Getty Jimmy Graham #80 of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions.
Welcome to Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Tight Ends edition for Week 4 of the NFL season. This edition features a once perennial All-Pro fresh off a monstrous performance. Plus, a top-two scorer from a week ago offers more doubt than upside.
* Reminder: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is intended to present you with the non-obvious choices for your fantasy lineup. We dig deep into player matchups, scoring trends, and other factors to best help you with your fantasy decisions. Superstars such as Travis Kelce will not be found in this column. If you’re looking for players of such caliber check out our weekly fantasy football tight end rankings.
Start-Sit [QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
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TE: Start ‘Em
Start of the Week: TJ Hockenson at NO
Hockenson has been a top-nine play thus far this season, outscoring the likes of Zach Ertz and Mark Andrews. The Saints just allowed a total of 104 receiving yards, two touchdowns and 31.4 fantasy points to Packers tight ends one week ago. New Orleans has surrendered four touchdowns to opposing TEs in the first three weeks of play.
Darren Waller vs. BUF
Waller disappointed mightily in Week 3, failing to crack 3.0 fantasy points. Expect a bounce-back performance from the Raiders’ big-body pass-catcher. The Bills allows the ninth-most points to TEs this year, including an average of six receptions and 80.3 receiving yards per game to the position.
Robert Tonyan vs. ATL
Tonyan is quietly working his way up the tight end ranks, playing nearly 22-percent more snaps than the next closest Packers tight end this season. Averaging 13.25 points over the past two weeks, Tonyan has become a favorite red-zone target for Aaron Rodgers. Davante Adams being hobbled should only add to Tonyan’s looks against a Falcons defense that allow the fifth-most points to TEs.
Dalton Schultz vs. CLE
No team allows more points to the tight end position this season than the Cleveland Browns, which is likely music Schultz owners’ ears. In Dallas’ pass-happy offense, Schultz has now seen 16 targets come his way over the past two weeks. Cleveland allows the third-most targets to TEs this year.
Sleeper: Austin Hooper at DAL
A regular must-start a year ago, Hooper’s 2020 campaign has not gotten off to the best of starts, as he’s yet to top 5.5 fantasy points. That may very well change this week against the league’s fifth-worst pass defense, the Cowboys. Dallas has allowed nine receiving touchdowns in three weeks of play (tied for most in NFL) and a touchdown to an opposing tight end in each of the past two weeks.
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TE: Sit ‘Em
Sit of the Week: Tyler Kroft at LV
Kroft went off for two touchdowns in place of a concussed Dawson Knox. However, Kroft remains touchdown or flop, totaling just 24 receiving yards on the day. In Week 4 he faces off against a Raiders defense that allows an average of just 3.63 points to starting TEs this season.
Jimmy Graham vs. IND
Graham flashed his previous All-Pro form in Week 3, racking up 24.0 fantasy points in the midst. However, a matchup against Indianapolis this week presents quite the daunting task. The Colts defense has yet to surrender more than 21 receiving yards to a tight end this year. In total, Indy has allowed 4.9 points to the position in 2020.
Greg Olsen at MIA
Olsen has topped 11.0 fantasy points in two of the past three weeks. He’s also put up a goose egg over that span as well. With two stud wideouts and fellow tight ends Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister eating into his target share, Olsen’s output will be very much Jekyll and Hyde this season. This week Olsen faces off against a Miami defense who has allowed no more than 7.1 fantasy points and 29 receiving yards to any tight end this season.
Buyers Beware: Tyler Higbee vs. NYG
After exploding for three touchdowns the week prior, Higbee laid somewhat of a dud in Week 3, posting just 8.0 fantasy points. The biggest concern for the tight end is his target share. After seeing 11-plus targets come his way in each of his final four games of 2019, he’s averaged just 3.6 targets per game this season. While a matchup with the Giants may sound inviting on paper, they’ve yet to surrender a touchdown or more than 49 receiving yards to any player at the position.