10 bye after missing each of the previous two games with a sprained MCL that he suffered in Week 7. Barring a setback on Friday, it seems as though he'll be cleared to play on Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The 26-year-old should see a normal workload in his return, too, meaning fantasy managers should be ready to throw him back into their starting lineups if he's cleared to face the Niners. Metcalf only had three catches on 11 targets for 48 yards in the first meeting with San Fran on Oct. 10, but he's averaging 13.2 half-PPR points per game, which ranks 13th among all receivers. Metcalf's impending return inevitably means fewer targets for both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett.
From RotoBaller
