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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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Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 6

Player Notes
Kyle Pitts Oct 11 11:10pm CT
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is coming off a season-best output of seven catches for 88 yards versus Tampa Bay in Week 5, but the third-year player put up a goose egg the week before without recording a single catch, so he's a bit hard to trust. Still, with how poor tight end production has been so far in 2024, you likely need to keep starting him in season-long leagues. The good news is that his Week 6 opponent, the Carolina Panthers, has generally defended the pass poorly and allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to TEs so far. The bad news is that the only two touchdowns they've allowed to TEs both came in Week 1, so they've been a bit stingier the last four weeks, and with the Falcons as six-point favorites, there may not be as much of a need to go to the air in this game. Pitts profiles as low-end TE1 in Week 6, with as much upside as he has downside.

From RotoBaller

Justin Herbert Oct 11 11:10pm CT
Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) no longer carries an injury designation heading into the AFC West clash with the Broncos. The signal-caller was limited at practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of an ankle injury. However, he's made progress and logged a full session on Friday, clearing the way for his availability. Herbert has struggled without Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler no longer on the roster. While he's only thrown one interception, he hasn't tossed for more than 179 yards in a game this season. Unfortunately, Herbert doesn't have much fantasy value outside of multi-quarterback setups in Week 6. That will remain true unless he turns things around, although that may not happen soon.

From RotoBaller

Brian Thomas Jr. Oct 11 11:10pm CT
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is too talented to bench despite a tough Week 6 matchup with the Chicago Bears in London. BTJ is coming off a five-catch, 122-yard, and one-touchdown performance against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. Although the Colts secondary is one of the worst in the league while the Bears secondary is one of the best, fantasy managers should not overthink it and bench the rookie receiver. Gabe Davis and Evan Engram might return from injury this Sunday, but given how well BTJ has been playing, it is hard to imagine Trevor Lawrence stops looking his way. Even if the offense struggles or Lawrence spreads the ball around more, the first-round pick out of LSU has proven he can produce chunk plays that can salvage his fantasy day instantly. After an 85-yard touchdown against the Colts, BTJ's fantasy managers should be eagerly awaiting another big touchdown in Week 6, even against a top Bears secondary.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Oct 11 11:00pm CT
Tank Bigsby

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby has decent upside in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears in London. Bigsby is coming off 101 rushing yards against the Colts, and with Travis Etienne Jr. banged up, could be in for another big day this Sunday. He faces the Bears strong defense, but they are better against the pass than the run. The Jaguars may try to run the ball early and often, meaning utilizing Bigsby in what could be a timeshare with Etienne Jr. Bigsby's upside comes with the potential of Etienne Jr. missing the game altogether or at least being limited even more than last week. The young back out of Ole Miss has shown capable of producing with limited production, so fantasy managers should be intrigued to see what he can do with more opportunities. Bigsby serves as a high-risk, high-reward option for fantasy managers at the shallow running back position in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Evan Engram Oct 11 10:30pm CT
Evan Engram

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram has a decent chance to return in Week 6 from a hamstring injury after limited practices all week. The Jaguars face the Chicago Bears, who bring an elite secondary to London. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense haven't been great since the veteran tight end got injured in warmups before Week 2, so his presence as a mismatch should be a huge help. Engram is still questionable so fantasy managers should have a backup plan ready, such as Jacksonville backup tight end Brenton Strange, but if Engram does play, it would be hard to bench him given the lack of alternatives at tight end. The Jaguars may struggle to move the ball, but given their porous defense, they could be throwing the ball a lot. That likely means plenty of opportunities for Engram to make an impact. As long as he's healthy come Sunday, fantasy managers should be fine starting Engram in Week 6.

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Chris Boswell Oct 11 10:10pm CT
Chris Boswell

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was not very involved in last week's loss to the Cowboys but could be in line for more opportunities against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. The Raiders are allowing the fifth-most points to opposing offenses as well as the third-most fantasy points to kickers this season. While the Steelers struggled offensively in Week 5, they should be able to move the ball and put Boswell in a position to score on Sunday. Despite his hot start to the campaign, it's clear at this point that Boswell is not going to put up elite numbers on a weekly basis, but he can be trusted in favorable matchups. The 33-year-old should be viewed as a solid starting option this week.

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Drake London Oct 11 10:10pm CT
Drake London

After a dud opening week (2-15-0), Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London had exactly six catches in three straight games and averaged 62 yards per game over the three games leading up to last week's explosion versus Tampa Bay for 12-154-1. Through five weeks, the 23-year-old has tallied the seventh-most targets (44) in the league, third-most receptions (32), and a 26.35% target share as the No.1 receiver in the Falcons' air attack. The product out of USC goes up against the Panthers in Week 6, a defense that ranks in the bottom third in reception yards allowed and has surrendered a league-worst 11 touchdown receptions. Carolina recently yielded a 3-85-1 line to Ja'Marr Chase and 5-105-2 line to DJ Moore, but has also been vulnerable to receivers with height, such as Quentin Johnston and Tee Higgins. The Falcons are six-point favorites and should be playing with a lead, but London will garner enough attention to be considered a WR1 this week.

From RotoBaller

Pat Freiermuth Oct 11 9:40pm CT
Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (calf) was listed as a full participant for the Steelers' final practice of the week. Freiermuth popped up on the team's injury report on Thursday with a calf designation, but it appears to have only been a minor issue. The 25-year-old is set to resume his TE1 duties when Pittsburgh hits the road to take on the Raiders in Las Vegas. Despite having yet to clear 57 yards in any contest, the former second-round pick has at least four receptions in all but one outing and a touchdown in two straight, working his way to a TE7 ranking in PPR formats. Freiermuth ranks second on his team in targets (23), receptions (20), and yards (178) and has scored the most touchdowns (2) of any Pittsburgh pass-catcher. He'll be a back-end TE1 in the road matchup and is RotoBaller's TE10 in this week's rankings.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Oct 11 9:40pm CT
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins missed the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign due to injury. He was quiet in Weeks 3 and 4. However, the wideout had a stellar showing in the Week 5 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, finishing with nine catches (14 targets) for 83 yards and two touchdowns. While Ja'Marr Chase is the top target for Joe Burrow, Higgins is still one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League. Keep him starting in Week 6 versus the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Justin Tucker Oct 11 9:40pm CT
Justin Tucker

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker bounced back in a big way in Week 5 after a worrisome stretch through the first four games of the season. The veteran finished as the K6 after making all five of his extra points, a 56-yard field goal, and a 24-yard field goal to win the game for the Ravens in overtime. Kickers don't tend to thrive against the Washington Commanders, because the defense has either been very good or very bad while their offense has limited turnovers. The Ravens are likely to move the ball down the field, but it may result in more extra points rather than field goal attempts. There are better kicking options out there right now until Tucker can show some more consistency.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Oct 11 9:30pm CT
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been one of the best in the league at his position this season. He was quiet in the opener against the New England Patriots. Since then, the signal-caller has thrown at least two touchdowns in each of his last four games. Burrow had his best showing of the 2024-25 campaign in the AFC North showdown to the Ravens, tossing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one pick while completing 76.9% of his attempts. With the Bengals sitting on one win, Burrow is motivated to salvage his squad's season. Keep him starting in any fantasy format in Week 6 against the New York Giants.

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Mark Andrews Oct 11 9:30pm CT
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews finally broke his streak of goose eggs in Week 5 when he caught four of five targets for 55 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals. So far, he's only had one week with a finish inside of TE1 territory, and that took a terrible week from tight ends across the league to allow him to finish as the TE10 with seven fantasy points in Week 2. In Week 6, he goes up against the Washington Commanders who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends and give up an average of 5.1 per game in half-PPR formats. Andrews hasn't done enough to give any fantasy managers confidence yet. There are better options across the league until Andrews can show some signs of consistency.

From RotoBaller

Justice Hill Oct 11 9:30pm CT
Justice Hill

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill returned to his usual fantasy output in Week 5 after a brief pop in Week 4. This is a good indication of what his season will look like as he's bound to have some big games here and there in PPR formats, but he's too inconsistent to start every week. The Ravens take on the Washington Commanders in Week 6, and they're right around the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points given up to opposing backfields. Derrick Henry will likely command a lot of the touches again, but Hill could get a chance at making some noise if the game turns into a shootout.

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Ja'Marr Chase Oct 11 9:30pm CT
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase struggled in his first two games of the year. However, he's turned up the volume since then, finding the end zone five times in the last three games. The wideout had a monster showing in the Week 5 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, amassing 10 catches (12 targets) for 193 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals offense has looked good despite the team sitting on just one win this season. With that in mind, the unit is extra-motivated to produce on Sunday night versus the New York Giants, so Chase has an excellent chance to finish the week as one of the most productive fantasy receivers.

From RotoBaller

Travis Etienne Oct 11 9:20pm CT
Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (shoulder) has been cleared to play for the team's Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears. It's the second week in a row that Etienne has logged three limited sessions leading up to Sunday, but he's fine and ready to go, barring any early Sunday morning surprises. His health aside, a more significant concern for the 25-year-old is that backfield mate Tank Bigsby has been the more effective weapon in the offense. Despite Etienne leading the tandem through the air in Week 5 with six catches and 43 yards on seven targets, he saw just six carries to Bigsby's 13, and the second-year back was far more efficient with his touches. This backfield is one to monitor, but desperate fantasy managers can take solace in the fact that if Chicago can be beaten anywhere -- it's on the ground. They're tied for the league's fifth-most yards per carry allowed (4.8).

From RotoBaller

Pat Freiermuth Oct 11 9:10pm CT
Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has scored in back-to-back contests and will hope to keep the streak alive against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. Although Freiermuth was a limited participant in practice on Thursday with a calf injury, he was removed from the injury report on Friday after logging a full practice. Las Vegas has fared well against tight ends so far this season but is yet to face one that has earned as many opportunities as Freiermuth. The 25-year-old is averaging more targets per contest than Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews and more fantasy points than Travis Kelce, Dalton Kincaid, and Kyle Pitts. His ceiling will be relatively limited if Pittsburgh continues to run the ball at one of the highest rates in the NFL, but as a focal point of the Steelers' offense, Freiermuth offers fantasy managers a steady floor. He can be started once again as a low-end TE1 on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Derrick Henry Oct 11 9:00pm CT
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has found the end zone in each one of his first five games with the team this year. He already has seven combined touchdowns in five games while coming in as the RB2 in half-PPR formats, behind Alvin Kamara. He's tied for the most 20+ yard plays on the ground with seven, top ten in yards per carry (6.0), and has the longest run play on the season with his 87-yard touchdown from Week 4. In Week 6, he goes up against the Washington Commanders who have a middle-of-the-pack unit that allows 20.3 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields. Henry will likely find the holes in Washington's defense while he receives around 20 touches yet again, so fantasy managers can consider him an RB1 heading into this matchup.

From RotoBaller

Gabriel Davis Oct 11 9:00pm CT
Gabriel Davis

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) is officially listed as questionable for the team's Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears in London. Last week, a shoulder injury plagued the 25-year-old, but he was healthy enough to play in the victory over the Colts. This week, it's a knee injury forcing him to record three straight limited designations at practice. However, he appears to have a favorable shot to suit up for an "away" game across the pond. The former Buffalo Bill leads the wide receiver corps on his new team this season in total snaps but ranks third on the Jags in targets (25), receptions (12), and yards (159). Additionally, he has yet to score a touchdown. If Davis can't play, wideouts Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. would likely take on that workload. If he can, he still won't be a recommended option, particularly against a Bears defense that has been stingy to opposing offenses (seventh-fewest passing yards allowed).

From RotoBaller

Zay Flowers Oct 11 9:00pm CT
Zay Flowers

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers finally bounced back in the Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals after a couple of rough weeks where he saw a combined four receptions for 30 yards. With the momentum of a 100-yard game, he rolls into a matchup with a favorable secondary in the Washington Commanders. They've been one of the easier matchups for opposing wideouts as they give up 33.8 fantasy points per game in half-PPR formats. That ranks them as the sixth-easiest matchup for receivers. Since Washington's offense has proven to be able to move the ball, Lamar Jackson will likely have to throw a bit more in this contest which leaves Flowers as a high-end WR2.

From RotoBaller

George Pickens Oct 11 8:50pm CT
George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was unusually quiet last week and will look to make an impact against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Head coach Mike Tomlin labeled Pickens' surprisingly low snap share in Week 5 as "load management", basically stating that he hopes to keep the 23-year-old fresh for when he is on the field. While this could continue to be a part of the team's gameplan, the Steelers were clearly lacking playmakers in their loss to Dallas last Sunday night. Pickens will need the ball in his hands more frequently for Pittsburgh to find success offensively. Las Vegas has been more vulnerable to the run than the pass but should not be considered a pass defense to avoid, especially with the Steelers struggling on the ground so far this season. Pickens is the favorite weapon of quarterback Justin Fields, who will be starting again this week. Even with a reduced snap count, Pickens earned a target on 26% of Fields' pass attempts last week, a far greater share than any of his teammates. The duo should be able to connect on more opportunities against the Raiders, making Pickens a low-end WR2 or flex option with upside.

From RotoBaller