Free tool · Oct 6 – Oct 12
Week 5 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 5 · Oct 6 – Oct 12
Start these TEs — week 5
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ ARI | 13.4 | +1.9 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ NYJ | 8.1 | +0.8 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs DET | 13.7 | +0.5 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ ATL | 10.9 | +0.4 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs CHI | 8.8 | +0.2 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs LV | 7 | +0.2 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs TB | 7.6 | 0 | vs TB grades neutral — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ NO | 9.8 | -0.2 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ JAX | 8.6 | -0.3 | @ JAX grades nightmare — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ GB | 7.7 | -0.4 | @ GB grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 5 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 | @ NE | 12.2 | -1.7 | @ NE grades nightmare — about 1.7 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | George KittleTE · SF | @ SEA | 10.8 | -1.3 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ LAC | 9 | -0.5 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ GB | 7.7 | -0.4 | @ GB grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ JAX | 8.6 | -0.3 | @ JAX grades nightmare — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ NO | 9.8 | -0.2 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs TB | 7.6 | 0 | vs TB grades neutral — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs CHI | 8.8 | +0.2 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs LV | 7 | +0.2 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ ATL | 10.9 | +0.4 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
Week 5 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs DET | 13.7 | +0.5 | vs DET grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | @ ARI | 13.4 | +1.9 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ NE | 12.2 | -1.7 | @ NE grades nightmare — about 1.7 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ ATL | 10.9 | +0.4 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.4 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | George KittleTE · SF | @ SEA | 10.8 | -1.3 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ NO | 9.8 | -0.2 | @ NO grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ LAC | 9 | -0.5 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs CHI | 8.8 | +0.2 | vs CHI grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ JAX | 8.6 | -0.3 | @ JAX grades nightmare — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ NYJ | 8.1 | +0.8 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ GB | 7.7 | -0.4 | @ GB grades tough — about 0.4 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs TB | 7.6 | 0 | vs TB grades neutral — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 13 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | vs LV | 7 | +0.2 | vs LV grades good matchup — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
On bye in week 5
KC
Comparing two specific names? Run them through the start/sit optimizer or check injury impact before you lock the lineup.
Week 5 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 @ ARILead option: Sam LaPorta · 13.4 pts+1.9
- CLE @ NYJLead option: David Njoku · 8.1 pts+0.8
- ARI vs DETLead option: Trey McBride · 13.7 pts+0.5
- BAL @ ATLLead option: Mark Andrews · 10.9 pts+0.4
- GB vs CHILead option: Tucker Kraft · 8.8 pts+0.2
Biggest TE downside
- LV @ NELead option: Brock Bowers · 12.2 pts-1.7
- SF @ SEALead option: George Kittle · 10.8 pts-1.3
- DEN @ LACLead option: Evan Engram · 9 pts-0.5
- CHI @ GBLead option: Colston Loveland · 7.7 pts-0.4
- PHI @ JAXLead option: Dallas Goedert · 8.6 pts-0.3
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 5 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.