WR Strength of Schedule
Fri May 31 10:52am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Lamb could top last season
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the receiver 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 receivers last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the receivers with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the receivers that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
| WR SOS | ||
| 1. | Denver Broncos | 531.34 |
| 2. | Los Angeles Chargers | 536.08 |
| 3. | Miami Dolphins | 537.31 |
| 4. | Kansas City Chiefs | 549.96 |
| 5. | Las Vegas Raiders | 552.89 |
| 6. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 554.85 |
| 7. | New England Patriots | 555.93 |
| 8. | Buffalo Bills | 556.13 |
| 9. | Houston Texans | 561.75 |
| 10. | San Francisco 49ers | 565.73 |
| 11. | New Orleans Saints | 566.06 |
| 12. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 566.19 |
| 13. | Cincinnati Bengals | 566.32 |
| 14. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 570.07 |
| 15. | Baltimore Ravens | 571.77 |
| 16. | Seattle Seahawks | 573.41 |
| 17. | Minnesota Vikings | 573.91 |
| 18. | Philadelphia Eagles | 574.46 |
| 19. | Carolina Panthers | 575.49 |
| 20. | Los Angeles Rams | 575.79 |
| 21. | Washington Commanders | 575.91 |
| 22. | Detroit Lions | 576.36 |
| 23. | Atlanta Falcons | 577.76 |
| 24. | New York Jets | 577.99 |
| 25. | Tennessee Titans | 578.06 |
| 26. | Indianapolis Colts | 578.18 |
| 27. | Cleveland Browns | 583.5 |
| 28. | Arizona Cardinals | 586.09 |
| 29. | New York Giants | 586.93 |
| 30. | Chicago Bears | 601.21 |
| 31. | Dallas Cowboys | 608.4 |
| 32. | Green Bay Packers | 610.22 |
The Packers have the easiest fantasy schedule for receivers. Jayden Reed and Christian Watson could be setup for career best seasons with this schedule. These are guys you can get a little later come draft day and mid-round options that could be difference makers for fantasy owners.
CeeDee Lamb is considered the No. 1 overall fantasy receiver for many and his schedule helps make that claim even stronger. Lamb has the second most favorable schedule for receivers. Lamb was huge last year and could improve on that even more, especially since the Cowboys could struggle to run the ball with their current options.
The Bears, Giants and Cardinals also round out the top-five most favorable receiver schedules. Chicago has a great trio of receivers with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze. These guys could produce big as long as rookie Caleb Williams gets the job done at quarterback in year one. Moore has more to compete with for targets this year, but you still have to like his chances for a big season in year two with the Bears.
The Giants and Cardinals both have some question marks at receiver, but a couple rookies lead the way for both teams. Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison could have big rookie seasons with their new teams. These guys both have a chance to lead all rookie fantasy receivers in scoring.
On the opposite side of things, the Broncos have the most challenging schedule for receivers. The Broncos have all sorts of questions at receiver outside of Courtland Sutton. This is a unit of receivers you just might want to avoid come draft day. This schedule won’t make anything easier for this group.
The Chargers are a similar team to the Broncos, having openings and questions at receiver. So once again, it might be best to let someone else put Chargers receivers on their roster. Plus, the Chargers could be a lot more run heavy with a new coach running the show. The tough schedule and new offense make taking any Chargers receiver a bit of a risk.
There are two really good offenses on the list that have tough schedules for receivers. Both the Dolphins and Chiefs have a top-five least favorable schedule for receivers. The Dolphins have one of the best receiver duos in football, so it is tough to fade them because of this schedule. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should be able to produce big numbers once again in this offense.
The Chiefs are a little more concerning. This offense is a little matchup proof, but don’t have that elite receiver on their roster. Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown lead the way. Brown hasn’t been great in recent seasons and Rice is facing a suspension. These guys will carry some risk come draft day, especially after seeing this schedule.
Davante Adams is usually another star receiver that is matchup proof, but you have to wonder a little this year. He has some question marks at quarterback, which could hurt his production when you pair it with this schedule. Adams is dealing with the fifth toughest fantasy schedule for receivers.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy receivers. 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 receivers with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.
| WR PLAYOFF SOS | ||
| 1. | Los Angeles Rams | 501.93 |
| 2. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 515.53 |
| 3. | Kansas City Chiefs | 519.43 |
| 4. | New York Giants | 521.63 |
| 5. | Miami Dolphins | 532.77 |
| 6. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 534.53 |
| 7. | Houston Texans | 538 |
| 8. | Buffalo Bills | 540.87 |
| 9. | Las Vegas Raiders | 541.9 |
| 10. | Carolina Panthers | 549.33 |
| 11. | Cincinnati Bengals | 552.17 |
| 12. | Detroit Lions | 553.73 |
| 13. | Arizona Cardinals | 555.27 |
| 14. | Cleveland Browns | 555.4 |
| 15. | Minnesota Vikings | 560.93 |
| 16. | New England Patriots | 573.03 |
| 17. | Los Angeles Chargers | 573.1 |
| 18. | Tennessee Titans | 575.17 |
| 19. | Baltimore Ravens | 581.27 |
| 20. | Seattle Seahawks | 585.08 |
| 21. | New York Jets | 585.5 |
| 22. | Denver Broncos | 587.2 |
| 23. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 587.8 |
| 24. | Philadelphia Eagles | 589.73 |
| 25. | Green Bay Packers | 590.85 |
| 26. | Washington Commanders | 591.57 |
| 27. | New Orleans Saints | 604.13 |
| 28. | Dallas Cowboys | 609.73 |
| 29. | Indianapolis Colts | 614 |
| 30. | San Francisco 49ers | 641.53 |
| 31. | Atlanta Falcons | 644.93 |
| 32. | Chicago Bears | 647.98 |
The Bears and Cowboys are the teams that make both the top five easiest receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. Chicago has the easiest for the entire playoffs. Once again, their top trio of receivers are looking pretty good come draft day.
Lamb continues to make his case to be the first receiver selected come draft day. He could have a monster season and finish strong as well with the fifth easiest schedule for the playoffs. Lamb might be the most surefire first-round pick come draft day.
The Falcons, 49ers and Colts also have a top-five favorable playoff schedule for receivers. Atlanta receivers were looking up to begin with, getting a legit quarterback throwing them passes this year. And this schedule makes their options look even better, especially Drake London. He could have a breakout season.
San Francisco has great options at receiver in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. They are pretty safe picks come draft day. And they get a very favorable playoff schedule that could make them even more appealing to fantasy owners. These guys both have really solid floors come draft day in this offense.
Michael Pittman keeps getting it done as the No. 1 option for the Colts. If Anthony Richardson can become that true No. 1 at quarterback for Indy, Pittman would look even better. Pittman has produced in recent year despite having some quarterback issues. His game could go to a higher level this year if Richardson breaks out. Pittman could be a league winner if everything breaks his way in 2024.
The Chiefs and Dolphins are two of the best offenses in football but also the only two teams to make the top five most unfavorable receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. This is a tad concerning for both teams, Again, it is tough to bet against Hill, but maybe you drop him down your rankings just few spots behind the other elite guys because of this. You hate to use an early round pick on a receiver to see him maybe not produce what he should come playoff time.
And as mentioned with the Chiefs, their top two receivers already face a few question marks, so maybe their tough schedules make them players to let someone else draft. Both Brown and Rice could be a little erratic.
The Rams actually have the toughest playoff schedule for receivers. They are another team with two of the best receivers in football. It is tough to bet against either Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp, but the playoff schedule is a little scary, especially for Kupp. He seems to be trending down at this stage of his career.
The Jaguars and Giants are the two other teams with a top-five unfavorable fantasy schedule for the playoffs. The Jags have Christian Kirk and Gabriel Davis as their top two receivers. Kirk is normally pretty steady but Davis can be boom or bust. Seeing his playoff schedule should bump him down a few spots in your rankings. It could be more of the same for Davis with his new team.
And the Giants are an outlier here, having an easy schedule for receivers during the regular season but the fourth toughest for the playoffs. This makes it tough come draft day. Their receivers could be good values for the regular season but disappoint when it counts. You do have to just make the playoffs, though, so we aren’t sure we shy away from Giant receivers just because of their tough playoff schedule. You still might be able to get good value with their options that help you win during the season.
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 [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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Dynasty | Colts quarterback Joe Flacco completed 33-of-44 passes for 359 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss to the Jaguars. Dynasty Analysis: It was just another day at the office for Flacco, who has made a habit of coming out of the bullpen and putting up huge games. Flacco made Deshaun Watson look pretty bad last year and his performance today didn't exactly make Anthony Richardson's early season struggles look any better. Still, it was against the Jaguars and they aren't exactly employing the Legion of Boom. Flacco will be under consideration to play again as long as Richardson sits out.
Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce had three catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in a loss against the Jaguars. Dynasty Analysis: Pierce could have easily had two scores, but was ruled down inside the five yard line on a deep catch from Joe Flacco. Pierce has turned into a bit of a one-trick pony with the deep ball being his most effective weapon, but he certainly made the most of it today. With Joe Flacco at the helm, Pierce looks to have more fantasy appeal. We'll see what happens moving forward but Pierce looks like he's at least solidified his spot on dynasty rosters this season.
Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Josh Downs had nine catches for 69 receiving yards in a loss against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Downs was solid again this week and had 12 total targets to lead the Colts. While Michael Pittman is the clear WR1 in the offense, Downs has started to finally fulfill his potential. With Joe Flacco at the helm, it seems all the Colts pass catchers simply have more value. We'll see what happens with this group when Anthony Richardson comes back but this is very positive for Downs after being very up and down throughout his career.
Dynasty | Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels completed 14-of-25 passes for 238 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 82 rushing yards in a blowout win against Cleveland. Dynasty Analysis: Daniels is the real deal and may be the closest thing we've seen to Lamar Jackson since, well, Lamar Jackson. While this wasn't his best game, it may also represent a fantasy floor that's insanely high on a weekly basis. Daniels makes every routine play but also has a flair for the dramatic and looks like a true long-term QB1. If you took the plunge on Daniels this off-season, congratulations.
Chicago Bears WR DJ Moore ended up with five receptions for a game-high 105 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers, his former team.
Fantasy Spin: Ouch. The Panthers traded Moore and several draft picks, including the 2024 No. 1 overall for QB Caleb Williams, and that combination was lethal against Carolina. After going without a score in the first three games, Moore has three touchdowns in the past two games. He is back as a solid WR3 or flex fantasy option in leagues of 12 or more teams in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
From TheHuddle
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed the football 20 times for 82 yards and a touchdown in the team's last-second loss to the Houston Texans. The Bills leaned on Cook as the passing offense struggled. Josh Allen completed just nine of his 30 passes. Cook's five-yard touchdown plunge midway through the third quarter was the Bills' first touchdown of the game. Cook added two receptions for 17 yards, finishing just one yard short of 100 total yards. The 25-year-old has established himself as one of Buffalo's most important players on the offensive side of the ball and will be an RB1 when the Bills face the Jets in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) had just one catch (three targets) for 14 yards in Sunday's loss to the Commanders. The 28-year-old had been sidelined since the opener because of an ankle injury. However, there's a chance the team may be without Njoku again, with Mary Kay Cabot reporting he suffered a knee injury during the contest. It's unknown how severe the injury is. Still, it's not ideal for a player who just returned from a three-game absence. At any rate, there should be an update on Njoku's status soon. If he can't suit up in Week 6 against the Eagles, Jordan Akins, who had a touchdown in Week 5, will likely fill the void in the lineup.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman caught one of five targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. The rookie secured a reception on a curl route, broke a tackle, and sprinted into the endzone in the third quarter to pull the Bills within three points. Coleman missed several other targets, including one that hit him in the helmet when he wasn't looking. There was no noticeable increase in targets for the second-round pick, despite top receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) being out of the lineup. Coleman will remain a boom/bust option in Week 6 against the New York Jets.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid caught two passes for 34 yards in the team's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. Kincaid tied with Mack Hollins for the team lead in targets. He had a sideline catch that the refs called incomplete that could have been reviewed and just missed on a couple of more opportunities. It's a disappointing result for Kincaid, especially considering top receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) was inactive. However, Josh Allen only completed nine of 30 pass attempts on the afternoon, limiting the upside for Kincaid and the rest of the Buffalo pass-catchers. Kincaid has failed to reach 50 yards in any contest this year and is shaping up to be one of the bigger busts in fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews finally broke his streak of goose eggs during the three-point win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The veteran caught four of his five targets for 55 yards including a 27-yard catch for his longest play of the day. While this game was a move in the right direction for Andrews, the worrisome part was that both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar were still in the mix and they both caught touchdowns. Sharing snaps with Likely was enough to drop his target share, now fantasy managers have to worry about Kolar stealing some targets away too. The biggest factor will be if the Ravens need to throw as much as they did in this game because Lamar Jackson was finally able to spread fantasy points around to more than one pass-catcher. Andrews and the Ravens will take on the Washington Commanders at home in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed just nine of 30 pass attempts for 131 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. He added 54 yards on the ground on four carries. The rushing yardage helped salvage a disappointing day that saw the Buffalo offense struggle. Allen nearly hit tight end Dalton Kincaid on a couple of big plays and clearly missed his go-to option Khalil Shakir (ankle). The touchdown came on a 49-yard catch-and-run by rookie Keon Coleman in the third quarter. Allen briefly departed the game after taking a big shot and hitting his head on the ground. The medical staff cleared him and he just missed one snap. The Bills draw a matchup against the stout Jets' secondary on Monday Night Football in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers WR David Moore managed two receptions for 13 yards on three targets in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has already tied his career-high for touchdowns in a single season after hauling in his second of the year on Sunday. During the 41-38 overtime win over the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, the fourth-year wideout caught four of his eight targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. The coaching staff hyped up Bateman's growth and hard work throughout the offseason, and so far, he's looked deserving of the positive feedback. His yards per target are currently at a career-high (10.3). and he has his second-highest catch percentage (64.3%). Zay Flowers remains the No. 1 weapon of the receiving corps, but Bateman has been a quality outlet for quarterback Lamar Jackson. He'll look to keep the good times rolling against the Washington Commanders in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar scored the second touchdown of his career in the overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The third-stringer registered three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown on four targets. He was the second-most targeted tight end in this game with Mark Andrews getting five and Isaiah Likely getting three. Kolar normally serves as a blocking tight end in big packages, but he had a big part in the passing game in this one. He even had the longest play for the Ravens on a 55-yard catch-and-run. Fantasy managers with stock in any of the Ravens' tight ends will continue to see frustrating usage if Kolar gets thrown into the passing game more often.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is inactive for Sunday's meeting with the Cowboys. However, he will be available in case of an emergency. The signal-caller has made progress in his return from a calf injury. But for another week (at least), Justin Fields will remain under center. The 25-year-old got off to a slow start this season. Yet, he's coming off a stellar showing, throwing for 312 yards and accounting for three scores (one passing, two rushing) in the Week 4 loss to the Colts, making him worthy of a spot in most fantasy lineups.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers have declared WR Roman Wilson, LB Alex Highsmith, QB Russell Wilson, OT Max Scharping, RB Jaylen Warren, TE MyCole Pruitt and RB Cordarrelle Patterson inactive for Week 5.
From TheHuddle
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (foot) won't return to Sunday's matchup with the Broncos. Vegas was fortunate to get Maxx Crosby (ankle) back for this one. However, the team lost Wilkins for the second half. The 28-year-old had a fantastic showing in his limited time on the field, ending the day with five tackles and a sack. If he can't get on the field for the Week 6 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vegas could turn to Adam Butler to fill the void.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz caught four passes for 34 yards against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5. He was targeted six times during the game.
Fantasy Spin: Schultz tied his season high for receiving yards this week but has not been a big factor in any of the games this season. He should see a decent amount of targets again next week but probably will only be a possible starting option in deeper leagues.
From TheHuddle
Carolina Panthers QB Andy Dalton completed 18-of-28 passes for 136 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, and he ran once for three yards before QB Bryce Young came on in mop-up duty.
Fantasy Spin: The Panthers aren't likely to switch gears and go back to Young, but you never know. If Dalton remains the starter, as expected, he remains nothing more than a low-end QB2 in most fantasy leagues of 12 or more teams. The Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely was one of three tight ends to receive targets from Lamar Jackson during their 41-38 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Likely kept finding himself in the right place at the right time during Lamar Jackson scrambles. He finished the game with three receptions on three targets for 13 yards and two scores. His biggest score of the day was on the receiving end of a fantastic play by Jackson when he recovered a bobbled snap, stiff-armed a lineman, and found Likely in the back of the end zone to make it a three-point game near the end of the fourth. Moving forward, now that Charlie Kolar has been more in the mix, Likely's usage could fluctuate even more.
From RotoBaller
