Free tool · Oct 20 – Oct 26
Week 7 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 7 · Oct 20 – Oct 26
Start these TEs — week 7
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs DAL | 10.7 | +1.8 | vs DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.8 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs CIN | 12.1 | +1.6 | vs CIN grades smash spot — worth about 1.6 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ ARI | 10.9 | +1.4 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.4 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | George KittleTE · SF | @ ATL | 12.6 | +0.5 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ TEN | 7.8 | +0.5 | @ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs IND | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ DET | 8.8 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ CHI | 6.8 | 0 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs GB | 11.4 | -0.1 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs NE | 7.3 | -0.8 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 7 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 DEN | 11.9 | -1.3 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ SEA | 9.6 | -1.3 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs LAR | 12.7 | -1.2 | vs LAR grades tough — about 1.2 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ PHI | 6.7 | -0.9 | @ PHI grades nightmare — about 0.9 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs NE | 7.3 | -0.8 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs GB | 11.4 | -0.1 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ CHI | 6.8 | 0 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs IND | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ DET | 8.8 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | George KittleTE · SF | @ ATL | 12.6 | +0.5 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
Week 7 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | vs LAR | 12.7 | -1.2 | vs LAR grades tough — about 1.2 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | George KittleTE · SF | @ ATL | 12.6 | +0.5 | @ ATL grades neutral — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | vs CIN | 12.1 | +1.6 | vs CIN grades smash spot — worth about 1.6 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | vs DEN | 11.9 | -1.3 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs GB | 11.4 | -0.1 | vs GB grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | @ ARI | 10.9 | +1.4 | @ ARI grades smash spot — worth about 1.4 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | vs DAL | 10.7 | +1.8 | vs DAL grades smash spot — worth about 1.8 points above a normal week. |
| 8 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | vs IND | 10.2 | +0.2 | vs IND grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ SEA | 9.6 | -1.3 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.3 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | @ DET | 8.8 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ TEN | 7.8 | +0.5 | @ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 0.5 points above a normal week. |
| 12 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | vs NE | 7.3 | -0.8 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 0.8 points below a normal week. |
| 13 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ CHI | 6.8 | 0 | @ CHI grades neutral — worth about 0 points above a normal week. |
| 14 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | @ PHI | 6.7 | -0.9 | @ PHI 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 7 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 vs DALLead option: Dallas Goedert · 10.7 pts+1.8
- BAL vs CINLead option: Mark Andrews · 12.1 pts+1.6
- DEN @ ARILead option: Evan Engram · 10.9 pts+1.4
- CLE @ TENLead option: David Njoku · 7.8 pts+0.5
- SF @ ATLLead option: George Kittle · 12.6 pts+0.5
Biggest TE downside
- ARI vs DENLead option: Trey McBride · 11.9 pts-1.3
- KC @ SEALead option: Travis Kelce · 9.6 pts-1.3
- LV vs LARLead option: Brock Bowers · 12.7 pts-1.2
- DAL @ PHILead option: Jake Ferguson · 6.7 pts-0.9
- CHI vs NELead option: Colston Loveland · 7.3 pts-0.8
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 7 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.