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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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker caught all four of his targets for 68 yards through the air during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. Coker, an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross, had not caught a pass prior to Sunday's defeat. However, he took advantage of injuries to Adam Thielen (hamstring) and Xavier Legette (shoulder), climbing up the depth chart and earning his way into meaningful production. In fact, Coker led the Panthers in both catches and receiving yards this week. Now that he has proven himself in game action, perhaps Coker will earn more snaps going forward. He remains off the fantasy radar but is someone worth monitoring over the next few weeks.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo caught two of his five targets for a total of 37 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. Mingo saw increased opportunities with Adam Thielen (hamstring) and Xavier Legette (shoulder) both injured. The second-year receiver out of Ole Miss played 68 percent of the Panthers' offensive snaps and finished with his highest fantasy points total of the 2024 season. Mingo isn't quite a trustworthy fantasy option going forward, but he still provided managers with some optimism that he could handle a larger workload in the event of more injuries to Carolina's receiver room.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders rushed for six yards on two carries during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears. He was more productive in the passing game, catching two of three targets for 27 yards through the air. Despite playing 39 percent of snaps, Sanders registered a season-low four touches. This was likely the product of Carolina falling into an early deficit and adapting to the negative game script, as well as Chuba Hubbard breaking free for 97 rushing yards and one touchdown. Sanders remains the clear No. 2 behind Hubbard and figures to drop to third on the depth chart once Jonathon Brooks (knee) is healthy enough to make his NFL debut. The veteran can be avoided in most fantasy leagues going forward, including in Week 6 versus Atlanta.
From RotoBaller
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From RotoBaller
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From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. faded into the background during a 24-23 home upset at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Samuel Sr. saw three targets and caught just one for 11 yards. He also took three carries for nine yards rushing. The receiving total was the lowest a healthy Samuel Sr. has posted since Week 4 of his rookie year. In most games, San Francisco's passing attack is more evenly distributed, but Samuel Sr. saw receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle each receive 12 targets. Samuel Sr. will likely be more involved when the 49ers face the Seahawks in Seattle on Thursday Night Football.
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From RotoBaller
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From RotoBaller
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Fantasy Spin: Kittle has managed at least four catches in four outings, and he has scored a touchdown in each of his past three games. He was forced to miss Week 3 due to injury, but when he is healthy, he is easily one of the best fantasy tight ends in the game.
From TheHuddle
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase looked good in Sunday's overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The wideout caught 10 of his 12 targets for 193 yards. He also found the end zone twice, bringing his total to five touchdowns in the last three weeks. The former LSU Tiger has turned up the volume of late, so there's no reason to keep him out of fantasy lineups when the Bengals meet the Giants in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton caught two of his five targets for 32 yards in a 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.
Fantasy Spin: Sutton was second on the team in targets and first among receivers, but the rest of his numbers continue lag behind his targets because of the Bo Nix's early struggles. Sutton is too inconsistent to be more than a flex option, but he could be a sleeper in the second half if Nix can make strides.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason had his least productive fantasy day of 2024 in a 24-23 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He finished with a season-low 14 carries for 89 yards on the ground with no touchdowns and a game-changing fourth-quarter lost fumble. He caught his only target in the passing game for nine yards. On a day that featured record-setting heat at Levi's Stadium, Mason also ceded five carries to rookie Isaac Guerendo, which matches Guerendo's season high. With no firm timetable for the return of All-Pro Christian McCaffrey (Achilles), Mason will continue to operate as San Francisco's bell cow and a fantasy RB1 in a Week 6 Thursday night matchup at the Seattle Seahawks.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had a big game in Week 5. Unfortunately, his efforts weren't enough to secure a win over the Ravens. But the signal-caller did all he could, throwing for 392 yards and five touchdowns (one interception) off an efficient 30-for-39 passing. After a semi-slow start to the 2024-25 campaign, Burrow has played exceptionally well of late, tossing for over 300 yards in two of his previous three contests. He's also stayed healthy, which was a significant concern for fantasy managers. At any rate, Burrow is one of the most productive fantasy quarterbacks going, so he needs to be featured in all starting lineups when the Bengals meet the Giants in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody (ankle) exited the team's 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals after injuring his ankle on a tackle attempt and did not return. Per Adam Schefter, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reported that Moody picked up a high ankle sprain after the game and is expected to miss multiple weeks. "So we'll get (a kicker) in as fast as possible and get the best guy we can," Shanahan said. "I'm sure it'll have to be for a few weeks or whatever." Despite the head coach's blais attitude, it's at least a moderate blow to the team as the 24-year-old has been one of the better kickers in the league thus far. Through five weeks, the former third-round pick had drilled 11-of-12 field goal tries (91.7%) and all ten of his extra-point attempts. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky made his only attempt -- a 26-yarder -- in Moody's stead, but it appears they'd prefer to look elsewhere for help while he's on the shelf with the ankle issue. The 49ers will suit up against the Seattle Seahawks in a road matchup this coming Thursday, so expect San Francisco to make a decision quickly regarding their kicking situation.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner had team highs with 12 total stops, seven solo tackles and a tackle for loss in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals.
From TheHuddle
The New England Patriots' defense tallied one interception and one fumble recovery while allowing just 15 points during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Christian Gonzalez registered the pick while New England's special teams unit was responsible for the fumble on a blocked punt. Miami also botched a field goal attempt on a bad snap, but the Dolphins were able to pounce on top of the loose ball, effectively ending the drive without crediting New England for a fumble recovery. Elsewhere on the stat sheet, the Patriots registered three sacks, five tackles for loss, and 372 yards allowed. Their road gets much tougher heading into a Week 6 clash with C.J. Stroud's Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals S Budda Baker ended up with 12 total stops and eight solo tackles in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers.
From TheHuddle
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From RotoBaller
