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 Starts/Sits: Week 10
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught five of his six targets for 41 yards in a 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Wilson and the rest of the New York passing attack struggled against the Arizona secondary in the blowout loss as Aaron Rodgers passed for just 151 yards on 35 attempts. The slow outing for Wilson breaks a streak of five straight games with at least 61 receiving yards. Wilson now has 65 catches for 704 yards and five touchdowns through 10 games. He has a good shot at bouncing back against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has been unbelievable over the last few weeks, but was finally held in check on Sunday. Otton hauled in five of his eight targets for 35 yards in what ended up being a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Well, Otton's tremendous run had to end at some point, but at least he was still able to do some damage here. Fantasy managers will have to look elsewhere for help next week with the Bucs on a bye week. After that, wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) is expected to make his return to the field. If that happens, Otton could lose some fantasy value heading into the Week 12 matchup against the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams caught six of his 13 targets for 31 yards in a 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Adams struggled to get anything going downfield despite drawing 13 targets as he averaged just 5.2 yards per catch in the blowout loss. That being said, the workload was encouraging as Adams has now drawn 24 targets over his past two games. Adams will be a strong fantasy play against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown hauled in 5-of-7 targets for 109 yards in Sunday's 34-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Brown had receptions of 14, 18, 30, and 44 yards on the day as Philadelphia dismantled a Cooper Rush-led Cowboys squad. It's the third time in six outings this season that the Ole Miss alum has eclipsed the century mark, and he's recorded at least 84 yards in all but one contest. Ho-hum. He led the team in receiving by a wide margin, as no other Eagles pass-catcher notched more than 27 yards. Brown would have likely had an even more significant performance if the game were more competitive, but Philly benched their starters just minutes into the final frame. The team will line up for a second consecutive divisional clash this Thursday when they host the visiting Washington Commanders. The 27-year-old will again be a top-flight WR play.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets kicker Spencer Shrader made both of his field-goal attempts in a 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Shrader was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday after the Jets cut Riley Patterson earlier in the week. They also had veteran Anders Carlson on their roster but opted to give kicking duties to Shrader, who hit three extra points as a member of the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the season. That being said, Shrader will take on those same Colts in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of his 35 passes for 151 yards but failed to throw any touchdowns in a 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Rodgers and the entire Jets offense came up short in what appeared to be a decent matchup against the Arizona defense on paper. He got off to an especially painful start, throwing for just 40 yards in the first half. Things picked up a bit after halftime but it was still a disappointing performance for the entire New York offense. Rodgers will hope to bounce back heading into a Week 11 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Breece Hall carried the ball 10 times for 52 yards and caught all four of his targets for 31 yards in a 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Hall performed well when he got the ball, averaging 5.2 yards per carry, but the Jets fell behind early and went pass-heavy after halftime. He managed to bolster his fantasy outing with another strong showing in the passing game as he has 39 catches for 358 yards through nine games. The explosive running back has now failed to find the end zone in three straight games. He will look to bounce back in Week 11 against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (arm) rushed 14 times for 66 yards and brought in his sole target for an additional 12 receiving yards in the team's 34-6 win over their division-rival Dallas Cowboys. The long-time New York Giant wasn't needed much in this one, as Dallas had trouble getting anything going with Cooper Rush calling signals for the Cowboys offense. It's worth mentioning that Barkley missed a drive late in the first half after coughing up a fumble on a Micah Parsons tackle the drive before. Zach Berman of the team noted that the 27-year-old had a sizeable bandage on his "left wrist/forearm area" that went up to his elbow after coming out of the locker room for the start of the second half. However, he would remain in the game and rack up another eight touches until the Eagles benched their starters early in the fourth quarter. With a quick turnaround on tap for Philadelphia in a home matchup against the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football, fantasy managers should monitor the superstar RBs practice status through Wednesday.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White was once again sluggish on the ground, but was able to salvage his fantasy value with his ability as a receiver. On Sunday, White rushed the ball 10 times for 31 yards on the ground. It was another lackluster game for White on the ground against a tough San Francisco 49ers defense. Luckily, White was able to save his value by hauling in six of his seven targets for 39 yards and a touchdown in the loss. The Bucs now head into a bye week, but White could lose some steam after that. Wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) is expected to return in Week 12 which could take away some of the targets for White going forward. That might make White fall into the flex conversation for the Week 12 matchup against the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Braelon Allen carried the ball seven times for 27 yards and caught his lone target for seven yards in a 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Allen mixed in behind starter Breece Hall, notching seven carries to Hall's 10 in the blowout loss. The Jets have been inconsistent in their touch distribution for Allen this season as he saw just four carries in Week 9 and two in Week 7. Allen remains a high-end handcuff in fantasy behind Hall but is tough to trust in starting lineups. He will face off against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was held in check by the San Francisco 49ers defense on Sunday. Mayfield has been incredible throughout most of the season, but didn't have the same success this weekend. He completed 18-of-29 passing attempts for 116 yards and one touchdown in the three-point loss. Mayfield showed heart in this game and even stiff armed his way to giving his team the lead with less than a minute left. Fantasy managers shouldn't get frustrated by this performance. Mayfield is likely to get wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) back after the bye week. The expectation is that Mayfield will resume his QB1 ways in Week 12 against the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs led his team in targets and receptions in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Bills, hauling in seven of 10 passes thrown his way for 72 yards. While it was productive and what fantasy managers have grown accustomed to from him, it could have been better had he not dropped what would have been an easy score early on in the game. Still, it was the third straight game in which the former third-round pick has recorded at least nine targets and sixth time in eight games that he's reached that level, affording him plenty of opportunities for receptions and a solid weekly floor. The 23-year-old will have a more difficult task in Week 11 as the Colts take on a Jets defense that has been great at limiting fantasy points to opposing receivers. Downs likely projects as a fringe WR2 next Sunday so long as Joe Flacco remains under center.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was able to put together a solid performance on the ground during Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. The rookie back rushed the ball 13 times for 73 yards and a touchdown in the loss. He also hauled in all three of his targets for 14 additional yards through the air. Irving has been impressive this season, but his ceiling is limited with Rachaad White splitting up the carries with him in the backfield. Despite that, Irving should remain a fine flex option for the Week 12 matchup against the New York Giants.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 14 of 20 pass attempts for 202 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in Sunday's 34-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. He added two touchdowns and 56 yards on his seven carries. Hurts was sacked quite a bit in the first half, but Philadelphia molly-whopped their divisional opponent in this one -- controlling the game from start to finish. It's the fourth straight contest in which the 26-year-old scored a rushing touchdown and the third time in that stretch with more than one of them. The fifth-year QB could have had an even bigger day but was benched for teammate Kenny Pickett early in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand. It's another superb performance for Hurts, who has totaled 16 TDs with just two turnovers since the team's Week 5 bye. Philadelphia will get another divisional matchup in Week 11 when they square off against the visiting Washington Commanders.
From RotoBaller
The New England Patriots defense had a field day against the Chicago Bears, surrendering just three points while sacking rookie quarterback Caleb Williams nine times. The unit didn't register a turnover, but it did tally 13 tackles for loss and five passes defended. In the end, the Bears registered just 69 net passing yards and 73 rushing yards as they fell to 4-5 and the Patriots improved to 3-7. New England's defense is trending upward, but they're tough to trust in fantasy football against an impressive Los Angeles Rams offensive attack in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (chest) appears to have escaped Sunday's 12-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars without a serious injury. Jones was carted to the locker late into the third quarter after sustaining a chest injury, but his x-rays were negative, and he would return to the contest. Fortunately for the 29-year-old, he was able to close out the game, participating in the team's final two drives. He was seen in the locker room after the game, wearing his typical post-game garb (a sombrero), and seemed jovial when speaking with reporters. When asked how he felt, Jones replied, "A little sore, but mentality is everything. I feel strong...it's about these guys in this locker room, and that's why I went back out there." Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on his practice status this coming week, but it doesn't seem like he should miss any time. Minnesota will travel to Nissan Stadium to face off against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 19 times for 80 yards and scored a touchdown in the team's 30-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He also caught one pass for five yards. Without starting wide receivers Amari Cooper (wrist) and Keon Coleman (wrist) and playing with a lead for the entire second quarter, Cook saw plenty of usage. The exclamation point of his afternoon was a two-yard touchdown plunge with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Cook draws a matchup against a stout Kansas City run defense in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught six of nine targets for 58 yards in the team's victory over the Indianapolis Colts. It was a mostly quiet afternoon for the Bills slot receiver, who needed a 30-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to avoid a disappointing stat line. Shakir missed on three targets, matching his season total entering Week 10. Fantasy managers were expecting more from Shakir with Amari Cooper (wrist) and Keon Coleman (wrist) sidelined, but he didn't completely burn those who started him. His slot role did not change with their absence. Shakir will be in the WR3/flex range next week against the Chiefs.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins caught all four of his targets for 86 yards in the team's 30-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. He led Buffalo in receiving yards. Hollins made the most of his increased playing time with Amari Cooper (wrist) and Keon Coleman (wrist) sidelined. He and Curtis Samuel primarily manned the outside receiver spots. Most of his production came on a 44-yard completion to set up a last-second field goal before halftime. Hollins will revert to a secondary role if Cooper and Coleman can return against the Chiefs.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye went 4-for-4 on field goals and also converted his lone extra-point attempt during Sunday's Week 10 win over the Chicago Bears. Slye was responsible for more than two-thirds of New England's scoring in the victory. He converted kicks from 25, 30, 33, and 37 yards in the effort. The 28-year-old had been quiet over the last handful of weeks, but he bounced back in a huge way in Chicago. Still, he needs to be more consistent before fantasy managers can trust him in their lineups. His next chance to do so will come in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams.
From RotoBaller