Free tool · Nov 24 – Nov 30
Week 12 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 12 · Nov 24 – Nov 30
Start these TEs — week 12
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ DAL | 10.7 | +1.8 | @ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.8 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs WAS | 14.3 | +1.1 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs CHI | 12.2 | +0.7 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ DET | 8.3 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs ATL | 10.1 | +0.1 | vs ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ PIT | 9.6 | +0.1 | @ PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs LV | 7.4 | +0.1 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ BUF | 10.6 | -0.3 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ CLE | 13.4 | -0.5 | @ CLE grades neutral — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ LAR | 8 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 12 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George KittleTE · SF | vs SEA | 10.8 | -1.3 | vs SEA grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ HOU | 9.4 | -1.1 | @ HOU grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs PHI | 6.7 | -0.9 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 0.9 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ LAR | 8 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ LAC | 6.2 | -0.6 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ CLE | 13.4 | -0.5 | @ CLE grades neutral — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ BUF | 10.6 | -0.3 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs ATL | 10.1 | +0.1 | vs ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ PIT | 9.6 | +0.1 | @ PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs LV | 7.4 | +0.1 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
Week 12 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs WAS | 14.3 | +1.1 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ CLE | 13.4 | -0.5 | @ CLE grades neutral — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs CHI | 12.2 | +0.7 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | George KittleTE · SF | vs SEA | 10.8 | -1.3 | vs SEA grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ DAL | 10.7 | +1.8 | @ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.8 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ BUF | 10.6 | -0.3 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs ATL | 10.1 | +0.1 | vs ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ PIT | 9.6 | +0.1 | @ PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ HOU | 9.4 | -1.1 | @ HOU grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ DET | 8.3 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ LAR | 8 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs LV | 7.4 | +0.1 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 13 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs PHI | 6.7 | -0.9 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 0.9 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ LAC | 6.2 | -0.6 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.6 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 12 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 @ DALLead option: Dallas Goedert · 10.7 pts+1.8
- ARI vs WASLead option: Trey McBride · 14.3 pts+1.1
- DET vs CHILead option: Sam LaPorta · 12.2 pts+0.7
- CHI @ DETLead option: Colston Loveland · 8.3 pts+0.2
- CLE vs LVLead option: David Njoku · 7.4 pts+0.1
Biggest TE downside
- SF vs SEALead option: George Kittle · 10.8 pts-1.3
- BAL @ HOULead option: Mark Andrews · 9.4 pts-1.1
- DAL vs PHILead option: Jake Ferguson · 6.7 pts-0.9
- GB @ LARLead option: Tucker Kraft · 8 pts-0.6
- NE @ LACLead option: Hunter Henry · 6.2 pts-0.6
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 12 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.