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Dynasty $125 - FFL: Week 4 | NFL: Week 4

WR Strength of Schedule

Fri May 31 10:52am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 4

Player Notes
Alec Pierce Sep 28 10:50pm CT
Alec Pierce

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce reeled in one of his two targets for 44 yards in the team's win over the Chicago Bears in Week 3. Pierce has surprisingly led the way for the Colts' receiver room, racking up 225 yards through the first three weeks. Pierce has been the most successful recipient of deep passes from QB Anthony Richardson and has caught a number of touchdowns in the process. It's unlikely he will retain this success in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. The Steelers have allowed the fifth-least passing yards and the fourth-least fantasy points to opposing WRs. Given his low target share and reliability on big plays for fantasy production, Pierce is not a strong start this week in most lineups. He is the WR63 in our staff's half-PPR Week 4 rankings.

From RotoBaller

Keenan Allen Sep 28 9:40pm CT
Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) has reported that he plans to play this Sunday when the team hosts the visiting Los Angeles Rams. This is excellent news for Caleb Williams and Chicago's offense. However, fantasy managers may want to demonstrate caution starting the veteran wideout upon his return. Los Angeles has been one of the easier matchups thus far for opposing passing attacks -- allowing the sixth-most yards (746) and second-most scores (7) through the air. Despite this, it is difficult to predict his role in the offense. During his last action in the team's 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Allen led the team in targets with 11 but was out-caught and out-gained by DJ Moore. Moore again led the team in receiving (yards, targets, and receptions) during Week 2 but took a back seat to rookie sensation Rome Odunze in Week 3 when he broke out with 112 yards and a score on six receptions -- tying for the team lead in targets with Cole Kmet (11). It may be best to take a wait-and-see approach with this trio for now, but if Williams attempts 50 passes a game, all three wideouts could have valuable outings.

From RotoBaller

Anthony Richardson Sep 28 9:30pm CT
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson completed ten of his 20 passes for 167 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns in the team's Week 3 win over the Bears. He also added 24 rushing yards on the ground. After an excellent fantasy performance in Week 1, Richardson has struggled to keep up the momentum over the last two games. His high rate of turnovers, low-volume passing, and diminishing rushing over the most recent stretch have hindered his fantasy output. This week may be no different as the Colts gear up to host the Steelers, one of the best defensive units in the league. The Steelers' defense has allowed the least fantasy points to opposing QBs this season, with an average of 8.1 points per game. They are also in the top five in passing yards, rushing yards, and total points allowed. Given his recent form, and likely one of the hardest matchups he'll face all season, managers in 1QB formats should consider keeping Richardson on the bench this week. He is currently the QB16 in our staff's Week 4 rankings.

From RotoBaller

Davante Adams Sep 28 9:20pm CT
Davante Adams

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) is now considered week to week after picking up an injury in the waning minutes of the team's Thursday practice, Adam Schefter reports. Well, that escalated quickly. The Raiders wasted no time ruling Adams out of their home tilt against the visiting Cleveland Browns this Sunday, but it now appears this injury could sideline him longer. Head coach Antonio Pierce contemplated a quarterback change this week and ultimately ruled against it, but he'll now be without his star wideout for at least one week. Hamstring injuries can linger, so fantasy managers will want to monitor the 31-year-old's status over the coming days. Teammate Jakobi Meyers will likely benefit the most from his absence, and rookie tight end Brock Bowers projects to be heavily involved. Meyers presents as a WR3 with upside ahead of the matchup against Cleveland, while Bowers -- who leads all tight ends in receptions (18) -- is in a smash spot. Second-year wide receiver Tre Tucker and former undrafted free agent DJ Turner will also be in line for an uptick in snaps.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Taylor Sep 28 9:00pm CT
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back continued his hot start to the season in Week 3, running the ball 23 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the team's win. Taylor now gears up for a Week 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have made for a tougher matchup to RBs this season, allowing the third least rushing yards per game at 71.3. On top of that, they've also allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs this season. Despite the tougher matchup, Taylor's volume makes him a worthwhile start in Week 4. Taylor has seen a 90.5% opportunity share, the fourth highest of all RBs, and 51 carries, the ninth most amongst RBs. While he will face a lower ceiling than in weeks past against Pittsburgh's defense, fantasy managers can confidently start Taylor given his high-end usage. He is currently the RB6 in our staff's half-PPR weekly rankings.

From RotoBaller

Devin White Sep 28 8:50pm CT
Devin White

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Devin White (personal) has been ruled out again by the team for their Week 4 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. White, who spent the first five seasons of his career in Tampa Bay after being selected fifth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, was acquired by the Eagles this offseason. However, he has yet to appear in a game thus far in the 2024 season. The 26-year-old spent most of training camp as Philadelphia's starting middle linebacker but was eventually beaten out by Nakobe Dean for the job. He would miss Philly's season-opener with an ankle injury before being a healthy scratch against Atlanta and New Orleans. It'd be a surprise to see the former first-round pick not appear this season after a productive stint during his time as a Buccaneer, though it's difficult to project precisely when or if he'll return to the field.

From RotoBaller

Malik Washington Sep 28 8:40pm CT
Malik Washington

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington (quadriceps) is officially listed as questionable for the team's Week 4 home matchup against the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football. The rookie wideout has yet to make his NFL debut after suffering a quad injury earlier this month. However, after a week of limited practice, he may have a chance to do so this weekend. The sixth-round pick flashed his explosiveness during the preseason. He would be a nice boost to a Dolphins squad with just three receivers without injury designations on their active roster. If Washington can suit up, he could see a decent snap share rotating behind Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Braxton Berrios. Berrios would stand to cede most of the snaps. However, the 23-year-old is not a recommended option in an offense that has struggled over the past few weeks sans Tua Tagovailoa (concussion). Tyler Huntley will get the start on Monday, and the team projects to deploy a run-focused game plan.

From RotoBaller

Michael Pittman Jr. Sep 28 8:40pm CT
Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. caught four of his targets for 36 yards in the team's Week 3 win against the Chicago Bears. Pittman has yet to live up to his ADP this season, with the Colts' struggles through the air being the main culprit. He now gears up for a Week 4 matchup when the Colts host the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the best defensive units in the league thus far. On top of that, Pittman will likely see a ton of coverage from Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr., who has allowed an average of just 28 receiving yards to the WRs he's faced through the first three weeks. Pittman has slowly been climbing down the ranks after his first three performances of the season, and Sunday's matchup might be where fantasy managers look to finally put him on the bench. Pittman doesn't come into this matchup with an incredibly safe floor and carries huge bust potential, given the matchup. He is currently the WR38 in our staff's half-PPR rankings for Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Myles Garrett Sep 28 8:17pm CT
Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (Achilles, foot, thigh) has been cleared to play in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders and wasn't listed on the final injury report on Friday. It's clear that Garrett isn't 100 percent healthy and may not be at all the rest of the year, but he's going to play through his injuries for now. The All-Pro pass-rusher didn't practice on Wednesday, was limited on Thursday and was a full-go on Friday. The 28-year-old reportedly could eventually need surgery on his foot, but he'll be trying to put that off until the offseason. With a potential limited snap count, Garrett will be a more volatile IDP fantasy option. As long as he's on the field, though, he's worth starting in those fantasy formats, especially against a lackluster Raiders offense that will be missing their top receiver in Davante Adams (hamstring) in Week 4.

J.J. Taylor Sep 28 6:00pm CT
J.J. Taylor

Houston Texans running back J.J. Taylor has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is noteworthy because it probably means lead back Joe Mixon (ankle) is probably trending in the wrong direction ahead of Sunday's game. Taylor was elevated last week as well with Mixon on the sideline. He rushed the ball once for three yards on hauled in both his targets for two yards through the air. He should serve as the emergency back behind Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale, assuming Mixon is out. Fantasy managers who have Mixon rostered should go ahead and prepare a backup plan for Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Sterling Shepard Sep 28 5:50pm CT
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. The veteran wideout is back on the active roster for the second straight week. Shepard only played four snaps during last week's loss to the Denver Broncos. Possibly, Shepard sees more involvement this week with Jalen McMillan (hamstring) listed as doubtful for Sunday's game. However, fellow wideout Trey Palmer should all be in the mix for snaps as the third wideout, assuming McMillan sits. Shepard is looking more like a depth option than anything else, so he can be avoided in fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Pharaoh Brown Sep 28 5:40pm CT
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (foot) won't carry an injury designation into Monday's game against the Detroit Lions. Brown has been limited in practice all week due to a foot injury that cost him the first two games of the season. Brown figures to serve as the primary backup tight end to Noah Fant. He finished with one reception on two targets for nine yards during his season debut in Week 3. The Seahawks have a handful of viable options on offense, so Brown falls pretty far down on the pecking order. The 30-year-old can be avoided for fantasy purposes right now.

From RotoBaller

Noah Fant Sep 28 5:30pm CT
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (toe) doesn't carry an injury designation into Monday's Week 4 contest against the Detroit Lions. Fant appears to be good to go after being limited in practice all week due to a toe injury. Possibly, the Seahawks were just being cautious, but regardless Fant looks fine now. Fant has hauled in nine of his 13 targets for 85 yards and zero touchdowns through the first three weeks of the season. He hauled in all six of his targets for 60 yards last week, so it looks like Fant is trending in the right direction. Fantasy managers who lack a reliable option at tight end should consider Fant as a possible streaming choice.

From RotoBaller

Maliek Collins Sep 28 5:20pm CT
Maliek Collins

San Francisco 49ers defensive linemen Javon Hargrave (triceps) has been placed on the injured reserve on Saturday. The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a partially torn triceps during last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. There is a good chance that Hargrave misses the rest of the 2024 season with him expected to undergo surgery. He recorded seven tackles and one sack over three games with the 49ers this season. Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott figure to start at the tackle spots with Hargrave sidelined.

From RotoBaller

Javon Hargrave Sep 28 5:03pm CT
Javon Hargrave

San Francisco 49ers DT Javon Hargrave (triceps) and LB Curtis Robinson (knee) were placed on injured reserve on Saturday, Sept. 28. Also, DL Sam Okuayinonu was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster and DL Evan Anderson and S Jaylen Mahoney were elevated from the practice squad for Week 4.

From TheHuddle

Sam LaPorta Sep 28 4:40pm CT
Sam LaPorta

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) is officially off of the Week 4 injury report and is set to suit up against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. LaPorta was battling an ankle injury that caused him to leave the team's win over Arizona early last week. The Iowa product has not been as heavily involved this year as he was last year but this is a good sign that he will be back for this game. So far, he has eight catches for 94 yards in three games. Fantasy managers will want to be patient with the talented former second-round pick as one good game could spark his resurgence. LaPorta should be locked and loaded in lineups as a starting tight end this week now that he has shaken off the injury.

From RotoBaller

Raheem Mostert Sep 28 4:30pm CT
Raheem Mostert

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (chest) is listed as questionable in the final injury report of the week for the team. The Dolphins play on Monday night against the Titans and Mostert has a chance to return after missing the last two games with a chest injury. Even if he does return, the veteran running back would be operating behind De'Von Achane on the depth chart and thus would have limited upside. He was listed as a limited participant on Saturday, making it three straight limited practice sessions. Mostert has the big-play ability to break long runs and do damage on limited carries but if he does return it might be wise to wait and see what his role is upon getting back on the field. A healthy Achane has dominated opportunities in the Dolphins' backfield and the offense in general hasn't been very explosive this season even when Tua Tagovailoa was healthy.

From RotoBaller

Skylar Thompson Sep 28 4:30pm CT
Skylar Thompson

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (ribs) is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. Thompson got a limited practice in on Saturday to make it three straight limited sessions on the practice field. The team has already named Tyler Huntley as the starting quarterback for Week 4 against Tennessee on Monday night. But Thompson has a shot to get back as the backup QB in this game after suffering a rib injury last week. Thompson has struggled since taking over for Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) and the team will look to Huntley for a spark. Thompson could be available and ready to go off the bench if needed.

From RotoBaller

Sterling Shepard Sep 28 4:23pm CT
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Luke Goedeke (concussion) was downgraded to out for Week 4 on Saturday, Sept. 28. Also, WR Sterling Shepard and P Trenton Gill were elevated from the practice squad.

From TheHuddle

Tyler Lockett Sep 28 3:53pm CT
Tyler Lockett

Seattle Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett (thigh) practiced in full once again on Saturday, Sept. 28, and was removed from the injury report for Week 4.

Fantasy Spin: Lockett has taken a back seat to DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba over the first three games. He's a low-end flex option for Week 4.

From TheHuddle