Free tool · Dec 15 – Dec 21
Week 15 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 15 · Dec 15 – Dec 21
Start these TEs — week 15
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs NYJ | 15.3 | +2.1 | vs NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 2.1 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ LV | 10.1 | +0.6 | @ LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs MIA | 8.9 | +0.3 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ PIT | 10.7 | +0.2 | @ PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs DET | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ NYG | 7.5 | +0.2 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ BUF | 7.8 | -0.3 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | George KittleTE · SF | @ LAC | 11.6 | -0.5 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ MIN | 11 | -0.5 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ LAR | 7 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 15 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs DEN | 12.1 | -1.8 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 1.8 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs NE | 9.9 | -1 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs SEA | 8 | -0.9 | vs SEA grades nightmare — about 0.9 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ KC | 6 | -0.8 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ LAR | 7 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | George KittleTE · SF | @ LAC | 11.6 | -0.5 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ MIN | 11 | -0.5 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ BUF | 7.8 | -0.3 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ PIT | 10.7 | +0.2 | @ PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs DET | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
Week 15 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs NYJ | 15.3 | +2.1 | vs NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 2.1 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs DEN | 12.1 | -1.8 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 1.8 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | George KittleTE · SF | @ LAC | 11.6 | -0.5 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ MIN | 11 | -0.5 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ PIT | 10.7 | +0.2 | @ PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs DET | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ LV | 10.1 | +0.6 | @ LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs NE | 9.9 | -1 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 1 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs MIA | 8.9 | +0.3 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs SEA | 8 | -0.9 | vs SEA grades nightmare — about 0.9 points below a normal week. |
| 11 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ BUF | 7.8 | -0.3 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ NYG | 7.5 | +0.2 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 13 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ LAR | 7 | -0.6 | @ LAR grades tough — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ KC | 6 | -0.8 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.8 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 15 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
- ARI vs NYJLead option: Trey McBride · 15.3 pts+2.1
- DEN @ LVLead option: Evan Engram · 10.1 pts+0.6
- GB vs MIALead option: Tucker Kraft · 8.9 pts+0.3
- BAL @ PITLead option: Mark Andrews · 10.7 pts+0.2
- CLE @ NYGLead option: David Njoku · 7.5 pts+0.2
Biggest TE downside
- LV vs DENLead option: Brock Bowers · 12.1 pts-1.8
- KC vs NELead option: Travis Kelce · 9.9 pts-1
- PHI vs SEALead option: Dallas Goedert · 8 pts-0.9
- NE @ KCLead option: Hunter Henry · 6 pts-0.8
- DAL @ LARLead option: Jake Ferguson · 7 pts-0.6
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 15 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.