As recently as two weeks ago I recommended using a tight end at your flex position. That seems like a distant memory. It used to be you could at least count on the premium options for cash games, but it is nearly impossible to find any tight ends you can feel great about for Week 14. The best DFS strategy is probably to pick a value option with some upside and hope he finds the end zone, since the value options are only slightly riskier than the premium options this week.

               Opp PtsOpp PaOpp OvOpp Pa     
PlayerTmH/AOppGSnapsTarTar%Tar/GRecRec/GCatch%ReYdsReTDYPCAllowDef RkDef RkYds/GO/U$Line$FD$DK$FA
Tyler EifertCINACLE6249388.9%6.3233.860.5%337314.712.63132259.442.5190$6700$6000$4900
Jordan ReedWASAPHI95028117.4%9.0596.672.8%630510.75.544266.746.5110$7500$5900$5100
Jimmy GrahamSEAAGB125537019.1%5.8514.372.9%706413.811.02218277.446140$6600$5500$4950
Greg OlsenCARHSD127579023.4%7.5584.864.4%790313.68.389295.649-125$6400$5000$4600
Zach ErtzPHIHWAS105136714.9%6.7474.770.1%45229.610.72023278.546.5110$5700$4900$4350
Delanie WalkerTENHDEN115257219.3%6.5494.568.1%657613.48.311210.243.5-120$6200$4400$4700
Martellus BennettNEHBAL125915814.0%4.8443.775.9%544412.47.252242.545.5-300$5600$4200$4600
Cameron BrateTBHNO125286614.9%5.5473.971.2%528611.29.5262530251.5-145$5600$4100$4600
Kyle RudolphMINAJAC126629021.2%7.5544.560.0%51359.57.21010213.539145$5500$4000$4400
C.J. FiedorowiczHOUAIND124926815.8%5.7453.866.2%473310.510.02930298.246.5-275$5100$3900$4100
Ladarius GreenPITABUF434204.4%5.0112.855.0%207118.86.82121251.446.5130$5800$3900$4300
Antonio GatesSDACAR103506114.6%6.1343.455.7%32759.612.91814301.949-125$5200$3800$3900
Eric EbronDETHCHI94385513.0%6.1394.370.9%489112.58.21516240.443.5-330$6000$3800$4200
Coby FleenerNOATB124426513.2%5.4423.564.6%547313.08.5912272.651.5-145$5300$3700$4200
Dennis PittaBALANE125838717.7%7.3615.170.1%52928.77.12519265.145.5-300$4900$3600$4350
Vernon DavisWASAPHI12412439.3%3.6363.083.7%497213.85.544266.746.5110$4800$3500$4300
Gary BarnidgeCLEHCIN127276314.5%5.3403.363.5%468111.711.21720273.842.5190$4500$3300$3800
Jason WittenDALANYG127467320.5%6.1524.371.2%553210.69.977289.547.5170$5100$3100$4200
Vance McDonaldSFHNYJ103734512.2%4.5242.453.3%391416.310.93227288.544-145$4700$3000$4300
Hunter HenrySDACAR11390399.3%3.5272.569.2%385514.312.91814301.949-125$5500$2900$4000
Lance KendricksLAHATL126137318.2%6.1433.658.9%433210.111.42328306.445230$4800$2800$3800
Julius ThomasJACHMIN94535110.6%5.7303.358.8%28149.47.626218.139145$5100$2800$3800
Will TyeNYGHDAL124345111.3%4.3332.864.7%28118.510.42726301.447.5170$4500$2800$3500
Jared CookGBHSEA6168285.8%4.7162.757.1%184111.56.86525246140$4800$2700$4000
Jack DoyleINDHHOU125145312.3%4.4433.681.1%441410.36.81413227.446.5-275$4500$2700$3800
Charles ClayBUFHPIT116165716.8%5.2363.363.2%32309.08.7118279.646.5130$4500$2600$3700
Dwayne AllenINDHHOU10419419.5%4.1282.868.3%328511.76.81413227.446.5-275$4800$2600$4000
Richard RodgersGBHSEA12433418.5%3.4252.161.0%21918.86.86525246140$4500$2600$3700
Ryan GriffinHOUAIND123315813.5%4.8383.265.5%32428.510.02930298.246.5-275$4500$2500$3000
Jesse JamesPITABUF125534810.5%4.0322.766.7%26838.46.82121251.446.5130$4500$2500$3500
C.J. UzomahCINACLE8276296.8%3.6172.158.6%193011.412.63132259.442.5190$4500$2500$3350
Jermaine GreshamARIAMIA12509438.7%3.6272.362.8%26429.811.41317264.843.5110$4500$2500$3750
Trey BurtonPHIHWAS11150378.2%3.4222.059.5%21819.910.72023278.546.5110$4500$2500$3300
Virgil GreenDENATEN9284297.3%3.2182.062.1%211011.79.52424270.343.5-120$4500$2500$3500
Garrett CelekSFHNYJ12354359.5%2.9211.860.0%275113.110.93227288.544-145$4500$2500$3000
Dion SimsMIAHARI10396256.9%2.5181.872.0%206111.44.233217.543.5110$4500$2500$3900
Josh HillNOATB9338224.5%2.4151.768.2%14919.98.5912272.651.5-145$4500$2500$3500
Larry DonnellNYGHDAL10179224.9%2.2151.568.2%9216.110.42726301.447.5170$4500$2500$3500
Crockett GillmoreBALANE7197142.9%2.081.157.1%7118.97.12519265.145.5-300$4600$2500$3000
Austin HooperATLALA12226235.6%1.9171.473.9%257215.17.8161525245230$4700$2500$3700
Tyler HigbeeLAHATL12179225.5%1.870.631.8%5708.111.42328306.445230$4500$2500$3500
Austin Seferian-JenkinsNYJASF25232.2%1.531.5100.0%44114.78.62829269.444-145$4600$2500$3300

Premium Options

I suspect Tyler Eifert will be the most popular tight end play, especially among the premium options, but I will use him in cash games anyway. Better defenses may be able to take Eifert away and force Andy Dalton to throw to other receivers, but I doubt the Browns can. If I had to pick one tight end to catch a touchdown this week, it would be Eifert. He has a touchdown in each of his last two games.

If you want a slightly less popular play in this tier, I recommend Jimmy Graham. Graham has had six or more receptions in six games this season, and he has five touchdowns over his last five games.

Value Options

As someone who is counting on Dennis Pitta in the first round of the fantasy playoffs, I don’t necessarily buy the argument he has established himself as a consistent red zone target. After all, the first 12 weeks of the season when Pitta failed to catch a single touchdown still count, too. Even so, Pitta’s usage in Week 13 was encouraging, and he has always had a relatively high floor because he catches so many passes.

Speaking of encouraging usage, Eric Ebron looked good in the first half last week, but the Lions inexplicably went away from him. Ebron hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1, but I don’t think anybody would be surprised if he pulls a Dennis Pitta and scores twice.

Bargain Options

Daniel Brown was pretty underwhelming last week, but it is important to keep in mind the Bears basically didn’t throw the ball at all until the two-minute warning of the first half. Brown remains risky, but there is certainly a chance he is a bigger part of Chicago’s passing attack, and it doesn’t hurt that this game will be inside.