Free tool · Sep 22 – Sep 28
Week 3 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 3 · Sep 22 – Sep 28
Start these TEs — week 3
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NYJ | 13.6 | +2.1 | vs NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 2.1 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | George KittleTE · SF | vs ARI | 14 | +1.9 | vs ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ DAL | 12.4 | +1.9 | @ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ MIA | 11.5 | +0.6 | @ MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ CHI | 9.5 | +0.6 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ TB | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ TB grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs ATL | 8.7 | +0.1 | vs ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs BAL | 7.5 | -0.1 | vs BAL grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ SF | 12.9 | -0.3 | @ SF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs LAR | 9.1 | -0.4 | vs LAR grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 3 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs PHI | 7.3 | -0.8 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ JAX | 6.1 | -0.7 | @ JAX grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ NO | 13.4 | -0.5 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs LAR | 9.1 | -0.4 | vs LAR grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs CAR | 6.9 | -0.4 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ SF | 12.9 | -0.3 | @ SF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs BAL | 7.5 | -0.1 | vs BAL grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs ATL | 8.7 | +0.1 | vs ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ TB | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ TB grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ MIA | 11.5 | +0.6 | @ MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
Week 3 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George KittleTE · SF | vs ARI | 14 | +1.9 | vs ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs NYJ | 13.6 | +2.1 | vs NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 2.1 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ NO | 13.4 | -0.5 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ SF | 12.9 | -0.3 | @ SF grades tough — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ DAL | 12.4 | +1.9 | @ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ MIA | 11.5 | +0.6 | @ MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ TB | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ TB grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ CHI | 9.5 | +0.6 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.6 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs LAR | 9.1 | -0.4 | vs LAR grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs ATL | 8.7 | +0.1 | vs ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs BAL | 7.5 | -0.1 | vs BAL grades neutral — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs PHI | 7.3 | -0.8 | vs PHI grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 13 | David NjokuTE · CLE | vs CAR | 6.9 | -0.4 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 14 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ JAX | 6.1 | -0.7 | @ 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 3 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
- DET vs NYJLead option: Sam LaPorta · 13.6 pts+2.1
- BAL @ DALLead option: Mark Andrews · 12.4 pts+1.9
- SF vs ARILead option: George Kittle · 14 pts+1.9
- KC @ MIALead option: Travis Kelce · 11.5 pts+0.6
- PHI @ CHILead option: Dallas Goedert · 9.5 pts+0.6
Biggest TE downside
- CHI vs PHILead option: Colston Loveland · 7.3 pts-0.8
- NE @ JAXLead option: Hunter Henry · 6.1 pts-0.7
- LV @ NOLead option: Brock Bowers · 13.4 pts-0.5
- CLE vs CARLead option: David Njoku · 6.9 pts-0.4
- DEN vs LARLead option: Evan Engram · 9.1 pts-0.4
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 3 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.