Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I’ll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the NFL season.
Fabs Top 10 tight ends
1. Mark Andrews at Buccaneers (TNF)
2. George Kittle at Rams
3. Zach Ertz at Vikings
4. Tyler Higbee vs. 49ers
5. T.J. Hockenson vs. Dolphins
6. Dallas Goedert vs. Steelers
7. Pat Freiermuth at Eagles
8. Dalton Schultz vs. Bears
9. Irv Smith Jr. vs. Cardinals
10. Robert Tonyan at Bills
Byes: Chargers, Chiefs
Week 8 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES
Week 8 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends
Start of the Week
Zach Ertz at Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Ertz is coming off his worst stat line of the season, posting just 21 yards and scoring a mere 6.1 fantasy points in a win over the Saints. I’d expect him to have a far better performance this weekend, though, as he’ll face a positive matchup in Minnesota. The Vikings have struggled against enemy tight ends this season, allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to the position.
Start ‘Em
Tyler Higbee vs. 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Higbee is coming off a 1.7-point stink bomb before the Rams’ bye week, but he remains a virtual must start at what is a very thin position. And while the Niners have surrendered just over 9.5 fantasy points per game to tight ends, Higbee did beat them for 17.3 points back in Week 4. Travis Kelce and Kyle Pitts have also beaten them for double-digit points.
Pat Freiermuth at Eagles (1 p.m. ET, CBS): This is not a great matchup on paper for Freiermuth, as the Eagles field one of the top defenses in the NFL. The good news is that he has seen seven or more targets in four of his six contests on the season, including nine last week against the Dolphins. Philadelphia has also let both Irv Smith Jr. and Jake Ferguson beat them for 14-plus points at home.
Irv Smith Jr. vs. Cardinals (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Smith hasn’t been a reliable fantasy option, but he’s been useful when the matchup is right. That’s the case this week, as he’ll face a Cardinals defense that’s allowed six touchdowns and the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. In fact, seven different players at the position have scored at least 10.1 points against them in their first seven games.
More Starts
• Robert Tonyan at Bills (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Hayden Hurst at Browns (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
DFS Bargains
• Tyler Higbee vs. 49ers ($4,200)
• Mike Gesicki at Lions ($3,800)
• Irv Smith Jr. vs. Cardinals ($3,500)
Week 8 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends
Kyle Pitts vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Pitts has been one of the year’s biggest fantasy busts, as he finds himself in a run-based offense that has thrown the ball just 42% of the time. He’s seen five or fewer targets four times in six games, and Marcus Mariota has a mere 27 pass attempts in the last two weeks. The Panthers have also allowed just one tight end to score more than 10.4 points against them.
Sit ‘Em
Evan Engram vs. Broncos (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+): Engram has been a usable fantasy starter when the opponent is favorable, but I’d fade him this week. He has a brutal matchup against the Broncos, who have been tough on tight ends. In fact, their defense has allowed just two players at the position to score more than 8.3 points, and no tight end has scored more than 13.3 against them in 2021.
Dawson Knox vs. Packers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Knox had his best game of the year before the bye, scoring a touchdown and 12.7 points. He had been held to single digits in his first four games, however, and this week’s matchup against the Packers makes him a fade. Their defense has allowed just two tight ends to score more than 5.8 points, and no player at the position has had more than 10.4 points.
Greg Dulcich at Jaguars (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+): Dulcich has been a hot name off the waiver wire, scoring a combined 23.5 fantasy points in his first two games. I’d avoid chasing the points, though, as the Jaguars have been tough on tight ends. In fact, just two have scored more than 7.8 fantasy points against them, and no tight end has scored more than 12.2 points against them this season.
More Sits
• Hunter Henry at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Cole Kmet at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
DFS Fades
• Kyle Pitts vs. Panthers ($4,000)
• Hunter Henry at Jets ($3,400)
• Cole Kmet at Cowboys ($2,900)
More fantasy & NFL coverage:
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!
