Fantasy Football Week 16 TE Rankings: Tyler Higbee Up, Austin Hooper Down

Getty Austin Hooper of the Atlanta Falcons

Welcome to our fantasy football tight end rankings for Week 16 of the 2019 NFL regular season. This week, we take a look at one of the more prominent talents at the position enduring a string of disappointing performances. Plus, a playmaker on the rise in Los Angeles presented with a grueling matchup.

Reminder: These rankings are based on full-PPR scoring formats.

* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 16 TE Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.

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Tight End Outlook Week 16

Prior to Austin Hooper‘s (TE6) injury, he was fantasy football’s leading scorer at the tight end position with an outstanding 17.2 points per game. However, since returning to the Falcons lineup in Week 14 he’s just TE28, having scored a combined 10.2 fantasy points.

While the numbers are worrisome, there is some reason to feel optimistic heading into Week 16 as a Hooper owner. For one, he’s seen six targets in each of the past two weeks, while he’s hauled in just five total passes over that span, it’s good to see that he’s still a crucial part of Atlanta’s gameplan. Plus, without Calvin Ridley in the lineup, those numbers should only increase.

Also, he gets to face off with a Jacksonville Jaguars defense this week that in Week 14 allowed two receiving touchdowns to tight ends, and then followed it up by allowing Darren Waller to torch them for 122 receiving yards the following week.

Tyler Higbee (TE8) is no fluke, and if he had a matchup against essentially any other team, he would likely be a top-five lock at the moment. He’s now eclipsed 100+ receiving yards in three straight games, and averaged 21.8 fantasy points over that span, the most by a tight end, and the 11th most overall, regardless of position.

San Francisco is a hell of a stingy matchup for Higbee this week, allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season. With that said, the ‘9ers have been a bit more susceptible to the position of late. San Francisco has allowed four receiving touchdowns to tight ends over their last three games.

As absurd as it may sound, Higbee has become LA’s most reliable playmaker, and you should not shy away from him, no matter the matchup.

Week 16 Fantasy Rankings: Tight Ends

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• Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough

1. 1. *Check out our Week 16 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
   2. Start-Sit [ QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
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