Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Bowers could have big year one
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the tight end position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to tight ends last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the tight ends with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the tight ends that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
TE SOS | ||
1. | Cincinnati Bengals | 186.39 |
2. | Miami Dolphins | 193.98 |
3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 196.38 |
4. | Washington Commanders | 197.75 |
5. | Houston Texans | 198.15 |
6. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 199.18 |
7. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 199.68 |
8. | New York Giants | 201 |
9. | Dallas Cowboys | 201.18 |
10. | Los Angeles Rams | 201.38 |
11. | Buffalo Bills | 201.39 |
12. | Chicago Bears | 201.66 |
13. | Arizona Cardinals | 201.76 |
14. | New York Jets | 202.56 |
15. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 202.86 |
16. | Baltimore Ravens | 203.04 |
17. | Denver Broncos | 203.95 |
18. | Los Angeles Chargers | 204.02 |
19. | Atlanta Falcons | 204.25 |
20. | Cleveland Browns | 204.59 |
21. | New Orleans Saints | 205.62 |
22. | Seattle Seahawks | 205.73 |
23. | San Francisco 49ers | 206.80 |
24. | Indianapolis Colts | 206.89 |
25. | Detroit Lions | 207.92 |
26. | New England Patriots | 208.23 |
27. | Kansas City Chiefs | 210.92 |
28. | Tennessee Titans | 211.44 |
29. | Green Bay Packers | 212.07 |
30. | Minnesota Vikings | 212.23 |
31. | Carolina Panthers | 213.66 |
32. | Las Vegas Raiders | 213.81 |
A rookie led fantasy tight ends in scoring last year and the top rated rookie tight end this year gets the easiest fantasy schedule for tight end. Brock Browers and the Raiders have the most favorable schedule for tight ends. Sam LaPorta showed last year that a rookie can make an immediate fantasy impact, so don’t discount Browers to have big-time success in year one. He certainly looks the part of an elite tight end.
Another rookie with a good chance to start has the second easiest schedule for tight ends. Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders will compete with Tommy Tremble to start, but should emerge and be the top pass-catching tight end. He is looking like a good late-round gamble for fantasy teams.
The Vikings, Packers and Titans round out the top-five most favorable schedules for tight ends. T.J. Hockenson would be looking like a great pick if he wasn’t returning from a major injury. He is no sure thing to play early in the year. But once he is healthy, he could help fantasy teams in a big way once again.
Green Bay is likely to have Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft split a lot of the work at tight end, hurting both their value. They could produce some big games along the way, though, making them decent No. 2 fantasy tight ends this season. Both produced well in an expanded role last year.
Lastly, Chin Okonkwo didn’t quite have the breakout season many hoped last year, but he wasn’t bad by any means. Maybe he gets a few more chances this year and has some bigger games along the way with this favorable schedule. He is another decent tight end to grab as your backup.
The teams that top the list for toughest fantasy tight end schedules are teams that haven’t really utilized the tight end much in recent seasons. The Bengals have the toughest schedule followed bye the Dolphins. Mike Gesicki is the starter for the Bengals, but probably isn’t worth the risk with this schedule and the Bengals recent track record with tight ends.
Miami uses their tight ends to block more than anything in their offense. They have the occasional big game, but Jonnu Smith is going to be a risky weekly fantasy play. He would have looked much better landing with a different team.
There are a couple big-time fantasy tight ends that have unfavorable schedules. Dallas Goedert has the third toughest schedule. Goedert can be a little hit or miss to begin with in this offense, so this schedule gives him a little more concern. You might want to pass on him come draft day and go with another elite tight end with a better schedule and more consistency.
Dalton Schultz is the other elite tight end with a top-five unfavorable schedule. Schultz had a big first season with the Texans, becoming a favorite target of C.J. Stroud. He should get the targets this year. But he has a challenging schedule and more to compete with for targets, so his consistency might be a little off this year compared to last.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy tight ends. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the tight ends with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big-money contests.
TE PLAYOFF SOS | ||
1. | Atlanta Falcons | 175 |
2. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 182.37 |
3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 184.73 |
4. | Arizona Cardinals | 187.67 |
5. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 187.77 |
6. | New England Patriots | 189.83 |
7. | Miami Dolphins | 190.37 |
8. | New Orleans Saints | 191.3 |
9. | Los Angeles Rams | 192.17 |
10. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 192.43 |
11. | Cincinnati Bengals | 196.1 |
12. | Detroit Lions | 196.12 |
13. | Houston Texans | 196.2 |
14. | Indianapolis Colts | 198.97 |
15. | Buffalo Bills | 199.63 |
16. | Kansas City Chiefs | 203.03 |
17. | New York Jets | 204.13 |
18. | Carolina Panthers | 205.7 |
19. | Baltimore Ravens | 205.9 |
20. | Green Bay Packers | 207.7 |
21. | Chicago Bears | 213.73 |
22. | New York Giants | 214.27 |
23. | Seattle Seahawks | 214.72 |
24. | Cleveland Browns | 214.97 |
25. | Dallas Cowboys | 215.8 |
26. | Las Vegas Raiders | 219.4 |
27. | Washington Commanders | 220.13 |
28. | Denver Broncos | 220.8 |
29. | Minnesota Vikings | 221.72 |
30. | Tennessee Titans | 223.73 |
31. | San Francisco 49ers | 225.53 |
32. | Los Angeles Chargers | 228.53 |
The Titans and Vikings are the only two teams with the most favorable fantasy schedule for tight ends during the regular season and playoffs. Hockenson is the intriguing one because he might not be fully healthy until late in the season. So while he might not be a huge fantasy factor for the regular season, Hockenson might be a difference maker in the playoffs.
Okonkwo is looking like a player worth grabbing as a No. 2 fantasy tight end, especially if you have an established starter ahead of him. Okonkwo has a high fantasy ceiling for the coming year because of a schedule that could facilitate a breakout season for him.
The Chargers actually have the best fantasy playoff schedule for tight ends. Donald Parham is the likely starter and has some potential in an offense looking for playmakers in the passing game. This could be his best season to date, making him an intriguing late-round gamble.
George Kittle is the biggest name on the list for top-five favorable fantasy tight end playoff schedules. He is going to produce big and could be even better down the stretch with a schedule setup for success.
The Falcons have the most challenging playoff schedule for fantasy tight ends. This is not good news for Kyle Pitts. He is already a polarizing fantasy player, so this schedule won’t do him any favors to get in good graces with more fantasy owners. Many think he could finally turn things around this year with a new coaching staff in place, but nothing is certain with this situation. Pitts could be a boom or bust pick once again.
The Eagles are the only team on both the top five most difficult fantasy schedules for tight ends for the regular season and playoffs. Goedert is looking like a player you might want to let someone else grab come draft day. There are a lot of good, young options at tight end this year. Going with one of those guys over Goedert might be the play on draft day.
Trey McBride is a favorite for many fantasy owners this year for a breakout season. He had a huge finish to last year and is shooting up draft boards. We wouldn’t avoid him come draft day because he has the fourth toughest fantasy playoff schedule. It is a little bit of a concern, but not a huge red flag for the talented tight end. Maybe just prepare for his numbers to dip a tad during the playoffs.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 2
Dynasty | Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr had four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in Arizona's demolition of the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: A week after Harrison had just one catch for four yards, he single-handedly roasted the Rams and amazingly did all his damage in the first quarter before the Cardinals went conservative in a blowout win. Harrison reminded everyone just what kind of talent he has and solidified his status as the top overall rookie in dynasty leagues this season. The "buy low" window was pretty quick and Harrison is a "locked and loaded" option moving forward. Dynasty managers can now breathe easy.
Dynasty | Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson had ten rushing yards on 11 carries in Arizona's blowout win against the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: Benson is playing a distant second behind James Conner (124 total yards and a touchdown on 22 touches today) and not doing much with the opportunities he's been given thus far. At this point, Conner (4.6 yards per carry and two scores) is simply outplaying Benson (1.7 yards per carry and no scores), making Benson simply a handcuff moving forward. This could open a solid "buy low" opportunity for dynasty managers but Benson has been relatively ineffective so far in his career and needs a big performance here soon.
Dynasty | Kyler Murray completed 17-of-21 passes for 266 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Cardinals blowout win over the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: With no turnovers, four touchdowns, 116 rushing yards, and a completion percentage over 70% on the season, it's fair to really say Murray looks back. With Marvin Harrison Jr erupting for two touchdowns on the day, the dynasty arrow on Murray is pointing up and he looks like a clear QB1 moving forward. In short, it really looks like the Cardinals made the right choice in staying the course with Murray this season, despite some speculation they'd move on from the talented signal caller. Dynasty managers should have no hesitation in playing Murray from this point forward.
Dynasty | Rams running back Blake Corum had 28 yards on eight carries in his Rams debut. Dynasty Analysis: The good news is it seems Corum may have already passed Ronnie Rivers as the RB2 in Los Angeles. The bad news is he really didn't do much even against a defense that was up by more than 30 points and daring the Rams to run the ball. There really isn't much to read into this, honestly. Corum should remain on dynasty benches as a high-end handcuff at the moment.
Dynasty | Chiefs rookie receiver Xavier Worthy had two catches for 17 yards in a win against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: Worthy added five rushing yards on the day. Patrick Mahomes was bottled up for just 151 passing yards on the day, so dynasty managers don't need to panic. Still, this goes to show what we though - Worthy is going to be a "boom or bust" option early on in his career until he establishes solid trust and rapport with Mahomes. Worthy won't be a strong consideration next week but he's clearly a strong dynasty asset who has more than justified his rookie draft slot thus far.
Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice had five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs win against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: On a day where Patrick Mahomes was quiet, Rice showed he's becoming matchup-proof with another big game, highlighted by a 44-yard touchdown. Rice is a clear WR2 who is likely going to post some WR1 games moving forward. While his maturity (and possible looming suspension) are in question, his talent clearly is not.
Dynasty | Bengals running back Zack Moss had 34 rushing yards, one catch, and 13 receiving yards in a loss against Kansas City. Dynasty Analysis: Moss (13 touches) looks to be the clear top dog in the offense as Chase Brown (four touches) looked like more of an afterthought. Still, Brown was more effective today and neither of these two is looking like an option in dynasty leagues at the moment. It's early, but it also looks like Cincinnati is going to live and die on the arm of Joe Burrow and their running backs should be nowhere near fantasy lineups at the moment as neither has taken advantage of a golden opportunity to emerge as a real fantasy factor this season (or possibly beyond) yet.
Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 13-of-20 passes for 117 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in Pittsburgh's win against Denver. Dynasty Analysis: This game was as ugly as the 13-6 score indicates but Fields again did what Pittsburgh asked him to do - manage the offense and not make mistakes. His 27 rushing yards all come at big times and Fields has now gone two straight weeks without turning the ball over. Pittsburgh is winning with an elite-level defense and Fields still has work to do to hold off Russell Wilson, but it's hard to see Wilson starting a game before Fields loses one. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward but things are looking up for Fields as he looks like he's matured under Mike Tomlin (who somehow continues to win despite sub-par talent).
Dynasty | Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed 20-of-35 passes for 246 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the Broncos loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: Nix was only able to lead the offense to six total points on the day. Sadly, he also led the team in rushing yards for the second straight week with just 25 yards. This offense has been unimaginative and stale through two weeks and Nix is getting next to nothing from his running game, making life that much harder. Nix will look to bounce back next week, but a trip to Tampa Bay isn't exactly a recipe for success for a rookie quarterback struggling to make things work with pieces who are seemingly less talented than those featured by their opponent.
Dynasty | Broncos running back Javonte Williams had just 17 yards rushing in a loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: He added 48 yards on five catches to salvage his day. However, Williams now has just 40 rushing yards on 19 carries (2.1 yards per carry) through two weeks and the talk of his resurgence seems to have been premature. Denver is going to need to do some soul searching this week but it's not going to be surprising to see Jaleel McLaughlin or Blake Watson start to be more involved in the offense. Williams is going to be tough to start moving forward until we something positive from him in the box score.
Dynasty | Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich had just three catches for 16 yards Denver's loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: The supposed "summer sleeper" now has just five catches for 28 yards on the season. On the plus side, he did have eight targets (leading the team by three). Still, he had some drops again this week and hasn't looked like a breakout performer at all through two weeks. Dulcich will need to be better next week to be recommended moving forward.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson couldn't lead the team to their first win of the season after they blew a 10-point second half lead to the Las Vegas Raiders. The reigning MVP put together a decent stat line by throwing 21-for-34 for 247 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added 45 yards on five carries. The ground game went through Derrick Henry in this game as Jackson did a lot less on the ground, and he wasn't able to fully make up those fantasy points through the air. While he connected with Zay Flowers throughout the game, Jackson hasn't been able to establish more than one big connection per game. He'll now have to go on the road and take on another good defensive unit in the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones took nine carries for 32 yards in the team's 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He also caught 5-of-6 targets for an additional 36 yards. Jones was out-produced by backup Ty Chandler on the ground in this one (82 yards) and received one less carry than the 26-year-old, but was able to salvage his fantasy day with his work in the passing game. The former Green Bay Packer has led the Vikings backfield through two games, out-touching his running mate 30-to-21 and out-gaining him 177-to-124 while scoring the lone touchdown between the two. This week's rushing split is slightly concerning for managers of the 29-year-old veteran, though it is unclear whether or not it's prescriptive moving forward. Continue to fire Jones up as a mid-to-low-end RB2 on a surprisingly effective Minnesota offense in advance of his Week 3 tilt against the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught four of his six targets for 57 yards in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Wilson finished second on the team in targets, behind only Breece Hall, while his 57 receiving yards were good enough to lead the team in the close win over Tennessee. Wilson has been steady through the first two weeks of the season but fantasy gamers are still waiting for a dominant performance from their first-round draft pick. He will look to provide that for them in Week 3's Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow finished Sunday's meeting with the Chiefs by throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns off 23-for-36 passing, adding nine yards off six carries. The signal-caller didn't do much in the Week 1 loss to the Patriots. However, he played better in Week 2, although the Bengals still lost the contest, courtesy of a last-second field goal from Harrison Butker. But fantasy managers have reason to remain optimistic regarding Burrow's fantasy outlook moving ahead, especially since he didn't show any residual signs from last season's wrist surgery. Nonetheless, with the Bengals losing their first two games, the team will look for a victory in the Week 3 Monday Night Football clash with the Commanders. With Burrow showing signs of life versus Kansas City, he's worthy of a spot in all fantasy lineups.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams caught his lone target for a 19-yard gain in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. While it was another slow game for the veteran, he at least made a dent in the stat sheet after he was not targeted back in Week 1. Williams, who tore his ACL last season, is being brought along slowly by the Jets as they look to ramp him up as their No. 2 receiver as the season goes on. For now, however, he cannot be trusted in fantasy starting lineups. He will have a short turnaround as the Jets play the New England Patriots in Week 3's Thursday night game.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard caught two of his four targets for 11 yards in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Lazard turned in one of the more surprising performances of Week 1 when he hauled in two touchdown passes in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The veteran receiver came back down to earth in Week 2 as he was an afterthought in the New York passing attack. Lazard can be left on fantasy benches heading into Week 3's Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 18 of his 30 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Rodgers threw his first touchdown pass to Braelon Allen in the second quarter and then came back and found Breece Hall for a 26-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The win was Rodgers' first as the quarterback of the New York Jets and was a long time coming after he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1 of the 2023 season. Rodgers has now thrown for 343 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception through his first two games of the season. He will have a short turnaround as the Jets face the New England Patriots on Thursday night in Week 3.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Breece Hall carried the ball 14 times for 62 yards and added seven catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Hall found the end zone on a 26-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers in the third quarter, his second touchdown in as many games in the young season. He has been busy in the passing game for the Jets this season, with 12 catches for 91 yards thus far. Hall will be a shoo-in RB1 in fantasy heading into his next game, which will be Thursday night against the New England Patriots.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Braelon Allen carried the ball seven times for 33 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 23 yards and a second touchdown in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Allen, the youngest player in the NFL at just 20 years old, scored the Jets' first touchdown of the game on a 12-yard reception in the second quarter. He later came back and scored the game-winning TD on a 20-yard run in the fourth. While Allen will not overtake star runner Breece Hall in the New York backfield, he remains a top handcuff in case anything happens to Hall moving forward. Allen now has a short turnaround as the Jets play the New England Patriots in Week 3's Thursday night game.
From RotoBaller