Wild Card Weekend Tight End Start/Sit: Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, Dalton Schultz and More

Fantasy playoff time is different from the regular season. There are way less players to choose from, and most people are playing DFS rather than a traditional fantasy setup. With that in mind, we here at FantasySP are digging into each position and giving you players to sit or start in the first week of the postseason.

Tight end is one of the most fungible positions in fantasy football. There are a few stars, but the number of impact players is much lower than at running back or wide receiver (or even quarterback). With only six starters active in each conference this week, things are squeezed even tighter.

Let’s look at the tight ends in action this weekend and who is set up for a productive game. This will take into account regular season performance along with the matchup. Players are listed in order of how I rank them this week (the full list will be at the bottom of the page). Player projections and fantasy points allowed are from FantasySP. 

 

Start

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Projected Fantasy Points: 13

Kelce is way down from his dominate ways of the past few seasons, but maybe we’re being too hard on him. It’s a lot to expect all-time numbers every year, especially as he gets older. Among tight ends, Kelce is still near the top of the position.

Miami gave up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Wide receivers have been letting Mahomes down all season, so this could be the point the Chiefs quit messing around and feed targets to their top pass catcher. Kelce could go from “tight end” to “No. 1 receiver,” where he has previously taken stead.

 

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Projected Fantasy Points: 9

Njoku has been on fire since Joe Flacco took over at quarterback. In the five games they played together (Weeks 13-17), Njoku totaled 30 receptions, 390 yards and four touchdowns. He was a top-six tight end in each of those weeks aside from Week 13, when he had just two catches for 17 yards. That weak showing makes his totals even more impressive.

Houston allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends over the course of the season. When these teams played in Week 16, Njoku had six catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. He had at least eight targets in each of the last four games he played (before sitting Week 18). The production, circumstance, and matchup are right for Njoku to have another big game. 

 

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

Projected Fantasy Points: 6

With Green Bay league average against tight ends, Ferguson’s place here is more about his play and connection with Dak Prescott. Ferguson was in the top 10 among tight ends in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He is a big part of the Dallas attack and should be treated as such.

While five other TEs are projected to have six or more fantasy points, Ferguson stands out to me as a safe option. He had at least four catches in nine of his 11 games after the Week 7 bye (and the other two were both blowout wins). Only four of those games saw him under 40 yards (with just one under 30). Other guys are projected with higher upsides, but I feel secure with Ferguson in my lineup against the Packers.

 

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

Projected Fantasy Points: 8

Goedert had several big games this season, and that combined with his name recognition to give him a status among the top tight ends. I’ve been down on him all season, though. Goedert missed three games with injury, and he is only 12th in PPR points per game and 13th in standard.

The matchup is the real star here, as Tampa Bay allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. These teams played in Week 3: Goedert had five catches for 47 yards. That’s not a great showing, but the volume (seven targets) gives him a shot to break a big play or score a touchdown if he reaches it again.

I still don’t trust Goedert for consistency, but this is a chance to start the postseason hot.

 

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills

Projected Fantasy Points: 6

Kincaid missed Week 6 with injury; from his Week 7 return until the Week 13 bye, he went on a run of six games in which he had at least five receptions and 38 yards. Following a few slow games in the back half, he finished the season with a pair of strong performances, totaling 11 receptions and 171 yards over Weeks 17 and 18. His inconsistency is what puts him in the middle of the Wild Card tight ends.

The matchup gives him a better outlook this week, as the Steelers gave up the 10th-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. While not the best team he could hope to play, Kincaid will potentially face much tougher defenses later in the playoffs. This may be his best chance for playoff success.

 

Tough Calls

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Projected Fantasy Points: 6

Schultz had a few good games, but he disappeared in others and was hard to trust on a consistent basis. He topped 40 yards eight times but was under 10 yards in four others.

Cleveland was brutal to tight ends this season, allowing the least fantasy points per game to the position. Schultz did catch eight passes when the teams played in Week 16, but he only gained 61 yards despite being force-fed the ball.

Volume could be there, but it’s more likely that, with C.J. Stroud back in the lineup, the team looks to push the ball downfield to wide receivers more often. Even if he does get the ball, Schultz is unlikely to have much room to work this week.

 

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Projected Fantasy Points: 5

The Lions gave up the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends. Higbee is a high-variance player who has more bad fantasy days than good. He was among the top 10 tight ends in PPR scoring four times but outside the top 20 in nine weeks.

While the matchup isn’t bad, I can’t trust Higbee. There are better matchups, even in DFS if Higbee has a low dollar amount.

 

Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright, Detroit Lions

Projected Fantasy Points: N/A

LaPorta suffered a knee injury in the season finale, and his status is uncertain for Sunday; he is likely to miss the game. If he plays, LaPorta is a must-start tight end. If he doesn’t (which is what I’m predicting here), then his backup is enticing.

Wright topped out at three catches and 23 yards in any game during the season, but he would be in line for a starter’s workload if LaPorta is out. The Rams were the fourth worst team in fantasy against tight ends this year. Wright is a low-cost tight end option in DFS who could pay big dividends if you want to take a risk.

 

Sit

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Projected Fantasy Points: 5

Otton is a step below Higbee but with essentially the same circumstances: Otton doesn’t get a ton of work, but the Eagles are a little worse than league average against tight ends.

Even with an OK matchup, you can find a better play this week. Otton is a bye-week streamer in Week 9, not a playoff-level fantasy or DFS guy.

 

Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Projected Fantasy Points: 4.5

Musgrave had a few good showings, but he was inconsistent and missed Weeks 12-17 before returning for one catch last week. Kraft filled in during Musgrave’s absence and had at least four catches and 48 yards in each game across Weeks 14-17.

Both players are marginal, but the matchup dictates that they shouldn’t be started this week. The Cowboys gave up the fifth-least fantasy points per game to tight ends, regularly shutting down the position. Look elsewhere on Wild Card weekend.

 

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

Projected Fantasy Points: 4

Freiermuth hasn’t been a factor in most games. He had a nine-catch, 120-yard performance in Week 9 but otherwise failed to top three catches or 44 yards. The Bills were among the best teams defending tight ends this season. Find a better option.

 

Durham Smythe, Miami Dolphins

Projected Fantasy Points: N/A

Smythe just doesn’t get enough work to be a feasible option in fantasy. He reached 50 yards twice but didn’t score any touchdowns and had zero or one catch six times. Skip Smythe for the duration of Miami’s run.

 

Wild Card Weekend Full Tight End Rankings

1. Travis Kelce, KC

2. David Njoku, Cle

3. Jake Ferguson, Dal

4. Dallas Goedert, Phi

5. Dalton Kincaid, Buf

6. Dalton Schultz, Hou

7. Tyler Higbee, LAR

8. Brock Wright, Det

9. Cade Otton, TB

10. Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, GB

11. Pat Freiermuth, Pit

12. Durham Smythe, Mia