Free tool · Sep 15 – Sep 21
Week 2 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 2 · Sep 15 – Sep 21
Start these TEs — week 2
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ TEN | 10.3 | +1.4 | @ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 1.4 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ NYJ | 9.9 | +1.3 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.3 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | George KittleTE · SF | vs MIA | 12.9 | +0.8 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs IND | 11.3 | +0.4 | vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs WAS | 8 | +0.4 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ CHI | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs NO | 10.6 | +0.1 | vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ BUF | 11.5 | 0 | @ BUF grades tough — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ TB | 7.2 | -0.1 | @ TB grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs PIT | 6.6 | -0.2 | vs PIT grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 2 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs SEA | 11.5 | -1.7 | vs SEA grades nightmare — about 1.7 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ LAC | 12.6 | -1.3 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs MIN | 7.4 | -0.7 | vs MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs JAX | 8.9 | -0.6 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs PIT | 6.6 | -0.2 | vs PIT grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ TB | 7.2 | -0.1 | @ TB grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ BUF | 11.5 | 0 | @ BUF grades tough — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs NO | 10.6 | +0.1 | vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ CHI | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs IND | 11.3 | +0.4 | vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
Week 2 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George KittleTE · SF | vs MIA | 12.9 | +0.8 | vs MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ LAC | 12.6 | -1.3 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs SEA | 11.5 | -1.7 | vs SEA grades nightmare — about 1.7 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ BUF | 11.5 | 0 | @ BUF grades tough — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Travis KelceTE · KC | vs IND | 11.3 | +0.4 | vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs NO | 10.6 | +0.1 | vs NO grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ TEN | 10.3 | +1.4 | @ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 1.4 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ CHI | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ NYJ | 9.9 | +1.3 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.3 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs JAX | 8.9 | -0.6 | vs JAX grades nightmare — about 0.6 points below a normal week. |
| 11 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs WAS | 8 | +0.4 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 12 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs MIN | 7.4 | -0.7 | vs MIN grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 13 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ TB | 7.2 | -0.1 | @ TB grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs PIT | 6.6 | -0.2 | vs PIT grades neutral — about 0.2 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 2 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 @ TENLead option: Dallas Goedert · 10.3 pts+1.4
- GB @ NYJLead option: Tucker Kraft · 9.9 pts+1.3
- SF vs MIALead option: George Kittle · 12.9 pts+0.8
- DAL vs WASLead option: Jake Ferguson · 8 pts+0.4
- KC vs INDLead option: Travis Kelce · 11.3 pts+0.4
Biggest TE downside
- ARI vs SEALead option: Trey McBride · 11.5 pts-1.7
- LV @ LACLead option: Brock Bowers · 12.6 pts-1.3
- CHI vs MINLead option: Colston Loveland · 7.4 pts-0.7
- DEN vs JAXLead option: Evan Engram · 8.9 pts-0.6
- NE vs PITLead option: Hunter Henry · 6.6 pts-0.2
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 2 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.