Free tool · Sep 8 – Sep 14
Week 1 TE start or sit
Outside the top handful of tight ends, the position is a touchdown lottery. That makes matchup a bigger tiebreaker at TE than at any other spot: red-zone defense and offensive quality are most of the signal.
Week 1 · Sep 8 – Sep 14
Start these TEs — week 1
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs WAS | 9.9 | +1 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ IND | 11 | +0.5 | @ IND grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs MIA | 14.2 | +0.3 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ NYG | 7.9 | +0.3 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NO | 11.7 | +0.2 | vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ CAR | 7.9 | -0.2 | @ CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | George KittleTE · SF | @ LAR | 11.7 | -0.4 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs GB | 9.5 | -0.5 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ KC | 8.8 | -0.7 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ MIN | 7.9 | -0.7 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 1 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs DEN | 9.8 | -1.1 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ SEA | 5.7 | -1.1 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ LAC | 12.4 | -0.8 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ JAX | 6.5 | -0.8 | @ JAX grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ KC | 8.8 | -0.7 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ MIN | 7.9 | -0.7 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs GB | 9.5 | -0.5 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | George KittleTE · SF | @ LAR | 11.7 | -0.4 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ CAR | 7.9 | -0.2 | @ CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NO | 11.7 | +0.2 | vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
Week 1 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs MIA | 14.2 | +0.3 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ LAC | 12.4 | -0.8 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | George KittleTE · SF | @ LAR | 11.7 | -0.4 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NO | 11.7 | +0.2 | vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ IND | 11 | +0.5 | @ IND grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs WAS | 9.9 | +1 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs DEN | 9.8 | -1.1 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs GB | 9.5 | -0.5 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ KC | 8.8 | -0.7 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ MIN | 7.9 | -0.7 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 11 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ CAR | 7.9 | -0.2 | @ CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ NYG | 7.9 | +0.3 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 13 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ JAX | 6.5 | -0.8 | @ JAX grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ SEA | 5.7 | -1.1 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
Comparing two specific names? Run them through the start/sit optimizer or check injury impact before you lock the lineup.
Week 1 TE matchup heatmap
Green is a matchup that adds points to a normal week, red is one that takes them away. The number is the average swing in points for that team's TE starters.
Biggest TE upside
- PHI vs WASLead option: Dallas Goedert · 9.9 pts+1
- BAL @ INDLead option: Mark Andrews · 11 pts+0.5
- DAL @ NYGLead option: Jake Ferguson · 7.9 pts+0.3
- LV vs MIALead option: Brock Bowers · 14.2 pts+0.3
- DET vs NOLead option: Sam LaPorta · 11.7 pts+0.2
Biggest TE downside
- KC vs DENLead option: Travis Kelce · 9.8 pts-1.1
- NE @ SEALead option: Hunter Henry · 5.7 pts-1.1
- ARI @ LACLead option: Trey McBride · 12.4 pts-0.8
- CLE @ JAXLead option: David Njoku · 6.5 pts-0.8
- DEN @ KCLead option: Evan Engram · 8.8 pts-0.7
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 1 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.