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2021 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule Analysis: Wide Receivers

Buy low on Nelson Agholor this season!

NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

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...

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