Making fantasy football lineup decisions can be incredibly frustrating or incredibly rewarding; it all depends on how often you get it correct. Here to help you make those decisions are our positional start ’em and sit ’em picks.
Fantasy decisions are more important than ever with playoff spots and playoff positioning on the line, so let’s look at our Week 14 start/sit plays for the TE position.
Which TE Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. DEN)
Over the past two weeks, Gerald Everett has been about as consistent as possible. He’s played exactly 64% of the snaps in both games, caught exactly four passes, and totaled 43 and 44 receiving yards, respectively. Two weeks ago, he even scored.
Everett should be good enough for a solid six to eight fantasy points as a floor. That’s not bad for a tight end this season, but this week, there may be an actual upside.
MORE: Week 14 Start/Sit Options — WR | RB | QB
The Denver Broncos allow 16.1 PPG to tight ends — the most in the league. Opponents know they struggle against the tight end, so they throw to the position 25.4% of the time, the third-highest rate in the league. In fact, 28.1% of the Broncos total receiving yards allowed have gone to tight ends.
With the Chargers lacking a clear second option in the passing game behind WR Keenan Allen, for at least one week, it could be Everett.
Which TE Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons (vs. TB)
It is exceedingly difficult to find a tight end to recommend sitting because, beyond the top few guys, every tight end is a viable sit every week. Kyle Pitts is a good choice because every time he has a moderately decent game, fantasy managers tend to wonder if it’s the start of a breakout. It isn’t. It never will be.
The issue is not HC Arthur Smith. The issue is not QB Desmond Ridder. Although those two don’t help. It is Pitts — he is just a middling talent at best.
This season, Pitts has just two games with double-digit fantasy points. Last week’s 4-51 effort on eight targets was likely a product of the Falcons being unable to throw to wide receivers against the New York Jets.
This week, Ridder should have no trouble finding London, thus obviating the need to force the ball to the never-open Pitts.
You probably don’t have a better tight-end option than Pitts, but if you do, Pitts is not a TE1 this week (or any week).
Trending Searches for TE Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network? It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup.
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, so we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on.
Should You Start Kyle Pitts or Cole Kmet?
You probably know where this is headed already. For me, this isn’t close. But I understand there are many fantasy managers out there who still believe that Kyle Pitts is a talented football player. Three years into his career, and I’m still waiting.
Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet has been the superior player all season. He’s got a favorable matchup against a Detroit Lions defense allowing the ninth-most PPG to tight ends. The Detroit pass defense is currently in disarray. This game could be quite high-scoring.
MORE: Fantasy News Tracker
Pitts has shown no upside whatsoever. He doesn’t get targeted near the end zone. He can’t get open. Whatever athleticism he is supposed to have is not on display when you watch him play. There is just nothing appealing about Pitts.
The Start/Sit Optimizer has Kmet projected for 8.2 fantasy points against Pitts’ 7.8. I don’t even think it’s that close. Start Kmet.
Should You Start Gerald Everett or Cade Otton?
The Start/Sit Optimizer has this quite close, with Gerald Everett projected for 7.9 fantasy points and Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Cade Otton projected for 7.7. Neither is in my top 12 tight ends for the week. If you are starting either of these guys, it is a desperation play. You are hoping for a touchdown.
Everett has the best matchup possible for tight ends against the Broncos, but Otton has the fourth-best matchup. No team has allowed a higher percentage of their receiving yards to go to tight ends than the 28.5% by the Atlanta Falcons.
If you don’t have a clear tight end to start, both of these guys are firmly in play. Given that Everett has the better matchup, the better quarterback, and lesser target competition, I would side with Everett here.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
