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.
Bender's DFS Pickem Plays: Divisional Round
Dynasty | The Broncos are not expected to re-sign running back Javonte Williams. Dynasty Analysis: Williams just hasn't been able to recover from his injuries over the past couple of seasons and look like he once did as a promising young prospect. Williams looks like a player who has lost a lot of his explosiveness and Denver really didn't even use him that much this year, leaning on more of a committee than anything else. Now a free agent, Williams will likely look to get a fresh start elsewhere. His dynasty value continues to sink.
Dynasty | The Colts have been linked to Justin Fields in free agency. Dynasty Analysis: Fields played relatively well for the Steelers before being replaced by Russell Wilson this off-season. With the Colts still not entirely sold on Anthony Richardson, this could be more than just off-season smoke. Regardless, Fields will look to latch on to a team where he could compete to start and his dynasty value may rise this off-season if he gets that chance.
Dynasty | The Bears hired Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson as their new Head Coach. Dynasty Analysis: Wow. Most thought Johnson would land a job somewhere, but few believed Chicago was going to be the best of his choices. He clearly must believe in the talent of Williams and this move has to be seen as a positive one for the Chicago offense as Johnson has proven to be both creative and productive on that side of the ball - something the Bears haven't exactly been known for as of late. Williams could be on the "buy low" side of the dynasty rankings this off-season, especially as his rookie season continues to be overshadowed by Jayden Daniels.
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday that Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is "not rushing to become a head coach again." A recent report suggested that Kingsbury will not interview for any head-coaching jobs around the league until the Commanders are eliminated from the postseason, and most of the head-coach jobs may be filled by then anyways. Schefter also says that he thinks Kingsbury is happy in D.C. and has an incredible young quarterback in rookie Jayden Daniels to work with. Kingsbury's head-coaching tenure with the Arizona Cardinals didn't go so well, so he may not be rushing to become a head coach again so quickly, especially since he's still being paid by Arizona. The most alluring head-coach job (if it's still open) for Kingsbury will no doubt be with the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jacksonville Jaguars will hold in-person, second interviews this week for their vacant head-coaching position with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Saleh's second meeting with the team will come on Friday. He has also interviewed for the head-coaching jobs for the Raiders and Cowboys. If Saleh does not get the head-coaching gig in Jacksonville, he could return to San Francisco to be the defensive coordinator for the 49ers in a second stint. In a surprising move, the New York Jets fired Saleh in 2024 after just five games. The Jaguars are looking to replace Doug Pederson, who was fired right after the regular season after two years at the helm.
From RotoBaller
According to ESPN's Ed Werder, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders run-game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn have mutual interest in Dallas' open head-coach job. However, with the Commanders upsetting the top-seeded Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round, Dallas won't be able to interview Lynn or Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for at least another week. Lynn has a history with the Cowboys, serving as their RBs coach in 2005-06 under head coach Bill Parcells. Dallas finished third in rushing touchdowns in 2006 under Lynn thanks to the work of Marion Barber. In addition to his time in Dallas, Lynn was the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and went 33-31 in his four years at the helm. The Cowboys are searching for a new head coach this offseason after letting Mike McCarthy go after five years following the 2024 season.
From RotoBaller
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Indianapolis Colts are expected to hire former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as their new defensive coordinator. It's a big hire for head coach Shane Steichen's staff, and Anarumo will take over for Gus Bradley, who was fired after the 2024 season. The Colts defense was a disappointment under Bradley this year, falling to 29th in yards allowed per game (361.2). Anarumo also struggled in 2024 with the Bengals -- they finished 26th in point allowed per drive and 30th in red-zone efficiency -- but the 58-year-old coach has built impressive defenses in Cincy in past seasons. He's known for his creativity in disguising coverages and being aggressive with his blitz packages.
From RotoBaller
The New Orleans Saints are setting up an in-person interview with former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy sometime this week, a source told NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. After parting way with the Cowboys last week, McCarthy has become a popular head-coaching candidate around the league and interviewed for the Chicago Bears' head-coach job over the weekend. McCarthy has history in New Orleans after serving as the team's offensive coordinator under head coach Jim Haslett from 2000-04. He then was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers before going 125-77-2 with a Super Bowl title in his tenure as the Green Bay Packers head coach. In his five seasons as the Cowboys' head coach, McCarthy went 49-35, but his failure in the postseason is ultimately what led to Dallas moving on.
From RotoBaller
The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson writes that the Denver Broncos are not expected to re-sign impending free-agent running back Javonte Williams this offseason. Williams, a former second-round pick in 2021 out of North Carolina, entered the 2024 season as the team's unquestioned lead back, but poor efficiency on the ground led to the Broncos going with a committee approach in the backfield halfway through the year that also involved Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. The 24-year-old came into the NFL as a bruising, tackle-breaking lead-back option for Denver, but since suffering a torn ACL in his sophomore season in 2022, he has not been the same, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry while combining for 1,287 rushing yards and only seven rushing TDs the last two seasons. Despite leading Denver with 513 rushing yards in 2024, Williams will likely struggle to find a lead-back role on the open market.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (knee) injured his left knee and was in the medical tent briefly in Sunday's Divisional Round win against the visiting Los Angeles Rams. Although Hurts returned to the game, head coach Nick Sirianni didn't have much of an update on the star QB on Monday during his press conference. After the win when asked how he was feeling, Hurt simply said, "I finished the game." Sirianni said the Eagles will know more on Hurts' status for the NFC Championship on Sunday versus the division-rival Washington Commanders in the coming days. It's unclear exactly what the nature of Hurts' knee injury is, but with trip to the Super Bowl on the line, we're expecting him to do everything in his power to be out there. We'll have a better idea on his status when Philly releases their first injury report of the week on Wednesday. In the Week 11 win over the Commanders, Hurts went 18-for-28 for 221 yards, no TDs or interceptions and added 10 carries for 39 yards and a TD on the ground.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that it's too early to place a timetable on whether wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) will be able to play in 2025. Ryans won't speculate on whether the Texans will be searching for another receiver this offseason because of Dell's serious injury. In the Dec. 21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 25-year-old second-year wideout tore his ACL, MCL and LCL, dislocated his knee and suffered damage to his meniscus. He underwent the first of multiple surgeries last week, and it's very possible that he won't be able to play at all in the 2025 regular season. If Dell makes it back, he also might never be the same on the football field for the Texans as an explosive downfield threat in the passing attack. We should know more about his status for next season once training camp rolls around. Dell finished 2024 with 51 catches (81 targets) for 667 yards and three TDs in 14 games.
From RotoBaller
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears are finalizing a deal to hire former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach. Well, that happened fast. Just two days after falling to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round, Johnson is on the move. The South Carolina native took over as OC for the Lions in 2022 and has excelled in his role. Over that three-season stretch, Detroit has averaged a league-best 29 points per game, finishing fifth (26.6), fifth (27.4), and first (33.1) in that time. He'll now head to Chicago and work with sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams and young, talented wideouts D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Johnson was considered one of the top coaching candidates on the market last winter, and he's finally in transit to his former division foes.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins hauled in 1-of-2 targets for 12 yards in Sunday night's 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Hollins saw a target on the Bills' first play from scrimmage -- a deep shot up the left sideline ~30 yards down-field that quarterback Josh Allen put just beyond his fingertips. Though, it is worth noting that he short-armed it a bit. The 31-year-old's next -- and last target -- would come midway through the fourth, and he was fired up about it after gaining a first down. With Allen attempting just 22 passes and Buffalo's ground game scoring all three touchdowns, he and the other pass-catchers were not needed much besides fellow wideout Khalil Shakir (6/67). He'll get another shot at production against the Chiefs in the Conference Championship but will be tough to trust as a reliable option with only two post-season receptions.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills placekicker Tyler Bass connected on all three extra-point attempts and both field goal tries in his team's 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Bass has been excellent since the calendar turned to December, with a missed extra point being his only blemish since Week 16. The 27-year-old failed to connect on ten total attempts in 2024 (five field goals) but went 4-for-4 on tries of 50+, including a 61-yarder. Even in the snow, he was able to drill one through from 51 yards out. With a Conference Championship bout on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs on the horizon, the sixth-year pro should be afforded plenty more opportunities to knock through some kicks. The Bills and Chiefs matchup features a healthy 48-point over/under.
From RotoBaller
When asked about wide receiver Mecole Hardman's (knee) status for their meeting with the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid remarked, "We'll see how that goes," per Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com. "I haven't made any decisions on that yet," said Reid -- "He's worked hard to try and get himself back." Hardman has been shelved since early December after sustaining a knee injury at practice that required cleanup surgery. The Georgia native appeared in 12 games, recording only 12 catches and 90 yards -- sans a touchdown. However, he was a valuable kick returner for the team, averaging 13.4 yards per touch on special teams. Hardman returned to practice last week in a limited capacity, but it appears like he's not yet ready for in-game action. With Kansas City squaring off against Buffalo on Sunday night, we'll see if he can elevate his practice status ahead of the Chiefs' first injury report on Wednesday.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions defensive back Amik Robertson (arm) underwent surgery to fix the broken humerus he suffered in the team's 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders this past Saturday. The NFL's Tom Pelissero reported the news. The sixth-year DB picked up the injury early on in the contest while tackling Commanders' wideout Terry McLaurin. Though he was initially deemed questionable to return, Robertson would later be ruled out. The Louisiana Tech product was coming off one of his better seasons as a pro, notching 50 tackles and forcing three fumbles. Reportedly, the surgery was a success, and per Pelissero -- he's expected to be ready for offseason workouts.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman registered the best season of his career and capped it off with another touchdown in the loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The fourth-year wideout out of Minnesota finished the game with four receptions on five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown which brought his total to 11 touchdowns between the regular and postseason. Most of his damage came in the first half along with his 16-yard catch that kicked off all of the scoring in the opening drive. Bateman still has another year left on his contract, so he's likely looking at more of the same role going into the 2025 season.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely stepped up again with Zay Flowers (knee) missing another playoff game but it ultimately wasn't enough as they fell by two points to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Likely ended the game with four receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown on five targets. While he wasn't the most targeted out of all of the pass-catchers, he did lead them in yards with one fewer reception than Mark Andrews. Likely had more than a few flashes of brilliance this season which could have earned him some more snaps heading into the 2025 season. A lot will depend on the off-season moves that the Ravens make to try to get over the hump in the playoffs.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews turned in another big-time season and was one of the most dependable pass-catchers on the team for a long time. Unfortunately, he made two crucial mistakes in the second half of the 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. The veteran finished with five receptions for 61 yards on seven targets and two carries for three yards. What's going to be the most memorable are the back-to-back drives that ended in Andrews' mistakes to end the game. He fumbled in the second to last drive, then he saw the potential game-tying catch go right off of his hands without a defender near him. Despite the rough game, he should still remain a top fantasy option at the position next season.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that he will consider replacing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who are both expected to become head coaches elsewhere, with coordinators from outside the organization. However, Campbell also said that the Lions already have coaches that are more than capable of being promoted into the offensive and defensive coordinator roles. The most important factor for Campbell when considering hiring new coaches for those roles is that the Lions keep their current identity in place that has made them so successful the last several years. Campbell said the Lions are going to stay true to who they are as a team despite a disappointing 45-31 upset loss to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this past weekend.
From RotoBaller