Free tool · Oct 27 – Nov 2
Week 8 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 8 · Oct 27 – Nov 2
Start these TEs — week 8
Biggest positive matchup swing at tight end this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ DAL | 15.4 | +2.2 | @ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 2.2 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ NYJ | 15.7 | +1.8 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.8 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ WAS | 9.9 | +1 | @ WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1 points above a normal week. |
| 4 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs ARI | 8.4 | +0.8 | vs ARI grades smash spot — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 5 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ DET | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ MIA | 6.9 | +0.1 | @ MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ BUF | 10.4 | -0.1 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs CAR | 8.4 | -0.2 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ PIT | 7 | -0.3 | @ PIT grades neutral — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs MIN | 11 | -0.5 | vs MIN grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
Sit or downgrade — week 8 TEs
The schedule works against these names. Elite players still start; use this to settle close calls.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ DEN | 9.8 | -1.1 | @ DEN grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 2 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ SEA | 7 | -1.1 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 3 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs KC | 8.8 | -0.7 | vs KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs MIN | 11 | -0.5 | vs MIN grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ PIT | 7 | -0.3 | @ PIT grades neutral — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 6 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs CAR | 8.4 | -0.2 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 7 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ BUF | 10.4 | -0.1 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ MIA | 6.9 | +0.1 | @ MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
| 9 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ DET | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 10 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs ARI | 8.4 | +0.8 | vs ARI grades smash spot — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
Week 8 TE rankings
Every tight end ranked by matchup-adjusted projection for this week.
| # | Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock BowersTE · LV | @ NYJ | 15.7 | +1.8 | @ NYJ grades smash spot — worth about 1.8 points above a normal week. |
| 2 | Trey McBrideTE · ARI | @ DAL | 15.4 | +2.2 | @ DAL grades smash spot — worth about 2.2 points above a normal week. |
| 3 | Sam LaPortaTE · DET | vs MIN | 11 | -0.5 | vs MIN grades nightmare — about 0.5 points below a normal week. |
| 4 | Mark AndrewsTE · BAL | @ BUF | 10.4 | -0.1 | @ BUF grades tough — about 0.1 points below a normal week. |
| 5 | T.J. HockensonTE · MIN | @ DET | 10.2 | +0.2 | @ DET grades neutral — worth about 0.2 points above a normal week. |
| 6 | Dallas GoedertTE · PHI | @ WAS | 9.9 | +1 | @ WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1 points above a normal week. |
| 7 | Travis KelceTE · KC | @ DEN | 9.8 | -1.1 | @ DEN grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 8 | Evan EngramTE · DEN | vs KC | 8.8 | -0.7 | vs KC grades nightmare — about 0.7 points below a normal week. |
| 9 | Tucker KraftTE · GB | vs CAR | 8.4 | -0.2 | vs CAR grades neutral — about 0.2 points below a normal week. |
| 10 | Jake FergusonTE · DAL | vs ARI | 8.4 | +0.8 | vs ARI grades smash spot — worth about 0.8 points above a normal week. |
| 11 | Colston LovelandTE · CHI | @ SEA | 7 | -1.1 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below a normal week. |
| 12 | David NjokuTE · CLE | @ PIT | 7 | -0.3 | @ PIT grades neutral — about 0.3 points below a normal week. |
| 13 | Hunter HenryTE · NE | @ MIA | 6.9 | +0.1 | @ MIA grades neutral — worth about 0.1 points above a normal week. |
On bye in week 8
SF
Comparing two specific names? Run them through the start/sit optimizer or check injury impact before you lock the lineup.
Week 8 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
- ARI @ DALLead option: Trey McBride · 15.4 pts+2.2
- LV @ NYJLead option: Brock Bowers · 15.7 pts+1.8
- PHI @ WASLead option: Dallas Goedert · 9.9 pts+1
- DAL vs ARILead option: Jake Ferguson · 8.4 pts+0.8
- MIN @ DETLead option: T.J. Hockenson · 10.2 pts+0.2
Biggest TE downside
- CHI @ SEALead option: Colston Loveland · 7 pts-1.1
- KC @ DENLead option: Travis Kelce · 9.8 pts-1.1
- DEN vs KCLead option: Evan Engram · 8.8 pts-0.7
- DET vs MINLead option: Sam LaPorta · 11 pts-0.5
- CLE @ PITLead option: David Njoku · 7 pts-0.3
Built from the same matchup grades as the week 8 TE start/sit board, so a hot cell and a start call always agree.