Free tool · Dec 22 – Dec 28
Week 16 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 16 · Dec 22 – Dec 28
Start these TEs — week 16
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs TEN | 15.2 | +1.3 | vs TEN grades smash spot — worth about 1.3 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NYG | 12.6 | +1.1 | vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ NYJ | 7.7 | +0.9 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 0.9 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs WAS | 10.7 | +0.7 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ CHI | 8.8 | +0.2 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs CLE | 10.6 | +0.1 | vs CLE grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ NO | 13.1 | -0.1 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs SF | 10.7 | -0.2 | vs SF grades tough — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs BUF | 9.3 | -0.2 | vs BUF grades tough — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ BAL | 7.1 | -0.2 | @ BAL grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 16 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs HOU | 8.1 | -0.8 | vs HOU grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | George KittleTE · SF | @ KC | 11.4 | -0.7 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs JAX | 6.9 | -0.7 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs GB | 7.7 | -0.4 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs SF | 10.7 | -0.2 | vs SF grades tough — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs BUF | 9.3 | -0.2 | vs BUF grades tough — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ BAL | 7.1 | -0.2 | @ BAL grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ NO | 13.1 | -0.1 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs CLE | 10.6 | +0.1 | vs CLE grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ CHI | 8.8 | +0.2 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
Week 16 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs TEN | 15.2 | +1.3 | vs TEN grades smash spot — worth about 1.3 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ NO | 13.1 | -0.1 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NYG | 12.6 | +1.1 | vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 1.1 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | George KittleTE · SF | @ KC | 11.4 | -0.7 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs SF | 10.7 | -0.2 | vs SF grades tough — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs WAS | 10.7 | +0.7 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs CLE | 10.6 | +0.1 | vs CLE grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs BUF | 9.3 | -0.2 | vs BUF grades tough — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ CHI | 8.8 | +0.2 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs HOU | 8.1 | -0.8 | vs HOU grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 11 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs GB | 7.7 | -0.4 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ NYJ | 7.7 | +0.9 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 0.9 points above a normal week. |
| 13 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ BAL | 7.1 | -0.2 | @ BAL grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs JAX | 6.9 | -0.7 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.7 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 16 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
- LV vs TENLead option: Brock Bowers · 15.2 pts+1.3
- DET vs NYGLead option: Sam LaPorta · 12.6 pts+1.1
- NE @ NYJLead option: Hunter Henry · 7.7 pts+0.9
- MIN vs WASLead option: T.J. Hockenson · 10.7 pts+0.7
- GB @ CHILead option: Tucker Kraft · 8.8 pts+0.2
Biggest TE downside
- PHI vs HOULead option: Dallas Goedert · 8.1 pts-0.8
- DAL vs JAXLead option: Jake Ferguson · 6.9 pts-0.7
- SF @ KCLead option: George Kittle · 11.4 pts-0.7
- CHI vs GBLead option: Colston Loveland · 7.7 pts-0.4
- CLE @ BALLead option: David Njoku · 7.1 pts-0.2
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 16 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.