Getty Gallery: 5/5
Top-10 Highest Projected Tight Ends on DraftKings
– Travis Kelce ($6,600) at Cleveland Browns
– David Njoku ($4,600) vs. Kansas City Chiefs
– O.J. Howard ($4,300) at Carolina Panthers
– Greg Olsen ($4,700) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
– Austin Hooper ($3,800) at Washington Redskins
– Trey Burton ($4,500) at Buffalo Bills
– Vance McDonald ($3,700) at Baltimore Ravens
– Jordan Reed ($4,800) vs. Atlanta Falcons
– Kyle Rudolph ($3,600) vs. Detroit Lions
– Benjamin Watson ($3,200) vs. Los Angeles Rams
DraftKings Tight End Value Plays
*Note: All value plays at tight end cost roughly $4,000 or less.
This is some legitimate ugliness at tight end in Week 9. If there's a button to just automatically play either Travis Kelce, David Njoku, O.J. Howard or Greg Olsen, I'd be fine with that. This is one of the toughest slates of the year when it comes to the tight ends after the top one or two (Njoku's dud last week doesn't leave anyone feeling great).
Based on the value that's open at other positions, I think we can technically consider Njoku, Howard or Olsen as value plays. For the sake of this article and to give a few even less expensive options, I'll still evaluate the other plays. To note, it's highly recommended to use one of the names above unless doing 150-max lines and trying to differentiate.
Austin Hooper does at least deserve a tip of the cap for his recent play. The Falcons tight end had caught 18-of-22 targets combined between Weeks 5-6. Unfortunately, he saw just four targets prior to the team's bye in Week 7, totaling three catches for 48 yards. If Hooper reverts back to seeing 10-12 targets, then I'm all for it, but that seems like a longshot.
Next up we have Vance McDonald, and the Steelers tight end has a pretty appealing matchup. Although we know Ben Roethlisberger has dealt with his fair share of road struggles, there's a chance he could lean on his tight end a bit. The Ravens have allowed 44 receptions for 510 yards and two touchdowns this season. McDonald is in play for big tournaments and his price is appealing as well.
For full disclosure, playing Kyle Rudolph in fantasy football gives me a bit of a headache this season. The good news is that he's coming off a game in which he saw the second-most targets of the season (seven) come his way, catching four passes for just 39 yards. The upside isn't high with Rudolph, so it's smart to temper expectations considering he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 3.
The Lions have allowed four touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season, so it's a solid spot for Rudolph to snap the drought. They've also given up 389 yards to the position, which isn't ideal, but the size of the Vikings tight end could make him a red-zone option for Kirk Cousins this week.
Top DraftKings Optimal Lineup Around Favorite TE Play
– QB: Baker Mayfield ($5,600)
– RB: Christian McCaffrey ($7,800)
– RB: Mark Ingram ($5,000)
– *WR: Stefon Diggs ($6,800)
– WR: Jarvis Landry ($6,500)
– WR: TJ Jones ($3,000)
– TE: Travis Kelce ($6,600)
– FLEX: David Njoku ($4,600)
– DST: Chicago Bears ($4,100)
*If Diggs ruled out, take the high upside play with Brandin Cooks.
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DraftKings Week 9 Fantasy: Best NFL Picks & Top Lineups