Week 2 Fantasy Football Tight End Start/Sit: Pat Freiermuth, Brock Bowers, Evan Engram and More
Three tight ends to consider starting and three who should be on the bench in Week 2.
Tight end had the biggest fantasy surprise of Week 1 when Isaiah Likely went off for 111 yards on nine catches, scoring once and missing a second touchdown by just a toe. It wasn’t a big week for the position, though, as Likely was the only player over 60 yards, and Brock Bowers (58) was the only other guy over 50.
Just five tight ends scored a touchdown, and three of those had three or less catches and 26 or less yards. TE is often a tough position at which to find high-level play, and Week 1 followed that theme.
Let’s go through three tight ends to start and three to sit in Week 2. These suggestions are based heavily on 2023’s defensive performances but also factor in Week 1 and what we can reasonably expect moving forward.
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Start
Jake Ferguson or Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints
Ferguson was hurt in Dallas’ opening game, and while he might play in Week 2 according to reports, it’s also possible he will miss a little time. If that happens, Schoonmaker, a second-round pick in 2023, would become a starter in a high-powered offense. Ferguson’s injury status determines Schoonmaker’s value.
The matchup is a positive one based on 2023 numbers. New Orleans allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends and tied for the second-most touchdowns allowed to the position.
They didn’t give up much in Week 1, but the Panthers can’t be compared to other teams, especially the Cowboys. A full season of results tells us a lot more about the Saints’ true talent than one week against the worst team in football. Though changes do happen between seasons, it’s more likely the Saints are middling at best against TEs.
If Ferguson is out, Schoonmaker becomes a great streamer. The matchup helps, and the Dallas offense puts players in position to produce fantasy points. A healthy Ferguson is a no-brainer to be in someone’s lineup, though the injury concern is something to keep in mind.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos
Most importantly for Freiermuth, he got paid right before the season started, signing a four-year, $48 million contract last week. He celebrated with a modest Week 1, catching four passes for 27 yards. Those were both second on the team behind George Pickens.
It looks like Justin Fields will be starting again for the Steelers, so a similar usage pattern is likely. The ceiling is low, and Freiermuth is nothing more than a streamer, but there’s reason to expect him to get the ball thrown his way again.
The matchup is the most intriguing thing here, as Denver was by far the worst fantasy defense against tight ends last year. They didn’t give up much to the Seahawks in Week 1, but Seattle doesn’t use their tight ends very often (more on that in a second).
Freiermuth is a guy you can plug into your lineup and expect to get five targets or so; with a little luck, one of those will end up as a reception in the end zone. Don’t go drop a productive player to grab the Pittsburgh tight end, but Freiermuth is worth considering if you’re short on options.
Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona Cardinals
Parkinson joined LA this offseason after four quiet seasons with the Seahawks. He was a fourth-round pick, so Parkinson wasn’t a highly regarded prospect, but he went from a bad situation to a potentially fruitful one in fantasy terms.
Tyler Higbee was the top tight end on the Rams in each of Stafford’s previous seasons with the team and averaged around 60 receptions for 600 yards and three or four touchdowns over those three years. The top tight end in Seattle during Parkinson’s time was closer to 40 catches and 400 yards with a couple touchdowns, showing about two-thirds the production of LA’s top guy.
Parkinson went from a team who used tight ends sparingly to one who has them factored into the game plan more often. He’s also the top guy on the depth chart after playing behind Noah Fant in Seattle, so Parkinson is getting the best opportunity of his career. He tallied four catches and 47 yards in Week 1.
Arizona was middling against tight ends last year but allowed just two catches and 34 yards to Buffalo tight ends last week. It was the Josh Allen show, and he didn’t factor in his tight ends. I’m willing to bet Parkinson will be more involved in this game.
The matchup isn’t great the way it is for many “Start” guys; it’s middling. This is more about the player and his situation, though, and Parkinson’s status as a streamer for anyone who doesn’t have a solid tight end option.
Sit
Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders @ Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens had maybe the toughest tight end matchup in Week 1 and came out on the positive side: Travis Kelce caught just three passes for 34 yards. Fellow Kansas City tight end Noah Gray also caught three for 37 yards, but it was a good defensive performance against a tough passing game.
Baltimore was successful against tight ends last year as well, finishing sixth in fantasy points allowed to TEs. The Ravens have a tough defense overall, but some of their best players might be at safety and linebacker, the guys who cover tight ends.
Bowers had a successful debut, catching six passes for 58 yards. Fellow tight end Michael Mayer caught just two balls for three yards, showing Bowers was clearly the top option at the position.
While Bowers will surely have big games, this isn’t the matchup to choose. A bad Raiders team probably won’t be in position to score often, and a good defensive group will make things hard on the offense all day, limiting upside.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cleveland Browns
Engram led all tight ends with 114 receptions last year and racked up close to 1,000 yards. He had just one catch for five yards in Week 1. Jacksonville remade their receiver room this offseason, signing Gabe Davis to a free agent contract before drafting Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round.
Calvin Ridley left town, but Trevor Lawrence still seems to have more weapons than last year. Engram received at least five targets in every game last season and was below seven targets only four times. He had just four targets in the opening game.
A PPR star last season, Engram becomes very middling without that volume. He will now face one of the best tight end defenses from last season. The Browns allowed the least receiving yards and second-least fantasy points to tight ends in 2023.
Cowboys’ TE Ferguson sustained an injury, but he still played over 60% of the snaps in Week 1 and caught just three passes for 15 yards. Cleveland gave up very little to a guy who finished as a top-10 fantasy tight end last season.
This is a case of a bad matchup and a guy who might be seeing his volume cut significantly from last year. While he will probably have some good fantasy weeks, Engram is set up to fail in Week 2.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears @ Houston Texans
Houston wasn’t good against tight ends last year, but there’s reason to hope for better results this season. The Texans upgraded their defense at several spots, including bringing in edge rusher Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, and they are in the second year under respected defensive coach DeMeco Ryans; this defense is more likely to improve than decline.
They didn’t allow any catches to tight ends in Week 1, but it’s not a good comparison to most teams. Anthony Richardson is a great athlete but not the best option to drop back and survey the field. The Colts just aren’t going to use their tight ends often.
Kmet was a victim of the horrific offense the Bears put out on the field against Tennessee. Caleb Williams threw for just 93 yards, and the team ran for 84 yards. A blocked punt and pick-six were their only touchdowns and resulted in a win for Chicago. Amazing.
Kmet was limited to four yards on one catch, only receiving one target. There are surely better days ahead for both Williams and the Bears, but the opening game made it clear that the rookie will need time to adapt. It’s worth being weary of his pass catchers in the meantime.
Chicago’s tight end is a player to sit until he shows high-end play with his new quarterback. Kmet may be a consistent fantasy presence with Williams some day, but Week 2 is more likely to go in favor of the defense.
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