All of the usual suspects are back after the tight end position was decimated by byes last week. That being said, there are some tough matchups at the top, so I may avoid some of the premium options, especially in GPP lineups. In cash lineups, feel free to lock in safe production at the top, especially if you go cheap at running back or quarterback.
Pts | Opp Pa | Opp Ov | Opp Pa | ||||||||||||||||||||
PLAYER | Team | H/A | Opp | G | Snaps | Tgts | Tgt% | Tgt/G | Rec | Rec/G | Catch% | ReYds | ReTD | YPC | Allow | Def Rk | Def Rk | Yds/G | O/U | $Line | $FD | $DK | $FA |
Rob Gronkowski | NE | H | SEA | 6 | 289 | 30 | 12.1% | 5.0 | 22 | 3.7 | 73.3% | 484 | 3 | 22 | 5.2 | 6 | 6 | 233.9 | 49 | -360 | $8,000 | $6,900 | $5,750 |
Jordan Reed | WAS | H | MIN | 6 | 359 | 59 | 18.7% | 9.8 | 42 | 7.0 | 71.2% | 415 | 3 | 9.9 | 9.1 | 4 | 4 | 205.8 | 42 | -135 | $7,000 | $6,200 | $5,000 |
Greg Olsen | CAR | H | KC | 8 | 557 | 70 | 24.4% | 8.8 | 45 | 5.6 | 64.3% | 673 | 3 | 15 | 6.2 | 8 | 11 | 244.8 | 44 | -160 | $7,200 | $5,900 | $4,850 |
Travis Kelce | KC | A | CAR | 8 | 458 | 52 | 18.4% | 6.5 | 39 | 4.9 | 75.0% | 435 | 3 | 11 | 14.5 | 23 | 17 | 286.0 | 44 | -160 | $6,300 | $5,600 | $4,700 |
Jimmy Graham | SEA | A | NE | 8 | 373 | 54 | 20.3% | 6.8 | 38 | 4.8 | 70.4% | 545 | 3 | 14 | 6.4 | 26 | 18 | 252.5 | 49 | -360 | $6,600 | $5,300 | $4,750 |
Tyler Eifert | CIN | A | NYG | 2 | 89 | 14 | 5.0% | 7.0 | 10 | 5.0 | 71.4% | 111 | 1 | 11 | 9.9 | 10 | 9 | 277.4 | 47 | -110 | $6,100 | $5,200 | $4,900 |
Delanie Walker | TEN | H | GB | 8 | 376 | 51 | 17.7% | 6.4 | 33 | 4.1 | 64.7% | 447 | 4 | 14 | 9.7 | 16 | 7 | 250.0 | 50 | 130 | $6,200 | $4,600 | $4,750 |
Jason Witten | DAL | A | PIT | 8 | 557 | 55 | 22.2% | 6.9 | 38 | 4.8 | 69.1% | 424 | 2 | 11 | 10.4 | 18 | 19 | 276.0 | 50 | -135 | $5,400 | $4,000 | $4,400 |
Gary Barnidge | CLE | A | BAL | 10 | 570 | 54 | 15.3% | 5.4 | 37 | 3.7 | 68.5% | 434 | 0 | 12 | 5.9 | 11 | 5 | 197.9 | 45 | -450 | $4,900 | $3,900 | $4,150 |
Antonio Gates | SD | H | MIA | 7 | 292 | 48 | 14.9% | 6.9 | 26 | 3.7 | 54.2% | 227 | 4 | 8.7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 226.5 | 49 | -200 | $5,700 | $3,900 | $4,100 |
Dennis Pitta | BAL | H | CLE | 9 | 431 | 66 | 17.6% | 7.3 | 46 | 5.1 | 69.7% | 375 | 0 | 8.2 | 16.7 | 32 | 31 | 247.7 | 45 | -450 | $4,900 | $3,800 | $4,500 |
Zach Ertz | PHI | H | ATL | 6 | 329 | 28 | 10.2% | 4.7 | 23 | 3.8 | 82.1% | 247 | 0 | 11 | 10.9 | 21 | 24 | 289.6 | 50 | 110 | $4,600 | $3,700 | $4,200 |
Kyle Rudolph | MIN | A | WAS | 8 | 500 | 57 | 20.8% | 7.1 | 32 | 4.0 | 56.1% | 323 | 4 | 10 | 9.9 | 13 | 21 | 246.0 | 42 | -135 | $5,000 | $3,600 | $4,550 |
Zach Miller | CHI | A | TB | 8 | 433 | 54 | 19.0% | 6.8 | 40 | 5.0 | 74.1% | 393 | 3 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 20 | 20 | 281.0 | 46 | 110 | $5,400 | $3,600 | $4,200 |
Cameron Brate | TB | H | CHI | 8 | 380 | 42 | 13.4% | 5.3 | 28 | 3.5 | 66.7% | 291 | 4 | 10 | 6.9 | 14 | 16 | 238.1 | 46 | 110 | $5,400 | $3,500 | $4,250 |
C.J. Fiedorowicz | HOU | A | JAC | 8 | 336 | 38 | 12.9% | 4.8 | 26 | 3.3 | 68.4% | 279 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 217.6 | 42 | -130 | $5,200 | $3,500 | $3,900 |
Martellus Bennett | NE | H | SEA | 8 | 416 | 40 | 16.1% | 5.0 | 31 | 3.9 | 77.5% | 402 | 4 | 13 | 5.2 | 6 | 6 | 233.9 | 49 | -360 | $5,300 | $3,400 | $4,400 |
Coby Fleener | NO | H | DEN | 8 | 351 | 47 | 13.7% | 5.9 | 28 | 3.5 | 59.6% | 359 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 183.3 | 49 | -150 | $5,600 | $3,300 | $4,100 |
Austin Hooper | ATL | A | PHI | 9 | 157 | 17 | 5.5% | 1.9 | 14 | 1.6 | 82.4% | 241 | 2 | 17 | 5.8 | 1 | 1 | 218.4 | 50 | 110 | $4,500 | $3,100 | $3,700 |
Hunter Henry | SD | H | MIA | 8 | 336 | 33 | 10.3% | 4.1 | 22 | 2.8 | 66.7% | 340 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 226.5 | 49 | -200 | $5,400 | $3,000 | $4,250 |
Lance Kendricks | LA | A | NYJ | 8 | 468 | 52 | 18.6% | 6.5 | 32 | 4.0 | 61.5% | 331 | 1 | 10 | 10.4 | 30 | 24 | 272.2 | 40 | -125 | $4,500 | $3,000 | $4,000 |
Julius Thomas | JAC | H | HOU | 7 | 358 | 36 | 10.9% | 5.1 | 21 | 3.0 | 58.3% | 245 | 3 | 12 | 6.2 | 7 | 13 | 190.5 | 42 | -130 | $5,500 | $2,900 | $4,000 |
Virgil Green | DEN | A | NO | 6 | 226 | 22 | 7.2% | 3.7 | 16 | 2.7 | 72.7% | 187 | 0 | 12 | 10.9 | 28 | 29 | 300.0 | 49 | -150 | $4,500 | $2,900 | $4,000 |
Jacob Tamme | ATL | A | PHI | 8 | 336 | 31 | 10.0% | 3.9 | 22 | 2.8 | 71.0% | 210 | 3 | 9.5 | 5.8 | 1 | 1 | 218.4 | 50 | 110 | $5,000 | $2,800 | $4,000 |
Richard Rodgers | GB | A | TEN | 8 | 321 | 27 | 8.6% | 3.4 | 15 | 1.9 | 55.6% | 148 | 1 | 9.9 | 12.3 | 27 | 26 | 260.4 | 50 | 130 | $4,600 | $2,800 | $3,800 |
Vernon Davis | WAS | H | MIN | 8 | 295 | 26 | 8.3% | 3.3 | 23 | 2.9 | 88.5% | 316 | 1 | 14 | 9.1 | 4 | 4 | 205.8 | 42 | -135 | $4,500 | $2,700 | $4,200 |
Jesse James | PIT | H | DAL | 8 | 392 | 35 | 11.0% | 4.4 | 24 | 3.0 | 68.6% | 172 | 3 | 7.2 | 10.7 | 17 | 14 | 246.0 | 50 | -135 | $4,900 | $2,700 | $3,900 |
Vance McDonald | SF | A | ARI | 6 | 225 | 21 | 8.4% | 3.5 | 11 | 1.8 | 52.4% | 226 | 3 | 21 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 194.9 | 48 | -1000 | $4,800 | $2,700 | $3,900 |
Garrett Celek | SF | A | ARI | 8 | 287 | 29 | 11.7% | 3.6 | 16 | 2.0 | 55.2% | 215 | 0 | 13 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 194.9 | 48 | -1000 | $4,500 | $2,600 | $3,000 |
Dominique Jones | MIA | A | SD | 4 | 68 | 8 | 3.4% | 2.0 | 6 | 1.5 | 75.0% | 54 | 1 | 9 | 9.3 | 5 | 8 | 279.3 | 49 | -200 | $4,800 | $2,500 | $3,700 |
Jared Cook | GB | A | TEN | 3 | 93 | 11 | 3.5% | 3.7 | 6 | 2.0 | 54.5% | 53 | 0 | 8.8 | 12.3 | 27 | 26 | 260.4 | 50 | 130 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,700 |
Will Tye | NYG | H | CIN | 8 | 274 | 32 | 10.5% | 4.0 | 22 | 2.8 | 68.8% | 182 | 0 | 8.3 | 13.3 | 24 | 23 | 262.4 | 47 | -110 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
Larry Donnell | NYG | H | CIN | 7 | 179 | 21 | 6.9% | 3.0 | 15 | 2.1 | 71.4% | 92 | 1 | 6.1 | 13.3 | 24 | 23 | 262.4 | 47 | -110 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
Premium Options
Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins
If you can afford to pay for him, Jordan Reed is my pick to lead the position in fantasy points this week.
Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans
Walker is, for the most part, the cheapest of the elite tight end options, and that is good enough for me, especially in cash lineups. The Packers have allowed seven receptions to tight ends in each of their last two games.
Value Options
Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts
One of the reasons I have been relatively high on Coby Fleener is I believe he has elite upside. In any given week, he is capable of 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The Saints are at home and Denver’s defense hasn’t looked invincible lately, so I could see the chance for a big game.
Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots
Martellus Bennett has similar upside, and the bye week should have helped Bennett’s ankle heal, and this could be the week Bennett explodes even with Rob Gronkowski on the field. Both Bennett and Fleener are GPP plays this week.
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
Ertz may not have the upside of the other two, but he caught eight passes for 97 yards last week, and he is a near must-play on FanDuel because he is so cheap. All three
Bargain Options
Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons
Austin Hooper was in danger of being a fantasy disappointment last week before a garbage-time touchdown saved his day. That being said, he has at least 40 yards in four games this season, and he has probably earned Matt Ryan’s trust at this point.
Virgil Green, Denver Broncos
Virgil Green’s fantasy value will likely always be limited so long as Trevor Siemian, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are starting, but the match-up against the Saints is too good to ignore. Green has averaged 45 yards receiving over his last two games, and if he can match that total and fall into the end zone.