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I love that the tight end position shakes out differently every week. It makes this article far more interesting to put together. It doesn’t hurt that six teams already played, since that adds a bit more scarcity into the mix. Usually by this time of year the tight end coach is pretty top heavy. By Week 12 we tend to know who the good tight ends are, and you usually have to pay for them. With that in mind, if you want to pay for Greg Olsen or Jimmy Graham, I won’t try to talk you out of it, even if they didn’t make my list. Fortunately for us, there are a couple cheaper tight ends who appear to be breaking out, and a couple more who could thanks to injuries, and those are the guys I will target in most of my DFS lineups for Week 12.
| Pts | Opp Pa | Opp Ov | Opp Pa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | G | Snaps | Tar | Tar% | Tar/G | Rec | Rec/G | Catch% | ReYds | ReTD | YPC | Allow | Def Rk | Def Rk | Yds/G | O/U | $Line | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Rob Gronkowski | NE | A | NYJ | 7 | 345 | 36 | 11.3% | 5.1 | 25 | 3.6 | 69.4% | 540 | 3 | 21.6 | 9.4 | 30 | 23 | 260.5 | 46.5 | 300 | $8500 | $6900 | $5600 |
| Greg Olsen | CAR | A | OAK | 10 | 692 | 85 | 23.8% | 8.5 | 54 | 5.4 | 63.5% | 745 | 3 | 13.8 | 9.9 | 24 | 29 | 277.9 | 49 | -165 | $7000 | $5800 | $4950 |
| Jimmy Graham | SEA | A | TB | 10 | 490 | 63 | 18.9% | 6.3 | 45 | 4.5 | 71.4% | 639 | 4 | 14.2 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 267 | 45 | 220 | $6900 | $5300 | $5000 |
| Tyler Eifert | CIN | A | BAL | 4 | 183 | 25 | 7.2% | 6.3 | 16 | 4 | 64.0% | 244 | 1 | 15.3 | 6.4 | 10 | 3 | 219.1 | 40.5 | -210 | $6400 | $5600 | $4700 |
| Travis Kelce | KC | A | DEN | 10 | 563 | 67 | 19.0% | 6.7 | 49 | 4.9 | 73.1% | 574 | 3 | 11.7 | 8.4 | 1 | 2 | 194.3 | 39.5 | -185 | $6300 | $4000 | $4600 |
| Delanie Walker | TEN | A | CHI | 10 | 478 | 68 | 19.4% | 6.8 | 46 | 4.6 | 67.6% | 607 | 5 | 13.2 | 8.4 | 14 | 17 | 241.2 | 42 | 190 | $6100 | $4900 | $4800 |
| Antonio Gates | SD | A | HOU | 8 | 350 | 57 | 15.7% | 7.1 | 30 | 3.8 | 52.6% | 290 | 5 | 9.7 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 206.6 | 46.5 | 105 | $6000 | $4200 | $4100 |
| Coby Fleener | NO | H | LA | 10 | 424 | 54 | 13.0% | 5.4 | 33 | 3.3 | 61.1% | 402 | 3 | 12.2 | 7.3 | 12 | 9 | 215.7 | 45.5 | -330 | $5700 | $3100 | $4350 |
| Hunter Henry | SD | A | HOU | 9 | 362 | 35 | 9.6% | 3.9 | 24 | 2.7 | 68.6% | 351 | 4 | 14.6 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 206.6 | 46.5 | 105 | $5600 | $2900 | $4250 |
| Julius Thomas | JAC | A | BUF | 9 | 453 | 51 | 12.4% | 5.7 | 30 | 3.3 | 58.8% | 281 | 4 | 9.4 | 8.9 | 15 | 16 | 238.7 | 45 | -330 | $5500 | $3000 | $3900 |
| Martellus Bennett | NE | A | NYJ | 10 | 533 | 49 | 15.4% | 4.9 | 39 | 3.9 | 79.6% | 518 | 4 | 13.3 | 9.4 | 30 | 23 | 260.5 | 46.5 | 300 | $5500 | $4500 | $4650 |
| Cameron Brate | TB | H | SEA | 10 | 487 | 52 | 13.5% | 5.2 | 37 | 3.7 | 71.2% | 393 | 5 | 10.6 | 7.7 | 6 | 5 | 237 | 45 | 220 | $5400 | $3100 | $4200 |
| C.J. Fiedorowicz | HOU | H | SD | 10 | 447 | 53 | 14.7% | 5.3 | 35 | 3.5 | 66.0% | 387 | 3 | 11.1 | 6.9 | 9 | 10 | 274.5 | 46.5 | 105 | $5200 | $3300 | $3900 |
| Zach Ertz | PHI | H | GB | 8 | 458 | 46 | 13.0% | 5.8 | 35 | 4.4 | 76.1% | 337 | 1 | 9.6 | 11 | 23 | 20 | 265.6 | 47.5 | -200 | $5000 | $3700 | $4200 |
| Dennis Pitta | BAL | H | CIN | 10 | 542 | 71 | 17.3% | 7.1 | 49 | 4.9 | 69.0% | 405 | 0 | 8.3 | 12.6 | 20 | 21 | 248.7 | 40.5 | -210 | $4900 | $3200 | $4200 |
| Logan Paulsen | CHI | H | TEN | 10 | 185 | 9 | 2.6% | 0.9 | 3 | 0.3 | 33.3% | 15 | 0 | 5 | 10.2 | 26 | 27 | 266.2 | 42 | 190 | $4900 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Lance Kendricks | LA | A | NO | 10 | 577 | 61 | 18.0% | 6.1 | 37 | 3.7 | 60.7% | 369 | 1 | 10 | 9.5 | 25 | 23 | 280.7 | 45.5 | -330 | $4800 | $3000 | $3600 |
| Gary Barnidge | CLE | H | NYG | 11 | 670 | 60 | 15.3% | 5.5 | 39 | 3.5 | 65.0% | 457 | 1 | 11.7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 262.7 | 44 | 260 | $4800 | $3600 | $3900 |
| Vance McDonald | SF | A | MIA | 8 | 316 | 33 | 10.7% | 4.1 | 18 | 2.3 | 54.5% | 322 | 4 | 17.9 | 9.4 | 5 | 6 | 224.5 | 44.5 | -360 | $4800 | $3000 | $4200 |
| Dominique Jones | MIA | H | SF | 6 | 72 | 9 | 3.1% | 1.5 | 6 | 1 | 66.7% | 54 | 1 | 9 | 8.7 | 21 | 26 | 251.6 | 44.5 | -360 | $4800 | $2500 | $3700 |
| Levine Toilolo | ATL | H | ARI | 10 | 237 | 11 | 3.2% | 1.1 | 7 | 0.7 | 63.6% | 127 | 2 | 18.1 | 3.8 | 3 | 5 | 190.2 | 50.5 | -220 | $4800 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Charles Clay | BUF | H | JAC | 10 | 570 | 53 | 18.5% | 5.3 | 34 | 3.4 | 64.2% | 306 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 209.6 | 45 | -330 | $4700 | $2700 | $3800 |
| Jared Cook | GB | A | PHI | 4 | 135 | 22 | 5.3% | 5.5 | 12 | 3 | 54.5% | 158 | 1 | 13.2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 228.9 | 47.5 | -200 | $4600 | $2500 | $4100 |
| Will Tye | NYG | A | CLE | 10 | 385 | 45 | 11.7% | 4.5 | 29 | 2.9 | 64.4% | 247 | 1 | 8.5 | 14.8 | 31 | 31 | 265.5 | 44 | 260 | $4600 | $3000 | $3500 |
| Brent Celek | PHI | H | GB | 10 | 213 | 10 | 2.8% | 1 | 7 | 0.7 | 70.0% | 107 | 0 | 15.3 | 11 | 23 | 20 | 265.6 | 47.5 | -200 | $4600 | $2500 | $3500 |
| Ryan Griffin | HOU | H | SD | 10 | 304 | 47 | 13.0% | 4.7 | 30 | 3 | 63.8% | 253 | 1 | 8.4 | 6.9 | 9 | 10 | 274.5 | 46.5 | 105 | $4500 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Virgil Green | DEN | H | KC | 7 | 284 | 28 | 8.2% | 4 | 18 | 2.6 | 64.3% | 211 | 0 | 11.7 | 5.8 | 8 | 11 | 252.6 | 39.5 | -185 | $4500 | $2600 | $4000 |
| Clive Walford | OAK | H | CAR | 9 | 418 | 34 | 9.0% | 3.8 | 23 | 2.6 | 67.6% | 227 | 1 | 9.9 | 12.2 | 19 | 12 | 271.7 | 49 | -165 | $4500 | $2500 | $3700 |
| Richard Rodgers | GB | A | PHI | 10 | 407 | 38 | 9.2% | 3.8 | 23 | 2.3 | 60.5% | 203 | 1 | 8.8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 228.9 | 47.5 | -200 | $4500 | $2600 | $3700 |
| C.J. Uzomah | CIN | A | BAL | 8 | 276 | 29 | 8.3% | 3.6 | 17 | 2.1 | 58.6% | 193 | 0 | 11.4 | 6.4 | 10 | 3 | 219.1 | 40.5 | -210 | $4500 | $2500 | $3350 |
| Garrett Celek | SF | A | MIA | 10 | 321 | 32 | 10.4% | 3.2 | 19 | 1.9 | 59.4% | 256 | 0 | 13.5 | 9.4 | 5 | 6 | 224.5 | 44.5 | -360 | $4500 | $2600 | $3000 |
| Jermaine Gresham | ARI | A | ATL | 10 | 447 | 27 | 6.6% | 2.7 | 17 | 1.7 | 63.0% | 177 | 1 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 22 | 25 | 283 | 50.5 | -220 | $4500 | $2500 | $3550 |
| Trey Burton | PHI | H | GB | 9 | 131 | 24 | 6.8% | 2.7 | 14 | 1.6 | 58.3% | 155 | 1 | 11.1 | 11 | 23 | 20 | 265.6 | 47.5 | -200 | $4500 | $2500 | $3300 |
| Larry Donnell | NYG | A | CLE | 8 | 179 | 21 | 5.4% | 2.6 | 15 | 1.9 | 71.4% | 92 | 1 | 6.1 | 14.8 | 31 | 31 | 265.5 | 44 | 260 | $4500 | $2500 | $3500 |
| Luke Willson | SEA | A | TB | 6 | 220 | 13 | 3.9% | 2.2 | 7 | 1.2 | 53.8% | 62 | 0 | 8.9 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 267 | 45 | 220 | $4500 | $2500 | $3300 |
| Dion Sims | MIA | H | SF | 8 | 337 | 17 | 5.8% | 2.1 | 11 | 1.4 | 64.7% | 114 | 0 | 10.4 | 8.7 | 21 | 26 | 251.6 | 44.5 | -360 | $4500 | $2500 | $3500 |
| Crockett Gillmore | BAL | H | CIN | 7 | 197 | 14 | 3.4% | 2 | 8 | 1.1 | 57.1% | 71 | 1 | 8.9 | 12.6 | 20 | 21 | 248.7 | 40.5 | -210 | $4500 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Josh Hill | NO | H | LA | 7 | 280 | 14 | 3.4% | 2 | 8 | 1.1 | 57.1% | 72 | 1 | 9 | 7.3 | 12 | 9 | 215.7 | 45.5 | -330 | $4500 | $2500 | $3500 |
| Austin Hooper | ATL | H | ARI | 10 | 193 | 20 | 5.9% | 2 | 15 | 1.5 | 75.0% | 249 | 2 | 16.6 | 3.8 | 3 | 5 | 190.2 | 50.5 | -220 | $4500 | $2800 | $3950 |
| Jace Amaro | TEN | A | CHI | 2 | 28 | 4 | 1.1% | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 75.0% | 59 | 0 | 19.7 | 8.4 | 14 | 17 | 241.2 | 42 | 190 | $4500 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Demetrius Harris | KC | A | DEN | 10 | 244 | 19 | 5.4% | 1.9 | 10 | 1 | 52.6% | 80 | 0 | 8 | 8.4 | 1 | 2 | 194.3 | 39.5 | -185 | $4500 | $2500 | $3200 |
| Tyler Higbee | LA | A | NO | 10 | 156 | 17 | 5.0% | 1.7 | 5 | 0.5 | 29.4% | 41 | 0 | 8.2 | 9.5 | 25 | 23 | 280.7 | 45.5 | -330 | $4500 | $2500 | $3500 |
| Stephen Anderson | HOU | H | SD | 7 | 66 | 11 | 3.1% | 1.6 | 9 | 1.3 | 81.8% | 78 | 1 | 8.7 | 6.9 | 9 | 10 | 274.5 | 46.5 | 105 | $4500 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Austin Seferian-Jenkins | NYJ | H | NE | 2 | 52 | 3 | 2.2% | 1.5 | 3 | 1.5 | 100.0% | 44 | 1 | 14.7 | 7.6 | 27 | 18 | 252.1 | 46.5 | 300 | $4500 | $2500 | $3300 |
| Darren Fells | ARI | A | ATL | 8 | 177 | 11 | 2.7% | 1.4 | 10 | 1.3 | 90.9% | 83 | 0 | 8.3 | 10.6 | 22 | 25 | 283 | 50.5 | -220 | $4500 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Ed Dickson | CAR | A | OAK | 10 | 206 | 14 | 3.9% | 1.4 | 9 | 0.9 | 64.3% | 106 | 1 | 11.8 | 9.9 | 24 | 29 | 277.9 | 49 | -165 | $4500 | $2500 | $3000 |
| Erik Swoope | IND | H | PIT | 11 | 110 | 14 | 3.5% | 1.3 | 8 | 0.7 | 57.1% | 165 | 0 | 20.6 | 10.2 | 16 | 14 | 243.5 | 48 | 330 | $4500 | $2500 | $3500 |
| Tyler Kroft | CIN | A | BAL | 10 | 176 | 12 | 3.4% | 1.2 | 10 | 1 | 83.3% | 92 | 0 | 9.2 | 6.4 | 10 | 3 | 219.1 | 40.5 | -210 | $4500 | $2500 | $3300 |
Premium Options
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Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans
Coming into Week 12, only Greg Olsen had scored more fantasy points than Delanie Walker. Walker is the cheapest of the elite tight ends, and I don’t see any reason to pay up for Olsen or Jimmy Graham when those guys are just as likely to only catch three passes for 40 yards.
Value Options
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
Ertz has at least six catches in each of his last three games, and while the yardage has been rather pedestrian over the last two, that could change this week. The Packers have allowed at least five receptions to tight ends in four consecutive games, and it would be pretty shocking if Ertz fails to make it five in-a-row.
Bargain Options
Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons
The Cardinals look like a scary matchup for tight ends, but they have only faced a couple good tight ends this season. Hooper has been inconsistent even with Jacob Tamme out, but I believe he is a good player on a good offense, even if he will never be the primary option on any given play. I don’t think anyone would be surprised if Hooper breaks out starting this week, which makes him an excellent punt play, especially on FanDuel.
Logan Paulsen, Chicago Bears
With Jay Cutler out again, the odds are the Bears are the new Rams, with offensive line and quarterback play so bad it makes a good running back and mediocre receiving weapons completely irrelevant for fantasy. That being said, Paulsen should get most of the tight end work, and he could be a poor-man’s C.J. Fiedorowicz. Paulsen is overpriced on FanDuel, but he costs the minimum on DraftKings and FantasyAces.
Vance McDonald, San Francisco 49ers
One of the reasons I consider Logan Paulsen overpriced is Vance McDonald—and Austin Hooper, for that matter—cost less than Paulsen. McDonald has quietly come on of late, catching at least three passes for 46 yards in three consecutive games, including touchdowns in two of them. I believe McDonald is capable of even more, and at the very least he is probably the safest of the bargain plays this week.