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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
Terry McLaurin Oct 11 5:40pm CT
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has topped double-digit PPR points in each of the past three weeks and remains a high-end WR2 in Week 6 when he faces the Baltimore Ravens. Since tallying just 39 yards in the first two games of the season, McLaurin has hit the century mark in two out of the past three games and averaged an impressive 88.0 yards with eight targets per game in this stretch. In addition, he has found the end zone twice during this span. Facing a Baltimore Ravens defense that has allowed the most points to opposing wideouts this season makes McLaurin a high-upside play in all formats and should be locked into all starting lineups.

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Taysom Hill Oct 11 5:40pm CT
Taysom Hill

New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (rib) missed practice all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 6 divisional clash on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This will be Hill's third missed game of the year and his second in a row due to fractured ribs that he suffered in the Week 4 loss to the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. The 34-year-old can do it all on the football field, but it's impossible to predict when he'll be heavily utilized when he's healthy. For now, Hill should remain on the waiver wire in most fantasy formats. When he does return, Hill could see more action out of the backfield as a passer or runner if he's able to return before quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) does. The Saints have a quick turnaround in Week 7 next Thursday against the Denver Broncos, so Hill may be fighting an uphill battle to return by then.

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Noah Brown Oct 11 5:40pm CT
Noah Brown

Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (groin) was held out of last weekend's game but is expected to return to the field this weekend and could be worth a look as a high-risk, high-upside play in DFS format. Since making his Commanders debut in Week 2, Brown has logged more snaps and ran more routes every week, highlighted by a season-high in Week 4 with 26 routes, the second-most on the team. During this stretch, Brown has caught three passes in each game. Brown logged three limited practice sessions this week and is expected to suit up this weekend. With how well Jayden Daniels has performed in the NFL, Brown's breakout performance could be right around the corner and facing one of the worst pass defenses in football could be the recipe for success.

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Cade Otton Oct 11 5:40pm CT
Cade Otton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has picked up his performance over the last few weeks. Otton started off slow with two duds, but has played better over the last two weeks. The third-year tight end has 44 receiving yards or more over each of the last three games. It's also worth noting that the Bucs could be without Rachaad White (foot), Jalen McMillan (hamstring), and Trey Palmer (concussion) for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. That means, Otton could be pushed up the pecking order with the Bucs having less options on offense. Otton has done enough lately to be a playable option as a TE2 for this Week 6 matchup.

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Zach Ertz Oct 11 5:40pm CT
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz caught a season-low two passes for ten yards last weekend but has a great opportunity to bounce-back facing the Baltimore Ravens. Even though Ertz had his worst game on the scoresheet, he saw eight targets. From Weeks 1 to 4, Ertz averaged four targets in each game with a solid 37.5 yards. With the Commanders lacking a proven No.2 option in the passing attack, Ertz should continue to remain productive every week. Facing a Ravens defense that has allowed the 26th-most points to opposing tight ends makes Ertz a low-end TE1 with upside.

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Austin Seibert Oct 11 5:40pm CT
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert has remained perfect since joining the DMV in Week 2 and has entered streaming territory heading into Week 6. Seibert's leg has not been tested outside of 50+ yards, but he has produced double-digit fantasy points in three of his four games. This weekend, their matchup against the Ravens holds the highest projected point total of the week at an incredible 51.5 which suggests that both teams will be in scoring positions often, making Seibert a safe play with upside in all standard formats.

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Tucker Kraft Oct 11 5:40pm CT
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Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (groin) popped up on the injury report with limited practices on Thursday and Friday, but is good to go for Week 6 as the Packers square off against the Cardinals. Kraft has no injury designation heading into the weekend, so he should be able to continue his excellent run of production in recent weeks. Kraft has been fantasy football's top tight end the last two weeks and had his best game of the season last week where he caught four balls for 88 yards for two touchdowns, including a 66-yard catch and run. With the Packers returning Romeo Doubs to the lineup and the possibility of Christian Watson (ankle) returning, the targets for Kraft may be more limited than in previous weeks, but Kraft will be on the field a ton (83% snap rate for the season). Fantasy managers should still start Kraft in most formats as a TE1 this week.

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Jayden Reed Oct 11 5:30pm CT
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed should be targeted plenty in the Packers' upcoming matchup in Week 6 where they'll host the Arizona Cardinals. Reed has been a big play waiting to happen for Green Bay this season and has emerged as the Packers' unquestioned top target and playmaker in their offense. With a four-catch, 78-yard effort along with 19 rushing yards last week against the Los Angeles Rams, that stat line represented his worst game of the three games with Jordan Love starting at quarterback. With other receivers returning to the lineup like Romeo Doubs and potentially Christian Watson (ankle) who is listed as questionable in the injury report, Reed's targets may shift slightly, but Reed is still in a great position heading into Week 6. He's become a must-start wide receiver for fantasy managers and should be universally started.

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Alvin Kamara Oct 11 5:30pm CT
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (hand, hip) was removed from Friday's final injury report and will play in Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kamara picked up a DNP on Wednesday but was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, Kendre Miller (hamstring) practiced in full all week and is questionable to make his season debut. The 29-year-old Kamara played a season-high 90% of the offensive snaps in last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night and remains a workhorse for this offense. Expect another heavy workload for Kamara in rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler's first career start, which makes Kamara a must-start RB1 for fantasy managers. However, with QB Derek Carr (oblique) out, the Saints' offense could struggle to move the ball effectively, which could be an overall downgrade for Kamara's upside.

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Rashid Shaheed Oct 11 5:30pm CT
Rashid Shaheed

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (hip) was removed from Friday's injury report and will be active on Sunday in Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shaheed did not practice on Wednesday but returned to limited sessions on both Thursday and Friday. The 26-year-old is in the midst of a breakout season in 2024 and enters Week 6 as the No. 14 fantasy wideout in half-PPR scoring thanks to 19 receptions for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He has had some nice chemistry on the deep ball with quarterback Derek Carr (oblique), but with Carr likely out multiple weeks, Shaheed's fantasy value could take a big tumble while taking passes from rookie QB Spencer Rattler, who will be making his first start this weekend. Shaheed should be viewed as a much more volatile WR3/flex in Week 6.

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Sterling Shepard Oct 11 5:30pm CT
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard could be asked to take on a bigger role during Sunday's matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The Bucs could be shorthanded at wideout with Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) both uncertain heading into this game. That being said, Shepard could be asked to step in and be the third receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. His best performance came in Week 3 when he hauled in three receptions for 51 yards. It's hard to imagine Shepard being a viable streaming option even if he gets the nod as the third wideout.

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Jayden Daniels Oct 11 5:30pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels looks to win his fifth straight game on Sunday as he takes on the Baltimore Ravens. After losing his first professional game, Daniels has averaged an impressive 24.2 PPR points per game with 951 total passing yards, 212 rushing yards, and six scores. The LSU standout has only turned the ball over twice and completed a remarkable 78.5% of his passes. This weekend, he faces a Baltimore defense that has allowed the 28th-most points to opposing quarterbacks. Daniels should be locked into all lineups this weekend as this game could become quite high-scoring given the projected 51.5-point total, which is the highest of the slate.

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Austin Ekeler Oct 11 5:30pm CT
Austin Ekeler

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler should be viewed as a solid flex option in PPR formats this weekend as they will face the Baltimore Ravens in what could be a very high-scoring affair. After missing Week 4 with a concussion, Ekeler looked strong in Week 5 as he ran for a season-high 67 yards on six carries. He added 30 yards on two receptions. Ekeler has seen at least two targets in every game and ran double-digit routes in three out of the four games he has played in. In addition, Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, which could further increase Ekeler's opportunities. If Robinson is unable to play, Ekeler should be viewed as a high-end RB2.

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Josh Jacobs Oct 11 5:20pm CT
Josh Jacobs

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs looks to keep his solid run going when the Packers host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Jacobs scored his first touchdown as a Packer last week and totaled 94 total yards in their win over the Rams in Week 5. Jacobs should find many more running lanes against the Cardinals, who are a bottom-six defense in EPA/rush attempt on the season. Arizona has given up at least 80 yards rushing to four running backs in the last three weeks, so Jacobs should be in line for a quality day with the safe and solid volume he gets each week. Fantasy managers should feel secure in slotting Jacobs into their lineups as a RB1 option in most weeks and that doesn't change in Week 6.

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Zamir White Oct 11 5:20pm CT
Zamir White

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (groin) is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. White missed the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Denver Broncos and is in danger of missing his second straight game. The 25-year-old was unable to practice on Wednesday or Thursday before returning to a limited session on Friday. Even if White suits up this weekend against Pittsburgh, fantasy managers should only consider him for a starting lineup spot if they are in dire straights at the RB position. He's been a huge disappointment through the first five weeks of the season, averaging a career-low 3.1 yards per carry on 49 rushing attempts (152 yards and no scores) in four games. Alexander Mattison will see the majority of backfield work for Vegas if White sits out again, putting him in play as an RB3/flex in fantasy in a tough matchup.

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Chris Godwin Oct 11 5:20pm CT
Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin has slowed down a bit since his impressive start to the season. However, Godwin has still be one of the better fantasy options at wideout this season. Last week, Godwin hauled in five of his six targets for 64 yards in the overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Godwin now has 60 yards or more in four of his first five games this season. He has also seen eight or more targets in every game, but last week's loss. The assumption is that Godwin will continue getting consistent usage especially with Mike Evans likely drawing star defensive back Marshon Lattimore. Fantasy managers should keep Godwin on the WR1 radar in PPR formats for Week 6.

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Davante Adams Oct 11 5:10pm CT
Davante Adams

The Las Vegas Raiders officially ruled out wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) for the Week 6 contest against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Adams will miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury that isn't believed to be all that serious, but at this point, the 31-year-old isn't expected to play again as he awaits to be traded before the deadline in early November. In addition to Adams being out again, wideout Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is questionable to suit up. It means that quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who is taking over the starting job from Gardner Minshew II, could be down to Tre Tucker and rookie tight end Brock Bowers as his top two receiving targets against a swarming Steelers defense. If Meyers also is inactive on Sunday, DJ Turner and Tyreik McAllister would likely start in three-receiver sets for the Raiders. Adams' fantasy managers hope a trade goes down sooner than later.

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Mike Evans Oct 11 5:10pm CT
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is coming off a strong two-touchdown performance during last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Evans already has five touchdowns as they head into their Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Normally, Evans is a strong play as a WR1, but he could run into some trouble this weekend. He'll likely draw star defensive back Marshon Lattimore which could be problematic for Evans. Despite that, Evans should still be able to find success given the high volume of targets he sees on a regular basis. Evans should still be able to carve out low-end WR1 despite a challenging matchup this weekend.

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Jordan Love Oct 11 5:10pm CT
Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is set for a great performance this week as he and the Packers host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Love has thrown multiple touchdowns in all three of his games this season and looks to parlay that into a fourth multiple-touchdown effort on Sunday. Love has a couple banged up pass-catchers in Tucker Kraft (groin) and Christian Watson (ankle) but Kraft is off the injury report and Watson is listed as questionable on the team's injury report. Still, with Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, a returning Romeo Doubs, and the Cardinals' fourth-worst defensive EPA/pass attempt opposing him, Love should be able to post quality numbers for fantasy managers. Lock Love into your lineups as a solid QB1 option in Week 6.

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Jakobi Meyers Oct 11 5:10pm CT
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is listed as questionable for the Week 6 game this Sunday at Allegiant Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Davante Adams (hamstring) has been ruled out for the third straight game, so if Meyers is also unable to gain clearance to play, the Raiders would be down to Tre Tucker, DJ Turner and Tyreik McAllister in three-receiver sets. Rookie first-round Brock Bowers should have a high target floor yet again with Adams out. Meyers missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday before putting in a limited session on Friday. If he's able to play, the 27-year-old will serve as the team's WR1 for the third straight week. In the last two games with Adams out, Meyers has caught 11 of 19 targets for 121 yards and no touchdowns. Right now, he's shaping up as a shaky WR3/flex for fantasy managers because of his questionable status, especially with Vegas' game coming in the later window on Sunday.

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