NFL Fantasy 2023 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 2: Tight ends
- Quarterbacks
- Running backs
- Wide receivers
- Tight ends
- Defenses
- Kickers
You have lineup questions. We have answers. At least we hope. Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is here to help fantasy managers make those pressing lineup decisions. And you know what is a good decision? Starting Patrick Mahomes. But that’s too obvious, so you won’t see that here. Instead here are some of the most-pressing questions. And, if you can’t find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start ‘Em
Sam LaPorta is going to be a much more popular start recommendation this week. He was included here last week and finished with five catches on five targets for 39 yards. He played 81 percent of the snaps, ran 22 routes and was targeted on 23 percent of said routes. That’s extremely impressive, considering it was his first NFL game. This week, he faces the Seahawks, who allowed the most fantasy PPG to tight ends in 2022. They’ve also allowed the most receiving yards to the position since last season (1,247). LaPorta brings more upside than we saw in Week 1 and is in play for those who waited to draft a tight end.
Dallas Goedert earned just one target in Week 1, good for a league-low three percent target share (min. 20 routes). Very strange for a player who averaged 2.1 yards per route run last season, the third-highest at the position. But the Patriots are a tough matchup and were able to keep Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense in check in the season opener. The Vikings are a much softer matchup, and Goedert is simply too talented at too weak of a position to bench him after one down game. Just a reminder: DeVonta Smith didn’t score a fantasy point in Week 1 last year. He turned out just fine.
Evan Engram was targeted five times on Sunday, catching all five for 49 yards. It might not sound like much, but it was enough to make him the TE5 in Week 1. This week, he faces the Chiefs in what projects to be a very high-scoring affair. Kansas City has allowed the fifth-most touchdowns to tight ends since last year and was one of the 14 teams to allow double-digit fantasy PPG to tight ends in 2022. Engram is a strong tight end start this week.
Hunter Henry caught five of his six targets for 56 yards and a touchdown last week, good for 16.6 fantasy points — the most by any tight end so far this season. He also ran the third-most routes for the Patriots. Henry has an even better matchup this week against the Dolphins, who allowed the third-most fantasy PPG to tight ends last season. Miami has also allowed the second-most touchdowns (11) and eighth-most yards (996) to the position since 2022. Plus, there is a good chance the Pats will be chasing points all game. Start Henry in this matchup.
It was frustrating to watch Gerald Everett, and Donald Parham Jr. split work last week. If that continues, it would make both relatively useless for fantasy purposes. But I’m willing to give Everett one more shot just because of this matchup. The Titans allowed the fifth-most fantasy PPG to tight ends last season. They’ve also allowed the second-most yards (1,163) to the position since the start of last season. If you’re streaming tight ends, the matchup puts Everett in play.
Sit ‘Em
Hayden Hurst was the top target for Bryce Young in the opener, catching five of seven targets for 41 yards and a touchdown. He finished as the TE2 in Week 1. He could be a useful fantasy tight end this season and is worth picking up if you don’t love your starting option. But this is not the matchup to start him. The Saints allowed the fewest fantasy PPG to tight ends last year. They’ve allowed the fewest yards to the position since 2022 (524) and the third-fewest touchdowns (two). Avoid starting tight ends against New Orleans.
Dalton Schultz was a sit last week and finished with two catches for four yards. That is poor. Even more concerning, he ran 42 routes and was targeted on just 9.5 percent of them. Now he faces the Colts, who allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy PPG to tight ends last year. They basically allowed the same fantasy PPG to the position as the Ravens, who just shut Schultz down. The thought was that he might have been the safety blanket for C.J. Stroud, but in Week 1, that role went to Robert Woods. Playing on a new team, with a rookie QB — I need to see something before I can get Schultz back into my lineup.
Chigoziem Okonkwo was a sit last week and did not register a single fantasy point. He got open downfield once, but Ryan Tannehill missed him (as he did on a concerning percentage of his throws Sunday). That was one of his two targets in Week 1. I like Okonkwo’s talent a lot, but you simply cannot start a tight end who saw two targets, especially when volume was the big concern coming into the season. The Chargers are not a particularly bad matchup for tight ends, but until we see Okonkwo earn consistent (accurate) targets, I think it’s best to stay away.
Smith finished Week 1 with five targets, three catches and 17 yards. He tied for the third-most targets on the team, but it’s going to be hard to earn meaningful usage given the two target vacuums the Bengals have in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Ravens have also been tough against tight ends since last season. This is not the week to stream Smith.
