TE Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 11 (2024)

If a tight end can manage 10 fantasy points, there is a good chance they will put up top-12 production. Before the Monday night game was played, only 10 tight ends registered double-digit fantasy production.

We all expected Mike Gesicki to have a big week. However, his nine targets did not equate to fantasy relevance. Yet, somehow, Tanner Hudson managed to finish among the top 5 last week with 16 fantasy points after finishing with 42 receiving yards on six receptions, one of which resulted in a Bengals touchdown. 

With perennial fantasy producers of the caliber of Trey McBride and Cade Otton on bye this week, along with tight end streamers Ja'Tavion Sanders and Theo Johnson, it's time once again to play tight end roulette in this week's RotoBaller tight end starts and sits for Week 11. 

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Week 11 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms

Tucker Kraft - TE, Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

With the Green Bay Packers coming off their bye week, people may need to remember how productive Tucker Kraft has been. Kraft, this season, is averaging 10.7 fantasy points per game and has accumulated 96 fantasy points in nine contests. Since Week 4, only George Kittle, Travis Kelce, Cade Otton, Brock Bowers, and Trey McBride have averaged more fantasy points per game.

This week's opponents, the Chicago Bears, have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points over the last month to the tight end position, allowing 18.70 per contest. This is important to note as the Bears have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers and the 10th-fewest to opposing quarterbacks. So, if there is an advantage for this Packers team in the passing game, it'll come courtesy of Kraft.

Jonnu Smith - TE, Miami Dolphins vs. Las Vegas Raiders

At tight end, I am all about playing the matchups. For Jonnu Smith and fantasy managers, it doesn't get much better than a date with the Las Vegas Raiders, a Raiders team that, over the last four weeks, has allowed 22.53 fantasy points per game to the position. Over that period, the Raiders have allowed a league-high 33 receptions while also surrendering 331 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Any team that allows Mike Gesicki to produce 27 fantasy points as the Raiders did in Week 9, is one you have to target. In Week 8, Travis Kelce had 10 receptions for 90 yards and a score to earn 25 fantasy points against this Raiders defense. That's 25 or more fantasy points surrendered in each of the last two contests. I don't think Smith hits 20 fantasy points, but I wouldn't bet against it either.

Will Dissly - TE, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Let's dig deep this week. After All, Tanner Hudson was a top fantasy option that helped absolutely no one last week. Let's get ahead of the curve and get you a streaming option that can pay off.

Last week against the Titans, Dissly caught five passes for 30 yards. That is a solid eight fantasy points. What makes Dissly intriguing is that he is coming off a game with six targets and has seen at least five targets in four of his last five contests.

First-Read Target Share leaders from Week 10.

- Will Dissly did this on 14 routes.

- Is Jauan Jennings the alpha?

- Calvin Ridley cannot be stopped pic.twitter.com/DWBJ9WfgFV

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) November 11, 2024

It also doesn't hurt that the Chargers are facing a fantasy-friendly defense regarding defending tight ends. Last week, Mark Andrews would cash it against the Bengals, hauling in six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, earning 18 fantasy points.

Cincinnati has allowed a pair of touchdowns and more than 275 yards over the last four weeks, leading to a 16.98 fantasy points against average. This isn't much higher than their 15.41 seasonal average, which happens to be the fourth-most in the NFL.

Fantasy Streamers

Dalton Kincaid suffered a knee injury in last week's contest against the Colts, limiting him to just 18 snaps and two receptions for 24 yards. Keep an eye on Kincaid's status leading up to this week's AFC showdown between the Bills and the Chiefs, as it is an excellent matchup for the Bills tight end. If Kincaid cannot play, Dawson Knox becomes a very streamable option against a Chiefs defense that has allowed 16.42 fantasy points per game to the position.

I know the bar had been set low, but coming off a 15-point-plus fantasy performance on Sunday Night Football, that's precisely what fantasy managers needed to see from Sam LaPorta. Managers did not need to see LaPorta suffer an AC joint sprain, which will likely keep him out this week. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Brock Wright has some streaming appeal against the eighth-friendly fantasy defense in Jacksonville versus the tight end position.

Week 11 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts

Evan Engram - TE,  Jacksonville Jaguars at Detroit Lions

With Mac Jones under center replacing Trevor Lawrence last week, Evan Engram didn't hurt fantasy managers. In a contest against the Vikings, Engram managed to secure six receptions for 40 yards, which led to a respectable 10 fantasy points.

With Lawrence's status this week still unknown, we expect to have Jones under center for this contest, which will be against one of the best defenses in fantasy when it comes to defending the tight end position.

The play of Brian Branch is one of the main reasons that the Detroit Lions have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. Last week, against the Texans, Aaron Glenn lined up Branch in the slot to defend against the Texans' slot receivers. Evan Engram lines up as a slot receiver 43.6% of the time.

"When you have a safety that can play in the slot and make plays like that... He has been sensational."@CollinsworthPFF loves him some Brian Branch.

📺: #DETvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/JqBZLh8KQ4

— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2024

I love the game inside the game, and this one promises to be good. I expect the Lions to continue to dominate, as they have allowed just one touchdown and 312 yards all season to opposing tight ends.

Jake Ferguson - TE, Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Texans

Is Cooper Rush or Trey Lance going to get the start this week? Then again, it may not matter, as neither one of them may finish if they are allowed to start. For Ferguson, it's much worse than just the quarterback situation. No team this season is allowing fewer than the Texans' 7.37 fantasy points per game, as they have allowed just 27 receptions and 247 receiving yards through 10 contests.

Badger on Badger crime 😳@zackbizzaun forces the fumble on Jake Ferguson. pic.twitter.com/oS8x4DEgKO#NFLBadgers

(🎥 via Philadelphia Eagles)

— NFL Badgers (@NFLBadgers) November 11, 2024

I just discussed some streaming options in Dawson Knox and Brock Wright, and as crazy as that sounds, I am willing to start both over Ferguson this week. Crazy things happen at the tight end position in fantasy, and betting on this Dallas Cowboys offense is a bet I'd rather let someone else take.

Zach Ertz - TE, Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

If the Lions and Texans are teams I am sitting my tight ends against in fantasy, then I should do the same regarding the Eagles, as they have allowed 7.58 fantasy points per game to the position this season, the third-fewest. However, unlike the Lions and the Texans, the Eagles have yet to allow a receiving touchdown to the position this season, so Zach Ertz's path to fantasy relevance this week became that much harder.

Last week, the Eagles limited Jake Ferguson to four receptions for 24 yards, and I anticipate a similar fantasy stat line for Ertz in this one. The Commanders may look to Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown, who have slightly more favorable matchups.

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