We’re gearing up for Week 7 of fantasy football action, and with that, there are lots of questions about who to start and who to sit. Below, we’ve provided analysis for every fantasy-relevant tight end in every game this weekend.
If you’re looking for all positions, head to our Week 7 Fantasy Football Start-Sit Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Brock Bowers, TE | LV (at LAR)
It was only one game, but the early returns of Bowers in the Aidan O’Connell version of this offense (9-71-0) were certainly encouraging against one of the best defenses in the league.
As it turns out, you can’t really hide talent.
This wasn’t the first high-usage game for Bowers, but his 90 air yards were 23 more than any other game this season. The raw physical abilities are no secret, and he proved last week that he can shake free, even without much in the way of support (Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers both sat).
He gets to face the fourth-worst scoring defense in the league this week, and that plays into my ranking of him as TE3. But it should mean nothing to you — you’re playing him every single week and embracing the discount you got on him in August.
Dallas Goedert, TE | PHI (at NYG)
Goedert went down with a hamstring injury on Sunday before recording a single catch, burning every manager who was playing him with confidence after catching 17 of 19 targets over his previous two games.
The return of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith was going to eat into his work, but we are stuck in limbo at the moment, not knowing if there is enough of a role in this offense. With Saquon Barkley also running hard, can Goedert’s fantasy stock survive?
On one hand, his 30.6% target rate with both star receivers banged up shows that Jalen Hurts isn’t shy to pepper his tight end. On the other hand, his target rate has been well under 20% in each of the past two seasons.
Hamstrings have been costing pass catchers extended amounts of time this season, further complicating this situation. Goedert won’t play in Week 7 — be sure to keep an eye on this moving forward.
Dalton Kincaid, TE | BUF (vs. TEN)
I’m still not sure the Bills know how to best utilize Kincaid. But their willingness to explore different options is strong for his long-term outlook, though it has come with some ups and downs.
- Week 2 at Dolphins: -2.0-yard aDOT
- Week 3 vs. Jaguars: 12.2-yard aDOT
- Week 4 at Ravens: 6.7-yard aDOT
- Week 5 at Texans: 16.8-yard aDOT
- Week 6 at Jets: 3.4-yard aDOT
His ability to intrigue them at all three levels, I believe, will allow him to eventually unlock some pretty special upside. We just aren’t there yet.
But maybe we will be in Week 7?
The Titans create pressure at the second-lowest rate in the NFL, and Kincaid has vacuumed in at least a quarter of Josh Allen’s targets when not pressured in four straight games. You’re playing him if you roster him weekly, and I think you get rewarded for that loyalty with maybe his best week of the season to date.
Dalton Schultz, TE | HOU (at GB)
Schultz saw a then-season-high six targets in Week 5 against the Bills, a game in which Nico Collins left early. Then, he saw eight passes directed his way last week with Houston’s WR1 beginning his four-game stay on injured reserve. Coincidence?
I think not.
His on-field target share has increased each week this season, and while he won’t blow you away with the big gain, I’m not sure he has to against a Packers defense that is fifth-worst on a yards-per-attempt basis against the short pass. Schultz’s target plot is — well, it’s consistent:
If Schultz can earn 6-8 targets in this protected shootout, I like his chances at returning top-15 value at the position and potentially more. His four-catch, 27-yard game last week is considered a dud by most. But if he catches two more of those targets for 20 yards, he’s pushing for a TE1 finish.
Remember that you have to adjust your expectations for “viable” TE production. Once you do that, this situation and matchup put Houston’s chain-mover in the discussion for best streamers of the week.
David Njoku, TE | CLE (vs. CIN)
Few things are viable in Cleveland these days (I like Donovan Mitchell if you’re venturing off into the fantasy hoops world), but Njoku showed signs of being a decent weekly option. Against the Eagles, he was on the field for 73.6% of the snaps and was featured near the line of scrimmage. I’m going to say it a few hundred times this season and maybe a dozen within this article — those boring looks are all we want at tight end.
In high-volume receivers, I want to have access to those splash plays. But at TE, if I can get what Njoku did last week (catch five of seven shallow targets), I’ll happily take my chances.
His “big” play was a fourth-down reception in the second quarter, showing us that Deshaun Watson trusts him as much as any of his options. In a matchup like this, where a ceiling performance from the offense is possible given the opponent, Njoku is a top-10 play for me.
We can discuss his value should Watson be replaced at some point, but as gross as it may feel to invest in this offense, if you have Njoku, you have it better than a few of your league-mates.
Evan Engram, TE | JAX (vs. NE)
There’s a return to action — and then there’s what Engram did in London last week. After sitting out four straight games due to an injury suffered in warmups ahead of Week 2, Engram turned a 61.7% snap share into 10 catches on 10 targets (his seventh game with double-digit receptions) and 102 yards (his sixth 100-yard game of his career).
No big deal. He was targeted on 31.3% of his routes (2023: 23.4%), and that rate jumped to 40% on first downs. Lawrence clearly was happy to have his most reliable weapon back (all other Jaguars: 52% catch rate in Week 6), and fantasy managers should rejoice that we’ve added a lineup lock to a position that lacks such options.
I will caution daily players — assuming that future players returning to action will be thrust into such a role is dangerous at best (and more likely reckless). I can’t imagine that T.J. Hockenson’s recovery plan mirrors that of Engram, so use this as a nice data point for Jacksonville’s TE, not one that is broadly predictive.
George Kittle, TE | SF (vs. KC)
With a touchdown in four straight games and a 25+ yard grab in three of five, Kittle is giving managers Grade-A production that is magnified due to the underwhelming nature of the TE position league-wide. Of course, I don’t think we get this sort of weekly production for the remainder of the season, but nothing he is doing when looking underneath the hood looks unsustainable.
Kittle, 2024 rates vs. career rates:
- aDOT: 7.7 vs. 7.9
- On-field target share: 21.3% vs. 21.1%
- Targets per game: 7.0 vs. 6.5
I love the fact that he has already matched his end-zone target count from a season ago and that his third-down target share is up nine full percentage points. A historic season isn’t something I’m expecting, but Kittle is the clear front-runner for TE1 honors this season — I’m not fighting that.
In theory, selling him is viable. But that likely puts you in the TE streamer world, and I wouldn’t wish that upon my worst enemy. Understand that some valleys will come as this offense rounds into full form, but I’d generally embrace the ride.
Hunter Henry, TE | NE (vs. JAX)
Henry saw his most targets in a game since Week 2 and caught his first touchdown of the season in Drake Maye’s starting debut. His slot rate is up for a second consecutive season (40.4% through six weeks this season, 35.3% a season ago). That puts him in a position to soak up efficient targets in an offense that might have a touch of upside moving forward.
My concern here is the replication of skills. DeMario Douglas is valuable close to the line of scrimmage and so are the running backs on this roster, leaving Henry, for now, as more risk than reward when I stack up the position. I like his role potential more than Dalton Schultz or Zach Ertz moving forward. But with those two possessing so much more scoring equity due to the potency of their offenses, I need more than a single Maye Day for me to rank Henry as a viable option every week.
Isaiah Likely, TE | BAL (at TB)
Likely has seen three end-zone targets over the past two weeks after not seeing one for three straight games. That naturally brings some upside into focus at a position where a touchdown — of any length — makes you a startable option.
There’s no question that Likely is the tight end in Baltimore with the most juice, which is why his aDOT is 26.2% lower than that of Mark Andrews. Todd Monken wants to get Likely the ball in space if at all possible.
I understand that it was Andrews last week who got the touchdown and, thus, paid off while Likely struggled (2-27-0). But with the Bucs allowing a league-high 21 short completions per game, I have Likely ranked over Andrews this week and just inside of my top 15.
Kyle Pitts, TE | ATL (vs. SEA)
After what qualified as a breakout Week 5 against the Bucs (7-88-0), Pitts saved your bacon with a 52-yard catch in Week 6. He was otherwise unproductive in the blowout win over the Panthers, finishing with three catches and 70 yards.
On the bright side, we have consecutive weeks with an improved target share and, for the fourth time in six weeks, he was targeted in the end zone. In less optimistic news, the Seahawks have held Travis Kelce, Pat Freiermuth, and Dallas Goedert under 40 receiving yards each and no more than seven fantasy points this season.
Pitts resides in the Pitts Zone. That is, he’s ranked on the fringes of the top 10, just high enough to not have a better option but not high enough to feel confident about.
This is the life we chose when signing up for another year of chasing his physical upside. Is he the tight end version of Anthony Richardson (Jonnu Smith was pseudo-Joe Flacco last season)?
Mark Andrews, TE | BAL (at TB)
Andrews caught his first touchdown pass of the season against the Commanders and now has consecutive games with a reception gaining at least 27 yards. Still, I’d be careful about assuming that he’s been unlocked.
His route and target counts were identical to that of Isaiah Likely last week, and if Jackson connects with Likely on an end-zone target, Andrews’ touchdown never occurs. His 38-yard gain was more of what the Commanders didn’t do than anything designed up for Andrews, making me no more confident in the veteran today than I was this time last week.
His name remains more viable than his role, and I’m sticking with Likely as the preferred option in Baltimore, though neither is even close to a safe option.
Mike Gesicki, TE | CIN (at CLE)
After being reasonably involved early in the season, Gesicki is no longer a part of this offense. He’s earned just three targets over the past three weeks, seeing his on-field target share shrink from 29.5% through the first three weeks to a microscopic 5.5% since.
Gesicki’s profile is one that fantasy managers should be targeting, as he is a receiver hiding in a tight end’s body. But the skill set doesn’t matter if he’s sitting on the pine. There’s a world in which an injury to one of the receivers on this team thrusts their tight end back onto our radar, but for the time being, that’s not the case. He can be cut loose without a second thought.
Pat Freiermuth, TE | PIT (vs. NYJ)
As the Justin Fields efficiency thing from earlier this season continues to evaporate, the stability of his pass catchers is naturally going with it. Freiermuth has remained effective with his looks (84.6% catch rate), but the target share is plummeting to a point where it’s going to be difficult to justify rostering him.
On-field target share:
- Weeks 1-2: 18.6%
- Weeks 3-4: 18.2%
- Weeks 5-6: 11.3%
Freiermuth’s profile was always going to be fragile, and it appears that the bubble has burst. I reserve the right to buy stock if Pittsburgh hands over the keys to Russell Wilson, but I have no desire to go this direction against a Jets defense that is the best in the league by YPA in defending short passes.
Sam LaPorta, TE | DET (at MIN)
The 52-yard touchdown was a thing of beauty, that much we know.
But am I the only one the least bit concerned that it was the only target LaPorta earned all day (19 routes run)? The route count has been suppressed of late due to Detroit’s efficiency and thus desire to run the ball (bottom-10 pass rate over expectation as it is, and the expectation has been low as a result of playing with leads). But in Weeks 3-4, he saw a look once every 5.8 routes.
FLEA FLICKER TO LA PORTA! TOUCHDOWN @Lions!
📺: #DETvsDAL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/qrPoPtCmo4— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
During the beatdown of Dallas on Sunday, five Lions saw at least three targets. Now, some of that was due to the one-sided nature of the game. However, if this offense isn’t carving out ways to get their tight end the ball and they are going to continue to operate as a run-heavy offense, isn’t the floor worth considering?
The targets should be there with time, but I have my concerns about this matchup. Both of these teams operate at a below-average pace — any game with reduced possessions is naturally going to introduce a downside. The aggressive Vikings defense is as happy to bring extra defenders as anyone, and while that seems like a spot for LaPorta to thrive, it hasn’t been. This season, Jameson Williams has an on-field 27.5% target share when Jared Goff is blitzed, while Amon-Ra St. Brown’s rate checks in at 22.5% and LaPorta’s at 15.2%.
I’m hopeful that we get a usage rebound sooner rather than later, but for the time being, I’m fading Detroit’s tight end in DFS play.
T.J. Hockenson, TE | MIN (vs. DET)
The Vikings opened up a roster spot late last week with the presumption they’d welcome their starting tight end back into the fold. It’s impossible to know what their exact plan will be for Hockenson, less than 10 months removed from the injury. But with a 5-0 record, it stands to reason that they could operate with caution for the short term.
The counter to that argument would be that they scheme up safe routes for him as opposed to high-risk routes and/or blocking, usage that would be just fine for our purposes. He has caught at least four passes for 50 yards in 11 straight games, and while those may feel like low thresholds, those 9.0 PPR points would be TE11 on a per-game basis this season.
Give him one more catch and don’t even worry about adding yards — we are talking about the TE6. There is certainly risk involved in starting Hockenson in his season debut, but there is risk in starting just about anyone with a “TE” designation these days. If you’ve waited through six weeks and have been streaming the position, I think you’re clear to start him once the Vikings make it official that he will be active.
Travis Kelce, TE | KC (at SF)
It took a month, but Kelce is right back to holding down the top spot in the tight end rankings and that is likely to be the case for the foreseeable future. As expected, his role has spiked following the Rashee Rice injury and he’s back to dominating.
- Weeks 1-3: 0.78 yards per route run
- Weeks 4-5: 2.27 yards per route run
Kelce has been a top-five performer at the position in both of those games (TE15 or worse in each of the first three weeks this season) and offers the best blend of ceiling and floor moving forward.
If you withstood the early struggles, it’s your time to thrive.
Trey McBride TE | ARI (vs. LAC)
McBride hasn’t found paydirt this season. He has just one TD in his past nine games, but it’s only a matter of time.
Longest streaks with 6+ targets in the past decade among TEs:
- 24: Travis Kelce (twice)
- 20: Kelce
- 18: Mark Andrews
- 16: Evan Engram
- 13: McBride (active)
McBride’s aDOT is up 27.4% from last season, and with the target share remaining stable, his path to TE1 overall honors this season is very much within the range of outcomes.
Tyler Conklin, TE | NYJ (at PIT)
Conklin’s snap rate is at a career-high, and while the production is hit-and-miss, being on the field is a good place to start. The Steelers are as stingy a defense as there is, but that doesn’t mean they shut down the chain-moving tight end.
Brock Bowers and Jake Ferguson are a tier above Conklin, though it is worth noting that the tandem combined for 29.1 PPR fantasy points and caught 15 of 17 targets. Conklin isn’t going to be featured by the Jets or the Steelers — and that might be good enough for him to grind out a double-digit PPR point total.
Tucker Kraft, TE | GB (vs. HOU)
If you missed out on the good Kraft games (Weeks 4-5) only to play him with confidence against the vulnerable Cardinals last week (2-13-0), I feel for you. The fact of the matter is that you played the percentages and had a good process, you just got “tight end-ed.”
It happens to all of us.
Better times should be ahead, as Kraft has been on the field for over 80% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps in three straight games and carries a 3.1 aDOT — a role that, in theory, comes with an elevated floor. The plethora of Packer pass catchers is a projectable problem, but with a few nagging injuries cropping up, you’re safe to trust the process and plug him in again. He’s my TE9.
Zach Ertz, TE | WAS (vs. CAR)
Ertz’s on-field target share has been all over the place this season, a nod to Jayden Daniels’ willingness to spread the ball around — good for Washington, awful for us.
On-field target shares:
- Week 3 at Bengals: 19.2%
- Week 4 at Cardinals: 9.7%
- Week 5 vs. Browns: 29.6%
- Week 6 at Ravens: 14.3%
I think you’re asking for too much if you want Ertz to be a consistent producer, as he more profiles as a streaming option that you hope to evaluate correctly in this potent offense.
We could see consecutive usable weeks from the veteran, as this team is flirting with an implied total of 30 points, and the Panthers allow the highest passer rating on short passes (108.9). Ertz is capable of running down the field, but a handful of short completions would be enough to justify starting him given the scoring equity that comes preloaded in this matchup.