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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

TE Strength of Schedule

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

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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
Will Anderson Jr. Nov 16 6:30pm ET
Will Anderson Jr.

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Anderson suffered an ankle injury in Week 9 and hasn't been able to suit up since then. The 23-year-old has 7.5 sacks and 27 tackles through his nine games this season. His absence is certainly going to be a hit to this defensive unit heading into Monday's game. The absence of Anderson should mean more snaps for Jerry Hughes and Derek Barnett.

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Anders Carlson Nov 16 6:20pm ET
Anders Carlson

New York Jets kicker Anders Carlson has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Carlson is now the fourth kicker for the Jets this season, but will hopefully be a long term solution. He is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts during his two games with the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the season. Carlson struggled as a rookie, but is worth a look as a streaming option for fantasy managers needing an option for Week 11.

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Trevon Diggs Nov 16 5:40pm ET
Trevon Diggs

The Dallas Cowboys have yet again deemed cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) inactive ahead of Monday night's road tilt against the Houston Texans. The team also ruled out defensive back Jourdan Lewis (neck) for the game. Bland has not logged even a limited practice session since Week 6 and hasn't appeared in a game this season while tending to a foot injury. On the other hand, Lewis is the Cowboys' second-leading snap participant in their defensive backfield. He will miss his first outing of 2024 after apparently picking up a neck injury in their 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10. Fortunately, teammate Trevon Diggs (calf) was a full participant all week and carries no designation for Dallas' matchup against the visiting Houston Texans.

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Devon Achane Nov 16 5:20pm ET
Devon Achane

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has an excellent opportunity for a good showing in his Week 11 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Last week against the Los Angeles Rams was somewhat of a letdown compared to the previous two outings. The Raiders defense has been torched by running backs all year, ranking 26th in fantasy points per game allowed, allowing 104.1 rushing yards a game, and is eighth-worst in red zone points per game to running backs. According to Pro Football Focus, the Raiders have faced the seventh-highest rate of running back targets, and Achane is one of the best-receiving backs in the league. Achane is primed for an RB1 workload; he's a surefire start in every lineup. He comes in as RotoBaller's RB4 in the Week 11 RB rankings.

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Russell Wilson Nov 16 5:20pm ET
Russell Wilson

The Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams put up a fantasy stinker in Week 10 after allowing 34 points and 470 total yards. Their one saving grace has been that they've forced at least one turnover in every week but Week 6. On the flip side, they only have one game with double-digit fantasy points and seven games with five or fewer. The Ravens have the worst pass defense in the league while Russell Wilson has led the Pittsburgh Steelers to 26 or more points in each of the three games he's started. At this stage of the season, the Ravens defense is better left on the bench or waiver wire.

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Raheem Mostert Nov 16 5:20pm ET
Raheem Mostert

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert comes into Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders after an alarming performance against the Los Angeles Rams last week. He did not log a rushing attempt and only caught two of three targets for 34 yards. The 2023 rushing touchdown leader has also not scored a touchdown in his last two games. Mike McDaniels is not pleased with the costly fumbles, and due to Miami's (3-6) record, the margin for error for the rest of the season is minimal. While the Raiders defense has given up the seventh most points per game to opposing running backs and allowed 1,007 total rushing yards on the season, it isn't easy to imagine Mostert getting enough touches to justify starting him. Be cautious if starting him this week; he could be very touchdown-dependent. Mostert is this week's RB35 in the Week 11 RotoBaller rankings.

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Tua Tagovailoa Nov 16 5:10pm ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has an excellent matchup in a Week 11 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Last week's performance against the Los Angeles Rams left fantasy managers much to be desired. Since returning from a concussion in Week 8, Miami has averaged 25.6 points per game. The Raiders defense allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and ranks 26th in pressure rate. This should lead to many clean pockets and time to throw for Tagovailoa. Just in their last two games, Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes have thrown seven touchdowns against them. Las Vegas will also be without their top cornerback, Nate Hobbs (ankle), which could spell big trouble for their secondary. He's a solid start in any format and comes in at No. 13 on this week's RotoBaller QB rankings.

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Tyler Boyd Nov 16 5:10pm ET
Tyler Boyd

According to Ben Arthur of Fox Sports, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (back) has been added to the team's injury report and is officially questionable for Week 11. The ninth-year wideout is a late addition to Tennessee's report, putting his status for their home tilt against the Minnesota Vikings in question. Due to the timing of the injury, the decision of whether he'll be active could go right up until game time. The Vikings and Titans will square off at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday. Even if Boyd is active, he will not be a recommended option for fantasy, with just 21 receptions and 184 receiving yards through nine appearances in 2024. Moreover, the veteran has not recorded a single target in his prior two contests.

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CeeDee Lamb Nov 16 5:00pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

Per the NFL's Ian Rapoport, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (back) was limited in the team's Saturday practice with a back injury. The 25-year-old is officially questionable for Dallas' home tilt against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. Rapoport also noted that Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said he's "not of high concern" regarding Lamb's injury. It's encouraging to hear McCarthy's positivity toward the superstar wideout's affliction, but that he's suddenly popped up on Dallas' injury report is mildly concerning for fantasy managers. The former Oklahoma Sooner's value has taken a significant hit with the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the remainder of the season, so an injury doesn't exactly help his case. Lamb's owners will need to temper expectations if they're relying on him against a Houston defense letting up just 5.2 yards per pass attempt to their opponents -- the second-lowest mark in the league. Keep an eye on his status over the next 48 hours.

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Nico Collins Nov 16 4:40pm ET
Nico Collins

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is without a designation heading into Week 11's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. The 25-year-old wideout has been shelved since he picked up a hamstring injury while scoring a 67-yard touchdown in Houston's 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills back in Week 5. He'd miss the ensuing five contests but will make his return this Monday against the team's in-state rivals. Before sustaining the ailment, Collins was on fire, racking up at least 78 yards in all five of his appearances. He should immediately slot back in as the preferred option in the Texans' passing attack. The former Michigan Wolverine is averaging 113.4 receiving yards per game and is a strong WR1 play for Week 11's outing. Collins is RotoBaller's PPR WR9 for Monday night's matchup.

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Justin Tucker Nov 16 4:40pm ET
Justin Tucker

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has been quite the boom-or-bust fantasy option this season. He's registered five weeks as a K1, three weeks as a K2, and two weeks outside of the top 24. In Week 10, Tucker only managed to make three of his four extra points and didn't attempt any field goals. He'll go up against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 who give up the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers. Tucker has the talent to deliver K1 results, but the big question is whether or not the offense will be able to get into field goal range and stall out enough for him to collect more fantasy points.

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Diontae Johnson Nov 16 3:30pm ET
Diontae Johnson

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson has yet to find the amount of success he enjoyed when catching passes from Andy Dalton earlier this season. Head coach John Harbaugh did say that Johnson's involvement would be ramped up, but the Ravens have a tougher matchup in Week 11. They take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson's former team, who are one of the tougher defenses against opposing passing games. Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Rashod Bateman have all been big pieces to this offense, so it's still unknown how Johnson fits into the mix. He could be a flex play in very deep leagues, but he's not much of a trustworthy option.

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Mark Andrews Nov 16 3:10pm ET
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews delivered a vintage performance in Week 10 while Isaiah Likely was sidelined. He finished as the TE1 on the week and had an 87% snap share. In Week 11, Likely has been cleared to return and the Ravens take on their long-time rival the Pittsburgh Steelers. Andrews has gone up against the Steelers nine times in his career and has yet to find the end zone. He averages 50.7 yards and just shy of five receptions per game. The Steelers are currently around the middle of the pack against tight ends and allow 8.5 fantasy points per contest. Andrews' biggest question mark will be his snap share with Likely back which is why he hovers around the lower part of TE1 territory.

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Jordan Mason Nov 16 2:50pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason will back up All-Pro Christian McCaffrey in a Week 11 home date with the Seattle Seahawks. Mason was found money in fantasy in the early part of the year, performing like an RB1 with McCaffrey (Achilles) sidelined. That was until Mason struggled with a shoulder injury of his own and ceded snaps to rookie Isaac Guerendo. Last week as predicted, the return of McCaffrey was near-absolute, even in his first game back. Mason and Guerendo each received one carry and no targets. It was proof that head coach Kyle Shanahan's idea of easing his starter back from a lengthy absence doesn't include significant involvement from his other running backs. CMC is the bell cow, making Mason no more than a bench stash in Week 11.

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Zay Flowers Nov 16 2:50pm ET
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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is looking to bounce back after a disappointing outing but will have a tough matchup to do so. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the tougher defenses against opposing quarterbacks and passing offenses. They're 23rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers in half-PPR formats. Flowers will likely matchup with Beanie Bishop Jr. who has allowed the most receiving touchdowns out of the Steelers' corners, but only allows an average depth of target of 6.8 yards. The speedy wideout carries WR2 value going into this matchup.

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Nick Bosa Nov 16 2:30pm ET
Nick Bosa

The San Francisco 49ers D/ST unit will look to give the division-rival Seattle Seahawks a rude welcome to Santa Clara on Sunday. The 49ers are the sixth-most productive unit among fantasy D/STs. Seattle's offense shouldn't pose too much of a challenge, ranking as the ninth-best team in the NFL by yardage and 15th-best by points scored. The Seahawks have struggled taking care of the ball, tied for seventh in giveaways. They are also allowing 3.1 sacks per game, which is also tied for seventh-worst. San Francisco's best defensive weapon Nick Bosa (hip) is truly questionable though, telling the San Francisco Chronicle mid-week that "it's going to be close". Cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal) will miss his second consecutive game. Seattle's offense will be missing tight end Noah Fant (groin), but wideout DK Metcalf (knee) is set to return. The Niners' D holds the No. 5 spot in RotoBaller's Week 11 rankings.

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Derrick Henry Nov 16 2:30pm ET
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been nothing short of amazing this season and has propelled the offense to new heights. Even though Saquon Barkley is the current rushing leader after Thursday night, Henry has two more touchdowns, a higher yards per attempt average, and sits at RB1 on the season. In Week 11, he'll go up against the Pittsburgh Steelers who give up an average of 19.0 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields in half-PPR formats. They've allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league and only seven rushing touchdowns all season. Henry still boasts RB1 potential, however, because the Steelers are more stout against the passing game, so the game plan will likely go through the backfield.

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Jake Moody Nov 16 2:10pm ET
Jake Moody

San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody will kickoff to the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 11 home matchup on Sunday. Last week, Moody had fantasy managers pulling their hair out, as they watched the second-year pro miss three consecutive field goals (49, 50, 44) before hitting the game-winner from 44. In 2023, Moody went through a stretch where he missed three of five attempts, including a potential game-winner in Cleveland, which had some in the media speculating about his job security. He would recover though, only missing two the rest of the way. San Francisco is sticking with the 2023 third-rounder once again. Hopefully, Moody can right the ship and demonstrate that last week's misses were a product of rust in his first game back from an ankle injury that took a month to heal. Seattle's defense is in the bottom third of the league, so Moody should get opportunities to put up points. He's a top-5 option in Week 11.

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Lamar Jackson Nov 16 2:00pm ET
Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has picked apart almost every team in the NFL throughout his career. One team, however, has been a constant thorn in his side and it happens to be their biggest rival the Pittsburgh Steelers. In six career games against them, he has a 2-4 record and has accumulated 870 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions on 78-for-132 throwing with 262 yards on 53 carries. While he has struggled mightily against them, he remains a must-start fantasy asset because he's never faced them with as good of an offense as this one. His potential is always through the roof, but he could end up as a low-end QB1 since he has never scored more than 17 fantasy points against the Steelers.

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Ricky Pearsall Nov 16 1:40pm ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will line up against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 at home. The rookie out of Florida scored his first NFL touchdown last week in Tampa on a 46-yard catch-and-run to the pylon, part of a six-target, four-reception, 73-yard performance. The matchup for Pearsall is enticing, with Seattle allowing the 11th-most WR half-PPR points per game. The problem with Pearsall as a starting option, however, is that he's stuck in the 49ers' third-receiver role for now, which has been mostly fantasy-irrelevant in recent years. Teammate Jauan Jennings has grabbed hold of Brandon Aiyuk's outside receiver role, as evidenced by Jennings' 11 targets in Week 10. With Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) back in action, Pearsall is just the latest example of the too-many-mouths-to-feed problem in San Francisco during the Brock Purdy era. Pearsall looks like a quality NFL receiver with big-play potential, but target insecurity makes him a very risky WR4/FLEX play for now.

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