It is always important to check the inactives prior to game time, but with so many top tight ends likely entering Saturday questionable, it will be even more important. If you will be too busy with holiday plans to check your lineups, I suggest you simply plug in a premium or value option, since they should be safe regardless of how the injuries shake out. Of course, the best source for pregame DFS advice is the Fantasy Alarm live chat, which will feature yours truly along with Ted Shuster, Kenneth Le, Jonathan Impemba and Domenick Murtha. The chats have been a lot of fun all season long, and Saturday’s chat should be no different.

               PtsOpp PaOpp OvOpp Pa     
PlayerTmH/AOppGSnapsTarTar%Tar/GRecRec/GCatch%ReYdsReTDsYPCAllowDef RkDef RkYds/GO/U$Line$FD$DK$FA
Jordan ReedWASACHI115128315.6%7.5615.573.5%646510.67.91414236.847155$7000$5500$5100
Greg OlsenCARHATL1488411323.6%8.1715.162.8%99231411.22629287.951.5150$6800$5200$4550
Travis KelceKCHDEN1472010321.9%7.4735.270.9%957313.17.911197.137.5-175$6500$5000$4800
Kyle RudolphMINAGB147899821.4%7584.159.2%57369.98.72019278.743-300$6000$4900$4700
Tyler EifertCINAHOU8356479.9%5.9293.661.7%394513.65.61118219.241.5-110$6700$4800$4800
Jimmy GrahamSEAHARI146478518.2%6.1594.269.4%816513.83.948229.343-380$6200$4500$4800
Antonio GatesSDACLE124207214.9%6403.355.6%39951013.43132263.943.5210$5400$4400$4000
Delanie WalkerTENAJAC135718620.3%6.6574.466.3%7426138.21611226.843.5180$6400$4300$4700
Martellus BennettNEHNYJ146996613.7%4.7503.675.8%64951311.23228271.244-2500$5600$4100$4550
Cameron BrateTBANO146247915.7%5.656470.9%648711.68.12827292.152.5-170$5600$3900$4600
Ladarius GreenPITHBAL697346.5%5.718352.9%304116.9863248.244.5-240$5900$3800$4200
C.J. FiedorowiczHOUHCIN135947515.0%5.8483.764.0%505310.510.91821260.241.5-110$4900$3700$3800
Eric EbronDETADAL115446013.2%5.5433.971.7%521112.110.42220285.144.5-280$5700$3600$4200
Hunter HenrySDACLE13449489.9%3.7322.566.7%435713.613.43132263.943.5210$5400$3500$4250
Jason WittenDALHDET148129020.9%6.4664.773.3%63029.511.23030266.844.5-280$4900$3400$4300
Ryan GriffinHOUHCIN143706813.6%4.9483.470.6%4322910.91821260.241.5-110$4500$3300$3500
Charles ClayBUFHMIA136666317.3%4.839361.9%37519.69.91215252.542-200$4500$3200$4000
Coby FleenerNOHTB145257112.2%5.1453.263.4%563312.57.977270.152.5-170$4700$3100$3900
Dennis PittaBALAPIT146669416.4%6.7674.871.3%56328.48.6134263.844.5-240$4700$3000$4150
Vernon DavisWASACHI145095410.1%3.9412.975.9%521212.77.91414236.847155$4700$3000$4100
Jared CookGBHMIN8213305.9%3.8172.156.7%199111.78.1517221.543-300$5000$3000$4000
Lance KendricksLAHSF146828016.7%5.7453.256.3%4512108.32931267.839.5-200$4600$2900$3800
Garrett CelekSFALA14398429.8%3241.757.1%302212.66.51916247.639.5-200$4800$2900$3000
Gary BarnidgeCLEHSD147787114.5%5.1453.263.4%530111.87.595276.843.5210$4500$2800$3700
Jack DoyleINDAOAK146055912.4%4.2483.481.4%496410.38.92122278.953-185$4500$2800$4000
Erik SwoopeINDAOAK14151173.6%1.2100.758.8%1800188.92122278.953-185$4500$2700$3500
Dwayne AllenINDAOAK12502439.0%3.6282.365.1%328511.78.92122278.953-185$5200$2600$3900
Dion SimsMIAABUF12516317.7%2.624277.4%246410.36.41724242.142-200$5100$2600$3900
Jermaine GreshamARIASEA14636559.7%3.9352.563.6%3512106.1106241.943-380$4500$2500$3900
Jesse JamesPITHBAL14648529.9%3.7332.463.5%27338.3863248.244.5-240$4500$2500$3800
Clive WalfordOAKHIND13551479.0%3.6302.363.8%322210.710.12723281.553-185$4500$2500$3800
C.J. UzomahCINAHOU8276296.1%3.6172.158.6%193011.45.61118219.241.5-110$4500$2500$3350
Richard RodgersGBHMIN14494438.5%3.1261.960.5%22718.78.1517221.543-300$4500$2500$3500
Virgil GreenDENAKC11356336.7%3191.757.6%220011.65.8812269.737.5-175$4500$2500$3500
Tyler HigbeeLAHSF14245275.7%1.990.633.3%8008.98.32931267.839.5-200$4500$2500$3500
Ben KoyackJACHTEN12203183.3%1.5141.277.8%12408.98.32325287.243.5180$4500$2500$3000
Demetrius HarrisKCHDEN14305214.5%1.5110.852.4%8607.87.911197.137.5-175$4500$2500$3200
Levine ToiloloATLACAR13343153.3%1.2110.873.3%236221.511159295.951.5150$4800$2500$3000
Jeff HeuermanDENAKC106371.4%0.740.457.1%880225.8812269.737.5-175$4500$2500$3000

Premium Options

Even if they play, there is a decent chance Jordan Reed and Greg Olsen will be limited. Add in the injury to Tyler Eifert, and tight end could be even uglier at the top than it already has been. Travis Kelce’s run of four consecutive 100-yard games ended last week, but he still had a respectable three catches for 41 yards. If that is his new floor, he remains a solid play in cash games. That being said, he hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 8 and that seems unlikely to change this week against the Broncos.

While Kelce is my preferred premium option in cash games, I like Delanie Walker’s upside for GPP lineups. Walker only has one 100-yard game this season but he does have six touchdowns. Walker caught four passes for 75 yards against the Jaguars in Week 8.

Value Options

If you want a solid tight end you can mostly trust for cash games, Cameron Brate is your best bet. He has at least four catches and 43 yards in four consecutive games and six of his last seven, with touchdowns in five of his last eight games. The Saints’ defense may not be the hot mess it used to be, but it probably isn’t good enough to derail Brate.

Vernon Davis has played well with Jordan Reed out, and there is a decent amount of uncertainty around Reed’s status even though he gutted through a shoulder injury the last two weeks. If Reed is out, Davis would be a cheaper version of Cameron Brate.

Bargain Options

C.J. Uzomah was pretty solid early in the season with Tyler Eifert out, even if he didn’t catch any touchdowns. Eifert and Tyler Kroft have both missed practice this week, and Uzomah would have a decent shot at four or five catches for 50 yards if they are out.

Jeff Heuerman caught two passes for 40 yards in Week 15, and he could see a lot more work with both Virgil Green and A.J. Derby in the concussion protocol. The Broncos still haven’t thrown a touchdown to a tight end this season, so Heuerman is quite risky, but he might be worth the risk if he is the only tight end left standing in Denver.