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Matt's tight end (TE) fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 13 of 2024. His TE lineups advice for Week 13 fantasy football start/sit decisions.
Another week has come and gone, and fantasy managers are one week closer to the fantasy playoffs. As we all predicted back in Week 1, Noah Gray has taken over as the top tight end in Kansas City. Okay, I kid, but he's now posted back-to-back weeks with a pair of scores. Chigoziem Okonkwo gave us a top fantasy week with just one catch, and Jonnu Smith looks like a weekly must-start rather than a streaming option.
Special shout out to Travis Kelce, who on Sunday moved into third place all-time in receiving yards with 11,897, surpassing Antonio Gates in 66 fewer contests. Next up are Jason Witten, who retired with 13,046 yards over 271 games, and Tony Gonzalez, who sits at the mountain with 15,127 career receiving yards.
After six teams were on bye in Week 12, we have a full complement of tight ends at our disposal here in Week 13, so here are your RotoBaller starts and sits at the tight end position for Week 13.
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Week 13 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms
Before discussing fantasy booms, I must pour one out for Brock Bowers. You're starting him, but the loss of Gardner Minshew and the insertion of Desmond Ridder has me avoiding Bowers like I do the green bean casserole during Thanksgiving dinner.
Taysom Hill - TE, New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams
Despite missing four contests this season, Taysom Hill is the TE11 in fantasy. Now, that is propped up by a 42.5-point performance back in Week 11, but if a tight end is going to see 10 targets per game and get seven rushing attempts, you are starting them moving forward. The truth is, Hill has produced 12 or more fantasy points in three of the last five games in which he has played. He has also finished as a top-3 fantasy tight end in all three contests.
It's hard to classify Hill as "just a tight end," as he is gravy on Thanksgiving and good on anything. Los Angeles allows the 10th-most fantasy points per game to tight ends, allowing an average of 13.84. In 11 games thus far, the Rams have yielded 642 yards on 58 receptions, along with four touchdown receptions.
Taysom Hill is one of only two players in NFL history with:
🏈 25 rushing TDs
🏈 10 passing TDs
🏈 10 receiving TDs🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/fCykcDEEG5
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 17, 2024
With Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave out and Alvin Kamara as the only other viable option in this Saints offense, look for Hill to once again be heavily involved and earn upwards of 15 opportunities, opportunities that tight ends are not often afforded.
Pat Freiermuth - TE, Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
When you think of hot servings this weekend, the last thing that comes to mind is Pat Freiermuth. However, in today's tight-end economy, Freiermuth ranks 15th in total fantasy points and is coming off a 9.9-point performance last week that could have been much higher if Russell Wilson had spotted the Steelers tight end running free in the Browns secondary. Unfortunately, fantasy managers had to settle for 59 yards as Freiermuth caught all four of his intended targets.
Here was the infamous Russell Wilson miss to a wide open Pat Freiermuth that was talked about last night...
Actually a great call by Arthur Smith with a play action Flood look, which gets both safeties to bite down
Can see Freiermuth's exasperation pic.twitter.com/w3OxmGqQUb
— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) November 22, 2024
The matchup against Cleveland was good, but this week's matchup against the second-friendliest defense on opposing tight ends is like freshly baked pecan pie. Cincinnati has allowed 63 receptions, 684 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, and 15.79 fantasy points per game to the position this season. Over the last four weeks, that number has increased to 17.48.
In Week 11, Will Dissly hauled in four passes against the Bengals for 80 yards and a touchdown. In Week 10, Mark Andrews made a rare fantasy appearance, scoring a touchdown on one of his six grabs and 68 receiving yards. Going back further, in Week 9, Brock Bowers scored a touchdown, finishing with 15 fantasy points on the day. Even Grant Calcaterra had 58 receiving yards on three receptions going all the way back to Week 8.
Cade Otton - TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Last week was predictable. If you follow this weekly column, you already know that Cade Otton was a recommended sit. In Week 12, Otton's one catch for 30 yards was certainly a disappointment. However, I am here once again to tell you that you can trust Otton once more as the Buccaneers head to Carolina to face the Panthers.
No team has allowed more receiving touchdowns than the nine in which the Panthers have surrendered this season. Only the Chiefs and Ravens have allowed more than the 736 receiving yards that opposing tight ends have hit the Panthers up for this season on 63 receptions. When you add that defensive futility up, it adds to fantasy production, and that production has equated to 18.36 fantasy points per game. That's more than 2.5 fantasy points more on a per-game basis than the second-worst team (Cincinnati).
Look for a nice bounce back this week for Otton, who averaged nine-plus targets from Week 3 through 11. Mike Evans may be back, but with Baker Mayfield slinging it around, there will be plenty of opportunities for Otton moving forward. It is worth noting that Otton's target share without Evans present is 28.3% versus the 15.9% in games Evans suits up for. Something to monitor this week in an A+ matchup.
BONUS
Here are some tight ends who have favorable fantasy playoff schedules (Week 15 through Week 17)
Taysom Hill (Washington, Green Bay, Las Vegas)
Cade Otton (Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas, Carolina)
Dallas Goedert (Pittsburgh, Washington, Dallas)
Trey McBride (New England, Carolina, Los Angeles Rams)
Pat Freiermuth (Philadelphia, Baltimore, Kansas City)
Week 13 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts
Luke Schoonmaker - TE, Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Sitting a tight end in fantasy after back-to-back weeks in which they have recorded 11.5 or more fantasy points is not easy. However, I don't know what to expect on Thursday. It feels like we will get a mashup of Keystone Cops with Freebirds. I'm not sure anyone knows what those television references are, so how about the Three Stooges featuring Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, and John Mara?
All I can do is look at the numbers. The New York Giants have allowed just one receiving touchdown this season to the position, and only the Detroit Lions have allowed fewer. Only the Lions and the San Francisco 49ers have allowed fewer than the 388 receiving yards that the Giants have yielded to the position. So it should surprise no one that the Giants are allowing just 7.62 fantasy points per game, the second-fewest in the league.
Evan Engram - TE, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans
Chigoziem Okonkwo had 14 fantasy points last week against the Houston Texans defense. However, they all came on a single play. While the Texans have allowed five touchdowns this season to the tight end position, they still allow just 9.13 fantasy points per game, the fourth-fewest.
Now, for those still firing up Evan Engram this week, good news: Trevor Lawrence is back at practice, and it's about time. Whether he plays or not is still to be seen as he recovers from a significant AC joint sprain. The Jaguars' offense over the last two games has produced 313 yards in total. Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles has 500 total yards himself.
With a full slate here in Week 13, there are other options with favorable circumstances that you can slot into your lineups ahead of Engram.
Mark Andrews - TE, Baltimore Ravens vs. Philadelphia Eagles
However, Mark Andrews is not one of those more favorable options that fantasy managers have at their fingertips. The Philadelphia Eagles are allowing the third-fewest fantasy points (8.42) per game this season and have allowed just 406 receiving yards and a single touchdown. We are discussing a tight end with prop bets now set at over/under 32.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions.
It's been an interesting last 12 months for Andrews. I can't blame him for the regression, especially with the emergence of Isaiah Likely, who returned in Week 11 and contributed immediately with four receptions and 75 yards. With Likely back in the lineup, I simply can't recommend starting Andrews this week, or any week, for that matter.
In the last 12 months Mark Andrews
1. Broke his fibula and dislocated his ankle
2. Played football 11 weeks later
3. Saved someone’s life on a plane
4. Was in a car accident that caused him to miss the end of training camp
5. Is 2nd in touchdowns among tight ends.Doing all of… https://t.co/RAV0ZxtlHA
— Spencer Schultz (@ravens4dummies) November 12, 2024
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