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
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle figures to play an enhanced role in 2024 following the departure of veteran running back Tony Pollard. The team brought back longtime Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott early in the offseason and recently signed Dalvin Cook, but both aging backs appear to be well beyond their primes. When asked if this is his best opportunity for extended playing time, Dowdle said, "I think so for sure, with the way things have went out there, practice and things like that. I think I definitely should get a bigger role this year. And I'm looking forward to it." Last season, the South Carolina product rushed 89 times for 361 yards and two touchdowns and caught 17 passes for 144 yards and two more scores as Pollard's breather back. Although he's unlikely to get the backfield to himself, he has a chance to be the leading rusher in an explosive offense. At his preseason draft cost around the RB45 spot, he's worth taking a flier on for fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson started just 13 games in his collegiate career at Florida and four games last year during his rookie campaign. The elite athlete from the QB spot has all the physical tools to succeed, but it could take time for him to develop. Heading into 2024, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said the team expects "roller-coaster moments" from the 22-year-old. "Most quarterbacks, when they're young, they go through those moments, but you have to learn from them, grow from them, and keep moving forward," Ballard said. "Just look around the league and it's a little bit up and down." While Richardson is likely to be inconsistent as a passer, his rushing floor and ceiling should stabilize his fantasy value. Despite leaving three of his four games early last year, he racked up at least 17.7 fantasy points in three of four contests, and he scored 29.6 fantasy points in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams. If he can stay healthy, he has a clear path to a QB1 season in fantasy football, even if he struggles through the air.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns are releasing quarterback Tyler Huntley on Thursday, according to NFL insider Dianna Russini. Cleveland's initial 53-man roster included quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Huntley, and the team reportedly was open to trading one of the backups. However, that did not happen, so Huntley is being cut loose. Huntley spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens after going undrafted out of Utah in 2020. Overall, the 26-year-old has thrown for 1,957 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 20 game appearances. He also has 509 rushing yards and three rushing scores to his name. Huntley has proven to be a somewhat serviceable backup, so he should land on a new team before the start of the 2024 regular season.
From RotoBaller
The Dallas Cowboys signed wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year extension this week, and with that situation taken care of, all eyes shift toward quarterback Dak Prescott. The former fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State is entering the final year of his current deal, and time is running out to reach an extension before Week 1 of the regular season. However, team owner Jerry Jones said the situation remains unchanged, and Todd Archer of ESPN reports the two sides don't appear to be close to a deal. This will be a situation worth monitoring, but there is no indication Prescott will miss any game action if he heads into the season without a long-term contract. With the Cowboys' rushing attack likely to be downgraded this season, Dallas could have a pass-happier offense in 2024. Prescott could be a value pick as his QB10 ADP, especially if he sees additional red zone carries and pass attempts.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract, freeing up $35.83 million in cap space. $44.79 million of Watson's 2024 base salary was converted to a signing bonus to create the extra cap space, which Cleveland now leads the league in with over $62 million. It's an interesting move by the organization, and it could mean they have their eye on a few transactions before the start of the 2024 campaign. However, that is not being reported. This season presents a prove-it year for Watson, who has struggled in just 12 game appearances over the last two seasons since being traded from the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
The Buffalo Bills are signing safety Lewis Cine to the practice squad after he was released by the Minnesota Vikings at the 53-man roster cutdown deadline. It was first reported that Cine was set to sign with the New York Jets, but it appears he has changed his mind and is joining another AFC East organization. Cine, a 2022 first-round pick out of Georgia, played in just 10 games for Minnesota in two seasons and racked up just one tackle. Clearly, things didn't work out, but Buffalo is taking a cheap flier on the former first-team All-SEC performer.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has named veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett the starter for the Week 1 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye will start his pro career in the backup role. This has been the expectation this offseason and Maye is viewed as a project QB, while Brissett can stabilize the position early in the 2024 campaign. Although Brissett has had some success during his career, New England is lacking established weapons on offense and could rely heavily on Rhamondre Stevenson and the running game. That said, it would be a surprise if the 31-year-old is high on the fantasy football radar in single-QB leagues. Fantasy managers in Superflex and two-QB leagues could target Brissett as a late-round short-term starter, but Maye should also be stashed in those setups.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett was named the starting quarterback Thursday, Aug. 29, with QB Drake Maye serving as backup.
Fantasy Spin: Interesting scenario considering coach Jerod Mayo came out a couple of days ago and said Drake Maye had outplayed Brissett. Brissett is a ho-hum QB2 in fantasy that could have usage if you suffer an early season injury.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | The Commanders have signed wide receiver Noah Brown. Dynasty Analysis: Hmm. This one is interesting as the Commanders recently traded Jahan Dotson. He has a chance to emerge as their WR2 opposite Terry McLaurin, though that's far from a given. Brown will compete with the likes of Olamide Zaccheus, Dyami Brown, Jamison Crowder, and Luke McCaffrey for targets but he's worthy of a roster spot again based on this landing spot.
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Leonard Floyd (knee) was seen at practice on Wednesday. Floyd was labeled day-to-day after injuring his right knee in last Friday's preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first quarter when a teammate landed on his leg. Floyd avoided a serious injury, though, and should be fine for the Week 1 regular-season finale on Monday, Sept. 9, against the New York Jets. The 31-year-old specialized in pass-rushing in his lone season with the Buffalo Bills in 2023, which led to a career-high 10.5 sacks, but he also recorded a career-low 32 tackles (21 solo) in 17 regular-season games (16 starts). The former ninth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in 2016 out of Georgia has had at least nine sacks in each of the last four seasons and should be pretty productive again in 2024 for a strong 49ers defense across from All-Pro Nick Bosa.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers acquired defensive back Elijah Molden from the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2026, according to sources. Molden was a starter for most of last season in Tennessee and will now get a fresh start in 2024 on the west coast while giving the Chargers more secondary help. The 25-year-old former third-round selection (100th overall) in 2021 out of Washington had a career-best 73 tackles (47 solo), an interception returned for a touchdown, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 15 contests (eight starts) in 2023 in his third year in the league. Molden is likely to move around a bit in his new home alongside fellow safeties Derwin James and Alohi Gilman.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent LB Tyus Bowser (Ravens) worked out for the Indianapolis Colts Tuesday, Aug. 27, and the Tennessee Titans Wednesday, Aug. 28.
From TheHuddle
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed quarterback Michael Pratt to their practice squad, according to PewterReport. The Buccaneers were reportedly interested in drafting Pratt back in April, and now they get him after he was cut loose by the Green Bay Packers. Tampa Bay released John Wolford on Tuesday, so Pratt will take his job as the Bucs' No. 3 quarterback. Barring additional roster moves, we can expect Pratt to operate as the Buccaneers' emergency third-string quarterback on gameday this season.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Chiefs have signed running back Samaje Perine. Dynasty Analysis: The former Bengal. Commander and Bronco will take his talents to Kansas City and attempt to carve out a meaningful role for the Chiefs. It's a decent enough landing spot as Perine will compete with Clyde Edwards-Helaire for backup or change-of-pace duties for Isiah Pacheco. Perine has been productive at times but he's a long way from looking like an absolute must-add in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | The Broncos have signed tight end Donald Parham. Dynasty Analysis: It sounds like Parham will land on the practice squad, at least to start. He was a bit of a surprise cut by the Chargers and while Denver likes Greg Dulcich, he has yet to show an element of consistency (or health) to make them feel very comfortable. Parham should stay on watch lists and be monitored if and when he's called up to the active roster.
Dynasty | Terrace Marshall has signed on with the San Francisco 49ers and will join their practice sqaud. Dynasty Analysis: The 49ers seem to collect wide receivers like baseball cards, so this makes sense. Marshall flamed out in Carolina but it's clear he has real talent. San Francisco will likely try to stash him for a while. then either call him up on their own or attempt to block another team from signing him off their squad. It's hard to keep a player on a practice squad on your dynasty roster, but you could make a case for Marshall.
Dynasty | The Lions have signed wide receiver Allen Robinson to their practice squad. Dynasty Analysis: Detroit looks to be the latest team to see what Robinson left. The Bears, Rams, Steelers, and Giants have all given him a chance over the past few years but it seems as if Robinson is simply not the same player he once was at 31 years old. With a loaded receiving corps and Tim Patrick also waiting in the wings, it's hard to see a path to dynasty relevancy for Robinson any time soon.
Dynasty | The Falcons have traded quarterback Taylor Heinicke to the Los Angeles Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Heinicke was likely deemed expendable months ago after the Falcons shockingly took Michael Penix Jr early in the NFL Draft. He should have the inside track to back up Justin Herbert and could push Easton Stick either to the QB3 spot or even off the roster. This is a decent landing spot for Heinicke, who has proven to be effective as a spot starter but far from a player to build a team around. He's off the dynasty radar, despite the positive move from Atlanta to LA.
Free-agent DL Sheldon Day (Vikings) and free-agent DT Rashard Lawrence (Broncos) worked out for the Washington Commanders Wednesday, Aug. 28.
From TheHuddle
The New Orleans Saints have claimed running back and punt returner Kene Nwangwu off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Nwangwu had been cut loose when the Vikings trimmed their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday. The 26-year-old is primarily a return specialist, having attempted just 14 rushes over the last two seasons. On the other hand, he led the NFL with 35 punt returns in 2022 and tacked on another 15 over nine games last year. He owns an impressive 27.6 yards per return and three return touchdowns over 37 career contests. It's no surprise that Nwangwu was claimed off waivers given his special teams talent, but it's an interesting landing spot given that the Saints already have Rashid Shaheed on their roster. Presumably, Shaheed will handle kick returns and Nwangwu will get the nod for punt returns in 2024.
From RotoBaller
