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Dynasty $250 - FFL: Week 4 | NFL: Week 4

TE Strength of Schedule

Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

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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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 4

Player Notes
Joe Burrow Sep 29 6:50pm CT
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow finished Sunday's win over the Panthers by throwing for 232 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick off 22-for-31 passing. While the 2020 No. 1 overall pick wasn't as productive as in Week 3, he still did enough to lead the Bengals to their first victory of the 2024-25 campaign. His increase in production has also resulted in Ja'Marr Chase picking up his third touchdown of the year in Week 4. The Bengals will meet the Ravens in Week 5 in an AFC North clash. While Burrow and the Bengals offense could be tested, the signal-caller remains a starting fantasy option for that one.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Sep 29 6:50pm CT
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 24 of his 42 passes for 225 yards while adding five carries for 26 yards in a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4. Rodgers and the Jets had a tough time putting points on the board on a sloppy, rainy afternoon in New Jersey as they to the underdog Broncos. The veteran quarterback took five sacks and came up favoring his left leg after taking a sack in the fourth quarter, the same leg in which he had his Achilles tendon surgically repaired last year, but he told reporters after the game that he was fine. Rodgers has now thrown for five touchdowns and one interception through four games while leading the Jets to a 2-2 record. The veteran quarterback will now begin preparing to take on an exciting Minnesota Vikings offense in London in Week 5. He can be slotted in as a mid-range QB2 for that contest.

From RotoBaller

Terry McLaurin Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught seven of his 10 targets for 52 yards and a score as the Commanders dismantled the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. This was McLaurin's second straight game finding the end zone. The Ohio State product has put his slow start in the rearview mirror and he has begun to emerge as a solid WR2 in all formats. After catching just eight passes for 39 yards in the first two weeks, McLaurin has formed a strong connection with his rookie QB and has established himself as his go-to option. Fantasy managers should feel confident starting McLaurin in all formats next weekend against the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

Olamide Zaccheaus Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Olamide Zaccheaus

Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus led all Washington pass catchers with 85 yards on Sunday afternoon in their victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Zaccheaus caught all six of his targets, which were only second to Terry McLaurin (10 targets). This was a nice breakout performance for the 27-year-old, as he has caught just one pass through the first three weeks of action. Last week, he did not even see a target, and ran just four routes. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Zacchaeus's performance as he outperformed Noah Brown (26 yards) and rookie Luke McCaffrey (17 yards), who have typically been deployed as the No.2 and No.3 wideouts, respectively. Zaccheaus should remain on your waiver wire for now in standard leagues, but could be worth stashing in deeper 14+ team leagues.

From RotoBaller

Zach Ertz Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz had a quiet day on Sunday afternoon even though the Commanders scored 42 points. The veteran tight end finished the day with just three catches (on three targets) for 22 yards. He also caught a two-point conversion late in the game. Ertz finished fourth on the team in receiving yards behind Terry McLaurin, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Noah Brown. This was also his lowest yard total of the season. Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned with Ertz as the Washington offense continued to move down the field all afternoon. The 33-year-old remains a low-end TE1 going forward, as he should still see stable production given that he will be on the field for most of the snaps despite this underwhelming Week 4 output.

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Demarcus Robinson Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Demarcus Robinson

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson had just two catches for 37 yards in Sunday's loss to the Bears. With Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle) on the shelf, most assumed Robinson would benefit the most. However, that hasn't happened. Instead, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington have gotten more involved, with the duo combining for 10 grabs for 144 yards in Week 4. With that in mind, Robinson has worked his way out of the flex conversation for Week 5 versus the Packers. That won't change beyond Week 5 unless he turns things around.

From RotoBaller

Austin Seibert Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert continued his perfect streak as a Commander in Week 4 as he went 2-for-2 on attempts and 4-for-4 on extra points in Sunday's victory. Since joining the Commanders in Week 2, Seibert has hit ten field goals and nine extra points. While Seibert's leg has yet to be tested from 50+ yards out, his hot stretch makes him a favorable streaming candidate going forward. In addition, as the Washington offense continues to improve every week, Seibert should see regular attempts to put points on the board. He is shaping up to be a solid option in all formats next week as the Commanders return to the DMV to host the Cleveland Browns.

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Bucky Irving Sep 29 6:36pm CT
Bucky Irving

Dynasty | Bucs rookie running back Bucky Irving had 49 rushing yards and a touchdown in a win against the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: He added a catch for six more yards. The big story here is obvious - Irving has created a true time-share with Rachaad White and simply looks like the better player after the first month of the season. White matched him with 49 yards on ten carries of his own, but Irving is getting some important work and is averaging more than five yards per carry on the season. This is a story to watch as Irving is starting to really make things interesting in Tampa Bay. The Bucs may have found something here and dynasty managers who took Irving in the middle rounds of rookie drafts may have themselves a steal.

Tank Bigsby Sep 29 6:36pm CT
Tank Bigsby

Dynasty | Jags running back Tank Bigsby had 90 yards on seven carries in a loss against Houston. Dynasty Analysis: This is now getting interesting in Jacksonville. At this point, Bigsby has looked better than Travis Etienne and he actually had the first touches in the backfield today. Etienne led the team in carries today (11) but was only able to post 50 yards, while adding one catch for another ten. Dynasty managers who ignored the smoke this Summer about the Jags wanting to ease the load on Etienne have been burned as this looks like a timeshare moving forward. As a result, Etienne's dynasty arrow is sinking by the week.

Xavier Legette Sep 29 6:36pm CT
Xavier Legette

Dynasty | Panthers receiver Xavier Legette had six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers loss against Cincinnati. Dynasty Analysis: This was a much needed solid performance for Legette who matched his season total with ten targets on the day. He narrowly missed another score and finally looked like an NFL receiver in this one. The move to Andy Dalton has clearly ignited the Panthers offense and the buy low window on Legette may have closed today. We need to see some more solid days from Legette before recommending him, but this was clearly a solid step in the right direction.

Chase Brown Sep 29 6:35pm CT
Chase Brown

Dynasty | Bengals running back Chase Brown had 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Panthers. Dynasty Analysis: Brown has clearly created a timeshare situation with fellow running back Zack Moss (51 yards on 15 carries) with the Bengals. Moss ended the game with 19 touches and Brown had 17 on the day. This is going to be great for the Bengals moving forward and a total nightmare for dynasty managers. Moss had a receiving touchdown himself but Brown looks like the more explosive player. In the end, both running backs are relegating the other to RB2/3 status at the moment as their deployment is working great in reality and creating a nightmare in dynasty leagues. They both remain solid holds in leagues as things continue to progress.

Diontae Johnson Sep 29 6:35pm CT
Diontae Johnson

Dynasty | Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson had seven catches for 83 yards and a touchdown in a loss against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: In two starts with Bryce Young at the helm, Johnson had five catches on 12 targets for 34 scoreless yards. In two starts with Andy Dalton, Johnson now has 15 catches on 27 targets for 205 yards and two touchdowns. It's safe to say we have a pretty significant development in Carolina as Johnson is clearly becoming the receiver many expected him to be when he moved to Carolina in the off-season. At this point, Johnson looks like a solid WR2 option as long as Dalton is at the helm.

Justin Fields Sep 29 6:35pm CT
Justin Fields

Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 22-of-34 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown, adding 55 rushing yards and two more scores in an upset loss to the Colts. Dynasty Analysis: Fields was forced to throw more than usual in this one and did just fine. While he hasn't been spectacular this season, he has thrown for three touchdowns, added three more scores on the ground and taken care of the football for the most part, with just one interception on the season. Pittsburgh is a good football with some clear problems, but Fields just doesn't seem to be one of them. His dynasty arrow continues to be stable as it would be a shock to see Pittsburgh turn to Russell Wilson any time soon.

Adonai Mitchell Sep 29 6:34pm CT
Adonai Mitchell

Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell had one rush for ten yards in a win against Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: He was held catch-less for the second straight game. Yikes. Mitchell now has just two catches for 32 yards in his first four NFL games, a far cry from what dynasty managers were hoping for this season. While the struggles (and durability) of Anthony Richardson haven't helped, Mitchell just seems like a player who is lost at the moment. He remains far away from lineups at this point and could be a savvy buy for dynasty managers steadfast in believing this is just a slow start.

Jayden Reed Sep 29 6:34pm CT
Jayden Reed

Dynasty | Packers receiver Jayden Reed had seven catches for 139 yards and a touchdown in the Packers loss to Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: It's safe to say Reed likes playing with Jordan Love. In the two games with Love at the helm this season, Reed has 11 catches on 14 targets for 277 yards and two scores. In the two with Malik Willis, he had just six catches for 59 scoreless yards. Reed looks to be the top option in a very important passing offense for fantasy purposes and should be locked into lineups moving forward. His dynasty value will start climbing again starting this week.

Bijan Robinson Sep 29 6:34pm CT
Bijan Robinson

Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 28 rushing yards, four catches and 46 receiving yards in a win against the Saints. Dynasty Analysis: The Falcons won the game and will certainly take it. However, dynasty managers are furious as Tyler Allgeier again ate into Robinson's workload and out-carried him 8-7. Robinson had 11 touches and Allgeier had ten as the Falcons seemed content again to not use their best offensive player. The idea that Robinson was going to emerge as a RB1 early this season has seemed to evaporate before our eyes yet again as Atlanta's offense is one of the toughest to predict again this season, despite a new coaching staff. Robinson remains an elite dynasty asset and weekly starter at the moment but clearly isn't a player to build around right now as his dynasty value starts to sink.

Joe Flacco Sep 29 6:33pm CT
Joe Flacco

Indianapolis Colts QB Joe Flacco completed 16-of-26 passes for 168 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in relief of the injured QB Anthony Richardson (hip).

Fantasy Spin: Flacco caught lightning in a bottle down the stretch last season for Cleveland in place of the injured Deshaun Watson. He has proven he has a little bit left in the tank. If Richardson is forced to miss time, Flacco is likely to start, but he is best used as a QB2 in most fantasy formats. With bye weeks starting in Week 5, he could be a decent replacement option if he starts against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From TheHuddle

Tutu Atwell Sep 29 6:30pm CT
Tutu Atwell

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell had a team-high 82 receiving yards with four grabs in Sunday's loss to the Bears. Jordan Whittington had more receptions. However, Atwell was arguably the Rams' top wideout in Week 4. It's apparent he'll remain more involved while Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle) remain sidelined, so he has some value as a flex option when Los Angeles meets the Packers in Week 5.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Sep 29 6:30pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went 26-for-30 for 233 yards and a score through the air on Sunday. He added 47 rushing yards and another score on eight carries. Even though the rookie sensation took a step back from a fantasy standpoint this weekend, he continued to develop as a passer, leading the Commanders to a third straight victory. Washington leaned on their rushing attack in this one which took the ball out of Daniels' hands. However, he salvaged his fantasy day with a nine-yard TD run in the third quarter and a 10-yard TD pass to Terry McLaurin late in the fourth quarter. Fantasy managers should continue to confidently start Daniels even though he faces a tough Cleveland Browns defense next week.

From RotoBaller

Brian Robinson Jr. Sep 29 6:30pm CT
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. led the way on the ground on Sunday afternoon as he totaled 101 yards and a score on 21 carries. He added 12 yards on three catches through the air. The Alabama product saw the lion's share of opportunities on the ground as Austin Ekeler (concussion) could not suit up for this game. This was the first time this season Robinson saw more than 20 carries. As the Commanders began to pull away, Jeremy McNichols saw most of the fourth-quarter attempts. Fantasy managers should continue to view Robinson as a solid RB2 going forward, as the Washington offense is humming on all cylinders.

From RotoBaller