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
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson paced the team in receiving in the 34-6 blowout loss against Philadelphia on Sunday. Ferguson caught four passes for a team-high 24 yards in what was an abysmal showing from the Dallas offense. His fantasy ceiling has taken a hit with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) likely done for the season. The 25-year-old is no longer a must-start entering Monday's matchup with Houston.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert struggled along with the rest of the offense in the 34-6 loss to Philadelphia. The third-year receiver was targeted five times, catching three receptions for 14 yards. Tolbert has fallen off of the fantasy radar with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) likely done for the year, as Cooper Rush and Trey Lance have not proven to be capable of supporting multiple pass catchers from a fantasy perspective.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle was the clear-cut lead back on Sunday in what was an abysmal offensive showing. Dowdle carried the ball 12 times for 53 yards and caught all three targets for just three yards. He ripped off a 19-yard run, good for the longest Dallas offensive play of the game. Dowdle appears entrenched as the top running back in the offense, although his value has taken a clear hit without quarterback Dak Prescott. He should be a matchup-dependent flex option moving forward.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott only touched the ball six times in the blowout loss to Philadelphia on Sunday. Elliott was returning from a one-game internal suspension related to team conduct. He gained 22 yards on the ground and was not targeted in the passing game. Elliott remains off the fantasy radar as a handcuff to Rico Dowdle in what is now a defunct Dallas offense without quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring).
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb saw a team-high 10 targets on Sunday in the 34-6 loss to Philadelphia. Lamb caught six of those passes, but only gained 21 yards. He also rushed once for a three yard gain. The Cowboys' star receiver's fantasy stock has taken a clear hit with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) likely done for the season. He will look to bounce back next Monday night against Houston.
From RotoBaller
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From RotoBaller
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From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain after undergoing an MRI exam and is expected to miss a couple of weeks, according to a source. Although it's bad news that Wirfs will have to miss time, it's a sign of relief for the Bucs that the injury wasn't worse. The 25-year-old was injured in the 23-20 loss to the visiting San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Week 10. With Wirfs now out for a couple of weeks, the expectation is that Justin Skule become a starter for a Tampa defense that continues to be hurt by injuries. It's more bad news for the blind-side protection for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who continues to make the most of what has become a very thin receiving corps with both Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (ankle) injured.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance stepped into the game late on Sunday, replacing a struggling Cooper Rush in what turned out to be a 34-6 blowout. The former third-overall pick struggled to get the offense going but did provide a bit more of a pop than Rush. Lance completed 4-of-6 passes for 21 yards and an interception while scrambling three times for 17 yards. Mike McCarthy has not named a starter for next Monday's matchup with Houston, but with how poorly Rush played there is a shot that Lance could draw his first start.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) is heading to New York on Monday to visit with a hamstring specialist, where he ultimately will make the decision on whether to have season-ending surgery for a hamstring avulsion that he suffered in the Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Prescott's hamstring partially tore off his bone and will require six to eight weeks of recovery if he decides to avoid the surgical route. Either way, Prescott is unlikely to play again this year, but if he undergoes surgery, he'll be facing a three-month recovery period. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that Prescott is leaning towards having surgery. Fantasy managers can drop Prescott in single-year fantasy leagues at this point. Cooper Rush looked awful in his first start in Week 10 against the Eagles and could eventually give way to Trey Lance if things continue to go south in Week 11 versus the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Bengals are working out veteran free-agent running back Leonard Fournette on Monday. The Bengals apparently are considering adding to their RB room after Zack Moss (neck) suffered a season-ending injury in the Week 9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, despite trading for Khalil Herbert at the deadline last Tuesday. Chase Brown should operate as the team's unquestioned lead back moving forward, with Trayveon Williams as the RB3 behind Brown and Herbert. If the Bengals were to add Fournette, he'd almost certainly start on the practice squad before potentially working his way onto the active 53-man roster as additional RB depth. The 29-year-old veteran played in two games with the Bills in 2023 and has 12 carries for 40 yards on the ground. There's no guarantee that Lenny would find a significant role in Cincy if he were to be signed.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Bengals are hosting four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard on a free-agent visit on Monday, according to sources. The Bengals are currently on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff picture, but their defense could use some help and experience in the secondary as they look to make a late-season playoff push. In addition to Howard, Cincy is working out free-agent running back Leonard Fournette on Monday. The 31-year-old Howard played in 13 games for the Miami Dolphins last year but was slowed by a foot injury late in the season. He should be fully healthy at this point after not joining a team for the start of the 2024 season. In his 13 games with Miami in 2023, Howard had 45 tackles (36 solo), an interception and 12 pass breakups.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he'd expect new wide receiver Diontae Johnson to ramp up his snaps now that he's had enough practices with the team under his belt. Johnson was dealt from the Carolina Panthers to the Ravens before the trade deadline, but he's been a non-factor in his two games with the Ravens, catching just one of two targets for a six-yard gain. He wasn't targeted at all in his debut with Baltimore in the Week 9 win over the Denver Broncos. But now that the former Steeler has had enough practice reps, we should start to see him get more involved in the offense, starting in Week 11 in a big divisional clash against his former team in Pittsburgh. Still, Johnson will be a shaky WR3/flex option for fantasy managers in an offense with plenty of mouths to feed. Johnson's increased involvement is bad news for wideouts Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that running back Keaton Mitchell's role in the offense could expand moving forward. "I do see a little bit of a three-headed monster there," Harbaugh said of the team's backfield that also includes the NFL's leading rusher in Derrick Henry and pass-catching specialist Justice Hill. Mitchell finally recovered from a torn ACL that he suffered in his rookie season in 2023 to make his season debut in last Thursday night's one-point win over the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, but the 22-year-old wasn't involved much, seeing two snaps on offense. He averaged 8.4 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per catch in eight games last year and has enough explosive abilities as a ball-carrier to warrant a bench stash in fantasy leagues down the stretch, especially if you also have Henry rostered.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said coming out of the team's bye week that quarterback Jameis Winston remains the team's starting QB heading into their Week 11 contest against the Winston's former team, the New Orleans Saints. The 30-year-old veteran pulled off a surprising upset of the division-rival Baltimore Ravens in his first start in Week 8 but then fell flat against a tough Los Angeles Chargers defense in Week 9 before going on bye. Although Winston looked pretty bad before the bye, the Browns are going to give him another shot with Deshaun Watson (Achilles) done for the year. The alternative to Winston would be Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Winston doesn't exactly have the greatest supporting cast of receivers and should be considered an interception-prone, low-end QB2 in fantasy against a Saints D that hasn't been a great matchup for opposing QBs.
From RotoBaller
The Denver Broncos defense/special teams unit failed to stand out in their 16-14 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 on Sunday on the road. They did manage to get to quarterback Patrick Mahomes to sack him four times for a loss of 23 yards, and they also held the Chiefs offense to under 20 points. The Broncos D also held KC to only 57 rushing yards, but were unable to slow Mahomes down through the air, surrendering 243 yards through the air and one touchdown. It would have been a more fruitful day for Denver's defense had they been able to force the Chiefs into some turnovers, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Despite the down performance, the Broncos' D/ST is still a top-five unit in overall fantasy points and will have a chance to bounce back at home against the visiting Atlanta Falcons in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs led the ground game in the team's 26-23 comeback win over the Houston Texans in Week 10. Gibbs carried the ball 19 times for 71 yards and caught two of his three targets for an additional 37 yards. He outpaced David Montgomery by seven carries, solidifying his lead role in the backfield for this game. However, this marks just the third game this season where he hasn't found the endzone or surpassed 15 fantasy points. He'll look to return to RB1 form in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery contributed in the Lions' 26-23 win over the Houston Texans in Week 10, recording 12 carries for 32 yards, a touchdown, and a 24-yard catch. Montgomery scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the season on a short three-yard run in the third quarter, salvaging an otherwise modest fantasy outing. Since returning from the bye, Montgomery's fantasy production has dipped, reaching 15+ points in only one of the last five games after starting the season strong. Despite the recent slump, he remains a steady RB2 option, especially with his team-leading nine touchdowns. Montgomery will look to rebound in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown delivered another top-10 fantasy performance in Week 10, securing six catches on eight targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in the 26-23 win over the Houston Texans. St. Brown extended his impressive touchdown streak to seven consecutive games while logging his sixth game with 18 or more fantasy points this season. With this consistent production, he currently ranks as a top-six fantasy WR for the 2024 season. St. Brown remains a must-start as he heads into Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) made a significant impact in the team's 26-23 win over the Houston Texans in Week 10, catching three of six targets for 66 yards and a touchdown. His performance earned him a TE4 finish for the week, marking his second-highest fantasy output this season. However, LaPorta exited the game early due to a shoulder injury. The Lions later reported an AC joint sprain, so LaPorta's status for Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars remains uncertain. Be sure to keep an eye on practice reports throughout this week. If he cannot play, expect Brock Wright to take over primary tight end pass-catching duties for Detroit.
From RotoBaller
