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
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that quarterback Tyler Huntley will be the team's "emergency third quarterback" to open the regular season in a Week 1 matchup this Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs. Huntley was released by the Cleveland Browns last week and quickly rejoined Baltimore to give them extra QB depth for the 2024 campaign behind starter Lamar Jackson and veteran Josh Johnson. The 26-year-old has spent all four of his NFL seasons in Baltimore, including a Pro Bowl showing in 2022, when he went 75-for-112 for 658 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in six games (four starts). Once Huntley gets back into the flow of Baltimore's offense, there's a good chance he'll take over the No. 2 job from Johnson sooner than later.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) said he practiced with the team on Monday. "I'll be ready by Sunday," Warren said. The Steelers won't release their first official injury report until Wednesday, but fantasy managers should have Warren available in the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend. The 25-year-old will again be sharing Pittsburgh's backfield with Najee Harris, making him more of an RB3/flex option for fantasy managers to kick off the 2024 season. The former undrafted back took on a much bigger role alongside Harris in his second year in 2023, carrying the ball 149 times for 784 yards (5.3 yards per carry) while also catching 61 passes for 370 yards through the air. Even if Harris continues to see most of the rushing attempts for the Steelers, Warren proved last year he can be a serviceable RB3/flex play on a near weekly basis.UPDATE: Warren said he did individual and special teams work on Monday and expects to join team periods on Wednesday.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was present for Monday's practice but didn't participate on the field. Chase has practiced once with the team all offseason as he seeks a new long-term contract extension. The Bengals have reportedly ramped up their efforts in contract talks in recent days, but with the team's Week 1 regular-season opener against the New England Patriots just six days away, it's becoming a very realistic possibility that fantasy managers won't have their first-round pick available to start the year. Even if the team signs the 24-year-old to a lucrative extension before Sunday, he could sit out entirely or be limited against the Patriots. Chase is a must-start in fantasy if he's active, but if he's not, it will drastically raise the ceiling of wideouts Tee Higgins and Andre Iosivas against New England. Check back on Chase's status throughout the week.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) will not practice with the team on Monday. Brown has already been ruled out for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Thursday night versus the Baltimore Ravens after suffering a sternoclavicular injury in the preseason opener that carried a four- to six-week timetable. The 27-year-old has yet to practice with the Chiefs but has a realistic shot to suit up for his Chiefs debut in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals if he's able to get back on the practice field soon. With Hollywood out this week, expect quarterback Patrick Mahomes to lean heavily on tight end Travis Kelce and receivers Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson. Even if Brown cannot make it back by Week 2, he needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats, as he'll be one of Mahomes' top targets when he returns.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said that quarterback Cooper Rush will be Dak Prescott's backup to start the 2024 season, with Trey Lance sticking as the QB3 in Dallas. Lance pretty much sealed his fate as the No. 3 QB to enter the season after throwing five interceptions in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, although he did also throw for 323 yards and a touchdown while going for a team-high 90 rushing yards and an additional score on 11 carries. The 24-year-old former first-rounder by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 has plenty of athleticism, but he's still in the developmental phase for the Cowboys as they attempt to improve his game with the potential of losing Prescott after this season. Lance should only be rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues and deep superflex formats in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been placed on the Non-Football Illness list, according to Field Yates. The veteran back will now miss at least the first four games of the season, leaving the backup role up in the air for the Chiefs.
The Athletic's Jon Machota thinks that Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle should be the favorite to lead the team in rushing attempts and rushing yards in 2024. The fifth-year back made the most of his opportunities in training camp and was the team's most explosive RB while showcasing an ability in the passing game to be a complete back. With Tony Pollard gone this year, Dowdle will be working alongside veterans Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook. "The more you can do, the better," Dowdle said. "When you can catch out of the backfield, run routes and also run the ball well, it's hard to take you off the field. I want to be a three-down back." The 26-year-old probably has the most upside of the trio, but he's going to need to be extremely efficient out of the backfield to become anything more than a weekly RB4/flex option while sharing touches with Elliott and Cook in Dallas.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Jon Machota writes that Dallas Cowboys second-year wide receiver Jalen Brooks could be ready for a much bigger role in 2024 behind receivers CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks and tight end Jake Ferguson. Brooks and quarterback Dak Prescott showed good chemistry throughout training camp this summer, particularly on the deep ball. One of Brooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin or Ryan Flournoy will likely be an important No. 4 pass-catcher for the Cowboys this year, and Brooks might have the best shot to be that guy for this team. The 24-year-old former seventh-round selection last year out of South Carolina played in seven games in his rookie season and caught all six of his targets for 64 yards without finding the end zone. As of right now with the start of the regular season just days away, Brooks is merely one to watch in most fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills running back Leonard Fournette is visiting with the Indianapolis Colts on Monday, according to a source. As things stand in Indy right now, Jonathan Taylor is the unquestioned starter, with Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson backing him up. Fournette signed late in the year in 2023 with the Bills and played in only two games with them, carrying the ball 12 times for 40 yards. In 2022 with the Bucs, Lenny averaged 3.5 yards per carry on the ground on his 189 attempts while running for 668 yards and three touchdowns. He added 73 receptions for 523 yards and three more scores. The 29-year-old would likely have to work his way to the active roster in Indy if he signs with the team and he could eventually become an interesting bench stash in deep PPR leagues. For now, fantasy managers in standard-sized leagues can continue to ignore him.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (undisclosed) is set to practice with the team on Monday and hasn't had any setbacks with his undisclosed injury. The Dolphins have been tight-lipped about what exactly has been bothering Waddle during training camp, but it's apparently a minor injury and they have held him out of practices merely as a precaution. Barring some sort of setback, the 25-year-old is fully expected to suit up for Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. We should have a better idea of what exactly Waddle is dealing with when Wednesday's first injury report of the year comes out. Fellow receiver Tyreek Hill (thumb) is also practicing on Monday and will be ready to roll on Sunday. With three straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his NFL career, Waddle will have WR1 upside for fantasy managers in Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) will not play in the Week 1 season opener on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens due to a sternoclavicular injury he suffered in the preseason opener. At the time of his injury, he was given a four- to six-week timetable. Although Brown hasn't resumed practicing, general manager Brett Veach said Brown is now able to laugh without pain, so there's a chance he could be back for Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals if he can get back onto the practice field soon. Hollywood was the team's big-ticket acquisition in free agency and will be one of quarterback Patrick Mahomes' top targets when he returns, but in the meantime, tight end Travis Kelce and receivers Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson will be more involved to open the 2024 regular season.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that running back Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring) should be good to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday, Sept. 8, against the Los Angeles Rams. Gibbs injured his hamstring in early August and missed most of training camp, but the 22-year-old second-year back should be available to play in the season opener this weekend. He was able to get back on the practice field last week. There's a chance Gibbs will be listed on the team's official injury report once they start practicing on Wednesday, but fantasy managers won't need to be worried that he won't suit up against the Rams. However, with all that said, there's a chance the Lions lean a bit more on David Montgomery in their backfield in Week 1, giving Gibbs a bit more bust potential as an RB1 to kick things off in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that tight end Sam LaPorta (hamstring) should be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season this Sunday night, Sept. 8, versus the Los Angeles Rams. Despite missing most of training camp due to a hamstring injury, LaPorta return to the practice field a week ago and should be ready to roll as a must-start in fantasy lineups this weekend. The 23-year-old second-year tight end was most likely the first TE off the board in your fantasy drafts this fall after setting an NFL record with 86 receptions in 2023. He could be listed on the team's injury report when official practice starts on Wednesday, but fantasy managers shouldn't be worried at all that they won't have him on Sunday night. In addition to his 86 catches in his rookie campaign, LaPorta impressed with 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is entering his rookie season with some big expectations both on the ground and through the air. The LSU sensation amassed 3,812 passing yards with 40 touchdowns and four interceptions while running for another 1,134 yards and 10 scores on the ground. His dual-threat ability is the biggest reason he's as high as he is on fantasy draft boards despite not having the best receiving corps. He does still have a quality receiver in Terry McLaurin, but Daniels is projected to put up some big rushing numbers which will help bolster his fantasy points per game. In half-PPR redraft leagues, Daniels ADP is outside the top 100 meaning he can provide some very good value to teams looking for late quarterbacks.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel plans to utilize all three members of the backfield throughout the regular season. Joe Schad reports that McDaniel talked about getting Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane, and Jaylen Wright all involved and proceeding with a hot-hand situation on some days if he feels like leaning on someone. This muddies the fantasy waters a bit when it comes to deciding on who to draft and who to start out of this backfield. While Achane still seems to be the number-one guy, especially when it comes to passing situations, Mostert should get plenty of opportunities while Wright will likely be peppered in. As of right now, Achane is ranked 18th, Mostert is 78th, and Wright is 145th in the RotoBaller half-PPR rankings.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) has officially been placed on the Non-Football Illness list, according to Field Yates. The veteran back will now miss at least the first four games of the season, leaving the backup role wide open. Carson Steele, the undrafted rookie, has made the most noise as the backup so far, but the signing of Samaje Perine becomes even more important as well. They should become a bigger part of the passing game than previously expected and could be underrated producers in PPR formats given the volume. Their opportunities are going to fluctuate with each game plan, so their value is a bit better in deeper leagues or dynasty formats in terms of Steele.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent RB Leonard Fournette (Bills) is visiting the Indianapolis Colts Monday, Sept. 2.
From TheHuddle
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (thumb) will practice Monday, Sept. 2.
Fantasy Spin: The Cheetah is expected to be ready for Week 1 after missing a lot of the preseason with a thumb injury. He remains a top-three WR in fantasy. The Jacksonville Jaguars are a solid matchup for him.
From TheHuddle
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (thumb) is set to be a full participant at practice on Monday. Head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that he and Jaylen Waddle are both going to practice after being limited beforehand. Now that the team is entering the first week of the season, both receivers have no setbacks and they're good to go. Hill is being drafted in the top three in most fantasy formats with an ADP of exactly three. The superstar wideout was an MVP candidate for most of last season and he finished with 1799 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns while hauling in 119 of his 171 targets. A lot of the same is on the docket for this year as he's thrived under McDaniel's offense. Now that he's a full go, fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief for Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs RB Samaje Perine is expected to play in the season opener, according to head coach Andy Reid.
Fantasy Spin: He'll likely play second fiddle to Isiah Pacheco in the backfield as Clyde Edwards-Helaire is dealing with some personal stuff. Perine really shouldn't be in your lineups. His main value is to Pacheco owners for now.
From TheHuddle
