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The success of a fantasy player has a lot that goes into it: overall skill, injury history, surrounding cast, coaching, etc. I am of firm belief more and more over the last few years that strength of schedule plays a significant role in how well a team and an individual fantasy football player performs.
This year I am digging into each position’s strength of schedule to see where there might be opportunity hidden underneath a rock. Below, you will see the WR Strength of Schedule rankings. The methodology for this was taking opposing team’s receiving yards, receiving 20+ yards, and receiving TDs allowed—in QB rankings I ran it on sum of rank, but I’m adjusting to sum of yards and TDs going forward. I ran that against each team’s schedule to come up with the easiest and toughest schedule for each team’s receiver schedule.
The Good
It will be a favorable season for the...
- Bills (facing off against Falcons, Jets x2, Dolphins x2, Titans, and Jaguars...all among the 10 worst in receiving yards allowed), and the
- Patriots (Falcons, Dolphins x2, Jaguars, Jets x2, and Titans...all bad in receiving yards for defense).
Favorable schedules for Receiving TDs are:
- Patriots (Browns, Falcons, Jets, Jaguars and Titans)
- Broncos (Bengals, Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets, Lions were bottom 10, just barely past bottom 10 are Chiefs and Chargers who they get 2 apiece from)
The Bad
A difficult season is ahead in receiving yards for the...
- Bears (facing off against 49ers, Ravens, Steelers and Packers x2...top 10 in fewest receiving yards allowed, and the Giants shut down long balls as do the Buccaneers)
- Seahawks (49ers x2, Packers, Rams who are elite x2, Steelers and Washington Football Team)
A difficult path in receiving TDs is ahead for the...
- Bears (49ers, Steelers, Packers x2, Browns, Giants, and Ravens...all top 10 receiving defenses)
- Raiders (Broncos, Browns, Dophins, Giants, Ravens, Steelers and Washington Football Team)
In a Nutshell
The schedule this year favors: Stefon Diggs, Nelson Agholor, Deebo Samuel
The schedule this year hurts: Allen Robinson II, Tyreek Hill, DK Metcalf
Strength of Schedule - Wide Receivers
Row Labels | Sum of Receiving Yds | Sum of 20+ Receiving Yards | Sum of Receiving TD | Receiving Receiving Yds (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) | Receiving 20+ Receiving Yds (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) | Receiving Receiving TD (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) | Avg Receiving (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Row Labels | Sum of Receiving Yds | Sum of 20+ Receiving Yards | Sum of Receiving TD | Receiving Receiving Yds (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) | Receiving 20+ Receiving Yds (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) | Receiving Receiving TD (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) | Avg Receiving (1 most favorable; 32nd least favorable) |
Bills | 74015 | 904 | 486 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Patriots | 71966 | 869 | 493 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
49ers | 71423 | 881 | 468 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 6 |
Steelers | 70163 | 867 | 478 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 8 |
Panthers | 70618 | 864 | 472 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 |
Saints | 71804 | 852 | 468 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
Jaguars | 71362 | 884 | 458 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 9 |
Dolphins | 71184 | 838 | 473 | 7 | 21 | 6 | 11 |
Jets | 70614 | 887 | 455 | 10 | 2 | 23 | 12 |
Packers | 68193 | 869 | 468 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 13 |
Colts | 71263 | 834 | 470 | 6 | 26 | 9 | 14 |
Texans | 70370 | 845 | 467 | 11 | 16 | 14 | 14 |
Rams | 70947 | 845 | 459 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 14 |
Cardinals | 69663 | 850 | 466 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 |
Eagles | 68685 | 838 | 477 | 18 | 21 | 5 | 15 |
Broncos | 68651 | 833 | 489 | 19 | 27 | 2 | 16 |
Ravens | 68086 | 873 | 458 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 16 |
Washington Football Team | 69819 | 844 | 461 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Bengals | 68360 | 835 | 469 | 20 | 23 | 10 | 18 |
Falcons | 68890 | 831 | 471 | 17 | 28 | 8 | 18 |
Buccaneers | 68970 | 848 | 453 | 16 | 15 | 24 | 18 |
Browns | 67349 | 853 | 456 | 29 | 11 | 21 | 20 |
Chargers | 68043 | 858 | 449 | 25 | 10 | 26 | 20 |
Titans | 69092 | 844 | 446 | 15 | 18 | 28 | 20 |
Lions | 68282 | 851 | 442 | 22 | 13 | 30 | 22 |
Vikings | 67684 | 827 | 467 | 26 | 29 | 14 | 23 |
Giants | 67508 | 835 | 456 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 24 |
Cowboys | 68353 | 835 | 444 | 21 | 23 | 29 | 24 |
Raiders | 66916 | 843 | 442 | 30 | 20 | 30 | 27 |
Chiefs | 67555 | 813 | 449 | 27 | 31 | 26 | 28 |
Seahawks | 66517 | 816 | 450 | 31 | 30 | 25 | 29 |
Bears | 66162 | 811 | 442 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 31 |