Fantasy football lineups are often decided by small edges at positions that most managers overlook. This week’s tight end matchups quietly feature a few potential difference-makers and some risky traps that could swing close contests.
Without getting into specific names or recent box scores, there are options worth trusting and others that might be better left on the bench. Stay alert to matchup trends and usage patterns, and let that guide your fantasy football decisions rather than chasing last week’s stat lines.
Start ‘Em: Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (vs. CIN)
The Buffalo Bills have sorely missed Dalton Kincaid. Josh Allen has struggled over his past two games without his starting tight end, largely because the Bills are deploying one of the least talented groups of pass catchers an elite QB has ever seen. Last week, Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis led this team’s wide receivers in snaps. That’s an unserious football team.
Kincaid got in two limited practices last week and drew a questionable tag. He appeared close to playing, but wound up being held out. With another week to recover, all signs point to Kincaid making his return this week. Naturally, the spot could not be better.
The Cincinnati Bengals are a special kind of bad at defending tight ends. They simply don’t do it. They let Isaiah Likely go for 95 yards last week. He would’ve scored had he not fumbled the ball through the end zone at the goal line.
The gap between the Bengals and the second-worst team against the tight end is a chasm. Start every tight end against this defense, especially one who is the de facto top receiving options for one of the best quarterbacks in football.
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. IND)
Another team that is generous to tight ends is the Indianapolis Colts. They allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position. They just let Dalton Schultz go 7-55 against them.
Brenton Strange has been solid since his return from IR. He’s posted games of 14.3 and 13.5 fantasy points, and he’s done it different ways. In his first game back, he was efficient with his yardage, catching all five of his targets for 93 yards. Last week, he only had three catches for 45 yards, but found the end zone for the first time this season.
The Colts are a pass-funnel defense. Parker Washington is banged up and might not play. Brian Thomas Jr. is a complete non-factor. This offense runs through Jakobi Meyers and Strange. The tight end is an easy top 12 option this week.
Sit ‘Em: Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. PHI)
Remember the days of elite TE1 Oronde Gadsden II? It’s now been four weeks and three games since he cracked double-digit fantasy points.
The talented rookie tight end caught seven passes in Weeks 6 and 7. That dropped to five in Weeks 8 and 9. Since then, he’s gone to 3…2…and 1.
Now Gadsden gets an Eagles defense allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends. But the problems don’t stop there. Three of the Los Angeles Chargers’ final four games of the fantasy season are against the top seven teams at covering the tight end.
Gadsden was elite for a month. Now, I’d argue he’s borderline droppable. He’s certainly not startable on Monday night against this defense.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (at KC)
Dalton Schultz is like the Caleb Williams of tight ends. You can predict how he will perform based on the matchup.
Against defenses soft against the tight end, Schultz produces. He just grabbed seven balls for 55 yards against the Colts, who are bottom five against the tight end. The week prior, he faced a Bills defense that ranks No. 1 against the tight end. Schultz caught one pass for eight yards.
The Chiefs allow the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Coming off a loss to the Cowboys, their margin for error is nonexistent. They have to win this game and just about every remaining game. With the Texans coming off a four-game win streak, they are primed for a letdown where everyone on the offense struggles. Leave Schultz on the bench this week.
