We already wrote up a separate tight end DFS coach for the Thanksgiving Day slate. But, lucky for us, there are ZERO bye weeks this week. 

So, despite four games already being played, we still have a full slate of NFL football. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS Week 12 TE Coach For FanDuel & DraftKings Fantasy

In fact, with six teams on by next week, we actually have MORE games this Sunday than we’ll have next Sunday.

It truly is a Thanksgiving miracle!

 

 

 

NFL DFS TE Top Tier Picks For Week 13

Taysom Hill TE New Orleans Saints - DraftKings: $5,000 | FanDuel: $7,000

In past years we never really went for Taysom Hill. Chasing touchdowns is already risky enough but we were chasing them without targets. And that’s what you were doing with Hill (outside of Week 6 and 7 when Juwan Johnson was hurt).

This year is different though. In fact, since he returned from injury in Week 8, his usage has been drastically different. He’s not only getting snaps at tight end and at QB but he’s actually lining up at running back as well as running double digit routes from a WR spot each week. 

You almost have to make a lineup with Hill due to his slate-breaking upside. He’s expensive on FanDuel but he’s pretty reasonably priced on DraftKings. 

Trey McBride TE Arizona Cardinals - DraftKings: $5,800 | FanDuel: $6,900

There really aren’t many other tight ends on the main slate that we would consider “elite”. On FanDuel you can use George Kittle if you would like but we really don’t love his matchup with the Bills.  You basically have Trey McBride if you want a traditional tight end, or you can use Taysom Hill. 

Trey McBride would absolutely be priced higher if he even had a few touchdowns this year. Which is great for us because we recognize that touchdowns are flukey. 

This guy has been a focal point of the offense and he’s been peppered with targets so it’s only a matter of time until he finds paydirt. Maybe he’ll find it twice this week to make up for lost time.

 

 

 

NFL DFS TE Mid-Tier Picks For NFL Week 13

Cade Otton, TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers- DraftKings: $4,500 | FanDuel: $6,200

If Trevor Lawrence plays, we’ll probably make an Evan Engram lineup or two. With Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis out, they have to get him the ball. But we also like Cade Otton in this range. And we love that folks are scared off by Mike Evans.

It’s time to admit that the New York Giants are a tough matchup for tight ends. Bobby Okereke and Isaiah Simmons do a good job. They have allowed the fewest points to tight ends of any team this year. 

The Panthers on the other hand have allowed the most of any team. I think Otton can bounce back in a big way this week and his rostership could be reasonable. 

Hunter Henry, TE New England Patriots, DraftKings: $4,200 | FanDuel: $5,100

Even in his down week where he had only one catch, Hunter Henry ran 89% of the routes, had an 87.5% route participation, and got 16% of the targets. It was a down game across the board. In the other games, he’s been one of the most reliable options for the Pats. And he’s due to find the end zone.

How many other tight ends lead their team in routes, targets, receptions, and yards on the season? Hunter Henry is a focal point of his offense, and he has a great matchup this week, yet he sits down at only $4,200 on DraftKings and $5,100 on DK. Get him in some lineups. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS TE Value Picks For NFL Week 13

Zach Ertz, TE Washington Commanders, DraftKings: $3,800 | FanDuel: $5,400

I get it with Zach Ertz. He’s an older player. He doesn’t offer much YAC. But neither does a guy like Will Dissly, the darling of the fantasy football community these days. 

Yet Will Dissly is consistently ranked and priced higher than Ertz. We pointed this out last week when Dissly was ranked TE7 while Ertz was TE14 yet Ertz outscored Dissly again.

The matchup might not be ideal. But as long as Ertz is a top two target on his team - a team that we all want a part of because it’s a good offense - he’s a very reasonable DFS play. They look to him in the red area both for touchdowns and two-point conversions because of his reliable hands. 

Pat Freiermuth, TE Pittsburgh Steelers - DraftKings: $3,500 | FanDuel: $5,300

I am once again begging Arthur Smith to throw it to Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth has caught every target since Week 6. I’m not talking about drops - he’s caught every ball thrown his way since then. Per PFF, he has a 92% catch rate on the season. How this guy doesn’t get more targets is beyond me.

Technically he has the second most targets on the team behind George Pickens. The Cincinnati Bengals this year have been one of the worst teams against the tight end. 

If I were the Steelers, the game script to start the game would be to throw the ball to Pat Freiermuth over and over until he doesn’t catch one. But I’m not in charge of that - Arthur Smith is. At this price, it’s worth seeing if they finally realize what they have.

Tommy Tremble, TE Carolina Panthers - DraftKings: $2,800 | FanDuel: $4,600

We really don't love Tremble in a vacuum. But football isn't played in a vacuum. And fellow tight ends Ja'Tavion Sanders and Ian Thomas aren't playing football at all this week. The Panthers and Bryce Young just started getting comfortable throwing to the tight end so that might continue as part of the game plan. And Tommy Tremble is the only show in town all of a sudden in a good matchup for tight ends.

 

 

 

NFL DFS TE Fades For Week 13

Kyle Pitts, TE Atlanta Falcons - DraftKings: $4,600 | FanDuel: $5,400

Typically, we like throwing darts at Kyle Pitts because of his big play ability. And it’s still possible with him. But All Pro caliber safety Derwin James certainly makes that a lot less likely. 

Pair that with a potential return for Darnell Mooney and it’s just not as appealing of a spot. Pitts has been in some fairly appealing spots and done nothing with it, so he’ll probably do something here in a bad spot just to spite us.  

Bills Tight Ends

This is a FanDuel option only and, though the night game is always tempting, I’d avoid it. And that goes for both Dalton Kincaid if he plays and Dawson Knox if he doesn’t. 

The Bills spent years forcing it to one guy in Stefon Diggs, so they have used a much more balanced approach this season with no player on pace for 100+ targets. Plus, the matchup with Fred Warner and DeVondre Campbell is one of the worst possible matchups for a tight end.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Week 13 TE Projections