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I often write the introduction to this article last. Picking tight ends I like for DFS in a given week is pretty straightforward, so I like to get that out of the way before I set about the task of trying to be interesting. This week I had made most of my tight end recommendations before I saw a pattern that should have been pretty obvious.
Almost all of these tight ends have very nice matchups, which is no surprise. The surprising thing is in almost every case, I think the best way to take advantage of those matchups is with the tight end. Rather than trying to get lucky with a receiver I don’t like from the Panthers, Redskins, Titans or Saints, just give me the tight end. I don’t usually use a tight end in the Flex spot very often, but that is totally in play this week. There is no reason to use a lesser receiver when so many good tight ends have good matchups.
As always, please leave your tight end questions in the comments or in the FantasyAlarm forum, or hit me up on Twitter.
| Pts | Opp Pa | Opp | Opp Pa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | H/A | Opp | G | Snaps | Tar | Tar/G | Rec/G | Catch% | ReYds | ReTD | YPC | Allow | Def Rk | Def Rk | Yds/G | O/U | $LINE | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Greg Olsen | CAR | A | NO | 5 | 347 | 29.1% | 10.6 | 6.6 | 62.3% | 516 | 2 | 16 | 7.2 | 26 | 28 | 301.3 | 54 | 125 | $8,100 | $7,000 | $5,200 |
| Rob Gronkowski | NE | H | CIN | 3 | 118 | 6.5% | 3.3 | 2.0 | 60.0% | 120 | 0 | 20 | 8.4 | 17 | 19 | 224.6 | 48 | -420 | $8,400 | $6,700 | $5,750 |
| Jordan Reed | WAS | H | PHI | 5 | 287 | 24.5% | 9.2 | 6.6 | 71.7% | 316 | 2 | 9.6 | 2.4 | 3 | 2 | 193.5 | 45 | 115 | $7,500 | $6,100 | $5,000 |
| Delanie Walker | TEN | H | CLE | 4 | 185 | 16.6% | 6.8 | 4.0 | 59.3% | 225 | 2 | 14 | 15.1 | 28 | 27 | 288.4 | 44 | -320 | $6,700 | $5,500 | $4,750 |
| Travis Kelce | KC | A | OAK | 4 | 246 | 17.7% | 7.3 | 5.5 | 75.9% | 220 | 2 | 10 | 10.8 | 29 | 29 | 330.6 | 47 | 105 | $6,400 | $5,000 | $4,850 |
| Jimmy Graham | SEA | H | ATL | 4 | 159 | 15.9% | 5.5 | 4.0 | 72.7% | 266 | 1 | 17 | 17.4 | 24 | 26 | 290.2 | 46 | -265 | $6,900 | $4,900 | $5,300 |
| Martellus Bennett | NE | H | CIN | 5 | 309 | 18.1% | 5.6 | 4.2 | 75.0% | 314 | 4 | 15 | 8.4 | 17 | 19 | 224.6 | 48 | -420 | $6,600 | $4,500 | $4,550 |
| Dennis Pitta | BAL | A | NYG | 5 | 263 | 17.3% | 7.4 | 5.6 | 75.7% | 259 | 0 | 9.3 | 10.3 | 18 | 16 | 261.6 | 45 | -170 | $5,400 | $4,300 | $4,450 |
| Julius Thomas | JAC | A | CHI | 3 | 175 | 10.7% | 5.7 | 3.7 | 64.7% | 148 | 1 | 14 | 7.7 | 14 | 18 | 227.6 | 46 | -145 | $5,700 | $4,200 | $4,400 |
| Jason Witten | DAL | A | GB | 5 | 347 | 22.2% | 6.8 | 4.8 | 70.6% | 232 | 0 | 9.7 | 14.2 | 19 | 8 | 274.5 | 48 | -200 | $5,600 | $4,200 | $4,250 |
| Zach Ertz | PHI | A | WAS | 2 | 112 | 7.5% | 5.0 | 4.5 | 90.0% | 95 | 0 | 11 | 7.7 | 16 | 23 | 262.0 | 45 | 115 | $5,400 | $4,000 | $4,500 |
| Zach Miller | CHI | H | JAC | 5 | 261 | 16.2% | 5.8 | 5.0 | 86.2% | 229 | 3 | 9.2 | 6.0 | 7 | 10 | 198.8 | 46 | -145 | $5,800 | $3,800 | $4,450 |
| Coby Fleener | NO | H | CAR | 4 | 212 | 16.2% | 7.0 | 3.3 | 46.4% | 163 | 1 | 13 | 14.3 | 22 | 14 | 246.4 | 54 | 125 | $5,600 | $3,500 | $4,600 |
| Eric Ebron | DET | H | LA | 4 | 242 | 14.3% | 6.3 | 4.5 | 72.0% | 210 | 1 | 12 | 9.8 | 10 | 12 | 242.4 | 44 | -170 | $5,600 | $3,400 | $4,200 |
| Gary Barnidge | CLE | A | TEN | 5 | 327 | 16.5% | 5.6 | 4.2 | 75.0% | 236 | 0 | 11 | 10.0 | 8 | 7 | 222.4 | 44 | -320 | $5,300 | $3,300 | $4,350 |
| Dwayne Allen | IND | A | HOU | 5 | 281 | 12.7% | 5.0 | 3.4 | 68.0% | 183 | 2 | 11 | 4.0 | 9 | 13 | 181.0 | 49 | -165 | $5,800 | $3,100 | $4,150 |
| Jesse James | PIT | A | MIA | 5 | 255 | 13.5% | 5.2 | 3.6 | 69.2% | 128 | 3 | 7.1 | 10.2 | 21 | 21 | 250.2 | 48 | 280 | $5,400 | $3,000 | $4,350 |
| Charles Clay | BUF | H | SF | 5 | 270 | 17.7% | 4.8 | 3.4 | 70.8% | 187 | 0 | 11 | 12.8 | 13 | 17 | 222.8 | 44 | -360 | $5,300 | $2,900 | $4,200 |
| Richard Rodgers | GB | H | DAL | 4 | 177 | 9.5% | 3.3 | 1.5 | 46.2% | 62 | 1 | 10 | 16.1 | 25 | 25 | 260.6 | 48 | -200 | $5,100 | $2,900 | $3,900 |
| Will Tye | NYG | H | BAL | 5 | 181 | 10.7% | 4.0 | 2.8 | 70.0% | 120 | 0 | 8.6 | 5.2 | 12 | 5 | 190.8 | 45 | -170 | $4,900 | $2,900 | $3,500 |
| Jacob Tamme | ATL | A | SEA | 5 | 238 | 13.8% | 4.6 | 3.4 | 73.9% | 158 | 2 | 9.3 | 3.8 | 1 | 1 | 183.8 | 46 | -265 | $5,300 | $2,800 | $4,000 |
| Lance Kendricks | LA | A | DET | 5 | 292 | 15.3% | 4.6 | 2.6 | 56.5% | 152 | 0 | 12 | 18.4 | 31 | 32 | 263.4 | 44 | -170 | $4,500 | $2,700 | $3,500 |
| Clive Walford | OAK | H | KC | 4 | 173 | 10.0% | 4.8 | 3.3 | 68.4% | 125 | 1 | 9.6 | 6.0 | 6 | 9 | 240.5 | 47 | 105 | $4,700 | $2,600 | $3,800 |
| C.J. Fiedorowicz | HOU | H | IND | 5 | 193 | 9.1% | 3.4 | 2.0 | 58.8% | 116 | 1 | 12 | 7.6 | 30 | 31 | 301.0 | 49 | -165 | $5,100 | $2,500 | $3,900 |
| Larry Donnell | NYG | H | BAL | 4 | 115 | 5.9% | 2.8 | 2.0 | 72.7% | 50 | 1 | 6.3 | 5.2 | 12 | 5 | 190.8 | 45 | -170 | $5,000 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
| C.J. Uzomah | CIN | A | NE | 5 | 228 | 14.8% | 5.4 | 3.2 | 59.3% | 187 | 0 | 12 | 10.4 | 27 | 24 | 258.6 | 48 | -420 | $4,900 | $2,500 | $3,350 |
| Crockett Gillmore | BAL | A | NYG | 5 | 158 | 6.1% | 2.6 | 1.6 | 61.5% | 71 | 1 | 8.9 | 10.3 | 18 | 16 | 261.6 | 45 | -170 | $4,900 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Austin Seferian-Jenkins | NYJ | A | ARI | 2 | 52 | 2.2% | 1.5 | 1.5 | 100.0% | 44 | 1 | 15 | 4.2 | 5 | 6 | 189.8 | 47 | -330 | $4,800 | $2,500 | $3,700 |
| Jack Doyle | IND | A | HOU | 5 | 205 | 9.6% | 3.8 | 3.2 | 84.2% | 151 | 2 | 9.4 | 4.0 | 9 | 13 | 181.0 | 49 | -165 | $4,800 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
| Garrett Celek | SF | A | BUF | 5 | 216 | 13.3% | 4.0 | 2.2 | 55.0% | 135 | 0 | 12 | 6.0 | 15 | 11 | 257.0 | 44 | -360 | $4,700 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Vance McDonald | SF | A | BUF | 3 | 99 | 4.7% | 2.3 | 1.7 | 71.4% | 93 | 2 | 19 | 6.0 | 15 | 11 | 257.0 | 44 | -360 | $4,600 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
| Luke Willson | SEA | H | ATL | 4 | 167 | 8.0% | 2.8 | 1.3 | 45.5% | 41 | 0 | 8.2 | 17.4 | 24 | 26 | 290.2 | 46 | -265 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,700 |
| Vernon Davis | WAS | H | PHI | 5 | 113 | 5.9% | 2.2 | 2.0 | 90.9% | 94 | 0 | 9.4 | 2.4 | 3 | 2 | 193.5 | 45 | 115 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,700 |
| Dion Sims | MIA | H | PIT | 5 | 181 | 6.7% | 2.0 | 1.4 | 70.0% | 82 | 0 | 12 | 10.7 | 20 | 20 | 302.0 | 48 | 280 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
| Trey Burton | PHI | A | WAS | 3 | 75 | 11.3% | 5.0 | 2.7 | 53.3% | 73 | 1 | 9.1 | 7.7 | 16 | 23 | 262.0 | 45 | 115 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,300 |
| Marcedes Lewis | JAC | A | CHI | 4 | 116 | 6.3% | 2.5 | 2.0 | 80.0% | 97 | 1 | 12 | 7.7 | 14 | 18 | 227.6 | 46 | -145 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,300 |
| Ryan Griffin | HOU | H | IND | 5 | 161 | 13.4% | 5.0 | 3.2 | 64.0% | 136 | 0 | 8.5 | 7.6 | 30 | 31 | 301.0 | 49 | -165 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Stephen Anderson | HOU | H | IND | 3 | 47 | 3.8% | 2.3 | 1.7 | 71.4% | 40 | 0 | 8 | 7.6 | 30 | 31 | 301.0 | 49 | -165 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Darren Fells | ARI | H | NYJ | 4 | 135 | 4.7% | 2.3 | 2.0 | 88.9% | 53 | 0 | 6.6 | 12.2 | 32 | 30 | 302.4 | 47 | -330 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Jace Amaro | TEN | H | CLE | 2 | 28 | 2.5% | 2.0 | 1.5 | 75.0% | 59 | 0 | 20 | 15.1 | 28 | 27 | 288.4 | 44 | -320 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
Premium Options
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Travis KelceI could make a strong argument to pay up for Greg Olsen or Rob Gronkowski, but Kelce could give you similar production at a discount. The Chiefs should have a good week coming off the bye against the terrible Oakland defense, and Kelce should be a big part of it.
Kelce is a bit cheaper than Walker on FanDuel and DraftKings, but I would argue Walker has a bit more upside. It is unfair to judge Cleveland for all the points they allowed to the Patriots’ tight ends last week, but this should be a juicy matchup nonetheless.
I nearly kept Olsen off this list, only because I really like Kelce and Walker. I added Olsen to the list because I realized if you want to target the Saints’ defense, Olsen is the best—or at least safest—way to do it. Olsen’s worst game of the season was a six reception, 61 yard effort against a Vikings defense we now know is one of the best in the league. I would be shocked if he does worse than that this week.
Value Options
If you are looking to play one of Drew Brees’s weapons in a GPP, which you should be, Coby Fleener is probably your best bet. The Panthers are allowing 14.3 fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and there will likely never be a better situation for Fleener than playing at home coming off the bye. I don’t see any reason why Fleener couldn’t repeat his seven catch, 109 yard, 1 TD performance from Week 3.
Washington has allowed at least five receptions to tight ends in every game this season, despite not exactly facing a murderers’ row of tight ends. Ertz was pretty disappointing last week, but there shouldn’t be any workload concerns. He has more upside than Jason Witten or Dennis Pitta and a better matchup than Zach Miller.
Bargain Options
I don’t know that Davis will get more snaps or targets than Niles Paul, and there is no guarantee he is good enough to do anything with the targets he does that. That being said, it seems to me the only reason to keep somebody like Davis on the roster is if you plan to use him to replace Jordan Reed. I don’t know that I could use Davis in a cash lineup even as a punt play, but he is certainly worth a shot in a tournament.
We know what he is at this point. Uzomah will get you between two and five receptions for somewhere between 20 and 50 yards. He is by far the safest of the cheap plays, and there is always a chance this is the week he finally gets in the end zone.