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FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

TE Strength of Schedule

Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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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Player Notes
Ja'Marr Chase Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Browns. The former LSU Tiger was relatively quiet in Week 6 against the Giants. While Tee Higgins was more productive in this one, Chase still found the end zone for the sixth time in the Bengals' previous five contests. With Cincinnati picking up another win, the team will look to get to .500 with a win over the Eagles in Week 8. Fortunately for fantasy managers, the Eagles have struggled to stop opposing wideouts this season, making Chase one of the top fantasy options.

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Cedric Tillman Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Cedric Tillman

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman caught eight of his 12 targets for 81 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. In his first game as a starter after the Browns traded away Amari Cooper, Tillman led the Browns in receiving yardage while finishing second in targets and catches in the close loss to the Bengals. The Week 7 performance easily goes down as the best of Tillman's two-year career. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should be checking the waiver wire this week to see if Tillman is still floating around out there as he could be Cleveland's No. 1 receiver for the remainder of the season. He will be worth a look as a flex against a leaky Baltimore Ravens pass defense in Week 8.

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Jerry Jeudy Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Jerry Jeudy

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught one of his five targets for 18 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Jeudy appeared to be in line for a larger role with Amari Cooper traded to the Buffalo Bills earlier in the week but he instead remained an afterthought in the Cleveland offense while Cedric Tillman caught eight balls for 81 yards. Jeudy has shown flashes with the Browns this year but he will be tough to trust in fantasy going forward, even with a plus matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on tap in Week 8.

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Mecole Hardman Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Mecole Hardman

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman had one catch for 17 yards, two carries for 38 yards, and a touchdown in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Hardman did not command many targets, but he capitalized on his opportunities with a score on the ground. With fellow wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster sidelined with a hamstring injury in this contest, Hardman had more opportunities to get involved. This matchup marked his second game back from injury, and Hardman's role will likely increase as the season goes on and he gets healthier. Hardman is familiar with Mahomes and the offense, so it shouldn't be long before we see more involvement from him. The Chiefs will take on the Raiders in Week 8. The Raiders are not a cakewalk matchup for wide receivers since they rank ninth in fantasy points allowed, but Kansas City gets their playmakers involved in unique ways, so Hardman could see some volume. Despite scoring in this week's contest, Hardman's role in the offense is undetermined, and he should be viewed as a desperation flex play until we get more information about his usage.

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Chase Brown Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown ran for 44 yards off 15 carries in the win over the Browns on Sunday. He added two catches for nine yards. The 24-year-old scored in each of his last three appearances. While he cooled off in this one, he still outperformed teammate Zack Moss, who didn't have a quality afternoon. It appears Brown will continue to lead the backfield, keeping him a starting fantasy option for Week 8 against the Eagles, but the continued presence of Moss in this backfield will cap Brown's fantasy upside.

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Tee Higgins Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins caught four of his eight targets for 82 yards in Sunday's win over the Browns. He also scored a touchdown, finding the end zone off a 25-yard throw from Joe Burrow in the third quarter. The wideout has looked great since returning from the hamstring injury that kept him off the field for the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign. But he's looked even better of late, scoring three times in the Bengals' previous three contests. Fantasy managers should keep him rolling for Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Jameis Winston Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Jameis Winston

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston completed five of his 11 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Winston opened the game as the Browns' emergency quarterback but was pressed into service after both Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson got injured in the contest. Watson suffered what is believed to be a season-ending Achilles injury, while Thompson-Robinson's finger injury is not considered serious. It remains to be seen whether it will be Winston or DTR under center when the Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 8 but both quarterbacks should be added in superflex and two-quarterback formats this week as Watson's season appears to be over.

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Tyler Boyd Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Tyler Boyd

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd caught five passes on as many targets for 43 yards in a 34-10 loss to the Bills on Sunday. On a day in which the downfield passing attack was stymied by Buffalo, Boyd was a reliable short area target for new starting quarterback Mason Rudolph. The Titans ability to stretch the field is next to none, and if Rudolph continues to start for Tennessee, he may have to rely on quick-hitter throws to Boyd in an attempt to move the ball downfield. The longtime Bengal will still be behind Ridley and Hopkins in the receiving pecking order (as long as the latter is in Nashville), but he is trending up heading into a tough matchup with the Detroit Lions next week.

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Jauan Jennings Oct 20 9:50pm ET
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Per head coach Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers hope to get wide receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) back for their Week 8 home matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. San Fran had a rough go on Sunday in their 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, losing wideouts Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) in the first half. While Samuel was sick coming into this one, he'll have a good chance of being able to suit up next Sunday so long as the illness does not linger. Aiyuk, on the other hand, is feared to have suffered a torn ACL via initial reports. It isn't yet confirmed, but he'd be a long shot to suit up in Week 8 regardless. With the 49ers wide receiver corps suddenly depleted, Jacob Cowing, Ricky Pearsall, Chris Conley, and Ronnie Bell are the only active wideouts without a designation.

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Travis Kelce Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had four catches for 17 yards on five targets in the win against the San Francisco 49ers. Kelce had the second-most targets among Chiefs pass catchers in this contest but could not eclipse 20 receiving yards or find the endzone. After the departure of Rashee Rice from the wide receiver corps, Kelce was vacuuming up targets across the middle of the field, but the Niners tried to eliminate him. Kelce should be the favorite to lead the team in targets every week moving forward, which should be the case in Week 8. The Chiefs take on the Las Vegas Raiders on the road next week. Kelce saw seven targets in each game against the Raiders last season, so he is one of the safest bets for volume at the tight end position. Fantasy managers should continue to view Kelce as a TE1 despite the poor showing this week.

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Nick Chubb Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carried the ball 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown while adding a 10-yard catch in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Chubb was playing for the first time since he tore his ACL in Week 2 of the 2023 season and received a thunderous ovation from the home crowd before the game. The veteran tailback did not disappoint as he punched in a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Cleveland went away from him in the second half as they went very pass-heavy, giving Chubb just one carry after halftime. The veteran running back should see his workload ramp up in the coming weeks as he works his way back into game shape. He will be an RB3 heading into Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens.

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Daniel Jones Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Daniel Jones

According to head coach Brian Daboll, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will remain the team's starter moving forward. The sixth-year QB finished up his day completing 14-of-21 passes for 99 yards, adding 20 yards on the ground over his five carries. The news comes after Jones was benched in the fourth quarter of the Giant's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles for Drew Lock. "Made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3," said Daboll. "We had 100 yards, just to create a spark." It's worth mentioning that spark did not occur, as Lock led the team to three punts on his possessions, fumbling the ball twice. While the 27-year-old will garner most of the blame, there wasn't much good for the G-Men at all on Sunday. Additionally, the loss of starting left tackle Andrew Thomas (Lisfranc) was a massive blow to the team, and Jones was taken to the turf on seven separate occasions. Better days are ahead for the Duke product, but he'll get another staunch test in Week 8 when his team takes on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.

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Jameson Williams Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was nearly a non-factor in the team's 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. Williams saw just one target, which resulted in a catch for negative four yards, as Amon-Ra St. Brown had a big day and Kalif Raymond took on a more significant role. Coming off a two-game touchdown streak and consistent yardage production, Williams' minimal output was disappointing for fantasy managers. Despite this being his second one-catch performance of the season, Williams' speed and big-play potential make him a candidate for a bounce-back effort when the Lions host the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.

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Wan'Dale Robinson Oct 20 9:40pm ET
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New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson had a quiet performance in Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Robinson led the team with nine targets and six receptions, but he managed just 23 yards, averaging 3.8 yards per catch with a long of six yards. Despite leading the team in both targets and receptions, the Giants' passing game struggled, totaling only 105 yards from their quarterbacks. Robinson finished with 5.3 fantasy points, as the offense was stifled throughout the game.

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Joe Burrow Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns. The signal-caller was relatively quiet in the Week 6 win over the New York Giants. However, things were different in Week 7, with Burrow completing his fifth game this season with at least two touchdown passes. He's been one of the top fantasy quarterbacks all year, so there's no reason why he shouldn't be featured in fantasy lineups in Week 8 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Kareem Hunt Oct 20 9:30pm ET
Kareem Hunt

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 22 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the 28-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Hunt also had two receptions for five yards in this contest. Despite practicing fully this week, Clyde Edwards-Helaire was declared inactive in this game, which led to another Hunt takeover. Rookie Carson Steele had the second-most carries for the Chiefs with six, which he turned into 17 rushing yards. Hunt is the undisputed lead back for the Chiefs until the eventual return of Isiah Pacheco, making him an extremely valuable fantasy asset for the foreseeable future. Hunt will look to dominate again next week against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders rank 26th in fantasy points allowed to the running back position, so Hunt should have no issues in that contest. Hunt should be ranked as a solid RB2 every week.

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David Montgomery Oct 20 9:30pm ET
David Montgomery

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) was limited in Week 7 due to an early knee injury but returned in the 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Montgomery finished with nine carries for 31 yards and added three receptions for 39 yards, as second-year back Jahmyr Gibbs handled most of the workload. This marked Montgomery's first week without reaching double-digit fantasy points this season. Despite the setback, it's expected that Montgomery won't miss any time moving forward, and he should remain a crucial part of the Lions' offense as they prepare to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.

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Malik Nabers Oct 20 9:30pm ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers returned from a two-game absence due to a concussion in Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Nabers caught four of eight targets for 41 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per reception, with a long of 14 yards, and started the game strong with a 13-yard catch on the first offensive play. Despite leading the team in receiving yards, Nabers couldn't find the end zone and was part of a lackluster Giants passing attack that totaled only 105 yards. He finished with 6.1 fantasy points.

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Jayden Daniels Oct 20 9:20pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Per Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (ribs) is set for more testing on Monday to assess the extent of his injury further. The rookie QB participated in just one series of the team's 40-7 dismantling of the Carolina Panthers before getting knocked out with a rib injury. Quinn also noted that it's unclear what play the injury occurred in. While Daniels was ruled out from the contest, he returned to the sidelines with a big smile, potentially indicating it was not a severe injury. Even if that's the case, expect Washington to play it cautiously with their young franchise quarterback. Marcus Mariota performed well in relief and would be presumed to be under center again if the 23-year-old can't suit up for their Week 8 home tilt against the Chicago Bears.

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Patrick Mahomes Oct 20 9:20pm ET
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 16 of 27 pass attempts (59%) for 154 yards and zero touchdowns in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes threw two more interceptions in this contest, bringing his total to a league-leading eight interceptions despite already having his bye week. Mahomes found the endzone on a rushing touchdown against the Niners, but that was the only silver lining. Mahomes has been one of the worst draft picks at the quarterback position this season, and there is not much optimism that it will change since the Chiefs remain undefeated after six games. This game also marks his second straight game with zero passing touchdowns. Mahomes will look to right the ship against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. The Raiders rank 26th in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback position this season, so it will be an advantageous situation for the Chiefs quarterback. That said, Mahomes has not been good for fantasy, and benching him is reasonable at this point.

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