Free tool · Dec 29 – Jan 4
Week 17 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 17 · Dec 29 – Jan 4
Start these TEs — week 17
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ CIN | 12.1 | +1.6 | @ CIN grades smash spot — worth about 1.6 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ ARI | 15.4 | +1.5 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.5 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ NYJ | 11.4 | +1.4 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.4 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs LV | 14 | +0.8 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ CHI | 12.2 | +0.7 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs NYG | 7.9 | +0.3 | vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs DET | 8.3 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ SF | 9 | +0.1 | @ SF grades tough — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs IND | 7.2 | -0.1 | vs IND grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ LAC | 10.3 | -0.6 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 17 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs HOU | 7.5 | -1.1 | vs HOU grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs DEN | 5.9 | -0.9 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 0.9 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | George KittleTE · SF | vs PHI | 11.3 | -0.8 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ NE | 8.7 | -0.8 | @ NE grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ LAC | 10.3 | -0.6 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs IND | 7.2 | -0.1 | vs IND grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ SF | 9 | +0.1 | @ SF grades tough — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs DET | 8.3 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs NYG | 7.9 | +0.3 | vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ CHI | 12.2 | +0.7 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
Week 17 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ ARI | 15.4 | +1.5 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.5 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs LV | 14 | +0.8 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ CHI | 12.2 | +0.7 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ CIN | 12.1 | +1.6 | @ CIN grades smash spot — worth about 1.6 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ NYJ | 11.4 | +1.4 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.4 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | George KittleTE · SF | vs PHI | 11.3 | -0.8 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ LAC | 10.3 | -0.6 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ SF | 9 | +0.1 | @ SF grades tough — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ NE | 8.7 | -0.8 | @ NE grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs DET | 8.3 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs NYG | 7.9 | +0.3 | vs NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.3 points above a normal week. |
| 12 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs HOU | 7.5 | -1.1 | vs HOU grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 13 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs IND | 7.2 | -0.1 | vs IND grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs DEN | 5.9 | -0.9 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 0.9 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 17 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
- BAL @ CINLead option: Mark Andrews · 12.1 pts+1.6
- LV @ ARILead option: Brock Bowers · 15.4 pts+1.5
- MIN @ NYJLead option: T.J. Hockenson · 11.4 pts+1.4
- ARI vs LVLead option: Trey McBride · 14 pts+0.8
- DET @ CHILead option: Sam LaPorta · 12.2 pts+0.7
Biggest TE downside
- GB vs HOULead option: Tucker Kraft · 7.5 pts-1.1
- NE vs DENLead option: Hunter Henry · 5.9 pts-0.9
- DEN @ NELead option: Evan Engram · 8.7 pts-0.8
- SF vs PHILead option: George Kittle · 11.3 pts-0.8
- KC @ LACLead option: Travis Kelce · 10.3 pts-0.6
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 17 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.