UPDATE
Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison are both out. Kaden Smith gets an upgrade as well as the Eagles D/ST.
Austin Hooper will play against the Panthers. He quickly becomes a start this week.
David Njoku will play against the Bengals. He can’t be trusted in the fantasy playoffs but he could help Baker Mayfield in a good matchup.
Ryan Griffin is questionable with an illness but did get limited practices in on Thursday and Friday. He should be able to go in a good matchup.
Gerald Everett is out. Tyler Higbee becomes a good play once again.
Greg Olsen is out. Ian Thomas should see the most offensive production in his absence.
The leading fantasy tight ends in Week 13 were Tyler Higbee, Jack Doyle, Mike Gesicki, Jason Witten and Darren Waller. Throw in Jaeden Graham and Kaden Smith in the Top-10 and we have ourselves another reason to keep playing matchups and streaming options without hesitation.
Who do the Cardinals play this week? Vance McDonald. Okay, this will be a true test as to how bad Arizona really is at stopping tight ends and we know they are very, very bad. Last week Tyler Higbee scorched them and McDonald has ability, but hasn’t shown it this season.
Injury/Status Report
T.J. Hockenson has been put on I.R. Jesse James and Logan Thomas will get the work now and won’t have much fantasy appeal.
Austin Hooper will resume practicing this week and should have a chance to suit up against the Panthers.
TE Ranking Tiers
Tier 1
George Kittle did very little last week against the Ravens but he looked healthy as he was a blocking machine in the run game. He will likely be needed more as a receiver this week against the Saints.
Jack Doyle is up in Tier 1 after putting up a good game last week against the Titans with Eric Ebron and T.Y. Hilton out and now he faces a bad Bucs tight end defense in the same set of circumstances.
Darren Waller looks like he may be back on track with Hunter Renfrow gone, as he saw his most targets since Week 3 and his most yards since Week 7 against the Chiefs last week.
Tier 2
Jacob Hollister had a tough matchup on Monday night and still was somewhat productive in PPR leagues. He looks like he’s fairly matchup proof as it comes to tight ends.
If Gerald Everett returns from injury, I’ll like Tyler Higbee less, but I still expect him to keep the lead job against a Seattle defense that isn’t great against tight ends.
TE Streamers
Vance McDonald against the Cardinals isn’t a lock, but I’d still play him in this great matchup.
Tight End Rankings, Week 14
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
1 | George Kittle | SF | @ NO |
2 | Travis Kelce | KC | @ NE |
3 | Zach Ertz | PHI | vs NYG |
4 | Darren Waller | OAK | vs TEN |
5 | Jack Doyle | IND | @ TB |
6 | Hunter Henry | LAC | @ JAC |
7 | Mark Andrews | BAL | @ BUF |
8 | Austin Hooper | ATL | vs CAR |
9 | Jacob Hollister | SEA | @ LAR |
10 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | vs NYG |
11 | Tyler Higbee | LAR | vs SEA |
12 | Mike Gesicki | MIA | @ NYJ |
13 | Jared Cook | NO | vs SF |
14 | Kyle Rudolph | MIN | vs DET |
15 | Vance McDonald | PIT | @ ARI |
16 | Ryan Griffin | NYJ | vs MIA |
17 | Jonnu Smith | TEN | @ OAK |
18 | O.J. Howard | TB | vs IND |
19 | Jason Witten | DAL | @ CHI |
20 | Kaden Smith | NYG | @ PHI |
21 | Jimmy Graham | GB | vs WAS |
22 | Noah Fant | DEN | @ HOU |
23 | Darren Fells | HOU | vs DEN |
24 | Ian Thomas | CAR | @ ATL |
25 | Irv Smith Jr. | MIN | vs DET |
26 | David Njoku | CLE | vs CIN |
27 | Dawson Knox | BUF | vs BAL |
28 | Tyler Eifert | CIN | @ CLE |
29 | Logan Thomas | DET | @ MIN |
30 | Nick O'Leary | JAC | vs LAC |
31 | Benjamin Watson | NE | vs KC |
32 | Blake Jarwin | DAL | @ CHI |
33 | Jordan Akins | HOU | vs DEN |
34 | Foster Moreau | OAK | vs TEN |
35 | Jeremy Sprinkle | WAS | @ GB |
36 | Nick Boyle | BAL | @ BUF |
37 | C.J. Uzomah | CIN | @ CLE |
38 | Hayden Hurst | BAL | @ BUF |
39 | Cameron Brate | TB | vs IND |
40 | Anthony Firkser | TEN | @ OAK |
41 | Mo Alie-Cox | IND | @ TB |
42 | Charles Clay | ARI | vs PIT |
43 | Maxx Williams | ARI | vs PIT |
44 | Matt LaCosse | NE | vs KC |
45 | Jeff Heuerman | DEN | @ HOU |
46 | Josh Hill | NO | vs SF |
47 | Andrew Beck | DEN | @ HOU |
48 | Johnny Mundt | LAR | vs SEA |
49 | J.P. Holtz | CHI | vs DAL |
50 | Marcedes Lewis | GB | vs WAS |
51 | Nick Vannett | PIT | @ ARI |