Guest of the League
Alliance FFL Est. 2005
FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

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.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 6

Player Notes
Tony Pollard Oct 14 11:50am ET
Tony Pollard

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard rushed 17 times for 93 yards and a touchdown, adding three receptions for negative five yards in a loss to the Colts on Sunday. On a day in which the Titans passing attack looked the worst it has all season, Pollard was heavily relied upon to move the chains, and did so efficiently with a healthy 5.5 yards per carry mark. It's worth noting that Pollard and his RB teammate Tyjae Spears were splitting work fairly evenly until Spears left the game at halftime and did not return. From then on, Pollard was once again the workhorse, his day highlighted by a 23-yard touchdown scamper on a 3rd-and-19 that game Tennessee the lead. The speedster has been the only consistent part of this offense in 2024, and will likely be the focal point when the Titans head to Buffalo next week to face the Bills, who are allowing a league-low 5.2 yards per carry.

From RotoBaller

Quentin Johnston Oct 14 11:40am ET
Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston was forced to miss some time in a Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos due to an ankle injury. Johnston left in the first quarter but was eventually able to return. Still, he didn't end up doing much, as the sophomore wide receiver was targeted just four times, making three catches for 22 yards. He also recorded a rushing attempt, but did not gain any yardage on his run. Johnston has pretty solidly entrenched himself as the WR2 on this offense, but it's a run-first offense that tries to control clock and spreads the ball around plenty when they do throw (Just Herbert targeted nine different pass catchers in this game). Johnston will have more big games like he did earlier this season, but he's unlikely to be a consistent source of WR2/3 production most weeks.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Marr Chase Oct 14 11:40am ET
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had five catches for 72 yards in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. The 24-year-old had five touchdowns in the three previous games leading up to Week 6. He also had 10 catches for 193 yards in the overtime loss to the Ravens. However, Chase wasn't as productive on Sunday night. Of course, he's still one of the best wideouts in the league, so he remains a must-start in Week 7 against the Browns.

From RotoBaller

Darnell Mooney Oct 14 11:40am ET
Darnell Mooney

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney caught three passes for 38 yards in Sunday's 38-20 victory over the Panthers. The wideout accumulated the second-most targets on the team with five, but with Atlanta's backfield racking up 200 yards on the ground along with three scores, the Falcons did not need to take to the air as much in this one. Mooney has a solid role as the No. 2 receiver in this offense, totaling 27 receptions, 368 yards, and three TDs on the season, and should continue to provide value in PPR formats in the weeks ahead despite the quiet outing. With a bout against Seattle in Week 7 that carries a 49.5 over/under, there should be plenty of offense and Mooney figures to be a WR3 for fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Josh Palmer Oct 14 11:30am ET
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer had another pedestrian game in a Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos. Palmer was targeted three times, making two catches for 38 yards. Before the season, there was tons of hype around Palmer as Justin Herbert's presumed WR1 on an offense that was expected to improve. Instead, Palmer has become the third option at best in an offense that severely prioritizes the running game. Palmer could have some big weeks in games the Chargers trail and are forced to throw more often, but he won't be a major part of the game plan most weeks and usually won't return more than long shot WR4 value.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Oct 14 11:30am ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins caught all seven targets for 77 yards in Sunday's win over the Giants. The wideout had two touchdowns in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. While he didn't find the end zone in this one, he still had a solid showing for fantasy managers. Higgins looks far removed from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the lineup to begin the year. However, he has looked good in the last two games. Keep him going for Week 7 against the Browns.

From RotoBaller

Zack Moss Oct 14 11:20am ET
Zack Moss

Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss (ankle) managed to suit up for Sunday's meeting with the New York Giants. However, he didn't do much, amassing 13 yards off six carries, adding one catch for two yards. The Bengals offense had a tough time against the Giants defense. But Moss likely wasn't 100%, resulting in Chase Brown being more productive. With that in mind, Moss remains at least a flex option for the Week 7 matchup with the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

Justin Herbert Oct 14 11:10am ET
Justin Herbert

The Denver Broncos defense/special teams unit is now rostered in 80 percent of Yahoo fantasy football leagues after a strong start in 2024, but they disappointed their fantasy managers in the 23-16 Week 6 loss at home to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers. A week after recording three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) in the win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, the Broncos failed to turn the Chargers over while allowing 350 total yards of offense to the Bolts and sacking quarterback Justin Herbert only three times. The Broncos' D still checks in as the No. 5 fantasy unit after the first six games of the season, though, and will certainly be in play as a starting unit for their Week 7 matchup in a quick turnaround on Thursday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints and rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, who will be making just his second NFL start. Rattler threw two picks and was sacked five times in his debut in Week 6 against the Bucs.

From RotoBaller

Jake Ferguson Oct 14 11:10am ET
Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson struggled along with the rest of the team in the 47-9 loss to Detroit. Ferguson was targeted four times, catching three passes for just 11 yards. The 25-year-old tight end put up his first dud of the season since Week 1, when he left early with an injury. Given that the entire Dallas offense struggled, Ferguson's output can be taken with a grain of salt. He remains one of the top tight end options for fantasy and will remain a top-five option after Dallas' Week 7 bye week.

From RotoBaller

CeeDee Lamb Oct 14 11:00am ET
CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was the lone productive offensive player in Sunday's 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. Lamb was targeted 14 times (32.5% target share) and secured seven receptions for 89 yards. Quarterback Dak Prescott showed that Lamb is his most trustworthy receiver, proving again that the 25-year-old is matchup proof and should be started in all formats every week. Lamb and the Cowboys are entering a bye week in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Tolbert Oct 14 11:00am ET
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert proved that he is locked into the WR2 role in the offense after his big Week 5 game in the 47-9 loss to Detroit. Tolbert was targeted five times, securing four receptions for 43 yards. He finished second on the team in receiving behind CeeDee Lamb on a day where the Cowboys' offense struggled to get anything going. Tolbert will remain a matchup-dependent flex option for as long as Brandin Cooks (knee) remains out. The Cowboys are off in Week 7 before a Week 8 matchup with San Francisco.

From RotoBaller

Chase Brown Oct 14 11:00am ET
Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had 53 yards and a touchdown off 10 carries in Sunday night's win over the New York Giants. He added two catches for 11 yards. This was a low-scoring contest, with the Bengals defense holding the Giants to seven points. However, Brown still did enough to give his fantasy managers a little something. With the 24-year-old finding the end zone in each of the Bengals' last three games, he's a must-start in any format for the Week 7 divisional clash with the Browns.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott Oct 14 10:50am ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott struggled in the 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Prescott completed 17-of-33 passes for 178 yards and two interceptions, unable to get anything going through the air. He was sacked four times and was eventually pulled for Cooper Rush late in the game. Prescott also scrambled once for one yard. The 31-year-old quarterback was unable to put a single touchdown up in the shellacking as the Cowboys dropped to 3-3 on the season. He remains a low-end QB1 heading into the Cowboys' bye week.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Oct 14 10:50am ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was targeted five times in Sunday's 38-20 victory over the Panthers, hauling in three passes for 70 yards. The yardage was good, but 52 of the 70 came on a single play and the 24-year-old was held out of the end zone for the fifth consecutive game. Still, the targets were tied for second-most on the team and Atlanta leaned heavily on the run game, so outside of Drake London, the air attack underwhelmed overall on Sunday. Pitts will take on the Seahawks defense in Week 7 that has been hit or miss in regards to covering TEs, but George Kittle just went 5-58-2 this past Thursday, and with a high projected total for that game, everyone should be involved.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Oct 14 10:50am ET
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz surprisingly entered the Week 6 divisional clash against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday as a top-10 fantasy kicker. However, we warned fantasy managers to avoid him as a streamer in a tough matchup against a stout Chargers defense. In the 23-16 loss, Lutz only attempted two kicks, making his lone field-goal attempt from 40 yards out and his only extra-point try in the contest. The Broncos offense was unable to do anything all day until the fourth quarter, when they scored all 16 of their points in a comeback bid that fell short. Lutz has missed just one of his 14 field-goal tries through six weeks, and his 14 attempts are tied for seventh in the league. However, he's also attempted just nine extra points, which is tied for 23rd in the league. The veteran kicker should bounce back in Week 7 on Thursday night against the Saints in the Caesars Superdome, but Denver's low-scoring offense makes him a volatile fantasy streamer.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Oct 14 10:50am ET
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle led the team in rushing in the 47-9 loss to Detroit, although that isn't saying much given that the team had just 53 rush yards. Dowdle carried the ball just five times for 25 yards. He also caught five passes for 30 yards. Dowdle's ability to mix in as a pass-catcher will keep him relevant week-to-week but as evidenced by this weekend, he can be sat in tough matchups. Although Dowdle was the more efficient of the two Cowboys' backs, Ezekiel Elliott had three more rush attempts. Dowdle and the Cowboys are on bye this coming week before another tough matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Ezekiel Elliott Oct 14 10:50am ET
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott saw eight carries in the blowout loss to Detroit. Elliott only gained 17 yards, rushing at an abysmal 2.1 yards per carry against the tough Lions' front. He saw no passing game usage, severely limiting both his fantasy floor and ceiling. Elliott was severely outplayed by Rico Dowdle, who gained 5.0 yards per carry and also saw receiving usage. The 29-year-old is not a usable fantasy option and can safely be dropped in all formats heading into Dallas' bye week.

From RotoBaller

Will Levis Oct 14 10:40am ET
Will Levis

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis went 16-of-27 for a mere 95 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in a 20-17 home loss vs. Indianapolis on Sunday. Coming off of a bye at home against one of the league's worst pass defenses, there was a bit of optimism that Levis would be able to get going in this one, but it was quite the opposite. Conservative play calling and poor overall play doomed this offense yet again, as Levis registered a 3.5 yards per attempt on the afternoon, the worst mark of his career. What's even more disappointing about the performance is that Levis faced pressure at a season-low rate, was not sacked once in the game, and still could not reach 100 yards passing against a bottom-five defensive unit. This offense may have just hit rock bottom, and because of that, no one can be trusted for fantasy right now outside of Tony Pollard. Up next is a tough road test in Buffalo next week.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Oct 14 10:40am ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 208 yards in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. The signal-caller didn't do much as a passer. However, he got it done on the ground by amassing 55 yards, although most of that was due to a 47-yard scramble in the first quarter for a score. After a five-touchdown outing against the Ravens, Burrow was quiet in Week 6, with the defense doing most of the heavy lifting. At any rate, the Bengals will look to keep it going in a Week 7 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Burrow remains a must-start for that one.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Oct 14 10:15am ET
Bijan Robinson

Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 95 rushing yards, three catches, ten receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: That's the good news. The bad news is the fact Tyler Allgeier had 18 carries (Robinson had 15) and scored a touchdown of his own. At this point, it is what it is - Robinson is a committee back who is going to be stuck in somewhere around a 60/40 touch-share with Allgeier for the foreseeable future. While he'll have RB1 days like this, he's also a player who has a lower floor than many had expected. Robinson's dynasty value is slipping a touch while Allgeier's is rising.