Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Bowers could have big year one
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the tight end position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to tight ends last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the tight ends with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the tight ends that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
TE SOS | ||
1. | Cincinnati Bengals | 186.39 |
2. | Miami Dolphins | 193.98 |
3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 196.38 |
4. | Washington Commanders | 197.75 |
5. | Houston Texans | 198.15 |
6. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 199.18 |
7. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 199.68 |
8. | New York Giants | 201 |
9. | Dallas Cowboys | 201.18 |
10. | Los Angeles Rams | 201.38 |
11. | Buffalo Bills | 201.39 |
12. | Chicago Bears | 201.66 |
13. | Arizona Cardinals | 201.76 |
14. | New York Jets | 202.56 |
15. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 202.86 |
16. | Baltimore Ravens | 203.04 |
17. | Denver Broncos | 203.95 |
18. | Los Angeles Chargers | 204.02 |
19. | Atlanta Falcons | 204.25 |
20. | Cleveland Browns | 204.59 |
21. | New Orleans Saints | 205.62 |
22. | Seattle Seahawks | 205.73 |
23. | San Francisco 49ers | 206.80 |
24. | Indianapolis Colts | 206.89 |
25. | Detroit Lions | 207.92 |
26. | New England Patriots | 208.23 |
27. | Kansas City Chiefs | 210.92 |
28. | Tennessee Titans | 211.44 |
29. | Green Bay Packers | 212.07 |
30. | Minnesota Vikings | 212.23 |
31. | Carolina Panthers | 213.66 |
32. | Las Vegas Raiders | 213.81 |
A rookie led fantasy tight ends in scoring last year and the top rated rookie tight end this year gets the easiest fantasy schedule for tight end. Brock Browers and the Raiders have the most favorable schedule for tight ends. Sam LaPorta showed last year that a rookie can make an immediate fantasy impact, so don’t discount Browers to have big-time success in year one. He certainly looks the part of an elite tight end.
Another rookie with a good chance to start has the second easiest schedule for tight ends. Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders will compete with Tommy Tremble to start, but should emerge and be the top pass-catching tight end. He is looking like a good late-round gamble for fantasy teams.
The Vikings, Packers and Titans round out the top-five most favorable schedules for tight ends. T.J. Hockenson would be looking like a great pick if he wasn’t returning from a major injury. He is no sure thing to play early in the year. But once he is healthy, he could help fantasy teams in a big way once again.
Green Bay is likely to have Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft split a lot of the work at tight end, hurting both their value. They could produce some big games along the way, though, making them decent No. 2 fantasy tight ends this season. Both produced well in an expanded role last year.
Lastly, Chin Okonkwo didn’t quite have the breakout season many hoped last year, but he wasn’t bad by any means. Maybe he gets a few more chances this year and has some bigger games along the way with this favorable schedule. He is another decent tight end to grab as your backup.
The teams that top the list for toughest fantasy tight end schedules are teams that haven’t really utilized the tight end much in recent seasons. The Bengals have the toughest schedule followed bye the Dolphins. Mike Gesicki is the starter for the Bengals, but probably isn’t worth the risk with this schedule and the Bengals recent track record with tight ends.
Miami uses their tight ends to block more than anything in their offense. They have the occasional big game, but Jonnu Smith is going to be a risky weekly fantasy play. He would have looked much better landing with a different team.
There are a couple big-time fantasy tight ends that have unfavorable schedules. Dallas Goedert has the third toughest schedule. Goedert can be a little hit or miss to begin with in this offense, so this schedule gives him a little more concern. You might want to pass on him come draft day and go with another elite tight end with a better schedule and more consistency.
Dalton Schultz is the other elite tight end with a top-five unfavorable schedule. Schultz had a big first season with the Texans, becoming a favorite target of C.J. Stroud. He should get the targets this year. But he has a challenging schedule and more to compete with for targets, so his consistency might be a little off this year compared to last.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy tight ends. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the tight ends with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big-money contests.
TE PLAYOFF SOS | ||
1. | Atlanta Falcons | 175 |
2. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 182.37 |
3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 184.73 |
4. | Arizona Cardinals | 187.67 |
5. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 187.77 |
6. | New England Patriots | 189.83 |
7. | Miami Dolphins | 190.37 |
8. | New Orleans Saints | 191.3 |
9. | Los Angeles Rams | 192.17 |
10. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 192.43 |
11. | Cincinnati Bengals | 196.1 |
12. | Detroit Lions | 196.12 |
13. | Houston Texans | 196.2 |
14. | Indianapolis Colts | 198.97 |
15. | Buffalo Bills | 199.63 |
16. | Kansas City Chiefs | 203.03 |
17. | New York Jets | 204.13 |
18. | Carolina Panthers | 205.7 |
19. | Baltimore Ravens | 205.9 |
20. | Green Bay Packers | 207.7 |
21. | Chicago Bears | 213.73 |
22. | New York Giants | 214.27 |
23. | Seattle Seahawks | 214.72 |
24. | Cleveland Browns | 214.97 |
25. | Dallas Cowboys | 215.8 |
26. | Las Vegas Raiders | 219.4 |
27. | Washington Commanders | 220.13 |
28. | Denver Broncos | 220.8 |
29. | Minnesota Vikings | 221.72 |
30. | Tennessee Titans | 223.73 |
31. | San Francisco 49ers | 225.53 |
32. | Los Angeles Chargers | 228.53 |
The Titans and Vikings are the only two teams with the most favorable fantasy schedule for tight ends during the regular season and playoffs. Hockenson is the intriguing one because he might not be fully healthy until late in the season. So while he might not be a huge fantasy factor for the regular season, Hockenson might be a difference maker in the playoffs.
Okonkwo is looking like a player worth grabbing as a No. 2 fantasy tight end, especially if you have an established starter ahead of him. Okonkwo has a high fantasy ceiling for the coming year because of a schedule that could facilitate a breakout season for him.
The Chargers actually have the best fantasy playoff schedule for tight ends. Donald Parham is the likely starter and has some potential in an offense looking for playmakers in the passing game. This could be his best season to date, making him an intriguing late-round gamble.
George Kittle is the biggest name on the list for top-five favorable fantasy tight end playoff schedules. He is going to produce big and could be even better down the stretch with a schedule setup for success.
The Falcons have the most challenging playoff schedule for fantasy tight ends. This is not good news for Kyle Pitts. He is already a polarizing fantasy player, so this schedule won’t do him any favors to get in good graces with more fantasy owners. Many think he could finally turn things around this year with a new coaching staff in place, but nothing is certain with this situation. Pitts could be a boom or bust pick once again.
The Eagles are the only team on both the top five most difficult fantasy schedules for tight ends for the regular season and playoffs. Goedert is looking like a player you might want to let someone else grab come draft day. There are a lot of good, young options at tight end this year. Going with one of those guys over Goedert might be the play on draft day.
Trey McBride is a favorite for many fantasy owners this year for a breakout season. He had a huge finish to last year and is shooting up draft boards. We wouldn’t avoid him come draft day because he has the fourth toughest fantasy playoff schedule. It is a little bit of a concern, but not a huge red flag for the talented tight end. Maybe just prepare for his numbers to dip a tad during the playoffs.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (hamstring) was listed as a limited practice participant for the second straight day this week on Tuesday. The Falcons have a short turnaround in Week 5 with a Thursday night divisional clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Robinson may be on this week's injury report, but his hamstring issue doesn't appear to be serious enough to put his status in jeopardy for Thursday's tilt. As long as the 22-year-old doesn't suffer a setback in practice on Wednesday, there's a good chance he'll be cleared altogether. If for any reason he cannot play or is limited, Tyler Allgeier would become a must-start, plug-and-play option in Atlanta's backfield. As things currently stand on Tuesday, fantasy managers have no reason to remove Robinson from their starting lineups this week as a surefire RB1.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley will make another start in Week 5 against the division-rival New England Patriots on Sunday, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) is on Injured Reserve, and the Dolphins went with the recently signed Huntley on Monday night against the Tennessee Titans with Skyler Thompson (ribs) banged up. The 26-year-old wasn't impressive at all in the Week 4 loss, going 14-for-22 for 96 yards, no touchdowns and no picks. Huntley did add eight carries for 40 yards and a touchdown. Apparently, Thompson is recovering slowly from his rib injury, which has opened the door for Huntley to make another start. This Sunday's matchup against the Pats defense won't necessarily be any easier for Huntley, and he'll remain a desperation QB2 play for fantasy managers in superflex leagues.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders star wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) has informed the team that he prefers to be traded. No trade is imminent, but it's a situation to watch, and an earlier report suggested that the Raiders have already been reaching out to gauge interest around the league. The 31-year-old is disgruntled yet again in Vegas and also missed the Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns. There should be plenty of interest around the league from receiver-needy teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and perhaps the New York Jets for a player with six Pro Bowl appearances and five 1,000-yard campaigns. In three games so far in 2024, Adams has caught 18 of 27 targets for 209 yards and one touchdown. Vegas' offense would be much less explosive without Adams the rest of the year, but his departure would open up targets for rookie tight end Brock Bowers and receivers Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee) was sacked five times in the ugly loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4, and during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, he said he is feeling "a little banged up" and his knee is "a little swollen." The four-time NFL MVP is coming off a torn Achilles from last season, so any lower-body injuries are concerning. However, the 40-year-old did not express any concern about his status moving forward, so he should be ready to suit up against the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday. The Vikings have been a mid-level defense against fantasy quarterbacks, so Rodgers is not worth rolling the dice on in single-QB formats. Rodgers has completed 64.1% of his passes for 849 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in his first four full games with the Jets.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard Isaac Seumalo (pectoral) has yet to make his 2024 season debut after suffering a pectoral injury in the preseason. However, head coach Mike Tomlin said there's a chance the veteran could return for the Week 5 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The veteran has played in 98 career games and started all 17 contests for the Steelers last season. With starting offensive linemen Nate Herbig (shoulder), Troy Fautanu (knee), and James Daniels (Achilles) all expected to miss the rest of the season, Seumalo's potential return couldn't come at a better time. Dallas has allowed 145.8 rushing yards per game, so Justin Fields and Najee Harris could rack up plenty of yards in the showdown between two iconic organizations.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (ankle) suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Week 4 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but he is not expected to be placed on Injured Reserve, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. High-ankle sprains can be tough to come back from quickly, but Watson reportedly has a mild case. Either way, he is likely to miss Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams. Dontayvion Wicks, who caught five of his 13 targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4, is one of the top waiver wire options this week, as he'll see an enhanced role as long as Watson is sidelined. Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs could see slight boosts in their roles, too.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (ankle) exited the Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers early due to an ankle injury. However, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reports that while Dugger is still gathering information on his ailment, the injury is not expected to be serious or hold him out of action long-term. The standout defensive back might miss some time, but the good news is that he should be able to return soon. Dugger has totaled 20 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass deflection through his first four games of the year.
From RotoBaller
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran wideout Sterling Shepard to the active 53-man roster on Tuesday, according to NFL.com. Shepard was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad for Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles and caught three of his five targets for 51 yards. Rookie wideout Jalen McMillan (hamstring) missed Week 4 with a hamstring injury, and second-year speedster Trey Palmer (concussion) suffered a concussion and exited the win early. Star wideout Mike Evans (knee) missed practice on Monday, but there's no indication that he is at risk of missing the Week 5 game against the Atlanta Falcons. As for Shepard, he can be utilized as a low-end flex play in deep formats if McMillan and Palmer don't suit up on Thursday night.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Tyquan Lewis (elbow) is being placed on Injured Reserve, according to NFL.com. Lewis is dealing with an elbow injury, but the ailment is not considered to be season-ending. The 2018 second-round pick out of Ohio State has spent his entire seven-year career with the Colts and has racked up 112 total tackles, 15 sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, 10 pass deflections, and 27 run stuffs in 69 career games. His earliest return date is Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, as a trip on the IR requires players to sit out at least four contests.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith (groin) has already been ruled out of the Week 5 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, per head coach Mike Tomlin. Highsmith missed the Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts due to a groin injury and is set to miss a second consecutive contest. The 2020 third-round pick out of Charlotte posted 21.5 sacks in his last two seasons and has one sack this year in three games, so it's a noteworthy absence of the fierce Pittsburgh defense. While he's out, expect T.J. Watt to see additional attention during his pass-rushing opportunities.
From RotoBaller
According to a league source with knowledge of the situation, the Las Vegas Raiders are growing open to the idea of trading wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring). The source said the Raiders have begun reaching out to teams to gauge interest in the veteran wide receiver, who was inactive in the Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns due to a hamstring injury. It remains to be seen if something will actually happen by the trade deadline late in October, but the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs are several teams that could be looking for upgrades at wideout. The six-time Pro Bowler would be an excellent addition to any offense looking for more production at wideout, as he has five career 1,000-yard seasons. Adams has 18 catches for 209 yards and a touchdown through three games in 2024, but it's unclear if he'll be available to play in Week 5 due to his hamstring issue.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that he is preparing for quarterback Justin Fields to start again versus the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 5. Russell Wilson (calf) will reportedly do more in practice this week, and the Steelers are coming off their first loss of the year in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts, but the team appears to be sticking with Fields for at least another week. Despite his first loss as the starter, the 25-year-old Fields put up his best numbers of the year, throwing for 312 yards and a touchdown while carrying the ball 10 times for 55 yards and two more scores to almost lead the Steelers to a comeback win on the road. If Fields continues to play the way he has been as a dual threat at the position, it seems hard to imagine Pittsburgh turning to Wilson anytime soon. Fields will have high-end QB2 value in fantasy against Dallas in primetime.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said the team is somewhat in the same boat still with quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) this week, although he will be doing more work in practices. According to Steelers.com's Teresa Varley, Tomlin said he's preparing for Justin Fields to make yet another start in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Although the Steelers lost for the first time in 2024 in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts, Fields threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown and scored two rushing TDs in a valiant comeback effort. The 35-year-old Wilson has been battling a calf strain since training camp and has been relegated to backup duties in Pittsburgh for now. However, if Wilson doesn't suffer a setback as he ramps up this week, he could officially be active as Fields' backup on Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 18-of-18 passes for 292 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a win over Seattle. Dynasty Analysis: He also caught a touchdown pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown. His effort featured the most completions in a game without an incompletion in NFL history. Goff was masterful on the evening and has complete control of this Lions offense here in his fourth season. A relative "throw-in" years ago in the Matthew Stafford trade, Goff continues to impress. He'll remain being a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2 as we move forward.
Dynasty | Jaxon Smith-Njigba had eight catches for 51 yards in a loss to the Lions on Monday night. Dynasty Analysis: JSN now has 25 catches in four games in what amounts to be his breakout season thus far. While he is still looking for his first touchdown, his floor is starting to look pretty safe on a weekly basis. While best served as a secondary option as long as DK Metcalf is around, his dynasty value seems to be on the rise again.
Dynasty | Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker had 80 rushing yards, four catches, 36 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a loss on Monday night to Detroit. Dynasty Analysis: Walker returned from a short-term injury with a fury as he did all his rushing damage on just 12 carries. Even better, Zach Charbonnet had only two carries, looking like a backup and not a "1B" yet again. Walker looks locked in as a RB1 moving forward and his dynasty value is going to continue ticking up.
Dynasty | Titans quarterback Will Levis injured his shoulder and was replaced by Mason Rudolph in a win against Miami on Monday night. Dynasty Analysis: Levis completed the game going 3-for-4 for 25 yards with one interception on the night. After spending the rest of the game roaming the sidelines and not getting medical attention, it's fair to wonder just how "injured" he was. Tennessee is saying he's the starter moving forward, but his play has been less than inspiring this season. In fact, Levis now has 12 touchdowns and ten interceptions over his 13 games in the NFL, with four of those scores coming in his first ever start. The ice is getting thin in Tennessee.
Dynasty | Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley completed 14-of-22 passes for 96 yards, adding 40 rushing yards and a touchdown in a loss against Tennessee. Dynasty Analysis: Huntley's fantasy day was saved with his rushing yards, but the Dolphins offense looks absolutely lost without Tua Tagovailoa right now. Tyreek Hill (four catches for 23 yards), and Jaylen Waddle (four for 36), have been relegated to fantasy benches and Huntley doesn't look like the quarterback who is going to salvage any of this right now. In short, this is a mess. Huntley isn't worth a dynasty roster spot after this performance.
Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright toted the rock nine times for 32 yards in the team's 31-12 loss to the Tennessee Titans, failing to bring in his lone target. The rookie running back averaged 3.2 YPC on his nine touches, out-gaining backfield mate De'Von Achane on his ten carries (1.5 YPC). For the second week in a row, Wright has been the more efficient runner than Achane, albeit on fewer touches. It's unclear what type of role the fourth-round pick will have when running back Raheem Mostert (chest) returns to the field. However, no Dolphins skill player can be trusted for fantasy purposes in this version of the team's offense. They'll square off against one of the better defensive matchups in their Week 5 outing when they hit the road and travel to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots. Despite this, Wright is not in consideration for fantasy managers, and the remaining Dolphins' offensive pieces will continue to receive downgrades until (if) quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) returns from injured reserve.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo recorded one catch for five yards in the team's win over the Dolphins on Monday night. With quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) exiting early, Okonkwo was not a factor, seeing just three targets in the game as the Titans relied heavily on the running game. The three targets were actually a season-high for the tight end, who has not become a big part of the Titans' offense yet. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for options at the position, and Okonkwo can be left on the waiver wire.
From RotoBaller