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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

TE Strength of Schedule

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

Related photo caption below

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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Player Notes
Randy Gregory Jul 23 3:23pm CT
Randy Gregory

Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Randy Gregory did not show up for the start of training camp and was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list on Tuesday, July 23.

From TheHuddle

Odell Beckham Jr. Jul 23 3:13pm CT
Odell Beckham Jr.

Miami Dolphins WR Odell Beckham Jr. (undisclosed) was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list on Tuesday, July 23.

Fantasy Spin: Beckham is reportedly "working through minor things" and his absence is not expected to be lengthy. In the meantime, it should give rookie Malik Washington a chance to make his case to win some early-season reps. Beckham is unlikely to be all that relevant in fantasy in 2024 barring an injury to Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle. Even if one of those players missed extended time, Beckham has not proven to be durable enough to be worth much of a gamble in fantasy.

From TheHuddle

Matthew Stafford Jul 23 3:03pm CT
Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford has reportedly 'worked something out' with the team and will report to training camp as expected on Tuesday, July 23. Stafford was seeking a bit of a pay raise in light of the explosion in salaries at the quarterback position in recent months.

Fantasy Spin: There is no word yet on the details, but it seems reasonable that Stafford will join the $50 million/season club at quarterback. Few quarterbacks closed the season out better than Stafford, who averaged 284 yards passing and threw for 15 touchdowns versus only three interceptions over his final six games. The 35-year-old has never been much of a threat with his legs, but he could still push for low-end QB1 numbers in what should easily be a top-10 offense in 2024.

From TheHuddle

Tyler Higbee Jul 23 3:03pm CT
Tyler Higbee

Los Angeles Rams TE Tyler Higbee (knee) will begin training camp on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, according to head coach Sean McVay.

From TheHuddle

Amari Cooper Jul 23 2:30pm CT
Amari Cooper

The Cleveland Browns and star wide receiver Amari Cooper have agreed to a restructured one-year contract, guaranteeing his $20 million salary and adding an additional $5 million. Cooper will still be entering the final year of his deal with the Browns, but the important takeaway for fantasy managers is that he's reported to the team for the start of training camp on Tuesday after skipping out on mandatory minicamp. The 30-year-old veteran wideout earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection last season after recording a career-high 1,250 receiving yards with 72 catches (128 targets) and five touchdowns through 15 outings. As the clear-cut centerpiece of Cleveland's passing game, Cooper remains safe to draft in fantasy leagues as a WR2 this summer after finishing third at the position in yards per catch (17.4).

From RotoBaller

Amari Cooper Jul 23 2:23pm CT
Amari Cooper

Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper reported to the start of training camp after the team handed him a $5 million raise and guaranteed his original base salary of $20 million on Tuesday, July 23.

Fantasy Spin: Cooper has been a durable and strong WR2 fantasy asset virtually every season since joining the NFL in 2015. His production was a bit more inconsistent last season as Cleveland rotated through multiple quarterbacks, but managers witnessed the kind of upside he possesses when he burned the Houston Texans for 265 yards and two touchdowns in Week 16 last year. Assuming Deshaun Watson can stay healthy more often in 2024, Cooper should finish as a top 15 fantasy receiver.

From TheHuddle

George Kittle Jul 23 2:10pm CT
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (groin) is fully healthy for the start of the team's training camp on Tuesday. Kittle dropped to 214 pounds, a 30-pound loss, after his core muscle surgery because he wasn't able to work, but he's now back up to his playing weight of 240-243 pounds. While the 29-year-old star tight end tends to be boom-or-bust from a fantasy perspective, he still totaled 65 catches on 90 targets for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns overall across 16 appearances in San Fran in 2023 and remains one of the game's top-tier options at the position. If star wideout Brandon Aiyuk ultimately has his trade request satisfied ahead of the regular season, Kittle's floor would become more stable as more of an offensive focal point in the Niners' high-octane attack.

From RotoBaller

George Kittle Jul 23 2:03pm CT
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle told reporters on Tuesday, July 23, that his weight dropped to 214 pounds this offseason as he recovered from core muscle surgery. He has since returned to his normal playing weight of 243 pounds.

Fantasy Spin: That is a huge weight swing over the course of a few months, so fantasy managers could be forgiven if they choose to downgrade him a bit due to the likelihood of injury - especially considering he will turn 31 in October. With that said, few tight ends possess his upside. The best play for pro-Kittle managers is probably to pair him with a high-floor tight end such as Tyler Conklin in the later rounds. Even though he will be a hit-or-miss option, Kittle's upside keeps him firmly in the TE1 discussion.

From TheHuddle

Courtland Sutton Jul 23 2:00pm CT
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton will report to the team for the start of training camp. Sutton staged a holdout this spring, but his absence won't extend into camp. His contract doesn't expire until 2025. The 28-year-old wideout hauled in a career-high 10 touchdown passes in 16 games for the Broncos last year, good for a ridiculous 16.9% rate over his 59 receptions (90 targets), so regression in the scoring column is certainly due. Still, Sutton is Denver's clear-cut alpha target for whoever is under center this fall following Jerry Jeudy's offseason departure, and he should be treated as a volume-based WR3 in drafts this summer.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Jul 23 1:50pm CT
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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has reported for training camp despite leaving the team's minicamp early. Kamara's agent confirmed at the time that the running back's departure from minicamp was contract-related. Kamara's deal runs through 2025, and his appearance at camp should quell any speculation among fantasy managers that he was preparing for some kind of holdout. The five-time Pro Bowler caught a career-high 87.2% of his passes in 2023, but he's entering his age-29 season and has watched his rushing efficiency dip in each of the past three years. Despite having to share touches with Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller, however, Kamara still projects as a fine RB2 in PPR setups after closing as the overall RB3 in full-PPR points per game over 13 contests last year.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Jul 23 1:43pm CT
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara reported for the start of training camp despite his frustration over his contract situation, according to sources.

Fantasy Spin: Kamara skipped some of the team's mandatory minicamp practices, but it appears there will be no drama regarding his contract for now. The bigger question for Kamara is how he fits into new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme and how much work he will lose to 2023 draft pick Kendre Miller. Kamara's pass-game role should remain a key part of the offense, so fantasy managers should feel relatively good about his ability to deliver at a RB2 level.

From TheHuddle

Ricky Pearsall Jul 23 1:40pm CT
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) will open training camp on the non-football injury list. Pearsall has a hamstring injury, and while the severity of the issue remains unclear, general manager John Lynch expects Pearsall to miss the first week of camp practices. Last year, the 23-year-old wideout caught 65 of his 90 targets for 965 yards and four touchdowns across 12 games at Florida and was chosen by the Niners with the No. 31 pick in the draft this spring. Although hamstring issues always have a chance to linger, Pearsall's fantasy stock still hangs in the balance with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk still having an outstanding trade request out of San Francisco. Pearsall remains in play as a late-round flier and still has plenty of time to get fully healthy for preseason action, which doesn't begin until Aug. 10 against the hosting Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Greg Dulcich Jul 23 1:30pm CT
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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton says that tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring, foot) is expected to practice this week. After being limited to two appearances for the Broncos in his second season due to hamstring and foot injuries a year ago, Dulcich is aiming to enter the 2024 campaign with a cleaner bill of health. The 24-year-old former third-round pick begins the season as a post-hype sleeper in deep fantasy leagues after racking up 411 yards with two touchdowns on 33 catches (55 targets) over 10 games back in his rookie year in 2022, but he'll need to stay healthy and will also still be contending with Adam Trautman for looks in Denver's uninspiring offense, which has plenty of uncertainty under center. For the start of training camp, Dulcich is off the radar in shallow redraft formats but could emerge as a TE2 option with strong showings in camp and the preseason.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Jul 23 1:13pm CT
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton intends to report to the start of training camp despite his desire to receive a contract extension, according to comments from head coach Sean Payton on Tuesday, July 23.

Fantasy Spin: It has been an eventful offseason for Sutton, but it appears as if he will enter the preseason where he was at the end of the last season: as the Broncos' unquestioned top receiver. The biggest difference this year is that he is unlikely to benefit from the same kind of trust throws that Russell Wilson afforded him at times in 2023. Expect a mostly conservative offense led by either Jarrett Stidham or rookie first-round pick Bo Nix, which figures to make Sutton more of a hit-or-miss WR3 option in fantasy most weeks.

From TheHuddle

Brandon Aiyuk Jul 23 1:00pm CT
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San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is reporting to training camp this week, according to sources, despite his desires for a new long-term contract extension. The 49ers have not held extensive contract talks with him since May, and because of that, Aiyuk has formally requested a trade. As of the start of training camps this week, a trade of Aiyuk isn't close at all, but that could change once practices get underway and players start going down with injuries. If Aiyuk is eventually dealt before the start of the 2024 regular season, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings and rookie first rounder Ricky Pearsall would be locked into starting three-wide sets in San Fran. If no trade happens, Aiyuk will be set to play out the 2024 campaign on his fifth-year option after posting his second straight 1,000-yard receiving season last year. He's a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in the Bay Area in fantasy if he sticks around.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Jul 23 12:40pm CT
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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that rookie first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels and veteran Marcus Mariota will split time with the first-team offense early in training camp. "When he's ready, we'll know," Quinn said of Daniels. Daniels, the second overall pick in April's NFL draft out of LSU, saw most of the starting work in offseason practices and is fully expected to be the starter under center in D.C. to begin his rookie season in Week 1, but the Commanders aren't forcing anything early in training camp. The Commanders naming the 23-year-old as the starter is expected to become a formality sooner than later. Daniels' dual-threat ability and a strong supporting cast in Washington give him plenty of immediate upside in fantasy, both in single-year and dynasty/keeper formats.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aiyuk Jul 23 12:40pm CT
Brandon Aiyuk

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters said it remains unlikely that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will end up in Washington. Aiyuk formally requested a trade recently because of his frustration with the progress of contract-extension negotiations and posted a still photograph of a Commanders practice on social media this week. There are plenty of concerns about the Commanders' depth at the receiver position behind Terry McLaurin, but it doesn't sound like they are considering trading for the 26-year-old former first-rounder as the 2024 regular season approaches. The most likely scenario is that Aiyuk plays out his fifth-year option in San Fran and becomes a highly-coveted free agent next March. Aiyuk is a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in 2024 after posting his second straight 1,000-yard season with seven TDs in 2023.

From RotoBaller

Tyson Campbell Jul 23 12:30pm CT
Tyson Campbell

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed cornerback Tyson Campbell to a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension on Tuesday. The 24-year-old arrived in Jacksonville as the 33rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft out of Georgia, and he's been a starter in all three of his years in the league. He missed six games with a hamstring injury in 2023, but the Jaguars think he's going to be healthy moving forward and a big part of their secondary in 2024. In his first three seasons in the NFL, Campbell has totaled 203 tackles (145 solo), six tackles for loss, six interceptions, 30 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown, in 43 games (42 starts). Three of his interceptions came in his second year in the league in 2022.

From RotoBaller

Jacoby Brissett Jul 23 12:20pm CT
Jacoby Brissett

When asked about the team's quarterback competition at the start of training camp, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said, "Coming out of spring, I think it's clear Jacoby Brissett is the most pro-ready guy we have." Even though the Patriots selected Drake Maye with the third overall pick in April's NFL draft, the expectation all along was that Brissett, a 31-year-old veteran, would open the 2024 regular season as the starter under center while Maye sits and learns on the sidelines. "I don't think there's any doubt," Mayo went on to say when asked if Brissett was the starting QB for training camp. Maye will probably end up playing later on in his first NFL season, but early on it will be Brissett leading an offense without many playmakers. With limited weapons in the passing game and a shaky offensive line, Brissett is a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Deneric Prince Jul 23 12:20pm CT
Deneric Prince

Kansas City Chiefs running back Deneric Prince was the first RB in after starter Isiah Pacheco during the run period of the team's training camp practice on Tuesday. Prince went undrafted last year and spent most of his rookie season in the NFL on the practice squad. He was active for just two games and didn't play any offensive snaps. We aren't making any predictions on the order of KC's depth chart after a few practices, but Prince certainly has a shot at a bigger role in 2024 in the Chiefs offense, especially if Clyde Edwards-Helaire continues to disappoint. The defending Super Bowl champions re-signed CEH in the offseason and brought in rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, but other than that, there weren't any notable additions to their backfield. For now, Prince is merely a name to watch in KC's backfield.

From RotoBaller