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FFL: Week 2 | NFL: Week 2

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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 2

Player Notes
Cooper Kupp Sep 15 7:40pm ET
Cooper Kupp

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (foot) exited Sunday's blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Puka Nacua (knee) is sidelined for the foreseeable future, so Kupp was projected to have a big game. However, he had just four grabs for 37 yards before exiting the contest with a foot injury. Unfortunately, Kupp was observed in a boot after the contest, so his health ahead of the Week 3 meeting with the 49ers will be on the minds of fantasy managers. If the wideout isn't out there for that one, Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell, and Tyler Johnson will do their best to fill the void on the offensive end. Kyren Williams would also presumably see more work than the 12 carries he had in Week 2.

From RotoBaller

Velus Jones Jr. Sep 15 7:30pm ET
Velus Jones Jr.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. is a healthy scratch ahead of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. There was a chance Jones' services would be needed for this one. However, while Keenan Allen (heel) won't play, the team at least has Rome Odunze (knee) active for Week 2. Either way, Jones likely wouldn't have seen much attention from fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Dameon Pierce Sep 15 7:20pm ET
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) won't play against the Houston Texans on Sunday. He didn't practice on Friday because of a hamstring injury, so fantasy managers already assumed he wouldn't be available for Week 2. However, with Joe Mixon coming off a 30-carry, 159-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Week 1 win over the Colts, Pierce wasn't expected to be a featured offensive option anyway.

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Rome Odunze Sep 15 7:10pm ET
Rome Odunze

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (knee) will play against the Texans on Sunday night. The wideout was a game-time call for Week 2 after logging one practice session during the week. Fortunately, he's good to go and may see more attention from Caleb Williams, especially since Keenan Allen (heel) is inactive. The rookie deserves flex attention in 12-team leagues and up. However, DJ Moore and Cole Kmet will likely benefit the most from Allen's absence.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Sep 15 7:00pm ET
Justin Fields

Denver Broncos defensive end John Franklin-Myers (concussion) was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's meeting with the Steelers. Meanwhile, linebacker Baron Browning (foot) is questionable to return. Franklin-Myers had 19.5 career sacks before he was traded by the Jets this offseason. At the same time, Browning is also a potent pass-rusher, entering the 2024-25 campaign by amassing 9.5 sacks in the previous two seasons. With the Broncos defense already struggling, these injuries aren't good news for containing quarterback Justin Fields and the rest of the Steelers offense for the rest of the game.

From RotoBaller

Keenan Allen Sep 15 7:00pm ET
Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) won't play on Sunday night against the Texans. He was initially classified as a game-time call for Week 2. Yet, NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that the former Charger was trending more toward doubtful as of Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, Rome Odunze (knee) is active, so Caleb Williams may look in his direction more than in Week 1. However, Cole Kmet and DJ Moore should remain the preferred options for the signal-caller.

From RotoBaller

Bucky Irving Sep 15 6:30pm ET
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving struggled to get much going on the ground during the Week 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Irving came out strong in the season opener with 62 yards on nine attempts. He wasn't able to have the same success on Sunday with only 22 yards on seven carries in the win. It was a quiet game for the Bucs rushing attack as lead back Rachaad White finished with 18 yards on the ground. Irving should continue seeing around seven or eight touches a game, but it probably won't be enough to start him in fantasy formats. Although, Irving is worth stashing in most formats due to his upside.

From RotoBaller

Amon-Ra St. Brown Sep 15 6:30pm ET
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (undisclosed) was injured late in the Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers. There hasn't been much information released about the ailment. While head coach Dan Campbell doesn't think it is serious, St. Brown is believed to have sustained a "lower-body injury." Without question, fantasy managers will anxiously await an update. But if the wideout isn't available in Week 3 against the Cardinals, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, and Sam LaPorta would presumably see an uptick in attention from Jared Goff.

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Diontae Johnson Sep 15 6:29pm ET
Diontae Johnson

Dynasty | Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson had just three catches for 15 yards in the Panthers blowout loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Johnson now has just five catches for 34 scoreless yards in his first two games in Carolina. It's hardly his fault as Bryce Young has done virtually nothing so far this season. At this point, Johnson is going to be a "must-sit" until we see something from an offense that looks as bad as any we've seen in years to start this season.

Jordan Mason Sep 15 6:28pm ET
Jordan Mason

Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason had 100 yards rushing and a touchdown in San Francisco's surprising loss at Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: He added one catch for four yards. While Mason is hardly the same caliber of receiver Christian McCaffrey is, the offense seems very well-suited for his rushing style. His weekly ceiling may be capped moving forward if he doesn't get more targets. However, Mason has proven to be good enough to be a weekly starter, whether that's as a RB1 or RB2 moving forward.

Justin Jefferson Sep 15 6:28pm ET
Justin Jefferson

Dynasty | Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson had four catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's win over the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: Jefferson's day was highlighted by a 97-yard touchdown reception from a rejuvenated Sam Darnold. The bigger story could be the fact Jefferson left the game late with a quad injury. We'll wait and see just what the extent of the injury is but it's also clear Jefferson can maintain his WR1 status this year with or without Kirk Cousins after the second big day from Darnold.

Brian Thomas Jr. Sep 15 6:28pm ET
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dynasty | Jags rookie Brian Thomas had two catches for 94 yards in Jacksonville's loss against Cleveland. Dynasty Analysis: Thomas only had four targets on the day but made the most of them with a 66-yard catch. Trevor Lawrence seems to be spreading the ball around a lot but Thomas also looks like the most explosive receiver on the team. While he should remain on benches, Thomas has looked the part thus far in his rookie season and his potential seems to have justified his lofty rookie draft ranking thus far.

Isaiah Likely Sep 15 6:27pm ET
Isaiah Likely

Dynasty | Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had just two catches for 26 yards in Baltimore's loss to Las Vegas. Dynasty Analysis: This isn't a huge surprise as Baltimore's passing offense still runs through Zay Flowers and they tend to run the ball as much as possible. Still, this is a clear letdown after last week's massive explosion. The simple fact is the Ravens now have two very capable tight ends as Mark Andrews (4/51/0) and Likely are making a duo that looks great in reality but frustrating in dynasty leagues. Likely's ascension up the rankings will halt after this one and he's going to be a tough start moving forward until we see another solid outing.

Malik Nabers Sep 15 6:27pm ET
Malik Nabers

Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had ten catches for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Giants loss against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Even more impressive, Nabers had a whopping 18 (!) of the 28 targets from Daniel Jones. While this target share is impossible to maintain, it's clear going to Nabers is the best bet for the Giants to have any success on offense this season and they're making every effort to give him the ball. His status as the #2 rookie is cemented and he's a must-start, top-15 receiver moving forward this season.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Sep 15 6:25pm ET
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dynasty | Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 12 catches for 117 yards in Seattle's road win over New England. Dynasty Analysis: JSN was held in check last week but today was a different story as Geno Smith looked his way a whopping 16 times. Smith-Njigba looks to be taking over the WR2 spot from Tyler Lockett this season and could be well on his way to a second year breakout. The dynasty arrow is clearly pointing up for JSN and he's going to be a solid WR3 moving forward.

Ja'Lynn Polk Sep 15 6:25pm ET
Ja'Lynn Polk

Dynasty | Patriots rookie Ja'Lynn Polk had two catches for 12 yards and his first career touchdown in a loss against Seattle. Dynasty Analysis: Polk scored and that's the good news. The bad news is he now has just three catches for 18 yards on the season. This is simply an indictment on an offense that has done next to nothing to start the year and is simply going as far as running back Rhamondre Stevenson can take them. Polk's dynasty value is safe but he needs to remain on dynasty benches for the time being.

Dontayvion Wicks Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Dontayvion Wicks

Dynasty | Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks had three catches for 26 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay's win against the Colts. Dynasty Analysis: The stat line isn't going to "wow" anyone but this was a big step up from last week when Wicks failed to catch a single pass. After starring all preseason, this was a much needed game from Wicks, who has again reiterated he should be on dynasty rosters - a thought that was in question after last week. He remains a hold as the Packers attempt to survive without Jordan Love.

Alvin Kamara Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Alvin Kamara

Dynasty | Saints running back Alvin Kamara had 115 rushing yards, two catches, 65 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns in the Saints upset loss at Dallas. Dynasty Analysis: The Saints have now scored 91 points in two games and Kamara's five touchdowns so far this season are just one behind his season total of six last year. To say this is a good development is a total understatement as it looks like Derek Carr is in total control of this offense and the Saints are poised for a serious bounce-back. While it's just a two game sample size, Kamara is looking like his old self and is a perfect target for a contending dynasty team as a productive, yet aging running back.

Rashid Shaheed Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Rashid Shaheed

Dynasty | Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed had four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in a win against Dallas. Dynasty Analysis: Shaheed was fancied about as a potential breakout player this year and the first two games have given dynasty managers seven catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns already. Shaheed isn't going to overtake Chris Olave (six catches for 92 scoreless yards on the season) as the WR1 in New Orleans but he's looking like a player who needs to be in lineups moving forward. His dynasty arrow is clearly pointing up as well.

Vita Vea Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Vita Vea

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Vita Vea (knee) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions and will not return. Vea was injured after a friendly fire hit between him and Yaya Diaby. He had registered one pass defended but zero tackles at the time of his departure. Tampa Bay was already without Calijah Kancey (calf), so now Greg Gaines will earn more opportunities with Vea sidelined.