Getty Tight end Noah Fant #87 of the Denver Broncos celebrates his first quarter touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Welcome to Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Tight Ends edition for Week 16 of the NFL season.
* 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: Logan Thomas vs. CAR
Thomas has now topped 10.0 points in seven of his last nine games. He’s become as reliable of a play as there is at the position behind only Travis Kelce and Darren Waller, receiving 10.3 targets per game over his last three contests. The Panthers allow the eighth-most points to TEs this season and have surrendered five receiving TDs to the position since Week 10.
T.J. Hockenson vs. TB
The first-time Pro Bowler is fresh off a monstrous dud this past week, scoring a mere 1.8 points. Still, he entered that game scoring 10.0-plus points in four consecutive games and over seven of his past eight games. Over the last four weeks, the Bucs have allowed 19.63 ppg to opposing TEs (third-most in NFL). They’ve allowed a TD to an opposing TE in back-to-back weeks.
Noah Fant at LAC
Fant found the endzone last week for the first time since Week 2. Don’t be surprised for him to visit the endzone yet again this week against the Bolts. Los Angeles has given up 10 TDs this season to TEs (t-third most), six of which have occurred since Week 8.
Austin Hooper at NYJ
It’s been an up and down season for the Browns TE. Yet, Hooper has scored in two of his last three games. His quarterback is playing brilliantly. Oh, and he’s playing the Jets. New York has allowed a league-high 13 receiving TDs to TEs this season. Since Week 6, only two opponents’ TE groups have failed to find the endzone against Gang Green.
Sleeper: Cole Kmet at JAC
Kmet burned many owners last week, likely ending any chance of him being inserted into lineups this week. Still, it’s worth mentioning the matchup. The Jags have allowed 11 receiving TDs to TEs this year (second-most in NFL). Over the last two weeks, they’ve surrendered 17.90 ppg to TEs (seventh-most in NFL).
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TE: Sit ‘Em
Sit of the Week: Dan Arnold vs. SF
Since Week 13, Arnold is TE6, averaging 13.1 ppg thanks in large part to three TDs over that span. The issue here is the Niners have allowed just four TDs all season to TEs, while only two opposing TEs have amassed more than 43 receiving yards against them.
Jordan Reed at ARI
Reed has scored 9.8-plus points in three of his last five games. He also didn’t top 3.8 points in those two other games. It looks as if C.J. Beathard will start at QB for the 49ers this week. They’ll also be without RB Raheem Mostert. San Francisco is crumbling before our eyes and Reed is no longer a talent worth attaching yourself to against a Cardinals defense that allows the seventh-fewest points to TEs this season.
Buyers Beware: Jonnu Smith at GB
Smith has scored 9.5-plus points in four of his last five games. Yet, the Packers allow the fourth-fewest points to TEs this season, while their four TDs allowed to the position are tied for fifth-fewest in the NFL. In games Smith hasn’t scored a TD this season, he averages just 5.78 ppg.
Start-Sit [QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
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