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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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Player Notes
Chase Brown Oct 6 10:10pm CT
Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown finished Sunday's overtime loss to the Ravens by compiling 46 yards off 12 carries. He added three catches for eight yards and a touchdown, finding the end zone off a four-yard pass from Joe Burrow in the fourth quarter. Zack Moss suffered an ankle injury in this one, so Brown was the featured backfield option. There's a chance Moss will miss the Week 6 matchup with the New York Giants. If that happens, Brown would be a lock for all fantasy lineups.

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Zack Moss Oct 6 10:00pm CT
Zack Moss

Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss finished the Week 5 loss to the Ravens by amassing 24 yards off nine carries. He added three receptions for 28 yards. Moss scored a touchdown in three of the Bengals' previous four contests. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle injury during the contest. With that in mind, the 26-year-old is in danger of missing at least the Bengals Week 6 matchup with the New York Giants. If he's not out there, Chase Brown would become an automatic must-start.

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Tee Higgins Oct 6 9:50pm CT
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins finished Sunday's loss to the Ravens by catching nine of his 14 targets for 83 yards. Even better, he found the end zone twice. After missing a few games to begin the year followed up by a few subpar showings in the Bengals' last two contests, the wideout looked fantastic in this one. While some fantasy managers lost Patience, they'll need to reconsider their stance for the Bengals Week 6 showdown with the New York Giants.

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Ja'Marr Chase Oct 6 9:40pm CT
Ja'Marr Chase

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.

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Jordan Mason Oct 6 9:30pm CT
Jordan Mason

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.

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Joe Burrow Oct 6 9:30pm CT
Joe Burrow

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.

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Jake Moody Oct 6 9:20pm CT
Jake Moody

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.

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Christian Gonzalez Oct 6 9:10pm CT
Christian Gonzalez

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.

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Brenton Strange Oct 6 9:00pm CT
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Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange caught one of the two passing touchdowns quarterback Trevor Lawrence had in a 37-34 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Strange finished with 24 yards on four catches. The young tight end now has two touchdowns and 120 yards on the season. It seemed like Evan Engram (hamstring) had a decent chance of returning in Week 5, but that was not the case, so the second-year pro got the start for the third straight game. This could be the last start Strange gets, so his fantasy managers should be happy with his fantasy output over the past few weeks given his status as a backup tight end. If Engram were to miss even more time, Strange would continue to be a solid streaming option. The Jaguars face off against the Chicago Bears in London in Week 6, where it will be interesting to see how involved Strange is if Engram does return.

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Ja'Lynn Polk Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Ja'Lynn Polk

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk converted six targets into just one catch for 13 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. While the rookie's fantasy output was disappointing, managers should feel optimistic about some of his underlying statistics. For starters, Polk has 13 targets over the last two weeks combined, which is the highest mark on the team during that span. He also played 100 percent of snaps on Sunday, becoming the first Patriots wide receiver to play every offensive snap in a single game this season. (No New England wide receiver previously eclipsed the 85-percent mark.) Furthermore, he came very close to catching his second career touchdown pass, missing out on the go-ahead score by mere inches as his foot barely landed out of bounds. All in all, Polk has emerged as one of Jacoby Brissett's favorite weapons as of late. While it hasn't led to noteworthy fantasy production, he's still on the radar as an up-and-coming pass-catcher in the New England offense. He's worth monitoring in deeper leagues as the season carries on. His next chance to leave an impression will come in Week 6 when the Patriots host the Houston Texans.

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Chuba Hubbard Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard reeled off another excellent performance in the team's 36-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Andy Dalton threw for just 136 scoreless yards Sunday -- and was eventually benched for second-year QB Bryce Young in the waning minutes of regulation -- but that didn't stop Hubbard from ripping off another big stat line. The 25-year-old toted the rock 13 times, churning out 97 yards and a touchdown on the ground while hauling in all four of his targets for -2 "additional" yards. It marks the fourth-year back's third-straight outing with a touchdown and four in a row with at least four catches. Additionally, he was just three yards shy of eclipsing the century mark in his third consecutive game. The former fourth-round pick has been a pleasant surprise of fantasy output over the last few weeks. However, the question arises of his role if and when quarterback Bryce Young regains control of this offense. When that happens is anyone's guess, but until then, Hubbard can be considered a high-end RB2 with upside. He'll have a harder time reaching those marks against the Falcons in Week 6, but he is a must-start option.

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Hunter Henry Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Hunter Henry

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught two of four targets for 32 yards through the air during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Henry has caught just two passes in four of his five games this season, with the lone exception being a somewhat anomalous eight-catch, 109-yard outburst back in Week 2. Despite playing a season-high 93.3 percent of snaps on Sunday, the 29-year-old veteran continues to have his fantasy value limited within the Patriots' struggling offense. He remains off the fantasy radar in most leagues ahead of a Week 6 clash versus the Houston Texans.

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Brock Purdy Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Brock Purdy

Quarterback Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers fell short in a 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Santa Clara. He finished with 19 completions of 35 attempts for 244 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Purdy also gained 33 rushing yards on four scrambles. While fantasy managers would much rather see more passing touchdowns, it's worth noting that he's been much more adept at contributing on the ground this year. After today, he's averaging 21.6 yards rushing per game, much higher than his nine yards per carry last year. The interceptions certainly stung in this one, but Purdy was a victim of bad luck as one of his interceptions was batted at the line and the other popped high into the air when he was hit as he threw. The third-year pro showed a renewed rapport with receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who he targeted 12 times for 8 receptions and 147 yards. Purdy has a short turnaround as he hits the road to face the Seattle Seahawks for the first time this year on Thursday Night Football.

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Matthew Stafford Oct 6 8:50pm CT
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The Green Bay Packers' defense and special teams unit was very active against the Los Angeles Rams in their 24-19 victory in Week 5. The defense pressured Matthew Stafford into three sacks and an interception, plus forced and recovered a fumble of Kyren Williams in the first Rams drive of the second half. The Packers D/ST allowed 370 total yards and put up some healthy stats for fantasy managers on the afternoon from a team that was missing their top two wide receivers. The Packers will head home and host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, where there could be some points put up by the Cardinals. Still, with the Packers performing the way they are, they're easily a startable fantasy defense moving forward.

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Greg Joseph Oct 6 8:50pm CT
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New York Giants kicker Greg Joseph continued his perfect streak in Sunday's 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, going 3-for-3 on field goals for the second straight week. Joseph drilled a long of 38 yards and added two extra points, contributing 11 total points to the Giants' win. His reliability on special teams has been crucial, as he remains flawless through two weeks, consistently converting his opportunities. With his 100% field goal percentage intact from the past two games, Joseph is shaping up as a strong fantasy kicker option, especially for teams seeking steady production.

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Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Oct 6 8:50pm CT
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The Cleveland Browns defense struggled in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Cleveland allowed 34 points and 434 yards of total offense to the Commanders in the blowout road loss while notching three sacks and forcing two turnovers. The Browns were led by Za'Darius Smith, who had one sack, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who had an interception, a forced fumble, and five total tackles in the contest. Things won't get much easier for the Browns as they will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in Week 6.

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Demario Douglas Oct 6 8:50pm CT
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New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas caught six of nine targets for 59 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The 23-year-old played two-thirds of the team's offensive snaps, which was his second-highest mark of the season. It's been an inconsistent start to the year for Douglas, who has two games with nine targets and three games with three or fewer targets. He's difficult to trust given the Patriots' subpar offense, but managers have to be at least somewhat optimistic about his rest-of-season value given his short-yardage role on a team that will spend most of this season playing from behind. Even with Kendrick Bourne returning to the mix and Ja'Lynn Polk taking on an enormous role, Douglas maintains his stand-alone WR3/FLEX value in deeper fantasy football leagues.

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Daniel Jones Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones delivered a game-winning performance in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks despite missing rookie sensation Malik Nabers and starting running back Devin Singletary. Jones completed 23 of 34 passes, throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. He also added 38 rushing yards, though he was sacked three times and didn't find the end zone on the ground. With 22.08 fantasy points, Jones showcased his ability to manage the game effectively, making key throws in a shorthanded offense, and remains a reliable QB2 option, especially with his dual-threat capabilities.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr. Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. made the most of his starting opportunity in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks, filling in for the injured Devin Singletary (groin). Tracy rushed for an impressive 129 yards on 18 carries, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt, with his longest run going for 27 yards. While he wasn't a factor in the passing game, recording just one catch for one yard, his strong ground performance helped the Giants control the clock and pace of the game. Despite not finding the end zone, Tracy's 13.5 fantasy points make him a solid waiver-wire pickup in deeper leagues, especially if Singletary's injury lingers.

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Jordan Akins Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Jordan Akins

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins caught all three of his targets for 22 yards and a touchdown in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Akins scored Cleveland's only touchdown in garbage time as he hauled in a 10-yard score with 7:06 left in the game, cutting the Commanders' lead to 34-12. The veteran tight end was expected to see his role scaled back with David Njoku returning from an ankle injury in Week 5, but Njoku injured his knee during the loss to the Commanders and could be looking at another absence. Akins is worth a look in deep leagues and tight-end premium formats if Njoku ends up missing time with his latest ailment.

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