WR Strength of Schedule
Mon Jun 6 10:10am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Brown could have best season yet
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the wide receiver 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 wide receivers last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the wide receivers with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season.
| 2022 WR SOS | ||
| 1. | Miami Dolphins | 559.9 |
| 2. | Baltimore Ravens | 560.1 |
| 3. | New York Jets | 561.6 |
| 4. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 566.3 |
| 5. | Cleveland Browns | 573.1 |
| 6. | Kansas City Chiefs | 573.2 |
| 7. | Los Angeles Rams | 573.7 |
| 8. | Minnesota Vikings | 573.9 |
| 9. | New England Patriots | 574.1 |
| 10. | Tennessee Titans | 575.1 |
| 11. | Cincinnati Bengals | 576 |
| 12. | Arizona Cardinals | 578.5 |
| 13. | Las Vegas Raiders | 581.9 |
| 14. | Detroit Lions | 582 |
| 15. | Atlanta Falcons | 584 |
| 16. | San Francisco 49ers | 588.4 |
| 17. | Denver Broncos | 589.1 |
| 18. | Seattle Seahawks | 591.3 |
| 19. | Houston Texans | 592.1 |
| 20. | New Orleans Saints | 592.2 |
| 21. | Buffalo Bills | 592.3 |
| 22. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 592.5 |
| 23. | Chicago Bears | 592.8 |
| 24. | Los Angeles Chargers | 594.2 |
| 25. | Indianapolis Colts | 595.5 |
| 26. | Carolina Panthers | 596 |
| 27. | Green Bay Packers | 596.5 |
| 28. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 598 |
| 29. | Washington Commanders | 599.5 |
| 30. | New York Giants | 603.4 |
| 31. | Dallas Cowboys | 606.4 |
| 32. | Philadelphia Eagles | 615.8 |
A.J. Brown was traded to the Eagles and gets the benefit of the easiest fantasy schedule for receivers. He lands in a great spot for his fantasy value, moving to a team that will throw the ball more and gets a very easy schedule for his fantasy production. Things are looking up for Brown. The entire NFC East should beat up on each other through the air. The Cowboys, Giants and Commanders also are in the top-five for easiest fantasy receiver schedules. You have to love CeeDee Lamb this coming year, getting a chance to be the clear No. 1 for Dallas and an easy receiver schedule. The Jaguars are the last team that rounds out the top five for easy receiver schedules. Christian Kirk can be had pretty cheap come draft day and seems likely to lead the Jaguars in targets in year one with his new team. He might be a good late-round target for fantasy teams.
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are going to be a top duo for the Dolphins at receiver, but getting the most challenging fantasy schedule for receivers is a bit of a concern. You might want to move them down a few spots in your rankings, having some of the top cornerbacks in the game shadowing them a lot of weeks. Many have high hopes of Rashod Bateman as the new No. 1 for the Ravens, but you might want to temper those a little, having the second toughest fantasy schedule for receivers. The Jets, Steelers, Browns, Chiefs and Rams are in the top 10 for difficult receiver schedules. There are some players with high ceilings on these teams, but might have a harder time reaching those than first thought. One guy that you have to wonder about some is Cooper Kupp. Can he possibly repeat or come close to one of the greatest seasons ever for a receiver?
Take a close look at this entire ranking when figuring out your fantasy rankings for the coming season.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy wide receivers. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Weeks 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the wide receivers with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.
| 2022 WR PLAYOFF SOS | ||
| 1. | Miami Dolphins | 499.9 |
| 2. | Cincinnati Bengals | 513.4 |
| 3. | Chicago Bears | 524 |
| 4. | Los Angeles Rams | 539.3 |
| 5. | New York Jets | 549.6 |
| 6. | Kansas City Chiefs | 563.4 |
| 7. | Baltimore Ravens | 565.5 |
| 8. | Arizona Cardinals | 566 |
| 9. | New Orleans Saints | 566.5 |
| 10. | Las Vegas Raiders | 569.4 |
| 11. | Carolina Panthers | 575 |
| 12. | Seattle Seahawks | 578.9 |
| 13. | San Francisco 49ers | 581.5 |
| 14. | Buffalo Bills | 582.8 |
| 15. | Washington Commanders | 583 |
| 16. | Tennessee Titans | 583.6 |
| 17. | Philadelphia Eagles | 586.7 |
| 18. | New England Patriots | 589.1 |
| 19. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 592.5 |
| 20. | Minnesota Vikings | 597.1 |
| 21. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 597.4 |
| 22. | Detroit Lions | 603.6 |
| 23. | Atlanta Falcons | 603.8 |
| 24. | Indianapolis Colts | 605.1 |
| 25. | Dallas Cowboys | 605.7 |
| 26. | Cleveland Browns | 616.9 |
| 27. | New York Giants | 617.2 |
| 28. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 621.2 |
| 29. | Denver Broncos | 621.4 |
| 30. | Houston Texans | 631.3 |
| 31. | Green Bay Packers | 632.3 |
| 32. | Los Angeles Chargers | 632.9 |
Some big name-receivers have favorable playoffs schedules, including Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Brandin Cooks and Courtland Sutton. When you are in big-game contests, getting a quarterback/receiver combo can be a great move come draft day. Having those big combos during the playoffs can be difference makers in fantasy championships.
Miami is at the top of the receiver list for both the regular season and playoffs. Again, this is a concern for fantasy teams. It is tough to ignore Tyreek Hill come draft day, but it might be a good idea this year. The Bengals are another team with a challenging playoff schedule for receivers. Cincinnati was huge in the fantasy playoffs last year, but a repeat performance might be tough. The Bears, Rams and Jets round out the top five toughest fantasy receiver playoffs schedules.
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 jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
The NFL and NFL Players Association have been involved in active settlement negotiations over the past few days in the disciplinary matter for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly. It's unknown if a compromise will be reached before NFL designee Peter C. Harvey issues a ruling on the league's appeal of Watson's six-game suspension levied by NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson. Sources have expressed optimism that a deal will get worked out, likely because a potentially significant discipline is expected to be handed down by Harvey. "Harvey could drop the hammer on Watson," a source said. "That's why a settlement is a better outcome, even if it's more than six games and includes a multi-million dollar fine." Watson will be facing at least a six-game suspension and likely more, dropping his fantasy value significantly entering the 2022 season. Stay tuned for more.
From RotoBaller
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From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns have claimed wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. off waivers from the New Orleans Saints. The 25-year-old was reportedly having a good camp with the Saints. Despite that, the team has decided to move on from the former Washington State Huskies wideout. The Browns are in need of another receiver with Jakeem Grant Sr. (Achilles) done for the season. Possibly, Winston makes the team as a special teams player. It's unlikely Winston gets significant snaps on offense unless multiple injuries happen. He can be ignored in fantasy formats right now.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock has tested positive for COVID-19. That being said, Lock will sit out Thursday's preseason matchup against the Chicago Bears. This is bad timing considering Lock was named the starting quarterback for that game earlier in the day. Now, Geno Smith is expected to make the start and has a chance to distance himself in the quarterback competition. Regardless of who wins this battle, it's tough to imagine either quarterback having weekly fantasy value.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (hernia) was unavailable for Tuesday's practice. Head coach Pete Carroll mentioned that Walker is working through a hernia issue. It's unknown whether or not Walker is going to sit out Thursday's preseason matchup against the Chicago Bears. Right now, the organization is considering this injury minor, so fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried. The expectation is that he'll split up the carries with Rashaad Penny to begin the season.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Demarcus Robinson has been released by the organization. The 27-year-old spent his first six seasons in the league with the Kansas City Chiefs. He joined the Raiders this offseason and was reportedly in the mix for the WR3 job. Now, it sounds like the Raiders have decided to move in another direction without Robinson. There should be some potential suitors out there for Robinson. He did fairly well in limited playing time with the Chiefs. Despite that, it's unlikely he'll find a landing spot where he has weekly fantasy value.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock is scheduled to make the start under center for Thursday's preseason game. Geno Smith started the first contest, so this appears to be a legitimate competition. Head coach Pete Carroll mentioned this was the plan all along for the two quarterbacks to compete during training camp. Lock has been lackluster during his first three seasons in the league. It's hard to imagine either quarterback having more value than a low-end QB2 most weeks.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (groin) returned to the practice field on Tuesday. He missed the first preseason game and a few practices due to a minor groin issue, There's a chance that the 26-year-old does not suit up at all during the preseason. Despite that, Penny should still be safe to draft with him likely starting in Week 1. Although, Kenneth Walker III should see plenty of carries as well. These two should form a committee in the Seattle backfield, which could make their fantasy value difficult to analyze right away.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots defensive back Malcolm Butler (undisclosed) has been placed on the injured reserve. The 32-year-old will see his season end before it even begins. Joejuan Williams (shoulder) will also be placed on the injured reserve, so the Patriots are out two defensive backs. Butler was attempting a comeback after not being in the league during the 2021 season. Honestly, Terrance Mitchell and Jack Jones were looking like better options than Butler anyway. This will somewhat hurt the Patriots secondary, but fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned about the Patriots defense declining without them.
From RotoBaller
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From TheHuddle
Las Vegas Raiders WR Demarcus Robinson and DT Vernon Butler were released Tuesday, Aug. 16.
From TheHuddle
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Fantasy Spin: Winston will be the starting quarterback this season, so the team can be cautious with him. He has played well in the past and will have good receivers to work with in the passing game. He likely will be a No. 2 quarterback in fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
Miami Dolphins CB Byron Jones (Achilles) hopefully will be ready for Week 1, but he will not return to the field until he is completely healthy, according to head coach Mike McDaniel.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns DT Sheldon Day was released Tuesday, Aug. 16. The team also waived/injured OT Elijah Nkansah (undisclosed).
From TheHuddle
Buffalo Bills LB Marquel Lee and CB Tim Harris were released Tuesday, Aug. 16.
From TheHuddle
New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley 'has looked the best he has in years,' according to ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan. Per Raanan, 'his workload will be huge ... as long as he is healthy.'
Fantasy Spin: Workload has rarely ever been a concern for Barkley when he has been active, but his ability to stay on the field has in recent years. With that said, Barkley is two years removed from his ACL injury and completely over last year's fluky ankle sprain, so he may be in his best spot to deliver for his fantasy managers since his rookie year - especially if Raanan ends up being correct about the strength of the Giants' offensive line is its run-blocking. Barkley has legitimate overall RB1 upside this season.
From TheHuddle
The San Francisco 49ers released defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche on Tuesday. Nkemdiche was only with the team for three weeks before being shown the door at training camp. The 27-year-old will try to latch on with another organization before the start of the regular season. Nkemdiche was originally a first-round selection by the Arizona Cardinals in 2016 out of the University of Mississippi. He played in nine games for the Seattle Seahawks last year, recording 15 tackles (seven solo) and a pass defensed. In his five-year NFL career, Nkemdiche has racked up 59 tackles (33 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 11 QB hits, 4.5 sacks, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for a touchdown in 38 games (six starts).
From RotoBaller
The Tennessee Titans claimed defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday, according to a source. The Chiefs waived Johnson on Monday, but he'll quickly latch on with the Titans. Kansas City acquired the 26-year-old cornerback from the Houston Texans in May for a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick. The 26-year-old former second-round pick in 2019 had 55 tackles (38 solo), three interceptions and six passes defensed in 14 games (seven starts) in 2021 in his third year in Houston. Johnson will provide Tennessee with defensive back depth heading into the 2022 regular season.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson's arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday was deemed a success, according to a source. There were no surprises from the original diagnosis. The Jets won't put Wilson back on the field until he's 100 percent healthy. There was a chance that the 23-year-old needed a full meniscus repair, which could have kept him out for the entire season, but instead he only needed a meniscus trim. He could be back on the field in two to four weeks and be ready for the regular season, but fantasy managers shouldn't get their hopes up. San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo remains available in a trade, but the Jets don't appear intent on making a move. They have confidence that veteran Joe Flacco can fill in under center until Wilson is ready to return.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans RB Jordan Wilkins, DB Deante Burton, DL Haskell Garrett, WR Joshua Malone and OL Carson Green were waived Tuesday, Aug. 16.
From TheHuddle
