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 5
There remains hopes that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) could return this season and be sidelined six to eight weeks, according to league sources, but nothing will be determined until early this week once he has a procedure on his injured knee. Once the Chiefs have more clarity on Rice, they can move into action in terms of looking for a trade to help improve their receiving depth in the meantime. A trade makes even more sense with Marquise Brown (shoulder) lost for the year. KC explored signing DeAndre Hopkins in the 2023 offseason before he signed with the Tennessee Titans. Now that he's in the last year of his contract, the Titans could entertain offers for him. The Chiefs aren't expected to trade for Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams for a number of reasons, but they could reach out to the Jets if they land him to see if they'd be interested in moving one of their other wideouts.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (head) explained that he was a little beat up in the Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. Allen was shaken up on a play in the second half, and backup Mitchell Trubisky came into the game briefly. "Big shot to the chest. Rolled my ankle. They flagged me for hitting my head, but felt good enough to go back in," Allen said. The 28-year-old was quickly cleared for a concussion on the sideline and returned to the contest to finish just 9-for-30 passing for a season-low 131 yards and one touchdown. It's notable that he was without his top receiver in Khalil Shakir (ankle) in this one. Don't be surprised if Allen is on the Week 6 injury report, but he should be good to go for what will be another tough matchup against the division-rival New York Jets and their stout defense. Allen remains a must-start QB1 in fantasy, and the good news is he's yet to throw a pick in 2024.
From RotoBaller
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Dynasty | Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 20-of-29 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 34 rushing yards in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Here we go. After Jayden Daniels had really outshined Williams over the first month of the season, we finally saw what the Bears could have in Williams today. Sure, it was against Carolina. However, Williams was poised, controlled and accurate all day today. While we need to see him string together a few solid performances before anointing him as the next big thing, this was a huge step in the right direction today. Williams remains a solid hold in dynasty leagues.
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Dynasty | Packers tight end Tucker Kraft had four catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: Jordan Love is beginning to develop a reputation of spreading the ball around and Kraft was the beneficiary today as he made the most of his five targets. While this was by far his best game of the season, it also can't be ignored as it seems he's becoming a bigger part of the offense each and every week. He'll be a TE1/2 moving forward, though his floor remains pretty low.
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson strung together another solid fantasy day on Sunday night in the win over Pittsburgh. The third-year tight end corralled six of seven targets for 70 yards serving as quarterback Dak Prescott's security blanket. Both Brevyn Spann-Ford (three targets) and Luke Schoonmaker (two targets) mixed into the offense, but Ferguson's usage remained strong. The 25-year-old has not scored a touchdown yet this season but remains a no-brainer start at a shallow tight end position. He should be played in all lineups as a TE1 heading into next week's matchup with the Detroit Lions.
From RotoBaller
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From TheHuddle
Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb only touched the ball six times in Sunday night's 20-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lamb was targeted nine times, accounting for 22% of the team's targets, but only hauled in five receptions for 62 yards. He also rushed once for a two-yard gain. Without a touchdown, it was a disappointing fantasy outing for Lamb. The Cowboys' star receiver will look to bounce back next week against a pass-funnel Detroit defense. He now ranks ninth in the league in receiving yards (378) through the first five weeks of the season.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys receiver/return specialist KaVontae Turpin was involved in the offensive game plan in the Sunday night win over Pittsburgh. Turpin was targeted five times, catching four passes for 50 yards. He also rushed once for a six-yard loss. The 28-year-old is not on the fantasy radar at this time even with Brandin Cooks (knee) currently on the shelf. With Jalen Tolbert's breakout Sunday night game, Turpin is no higher than the fourth option in Dallas' passing attack even without Cooks in the lineup. His offensive usage is encouraging as an added dimension to Dallas' offense, but he has not seen consistent enough week-to-week work to be considered a fantasy option.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle carried the load on the ground on Sunday night in the last-minute 20-17 win over Pittsburgh. Dowdle rushed 20 times for 87 yards while also securing both targets for 27 yards and a touchdown. The 26-year-old has emerged as the lead running back in Dallas over the past two weeks and is now safely in the RB2 discussion solely based on workload. Dowdle should be rostered in all leagues going forward and is an RB2/Flex play weekly depending on the matchup. Next week could be a setback against a stout Detroit run defense, but Dowdle appears to have taken the backfield over from Ezekiel Elliott.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott continued to see his workload decline on Sunday night. The veteran rushed just six times for 17 yards as opposed to Rico Dowdle's 22 touches. Elliott has been phased out of the running game over the past two weeks and is now firmly off of the fantasy radar. The 29-year-old is valuable in pass protection, but cannot be counted on in fantasy due to his lack of volume. He does not need to be rostered in most formats, as he would only be startable should Dowdle miss time. Feel free to cut ties prior to a tough Week 6 matchup with the Detroit Lions.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys third-year receiver Jalen Tolbert had the best game of his young career on Sunday night in the win over Pittsburgh. Tolbert led the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. He caught seven of 10 targets for 87 yards and a touchdown. The 25-year-old's touchdown came at the most opportune time, as he hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dak Prescott with just 20 seconds remaining on the clock to take a 20-17 lead. Playing in a full-time role with Brandin Cooks (knee) sidelined, Tolbert showed that he is capable of high-end production as Dallas' number two receiver. He should be rostered as a depth option in most formats heading into Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott overcame an up-and-down game by marching down the field on a 15-play, 70-yard drive in 4:36 to topple the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17 on Sunday night. Prescott found wide receiver Jalen Tolbert in the end zone from four yards out, connecting with just twenty seconds on the clock to win the game. The veteran quarterback completed 29-of-42 passes for 352 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also scrambled once for a gain of three yards. Despite the tough matchup and the stormy weather conditions, Prescott had a solid fantasy day. He will remain in QB1 territory heading into next week's matchup with the Detroit Lions.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey got involved in Week 5 in the 34-18 blowout win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Humphrey was only targeted twice by rookie quarterback Bo Nix, but he made the most of his limited opportunities by catching both of his targets for 48 yards, which led all Denver receivers on the day. The yardage was just two yards shy of his season-high back in Week 2 in the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, when he caught four of five targets for 50 yards. Humphrey has 12 receptions for 135 yards and no touchdowns on 17 targets through five games in his second year with the Broncos and remains well off the fantasy radar in most leagues. He will continue to fight for limited targets with Josh Reynolds, rookie Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. in what has mostly been an inconsistent offense in Denver.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz delivered for fantasy managers that streamed him in the 34-18 Week 5 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The Broncos offense finally came alive against a struggling Raiders defense, allowing Lutz plenty of opportunities to kick for points. He ended up making both of his field goals (long of 51) and he also converted all four of his extra-point opportunities. Lutz would have had his second missed field goal of the year, if not for a Raiders penalty allowed him to try again with time expiring in the first half as the Broncos took a 13-10 lead and never looked back. It was a nice bounce-back performance after he missed his first field goal of the year in the 10-9 win over the Jets in Week 4. The 30-year-old now ranks as the No. 6 fantasy kicker in overall points, although he'll have more volatility as a streamer in Week 6 against a Chargers defense that has allowed the fewest points per game (12.5) in the league.
From RotoBaller
For the second straight week, Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds saw just two targets from rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the 38-14 blowout win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Reynolds caught one of those two targets for a nine-yard touchdown reception, his first score of the 2024 season. The 29-year-old pass-catcher entered the Week 4 upset win over the New York Jets leading the team in receiving yards, but he's caught just one pass on four targets for the nine-yard touchdown the last two games. It was especially disappointing that he didn't do much as the team scored a season-high 34 points. Courtland Sutton will continue to be the unquestioned top target for Nix, and Denver's offense to this point hasn't been explosive enough to sustain more than one wideout for fantasy purposes. Reynolds belongs on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues heading into Week 6 against the Chargers.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson was heavily involved in the passing game throughout the 24-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The former Seattle Seahawk saw more targets in this game than his first two seasons combined and he's already two targets shy of tying his career-high in a single season. Parkinson registered 52 yards and seven receptions on 13 targets against the Packers but couldn't find the end zone. His yardage totals haven't been eye-popping, but he's seen five or more targets in four of the team's five games. The Rams head into their bye week next with a game against the Las Vegas Raiders on deck for Week 7.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has yet to make his first NFL start, but that could change in Week 6 according to Adam Schefter. Head coach Jerod Mayo had a noticeable tone change when it came to answering questions about the team's quarterback situation, and another game where the offense was barely able to move the ball could set the change in motion faster than previously expected. The Patriots are dead last in passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, and completion percentage while coming in at third-to-last in passer rating. While they sit at 1-4 in the middle of a four-game losing streak, Maye could finally get his first start against the Houston Texans in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was the lone pass-catcher to find the end zone in the 24-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He finished the game with three receptions for 28 yards and a score on five targets. In terms of target share, Robinson was fourth in line after Colby Parkinson, Jordan Whittington, and Tutu Atwell all saw double-digit targets. Robinson at least salvaged a bit of fantasy scoring with his touchdown for any of the fantasy managers who needed his services. The Rams move into their bye week next, which may be enough time for Cooper Kupp (ankle) to return in Week 7, which would lower Robinson's fantasy ceiling.
From RotoBaller
