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FFL: Week 2 | NFL: Week 2

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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Player Notes
Tyler Conklin Sep 15 10:20pm ET
Tyler Conklin

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin caught one of his two targets for 10 yards in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Conklin was quiet in a game where Aaron Rodgers only completed 18 passes against the Titans. The veteran tight end has not been a major part of the New York offense through two games as he has drawn just four targets, turning those into two catches for 16 yards. Conklin should be on waivers in fantasy leagues heading into Week 3's Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.

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Mark Andrews Sep 15 10:20pm ET
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews received the second-most targets in the team's three-point loss at home to the Las Vegas Raiders. While he received more work this time compared to Isaiah Likely, he was unable to turn it into that much. He finished with four receptions for 51 yards on five targets but couldn't find the end zone. The fact that Andrews was more involved in this game was encouraging, but the passing game has been lackluster so far outside of one pass-catcher per game. He'll need to be a big part of the offense if the Ravens want to find their first win on the road against a capable Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 3.

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Matthew Stafford Sep 15 10:20pm ET
Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had a rough afternoon at Arizona after losing his top target Cooper Kupp (ankle) in the team's 41-10 loss on Sunday. Stafford completed 19 of 27 passes for 216 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He did lose a fumble in the game and was sacked five times. With Kupp exiting after four catches for 37 yards on six targets, Stafford found it tough sledding against the Cardinals' defense. The injuries to the Rams' offensive weapons are piling up and it's fair to wonder how the veteran QB will fare without his top two playmakers in Kupp and Puka Nacua (knee). The extent of Kupp's injury is still unknown but he was seen leaving the locker room in a walking boot. It was a disastrous day for the Rams in Arizona so they'll want to put this one behind them and regroup. Sean McVay and his staff will be busy this week figuring out how to get Stafford going with limited weapons.

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Zack Moss Sep 15 10:20pm ET
Zack Moss

Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss had an underwhelming Week 2 showing versus the Chiefs. After finding the end zone in Week 1, the 26-year-old finished Sunday's contest by amassing 34 yards off 12 carries. With Tee Higgins (hamstring) sidelined, some believed Moss would have a more prominent role, especially as a pass-catcher. Yet, that didn't happen, with the 2020 No. 86 overall pick catching one pass for 13 yards. He still had more carries than Chase Brown, who had four touches for 31 yards. However, fantasy managers will still likely be nervous about Moss' potential in Week 3 against the Commanders. With that in mind, he still deserves at least flex consideration, although the topic can be revisited based on his performance after Monday night's showdown with Washington.

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Greg Zuerlein Sep 15 10:20pm ET
Greg Zuerlein

New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein made his lone field-goal try and added three extra points in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Zuerlein drilled a 33-yard try in the third quarter, his first field-goal attempt through the first two games of the season. It has been slow going thus far but the veteran kicker should start to see field-goal chances more frequently as the New York offense comes together. He will have a short turnaround as the Jets play the New England Patriots in Week 3's Thursday night game.

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Jordan Mason Sep 15 10:20pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason once again rewarded fantasy managers in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Vikings in Minnesota. The second-year undrafted pro from Georgia Tech racked up exactly 100 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and caught his only target for four yards receiving. He fumbled once, in the second quarter, but quickly recovered it. Mason once again looked the part of a Shanahan zone running back, showing vision and burst with a one-cut downhill style throughout the game. With Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) out for the season and All-Pro starter Christian McCaffrey out until at least Week 6 and possibly even longer, those who have rostered Mason have to be excited about what he's doing with the keys to the backfield. Mason will run up against the Rams in Los Angeles in Week 3 next Sunday.

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Marvin Harrison Jr. Sep 15 10:13pm ET
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Dynasty | Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr had four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in Arizona's demolition of the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: A week after Harrison had just one catch for four yards, he single-handedly roasted the Rams and amazingly did all his damage in the first quarter before the Cardinals went conservative in a blowout win. Harrison reminded everyone just what kind of talent he has and solidified his status as the top overall rookie in dynasty leagues this season. The "buy low" window was pretty quick and Harrison is a "locked and loaded" option moving forward. Dynasty managers can now breathe easy.

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Trey Benson Sep 15 10:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson had ten rushing yards on 11 carries in Arizona's blowout win against the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: Benson is playing a distant second behind James Conner (124 total yards and a touchdown on 22 touches today) and not doing much with the opportunities he's been given thus far. At this point, Conner (4.6 yards per carry and two scores) is simply outplaying Benson (1.7 yards per carry and no scores), making Benson simply a handcuff moving forward. This could open a solid "buy low" opportunity for dynasty managers but Benson has been relatively ineffective so far in his career and needs a big performance here soon.

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Kyler Murray Sep 15 10:13pm ET
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Blake Corum Sep 15 10:13pm ET
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Patrick Mahomes Sep 15 10:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Chiefs rookie receiver Xavier Worthy had two catches for 17 yards in a win against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: Worthy added five rushing yards on the day. Patrick Mahomes was bottled up for just 151 passing yards on the day, so dynasty managers don't need to panic. Still, this goes to show what we though - Worthy is going to be a "boom or bust" option early on in his career until he establishes solid trust and rapport with Mahomes. Worthy won't be a strong consideration next week but he's clearly a strong dynasty asset who has more than justified his rookie draft slot thus far.

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Patrick Mahomes Sep 15 10:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice had five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs win against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: On a day where Patrick Mahomes was quiet, Rice showed he's becoming matchup-proof with another big game, highlighted by a 44-yard touchdown. Rice is a clear WR2 who is likely going to post some WR1 games moving forward. While his maturity (and possible looming suspension) are in question, his talent clearly is not.

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Joe Burrow Sep 15 10:13pm ET
Joe Burrow

Dynasty | Bengals running back Zack Moss had 34 rushing yards, one catch, and 13 receiving yards in a loss against Kansas City. Dynasty Analysis: Moss (13 touches) looks to be the clear top dog in the offense as Chase Brown (four touches) looked like more of an afterthought. Still, Brown was more effective today and neither of these two is looking like an option in dynasty leagues at the moment. It's early, but it also looks like Cincinnati is going to live and die on the arm of Joe Burrow and their running backs should be nowhere near fantasy lineups at the moment as neither has taken advantage of a golden opportunity to emerge as a real fantasy factor this season (or possibly beyond) yet.

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Russell Wilson Sep 15 10:13pm ET
Russell Wilson

Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 13-of-20 passes for 117 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in Pittsburgh's win against Denver. Dynasty Analysis: This game was as ugly as the 13-6 score indicates but Fields again did what Pittsburgh asked him to do - manage the offense and not make mistakes. His 27 rushing yards all come at big times and Fields has now gone two straight weeks without turning the ball over. Pittsburgh is winning with an elite-level defense and Fields still has work to do to hold off Russell Wilson, but it's hard to see Wilson starting a game before Fields loses one. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward but things are looking up for Fields as he looks like he's matured under Mike Tomlin (who somehow continues to win despite sub-par talent).

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Bo Nix Sep 15 10:13pm ET
Bo Nix

Dynasty | Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed 20-of-35 passes for 246 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the Broncos loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: Nix was only able to lead the offense to six total points on the day. Sadly, he also led the team in rushing yards for the second straight week with just 25 yards. This offense has been unimaginative and stale through two weeks and Nix is getting next to nothing from his running game, making life that much harder. Nix will look to bounce back next week, but a trip to Tampa Bay isn't exactly a recipe for success for a rookie quarterback struggling to make things work with pieces who are seemingly less talented than those featured by their opponent.

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Jaleel McLaughlin Sep 15 10:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Broncos running back Javonte Williams had just 17 yards rushing in a loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: He added 48 yards on five catches to salvage his day. However, Williams now has just 40 rushing yards on 19 carries (2.1 yards per carry) through two weeks and the talk of his resurgence seems to have been premature. Denver is going to need to do some soul searching this week but it's not going to be surprising to see Jaleel McLaughlin or Blake Watson start to be more involved in the offense. Williams is going to be tough to start moving forward until we something positive from him in the box score.

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Greg Dulcich Sep 15 10:13pm ET
Greg Dulcich

Dynasty | Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich had just three catches for 16 yards Denver's loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: The supposed "summer sleeper" now has just five catches for 28 yards on the season. On the plus side, he did have eight targets (leading the team by three). Still, he had some drops again this week and hasn't looked like a breakout performer at all through two weeks. Dulcich will need to be better next week to be recommended moving forward.

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Lamar Jackson Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson couldn't lead the team to their first win of the season after they blew a 10-point second half lead to the Las Vegas Raiders. The reigning MVP put together a decent stat line by throwing 21-for-34 for 247 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added 45 yards on five carries. The ground game went through Derrick Henry in this game as Jackson did a lot less on the ground, and he wasn't able to fully make up those fantasy points through the air. While he connected with Zay Flowers throughout the game, Jackson hasn't been able to establish more than one big connection per game. He'll now have to go on the road and take on another good defensive unit in the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.

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Aaron Jones Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Aaron Jones

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones took nine carries for 32 yards in the team's 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He also caught 5-of-6 targets for an additional 36 yards. Jones was out-produced by backup Ty Chandler on the ground in this one (82 yards) and received one less carry than the 26-year-old, but was able to salvage his fantasy day with his work in the passing game. The former Green Bay Packer has led the Vikings backfield through two games, out-touching his running mate 30-to-21 and out-gaining him 177-to-124 while scoring the lone touchdown between the two. This week's rushing split is slightly concerning for managers of the 29-year-old veteran, though it is unclear whether or not it's prescriptive moving forward. Continue to fire Jones up as a mid-to-low-end RB2 on a surprisingly effective Minnesota offense in advance of his Week 3 tilt against the Houston Texans.

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Garrett Wilson Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Garrett Wilson

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught four of his six targets for 57 yards in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Wilson finished second on the team in targets, behind only Breece Hall, while his 57 receiving yards were good enough to lead the team in the close win over Tennessee. Wilson has been steady through the first two weeks of the season but fantasy gamers are still waiting for a dominant performance from their first-round draft pick. He will look to provide that for them in Week 3's Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.

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