TE Strength of Schedule
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.
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The Paur Report
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 3
Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell grabbed just one of his four targets for 30 yards in the team's Week 2 loss. Now he and the Colts gear up to host the Chicago Bears in a Week 3 matchup on Sunday. Despite not stuffing the stat sheet, Mitchell has racked up nine targets in his first two games, nearly connecting with QB Anthony Richardson on multiple deep passes. Despite the favorable usage, the Colts will welcome back WR Josh Downs (ankle) back into the rotation, and it's unclear how affected Mitchell's snap share from the first two weeks will be. On top of that, Chicago has done a decent job of quieting down receivers, allowing the 12th-least fantasy points to the position. Fantasy managers might want to keep Mitchell on the bench in Week 3, waiting to see how the playing time splits up between the receivers now that Downs is making his season debut.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce held up his hot start to the season in Week 2 when he caught five catches for 56 yards and another touchdown. Pierce has been a mainstay in the Colts offense so far and has been on the receiving end from multiple deep shot passes from QB Anthony Richardson. He now gears up for a home matchup against the Chicago Bears, a team that's allowed the 12th-least fantasy points to the position. While Chicago's No. 1 piece in the secondary in Jaylon Johnson will likely be more focused on Michael Pittman Jr., it does open up the opportunity for Pierce to produce. That being said, he doesn't provide an incredibly safe floor with the limited passing volume by this Colts offense. Combining all that, fantasy managers in deeper leagues can look to Pierce as a boom-or-bust FLEX option in Week 3, hoping he can catch a few deep passes from Richardson.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is coming off an incredibly productive Week 2 showing, running the ball 12 times for 103 yards. He also grabbed two of his four targets for another 32 yards in the air. He now gets ready for a Week 3 home matchup against the Chicago Bears. The Bears have been in the middle of the pack defending the run this season, allowing the 15th least fantasy points to RBs. Despite the average matchup, Taylor can make up for that with his high-end volume. Taylor has seen an 88.9% opportunity share this season, the fourth most amongst all backs. With all that in mind, Taylor is a strong start again in Week 3, and managers in all formats can target him as an RB1.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is coming off of a weak Week 2 showing, throwing for just 204 yards, one touchdown, and totaling three interceptions. He also ran the ball four times for 37 yards on the ground. He now gears up for a matchup with the Chicago Bears, a team allowing the sixth-least fantasy points to opposing QBs this season. While on paper the matchup isn't great, Richardson and the Colts' offense is expecting WR Josh Downs (ankle) back in action, a key piece for them in the receiving game last season. As always, Richardson's rushing upside makes him an elite fantasy quarterback week in and week out, and this week isn't the exception. While Richardson doesn't provide as safe of a floor as some of the other top-tier QB options with his low passing volume, he still makes for a strong start in all formats in Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo has been one of the more reliable kicking options over the last few years. Koo looks to continue that in 2024 as he has yet to miss a kick through two weeks of the season. He connected on all three of his field goal attempts during last week's win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He should continue to get chances if this offense can continue clicking like they did in Week 2. The Falcons should be able to move the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs who rank in the middle of the road in terms of defense. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable with Koo as their kicker for Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (hip) has been cleared to play ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The young back opened up the week as a limited participant, but it appears he's fully healthy now. The Falcons continue to use a run-heavy approach, which is good news for Allgeier. However, Bijan Robinson is the lead back and the primary option in the running game. Last week, Allgeier did rush nine times for 53 yards in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He's averaging 6.2 yards per carry this season, which is great to see. However, the weekly volume is unknown and Allgeier is barely involved in the passing game. That being said, Allgeier is at best a boom-or-bust RB4 for Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney is coming off a decent performance, but a game that could've been much bigger. Mooney and quarterback Kirk Cousins haven't quite been on the same page early in the season. Luckily, Mooney was able to salvage his value last week with a 41-yard touchdown. He hauled in three of his seven targets for 88 yards and a TD in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The hope is that Mooney can build off that during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Mooney is technically the No. 2 option on this offense, but they've struggled to move the ball through the air. Mooney does carry some flex appeal, but is more of a boom-or-bust deep league option.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Patrick is back on the active roster for the second week in a row. Last week, Patrick hauled in two of his four targets for 12 yards in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 30-year-old can only be elevated one more time following Sunday's game, after which the Lions have to sign him to the active roster if he want him to play. Patrick might end up sticking on the team as depth, but probably won't have much of a role behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams in this offense.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Vita Vea (knee) is currently listed as doubtful ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Vea missed the first two practice sessions of the week before getting in a limited session on Friday. The superstar tackle suffered a MCL sprain during the Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions. It sounds like the Pro Bowl nose tackle might be able to play through the issue, but we'll see if the Bucs decide to take the cautious approach instead. If Vea sits, Greg Gaines would likely be asked to step up and start against the Denver Broncos. The loss of Vea would be a significant blow to the Bucs defense that is already dealing with a handful of injuries.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (shoulder) is considered questionable ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Bigsby was limited in practice all week due to a lingering shoulder issue that he suffered last week. At first, Bigsby was considered active for Week 3, but now has been downgraded to questionable on the injury report. Bigsby rushed 12 times for 73 yards in the season opener, but saw little action in Week 2 due to his injury. Travis Etienne Jr. is the lead back, but it seems like the Jaguars do want to involve Bigsby as well. Bigsby will fall into the RB3 conversation if cleared for Monday's game.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys DE Carl Lawson and LB Nick Vigil were elevated from the practice squad for Week 3 on Saturday, Sept. 21.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Chargers LB Bud Dupree (illness) is expected to play in Week 3, per source on Saturday, Sept. 21.
From TheHuddle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Kameron Johnson (ankle) and DT Vita Vea (knee) were downgraded to out for Week 3 on Saturday, Sept. 21. Also, WR Sterling Shepard and DL Mike Greene were elevated from the practice squad.
From TheHuddle
Detroit Lions WRs Tim Patrick and Allen Robinson were elevated from the practice squad for Week 3 on Saturday, Sept. 21.
From TheHuddle
Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram (hamstring) did not practice on Saturday, Sept. 21, and was ruled out for Week 3. Also, RB Tank Bigsby (shoulder), DB Darnell Savage (quadriceps) and WR Tim X. Jones were limited and are questionable, OT Cam Robinson (knee) was a full participant and has no designation, and DE Arik Armstead (rest) did not practice but carries no designation.
From TheHuddle
Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram (hamstring) did not practice once again on Saturday, Sept. 21, and has been ruled out for Week 3.
Fantasy Spin: No surprise here, as head coach Doug Pederson said earlier in the day that Engram wasn't expected to play. Engram's absence offers a slight bump to the Jags' top pass-catchers but Jacksonville doesn't have a viable starting option at tight end behind him.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (chest) has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. The veteran tight end left the Week 2 win over the Dallas Cowboys with a chest injury and spent time at a local hospital getting tests done. Thankfully, he avoided a significant injury. However, Hill was a limited participant in practice the past two days, making him a likely longshot to play against the Eagles. Juwan Johnson will see an uptick in targets and snaps, with Hill likely out of the lineup.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks OT George Fant (knee) was placed on injured reserve on Saturday, Sept. 21. Also, OG McClendon Curtis was promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and LBs Patrick O'Connell and Tyus Bowser were elevated from the practice squad for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints TE Taysom Hill (chest) was downgraded from questionable to doubtful for Week 3 on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Fantasy Spin: It looks like fantasy owners won't have to decide whether or not to ride the Taysom Hill roller coaster this week. All other Saints tight ends can be avoided.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. The star tight end showed up on the injury on Thursday, putting his status for the Week 3 contest in doubt. The injury couldn't have come at the worst time for the 49ers, with Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf) missing this week's game. Brock Purdy now must lean heavily on Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Jordan Mason against Los Angeles. Fantasy players are left scrambling for a last-minute tight end replacement off the waiver wire. Unfortunately, Kittle's backup, Eric Saubert, isn't a variable replacement option in standard-size leagues.
From RotoBaller
