Free tool · Dec 1 – Dec 7
Week 13 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 13 · Dec 1 – Dec 7
Start these TEs — week 13
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ ARI | 10.4 | +1.5 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.5 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | George KittleTE · SF | @ NYG | 13.2 | +1.1 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs CIN | 8 | +0.7 | vs CIN grades smash spot — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs MIA | 10.1 | +0.6 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ ATL | 12 | +0.5 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ NO | 8.5 | -0.1 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs CAR | 9.8 | -0.2 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs BUF | 6.4 | -0.4 | vs BUF grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ LAR | 10.3 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs JAX | 7.4 | -0.7 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 13 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ SEA | 6.4 | -1.2 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs PHI | 12.1 | -1.1 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs JAX | 7.4 | -0.7 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ LAR | 10.3 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs BUF | 6.4 | -0.4 | vs BUF grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs CAR | 9.8 | -0.2 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ NO | 8.5 | -0.1 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ ATL | 12 | +0.5 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs MIA | 10.1 | +0.6 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs CIN | 8 | +0.7 | vs CIN grades smash spot — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
Week 13 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George KittleTE · SF | @ NYG | 13.2 | +1.1 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs PHI | 12.1 | -1.1 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ ATL | 12 | +0.5 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ ARI | 10.4 | +1.5 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.5 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ LAR | 10.3 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs MIA | 10.1 | +0.6 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs CAR | 9.8 | -0.2 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ NO | 8.5 | -0.1 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs CIN | 8 | +0.7 | vs CIN grades smash spot — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs JAX | 7.4 | -0.7 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 11 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ SEA | 6.4 | -1.2 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs BUF | 6.4 | -0.4 | vs BUF grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
On bye in week 13
BAL · LV
Comparing two specific names? Run them through the start/sit optimizer or check injury impact before you lock the lineup.
Week 13 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 @ ARILead option: Dallas Goedert · 10.4 pts+1.5
- SF @ NYGLead option: George Kittle · 13.2 pts+1.1
- CLE vs CINLead option: David Njoku · 8 pts+0.7
- DEN vs MIALead option: Evan Engram · 10.1 pts+0.6
- DET @ ATLLead option: Sam LaPorta · 12 pts+0.5
Biggest TE downside
- DAL @ SEALead option: Jake Ferguson · 6.4 pts-1.2
- ARI vs PHILead option: Trey McBride · 12.1 pts-1.1
- CHI vs JAXLead option: Colston Loveland · 7.4 pts-0.7
- KC @ LARLead option: Travis Kelce · 10.3 pts-0.6
- NE vs BUFLead option: Hunter Henry · 6.4 pts-0.4
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 13 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.