Free tool · Jan 5 – Jan 11
Week 18 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 18 · Jan 5 – Jan 11
Start these TEs — week 18
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George KittleTE · SF | @ ARI | 14 | +1.9 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ NYG | 9.8 | +0.9 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.9 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs LV | 11.6 | +0.7 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ CIN | 8 | +0.7 | @ CIN grades smash spot — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ WAS | 8 | +0.4 | @ WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs PIT | 10.7 | +0.2 | vs PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs CHI | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs DET | 8.8 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs MIA | 6.9 | +0.1 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ GB | 11.4 | -0.1 | @ GB grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 18 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 | @ KC | 12.4 | -1.5 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 1.5 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ MIN | 7.4 | -0.7 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs LAC | 9 | -0.5 | vs LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs SF | 12.9 | -0.3 | vs SF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ GB | 11.4 | -0.1 | @ GB grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs MIA | 6.9 | +0.1 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs PIT | 10.7 | +0.2 | vs PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs CHI | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs DET | 8.8 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ WAS | 8 | +0.4 | @ WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
Week 18 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George KittleTE · SF | @ ARI | 14 | +1.9 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs SF | 12.9 | -0.3 | vs SF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ KC | 12.4 | -1.5 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 1.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs LV | 11.6 | +0.7 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ GB | 11.4 | -0.1 | @ GB grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs PIT | 10.7 | +0.2 | vs PIT grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs CHI | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ NYG | 9.8 | +0.9 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.9 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs LAC | 9 | -0.5 | vs LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs DET | 8.8 | +0.2 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ WAS | 8 | +0.4 | @ WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 12 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ CIN | 8 | +0.7 | @ CIN grades smash spot — worth about 0.7 points above a normal week. |
| 13 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ MIN | 7.4 | -0.7 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs MIA | 6.9 | +0.1 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
Comparing two specific names? Run them through the start/sit optimizer or check injury impact before you lock the lineup.
Week 18 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
- SF @ ARILead option: George Kittle · 14 pts+1.9
- PHI @ NYGLead option: Dallas Goedert · 9.8 pts+0.9
- CLE @ CINLead option: David Njoku · 8 pts+0.7
- KC vs LVLead option: Travis Kelce · 11.6 pts+0.7
- DAL @ WASLead option: Jake Ferguson · 8 pts+0.4
Biggest TE downside
- LV @ KCLead option: Brock Bowers · 12.4 pts-1.5
- CHI @ MINLead option: Colston Loveland · 7.4 pts-0.7
- DEN vs LACLead option: Evan Engram · 9 pts-0.5
- ARI vs SFLead option: Trey McBride · 12.9 pts-0.3
- DET @ GBLead option: Sam LaPorta · 11.4 pts-0.1
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 18 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.