Best Tight End Fantasy Football Playoff Schedules and Matchups for Weeks 15-17 (2024)

December 9, 2024

The best tight end fantasy football playoff schedules and matchups for Weeks 15, 16, 17 (2024). Tim identifies soft TE schedules for the fantasy football playoffs.

Paying up for a top tight end in 2024 fantasy football drafts has produced mixed results. Hopefully, anyone reading this article has found a singular contributor or a sensible weekly rotation. Regardless of whatever situation your roster is in, planning for the start of the fantasy football playoffs next week could involve making a trade for a tight end with a more favorable schedule, or picking the right option from your bench.

In this article, let's identify a trio of tight ends who could pile up numbers during Weeks 15 through 17. Note: Don't confuse this with the Fantasy Football Playoff Waiver Wire Streamers series. (Read that one, too!) This report focuses on highly rostered players, using Yahoo Fantasy Football percentages.

More notes: In parentheses, listed next to the three playoff opponents are the rankings of that team's fantasy points allowed to the position (1 = best matchup for the QB, 32 = worst). Also, the Arizona Cardinals hold the No. 1 tight-end matchup schedule. I will not need to recommend anyone start Trey McBride, so I'm focusing on the more mid-range "Do I start him this week?" options.

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (92%)

• W15: Chiefs (3)
• W16: Bengals (2)
• W17: Dolphins (15)

Monitor his hamstring injury, which lists him as day-to-day heading into Week 15.

Njoku's 17-target Week 13 and 7-42-1, 13-target Week 14 reminded fantasy players of how crucial a piece the veteran remains in this offense. The Browns' aerial game received a much-needed injection of downfield danger in the erratic but fun-to-watch right arm of Jameis Winston.

Winston has looked Njoku's way often. Over Winston's seven weeks of significant action (six starts), the connection has averaged 10.3 targets, 6.6 receptions, and 50.0 receiving yards, along with 5 TDs.

This connection is bringing out Njoku's full skill set, a physically gifted profile that should present more challenges for defenses than it did with Deshaun Watson.

I haven't seen David Njoku targeted on many "trust-throws/jump-balls" while in the NFL. I'm sure I've missed some, but he hasn't had many.

Here's one from Jameis Winston #ClevelandBrowns pic.twitter.com/m6cDlc8MhP

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) October 28, 2024

Jerry Jeudy seems to have neutralized Cedric Tillman and Elijah Moore to serve as the 1A to Njoku's 1B, or vice versa. Winston will be hard-pressed to ignore Njoku against defenses willing to leak production to the tight-end position.

David Njoku Fantasy Playoff Schedule Outlook

The Browns aren't competing for playoff positioning but will be facing others likely eliminated in the final two weeks. Plus, they'll most likely need to throw often to compete with three elite offenses (sure, it's still Patrick Mahomes in an uneven Chiefs offense during Week 15).

If he wasn't already a must-start, this cinches that his fantasy managers should ride with him as long as Famous Jameis is heaving the rock.

Jake Ferguson (72%), Dallas Cowboys

• W15: Panthers (1)
• W16: Buccaneers (6)
• W17: Eagles (25)

Whether Dak Prescott or Cooper Rush has taken snaps this season, Dallas' offense leans heavily on the position.

After listed as inactive the previous three games, Ferguson (concussion) earned six targets during his Week 14 return, catching 3 for 32 yards on Monday Night Football.

No. 87 was a hyped preseason sleeper, but in an up-and-down season, he hasn't scored a touchdown. Still, from Weeks 1-11, which include the Cowboys' bye and one missed game, the Wisconsin alum is sixth among tight ends with 42 catches and tied for sixth among all tight ends with 57 targets, finishing between TE7 and TE9 in fantasy all weeks.

That elite volume didn't come with a six-pointer, so it got lost among others who found the end zone. This type of underrated value comes in handy when regression finally kicks in, which could pay off for those seeking mid-range TE1 help with top-end TE1 upside.

Jake Ferguson Fantasy Playoff Schedule Outlook

With their run game remaining ineffective outside of occasional Rico Dowdle breakaways, the Cowboys should continue throwing often during all three games, especially versus an Eagles team that may still be trying to wrestle the NFC's No. 1 seed away from the Detroit Lions.

With the first two matchups failing to offer linebackers who can cover tight ends, outside of the Bucs' Lavonte David, Ferguson should find seams on which to capitalize.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (55%)

• W15: Colts (12)
• W16: Chargers (22)
• W17: Bengals (3)

The Texans starter emerges from a Week 14 bye. Schultz's role and weekly ceiling have suffered in a down year from sophomore quarterback C.J. Stroud. Still, the former Dallas Cowboy holds a prime spot in the team's hierarchy of receivers.

A 5-61-1 effort on 7 targets in Week 13 reminded the fantasy world that he can excel under positive circumstances.

Since Stefon Diggs (knee) was lost for the season after Week 8, Schultz has averaged 5.2 targets, 3.6 receptions, and 40.2 receiving yards across five games; he saw six or seven targets in three of those contests. Unfortunately, like the next entry in this list, a lack of touchdowns overshadows that production. Schultz only scored once in that window, which masks some of that usage success.

Using Schultz more often could help Stroud fix his issues. Schultz ranks first among all tight ends with at least 20 receptions in air yards per reception (13.0), according to FantasyPros.

Dalton Schultz. Wide open.

📺: #HOUvsJAX on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/tCXO5l8vWe

— NFL (@NFL) December 1, 2024

This role in Bobby Slowik's offense belies Schultz's reputation he's had as a low-yardage reception machine.

Stroud's downfield vision and sack avoidance have lagged this year, but the Colts' and Bengals' mid-range-to-weak pass rushes should provide Schultz with more time to get open.

Dalton Schultz Fantasy Playoff Schedule Outlook

The Texans likely won't be pushing for the AFC's No. 1 seed, but Stroud has attempted 30-plus passes in all but one game this season. Houston's offense runs through his right arm, even with RB Joe Mixon enjoying a career season. Houston should be able to pass the ball freely on all three opponents, even the tough Chargers personnel.

Schultz surely was dropped frequently during his off-week, so he remains available in enough games that he might be overlooked.

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