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
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 3
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey (shoulder) has exited Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints with a knee issue in the second quarter. He registered one catch for 11 yards on his only target before leaving the game, but the team has officially said that he's questionable to return in this one. With A.J. Brown (hamstring) already out, the passing game will have to rely on DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and then a combination of Jahan Dotson and Parris Campbell. His status will be one to monitor because his absence would be another big hit for this receiver corps moving forward, and it would be quite the hit to Jalen Hurts' fantasy value as well.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson (eye) exited Sunday's contest against the Chargers. He is questionable to return. The wideout has been quiet through the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign, amassing three catches (five targets) for 15 yards. While anyone on the Steelers offense is hard to trust, Jefferson's potential absence could allow Calvin Austin III to get more involved. At any rate, if Jefferson is ruled out, he'll finish Week 3 without a catch (or a target).
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa (hip) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 29-year-old had a sack in each of the Chargers' first two games of the 2024-25 campaign. However, considering he's had issues staying healthy over the years, the team could hold him out for the remainder of Week 3. If that's the case, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree might see more snaps.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (lung) didn't suit up for Sunday's meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was uncertain to play entering the contest after being hospitalized following the Week 2 meeting with the Cowboys with a chest injury. Fox's Jay Glazer shed more light on the issue, with the NFL insider reporting the 34-year-old has a bruised lung. Considering the delicate nature of this type of injury, it may take Hill a little longer to heal. With that in mind, fantasy managers will await an update ahead of the Saints' Week 4 game versus the Atlanta Falcons. In the meantime, Juwan Johnson could see a few more targets behind Foster Moreau. However, Johnson has limited value in multi-tight end setups.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (knee) is officially inactive in Week 3 for the team's contest on the road against the Tennessee Titans. Love suffered a sprained left MCL in his knee in the Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil and will now miss his second straight game as a result. The good news is that Love practiced all week and was questionable to play on Sunday against the Titans, so he stands to have a good chance to make his return in a big divisional clash next weekend at Lambeau Field versus the Minnesota Vikings. With Love out again on Sunday, backup Malik Willis will make his second straight start against his former team, the Titans. Expect another run-heavy game plan from Green Bay, making Josh Jacobs a must-start in fantasy against the 0-2 Titans. Willis should be considered a low-end QB2 for those in superflex leagues.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Week 3 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie had previously battled an ankle injury but was removed from the injury report on Friday. It seemed as though he was going to make his NFL debut this Sunday, but in the end, he's inactive despite being healthy. His debut will have to wait at least one more week. The Steelers enter their clash against the Steelers with just four wide receivers, of which George Pickens is the only one possessing fantasy relevance.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is officially inactive for Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He has been designated as the Steelers' emergency third-string quarterback, making him eligible to play only if both Justin Fields and Kyle Allen get injured. Wilson had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday. The veteran quarterback still has not yet made his Steelers debut thanks to this lingering calf issue. Even when Wilson becomes healthy enough to play again, Fields should remain Pittsburgh's QB1 until he gives head coach Mike Tomlin reasons to make a switch. This is good news for fantasy managers as Fields has more fantasy upside than Wilson, anyway.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (groin) is officially active on Sunday for the Week 3 game on the road against the Cleveland Browns. Burns was a late addition to this week's injury report with a groin injury and was listed as questionable to play this weekend. However, it appears he was able to do enough during pre-game warmups to convince the coaching staff that he's good enough to play against Cleveland as the G-Men look for their first victory of 2024. The 26-year-old is New York's starting outside linebacker and should be in all starting lineups in IDP leagues now that he's officially active. The former 16th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2019 out of Florida State has seven tackles (six solo) and a pass breakup so far through two weeks in his first year in the Big Apple.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson (calf) has been declared inactive for the Week 3 game but will serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback.
Fantasy Spin: Wilson has been working his way back from the injury, but the Steelers continue to go with Justin Fields as their starting quarterback. Fields probably should only be considered an option in two-quarterbacks this week.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills (knee) is officially active for Week 3 against the New York Giants. He had been sidelined for the team's first two games of the season while recovering from last year's knee surgery. Cleveland will benefit from having Wills available, especially given that right tackle Jack Conklin (hamstring) is inactive. Wills' return is great news for the Browns' offense particularly Deshaun Watson, Jerome Ford, and D'Onta Foreman.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (rib) is officially inactive for Week 3 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Vele was removed from the injury report Friday, so it's unclear whether he's inactive due to injury or coach's decision. Mike Klis of 9News provides some context on the situation, writing in a post to X, "He's healthy but didn't get many reps. Should be good next week at Jets." It seems as though Vele didn't get involved enough in practice, so the Broncos are holding him out for one more week. The rookie caught all eight of his targets for 39 yards back in Week 1, which made him an appealing waiver wire option heading into Week 2. He hasn't played since then, and fantasy managers are eager for him to return against New York next week.
From RotoBaller
In addition to New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (chest), the team ruled out wide receiver A.T. Perry (illness) for the Week 3 contest on Sunday against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. Perry came into this one listed as questionable but was a full participant on Friday after popping up on the Week 3 injury report on Thursday. It appears the Saints weren't comfortable enough with the 24-year-old being active this weekend, but Perry should be feeling good enough to return in Week 4 to face the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. The sixth-round pick last year has yet to draw a single target through the first two weeks of the 2024 season and remains well off the fantasy radar for now. With Perry sidelined, Cedrick Wilson Jr. should have an enhanced role in the Saints offense on Sunday behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back, calf) is officially active for Week 3 against the Chicago Bears. A late addition to the injury report, Pittman is ultimately able to suit up as the Colts continue to fight for their first win of the season. He's been somewhat underwhelming in fantasy football this year, converting 15 targets into just seven catches for 52 yards and zero touchdowns. The 26-year-old is a mid-range WR3/FLEX play this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (elbow, calf) is officially inactive for Week 3 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the wrong direction after missing practice on Friday. The 25-year-old entered this season as the Chargers' WR1 but has been relatively underwhelming, catching just four passes for 34 yards through two games. In his absence, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston should fetch more targets from Justin Herbert. McConkey is the overall WR41 in fantasy football so far while Johnston is the WR24. Both players have low-end WR3/FLEX appeal this week, with Johnston possessing more big-play upside.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers have declared CB Darius Rush, WR Roman Wilson, QB Russell Wilson, TE MyCole Pruitt, SS Terrell Edmunds and OG Isaac Seumalo inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have declared OT Luke Goedeke, S Antoine Winfield Jr., TE Devin Culp, DE Jose Ramirez, DL Calijah Kancey, WR Kameron Johnson and DT Vita Vea inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The New Orleans Saints have declared WR A.T. Perry, LB D'Marco Jackson, QB Spencer Rattler, TE Taysom Hill, WR Bub Means and DL Khalen Saunders inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) is officially active for Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will start under center, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Herbert, who has 274 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception this season, was questionable with a high-ankle sprain. The Chargers took the decision up until the final minute in order to evaluate the quarterback's injury pregame. In the end, he's suiting up. However, the Chargers are carrying three active quarterbacks (Herbert, Easton Stick, and Taylor Heinicke) for the first time this season, which means they have a contingency plan in case Herbert isn't able to play the full game. Fantasy managers should treat him as a low-end QB2 this week.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running backTyjae Spears(ankle) is officially active for Week 3 versus the Green Bay Packers. Spears had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction heading into the weekend.Tony Pollardremains the top running back in this Tennessee offense, but Spears has still been able to carve out a role this year. Through two games, he has 10 carries for 41 yards on the ground, plus six catches for another 22 yards through the air. He ranks as the overall RB42 in fantasy football so far. Managers can deploy him as a solid RB3 or FLEX in leagues with at least 14 teams.
From RotoBaller
