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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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Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 6

Player Notes
A.J. Brown Oct 11 1:50pm CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) is ready to make his return to the field in Week 6 as the Eagles host the Browns on Sunday. The 27-year-old suffered a hamstring injury after the season's first game and has been sidelined since. With the early bye week, there was optimism that Brown had enough time to rest and return this weekend, and the Eagles made that official on Friday. DeVonta Smith (concussion) will also be good to go after clearing the concussion protocol this week, giving Philadelphia and quarterback Jalen Hurts their top two receiving options back. Cleveland is giving up nearly 30 fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position through five weeks and has been a mess the last three weeks. Fantasy managers can treat Brown as a top-five option in his return to the field this weekend.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Oct 11 1:40pm CT
David Njoku

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) will suit up for Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Njoku returned to action last week, but he couldn't make it through the whole game. He finished with one reception on three targets for 14 yards before exiting. Njoku missed time in the beginning of the season due to an ankle injury. Now, Njoku appears to be healthy and ready to get back on the field. There is no word of him being limited, so fantasy managers should expect Njoku to be a full-go for Sunday. He should be considered a low-end TE1 for Week 6.

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Will Levis Oct 11 1:40pm CT
Will Levis

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis will make the start under center during the upcoming Week 6 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Levis has been dealing with a shoulder injury that forced him to exit early in Week 4. He appears to be good to go after the Titans bye in Week 5. Levis has struggled with six interceptions and three fumbles through four games this season. It appears the organization is sticking with him despite his early struggles. He'll get a favorable matchup against the Colts defense, but Levis still isn't anything more than a low-end QB2.

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Khalil Shakir Oct 11 1:30pm CT
Khalil Shakir

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) didn't suit up for Friday's practice, which is now the third straight day that he has sat out. Shakir is in danger of missing his second straight game, but still has a chance to practice on Saturday. Head coach Sean McDermott recently said that Shakir is day-to-day, so fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried about it. If Shakir sits, Keon Coleman would move into the No. 1 wideout role. The rookie wideout finished with one reception on five targets for 49 yards and a touchdown last week without Shakir. He figures to once again have a bigger role if Shakir is unable to play.

From RotoBaller

James Cook Oct 11 1:20pm CT
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (foot, toe) was unable to suit up for Friday's practice session. Cook hasn't been able to practice all week, which puts him on the wrong side of questionable ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the New York Jets. It's worth noting that the Bills do play on Monday, so Cook will get another chance to practice on Saturday. If he sits, Ty Johnson and Ray Davis would likely split up the workload in the backfield. Neither of them have done much of anything on the field this season. Davis has rushed 26 times for 75 yards, which is 2.9 yards per carry. Fantasy managers should consider Davis a shaky RB3 if Cook sits out.

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Jordan Mason Oct 11 1:13pm CT
Jordan Mason

Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason had 73 rushing yards, one catch, and nine receiving yards before leaving Thursday night's game with a shoulder injury. Dynasty Analysis: Mason was on his way to a big night before leaving with the ailment. It's said to be a sprained AC joint but further tests will diagnose the severity. Mason has been phenomenal in place of Christian McCaffrey, but this injury could keep him out for a bit. With McCaffrey "ramping up" his football activities and Isaac Guerendo looking sharp, the run for Mason as a temporary RB1 may be coming to its end. He's a great hold in dynasty leagues but the "sell to a contender" window may have shut.

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Jordan Mason Oct 11 1:13pm CT
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Dynasty | 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo had 99 rushing yards in a win against Seattle Thursday night. Dynasty Analysis: Much of Guerendo's damage came on a 76-yard gain that put the game away, but dynasty owners won't complain too much. The Shanahan system is historically the best for running backs and Guerendo's one cut and go style looks to fit in nicely. With Jordan Mason dealing with a shoulder injury and Christian McCaffrey still out, Guerendo could be next in line to start in nine days. He needs to be on rosters everywhere and likely should have been already.

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Brandon Aiyuk Oct 11 1:13pm CT
Brandon Aiyuk

Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had two catches for 37 yards in San Francisco's win against Seattle Thursday night. Dynasty Analysis: Aiyuk has had one strange season. After a long and frustrating holdout that culminated in a big contract, Aiyuk has one game with eight catches and 147 yards and the other four combining for just 15 catches and 204 total receiving yards. He's also failed to score a single touchdown all season. Aiyuk has been historically streaky, but this run has been a surprise considering the team's financial commitment to him and steady quarterback play. If you believe in him, this could be a time to buy in dynasty leagues.

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Brandon Aiyuk Oct 11 1:13pm CT
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Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings had just three catches for 27 yards in a win against Seattle Thursday night. Dynasty Analysis: Much like his teammate Brandon Aiyuk, Jennings has had one blow-up game (11/175/3) and four clunkers that have resulted in just 14 catches for 229 scoreless yards. Jennings is looking like a boom or bust player each week and dynasty managers are going to need to feel pretty desperate to trust him on a weekly basis at this point.

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Zach Charbonnet Oct 11 1:13pm CT
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Dynasty | Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker had 32 rushing yards, eight catches and 37 receiving yards with one touchdown in a loss against the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: The yardage totals for Walker weren't good but eight catches and a touchdown made his night a good one, at least in PPR leagues. Even better, Walker continued to dominate backfield touches as he had 22 compared to the six from Zach Charbonnet. Walker is a prime trade target for a contending dynasty team as he's become one of the more consistent running backs in the game.

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Geno Smith Oct 11 1:13pm CT
Geno Smith

Dynasty | Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf had three catches for 48 yards in a loss against the 49ers on Thursday night. Dynasty Analysis: Metcalf had 11 targets, but he and Geno Smith are just not on the same page. After three straight 100-yard games, Metcalf now has just seven catches for 103 scoreless yards over his last two games. He did have a long touchdown called back because of a penalty, but things seem to be going sour for Seattle in a hurry as they've lost three straight and seem to be losing their way a bit. Metcalf will likely bounce back but this is notable in future weeks as lineup decisions are being made.

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Geno Smith Oct 11 1:13pm CT
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Dynasty | Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith completed 30-of-52 passes for 312 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in a loss against the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: The game line looks fine, but Smith did most of his damage with the game already out of reach. Smith, now 34, has 1,778 passing yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. Considering the fact he's posted a 50/20 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the past two seasons, this is concerning. Seattle is likely not looking to Sam Howell any time soon, but a few more losses could put Geno's job on the hot seat. He looks like a fading hold in dynasty leagues at the moment and nothing more than a QB2 or bye-week fill-in at the moment.

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Nick Chubb Oct 11 1:00pm CT
Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns running backs Nick Chubb (knee) and Nyheim Hines (knee) have both been ruled out for the Week 6 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. Both Chubb and Hines opened their 21-day practice windows last week but remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list and will not make their 2024 debuts this weekend. There next chance to return will be in Week 7 versus the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals. The 28-year-old Chubb should be stashed in the majority of fantasy formats, but it's still unclear when exactly he'll return, and when he does, the Browns figure to ease him back in after he suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 2 of 2023. At least for another week, Jerome Ford will lead the Browns' backfield and will be a low-upside RB2/3 against Philly given how bad Cleveland's offense has looked in 2024.

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Tank Dell Oct 11 1:00pm CT
Tank Dell

Fantasy managers who selected Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell haven't seen much production yet, but there's some hope that could change in Week 6 with Houston at New England. The second-year pass-catcher could be in line to improve on a disappointing 71st ranking among fantasy receivers, as team-leading wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is set to miss at least the next month on injured reserve. Dell has at least four targets in every game in which he has appeared and also has carried the ball six times, however, so Houston at least seems committed to keeping him involved. He should be considered a boom-or-bust flex option with the Texans playing a decent New England pass defense.

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Stefon Diggs Oct 11 1:00pm CT
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Now that Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is on injured reserve, fellow receiver Stefon Diggs figures to be Houston's top pass-catching option ahead of a Week 6 game at New England. The 30-year-old plays a different role than Collins within the Houston offense, but an already good volume play (82% of snaps, 8.2 targets per game) could become even better in the coming weeks. Through five weeks, the Texans rank second in the NFL in passing yards per game. Even though Houston is playing a decent Patriots pass defense, Diggs deserves a starting lineup spot as a regular first read on a top passing offense.

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C.J. Stroud Oct 11 1:00pm CT
C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud faces one of the NFL's worst teams on Sunday when the Texans visit New England. There hasn't been anything resembling a sophomore slump for the second-year quarterback, who has been good if not overwhelming for fantasy managers who drafted him as an every-week starter. The Patriots, meanwhile, have been a mess. The New England offense's inability to score has put immense pressure on their defense, which is paying the price. The Patriots rank near the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed (27th), net yards per attempt (29th), pressure percentage (28th), and passer rating allowed (25th). Given the talent advantage Houston enjoys in this matchup, Stroud can be started confidently.

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Dalton Schultz Oct 11 12:50pm CT
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz is a playable option with a decent matchup in Week 6 against the New England Patriots. The 28-year-old has had a disappointing fantasy season so far, but the silver lining is that his target percentage has gone up three weeks in a row and he's still an every-down player, averaging nearly 87% of Houston snaps. Further, Houston's targets leader, receiver Nico Collins, is now on injured reserve. At this stage, fantasy managers have to be realistic with their expectations for the former Dallas Cowboy: he'll play most of the game and earn a handful of targets on a good offense, but he's dependent on touchdowns for game-changing weeks.

From RotoBaller

Zay Jones Oct 11 12:40pm CT
Zay Jones

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that wide receiver Zay Jones (hamstring) will not suit up in Week 6 at Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Jones was reinstated earlier this week after being suspended for the first five games of the season. However, the 29-year-old is nursing a hamstring injury and won't make his 2024 debut until at least Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. For now, he belongs on the waiver wire in the majority of fantasy leagues. When healthy, Jones will serve as receiver depth for the Cardinals behind rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch. He'll be battling for playing time with the likes of Zach Pascal and rookie Xavier Weaver. In just nine games with the Jaguars in 2023, Jones had 34 receptions for 321 yards and two touchdown grabs.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Oct 11 12:30pm CT
Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that quarterback Justin Fields will make another start in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders, with Russell Wilson (calf) being active on Sunday to back him up. Wilson is recovering from a calf strain that has kept him out all year to this point. He was able to finally return to full practice this week and will serve as Fields' backup on the road in Vegas this weekend. Fields hasn't been amazing as the starter under center, but he's done enough to lead the team to a winning record and has limited the turnovers. The 25-year-old has completed 67.6% of his pass attempts with five touchdowns and one interception while also rushing for 172 yards and three scores on the ground. However, he's going to need to keep playing well to hold off Wilson now that he's past his calf issues. Against the struggling Raiders this weekend, Field has QB1 upside.

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Jaylen Warren Oct 11 12:30pm CT
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (knee) logged a full practice on Friday and is on the "upswing" with his trajectory. Warren will be listed as questionable to play in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, but the Steelers are optimistic about his status. Earlier in the week, head coach Mike Tomlin considered Warren doubtful to face the Raiders, but apparently he's made good progress with his knee since then. The 25-year-old was unable to play in last week's loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. If he's able to return on Sunday on the road at Allegiant Stadium, he'll continue to mix in sparingly behind lead back Najee Harris in what is an excellent matchup. Still, fantasy managers will be hard-pressed to be excited to use Warren as a flex play given what he's done so far in 2024. He's averaging a career-low 3.9 yards per carry on just 14 rushing attempts through three games.

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