Tight end is one of the most difficult positions to nail down each week. It’s a position where you can spend all the way up, pay all the way down, or look somewhere in between. Tight ends derive a bunch of their value from scoring touchdowns, which can be difficult to predict on a week-to-week basis.
In this piece, I highlight tight ends who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Cash Game Options
Cade Otton ($3,500 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel)
It’s very rare that there is a clear-cut top option at the tight end position, but that’s the case on both DraftKings and FanDuel this week.
On DraftKings, Otton gets the nod for the top spot. He has the top projected Plus/Minus at the position by a wide margin, thanks to his locked-in role and the Tampa Bay injury situation. Otton has been in the pass pattern more than just any other tight end in football this season. He has an 86% route participation, and Travis Kelce (88%) and Trey McBride (86%) are the only other TEs above 83%.
Otton hasn’t just been doing cardio, either. He has a target share of at least 17% in five straight games, including a 22% mark last week vs. the Ravens. His production was slightly inflated due to an inordinate amount of garbage time, but Otton racked up 10 targets, eight catches, and 100 yards. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five straight games despite scoring just one touchdown over that time frame.
Otton’s role should only grow after the Buccaneers lost Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to injuries last week. The team is left with an unproven group at receiver, while Otton has spent seven weeks building solid chemistry with Baker Mayfield. Otton ultimately provides stud-like upside at a value price tag – he has the third-highest median projection at the position – making him a slam-dunk option for cash games.
Dalton Kincaid ($4,900 DraftKings, $4,000 FanDuel)
The only reason Otton isn’t the top target on FanDuel is because the FanDuel pricing algorithm made a clear mistake with Kincaid. His salary is -$900 less than it is on DraftKings, despite the fact that FanDuel’s salary cap is $10,000 higher. That’s simply not supposed to happen. It obviously results in a 99% Bargain Rating, but that still feels like it undersells just how cheap he is.
Kincaid hasn’t had the type of season that fantasy players were hoping for, and his outlook is even murkier following the addition of Amari Cooper. However, Kincaid still has very strong metrics for the position. He’s had a 23% target share since Week 1, and he’s been at 17% or higher in all six games. The bigger issue has been the lack of passing production for the Bills’ offense. They’ve gone extremely run-heavy this season, with Josh Allen averaging just 27.0 passing attempts per game.
While that’s not ideal…it’s still not enough to make up for this egregious price tag. Kincaid clears all players at the position in projected FanDuel Plus/Minus, and it’s the fourth-best mark for all flex-eligible players.
Try out our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
Top NFL DFS Tournament Options
Brock Bowers ($6,100 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel)
Is there a better fantasy TE than Bowers at the moment? I’m not sure. It’s hard to compete with his workload, which has been absolutely elite since the team lost Davante Adams. He’s posted a target share of at least 31% in three straight games, and his overall target share sits at 35% over that stretch.
That’s a clear outlier for the position. No tight end has greater than a 26% target share for the year, so Bowers’ upside clears the rest of the field. The Raiders will likely have to throw the ball a bunch as nearly 10-point underdogs vs. the Chiefs, so Bowers has the potential for a huge day.
Evan Engram ($5,000 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel)
Engram has appeared in just three games for the Jaguars this season, but he’s been extremely busy in those contents. His 26% target share is tied for the top mark at the position despite a mediocre 73% route participation. His usage is also trending upwards: he’s been targeted on at least 31% of his routes run in both Week 6 and 7.
The Jaguars ultimately ruled to a comfortable victory in Week 7, which kept Engram’s fantasy value in check. But when they had to throw the ball a lot in Week 6? Engram piled up 10 targets, 10 receptions, and 102 yards.
The Jaguars will likely have to air it out as underdogs vs. the Packers in Week 8, and it’s an elite spot for Engram. The Packers have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season, while the total for this contest sits at a slate-high 49.5 points.
David Njoku ($5,100 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel)
Njoku was expected to see a bump in value last week after the Cooper trade, and he did not disappoint. He posted a 28% target share and a season-high 84% route participation, and he caught 10 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. He ultimately finished with 23.6 DraftKings points, making him the highest-scoring TE of the week.
There’s no reason you can’t go right back to the well with Njoku vs. the Ravens. If anything, he might be in a better situation given the team’s quarterback change. Jameis Winston will replace the injured DeShaun Watson, and it’s hard to imagine that won’t be an upgrade for the team’s passing attack.
The Ravens have also been torn to shreds in the secondary this week. They’ve surrendered more than 287 passing yards per game, which is easily the top mark in football. Njoku is a better value on FanDuel than DraftKings, but he’s a viable target across the industry.
Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside
Will Dissly ($3,000 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel)
The Chargers aired things out a bit more than usual last week, with Justin Herbert racking up his first 300-yard passing game of the season. Dissly was a surprisingly big part of it. He had a massive 30% target share and was targeted on 33% of his routes run, while his route participation spiked to a season-best 75%.
The Chargers should be able to do whatever they want offensively vs. the Saints this week. New Orleans has been absolutely destroyed by their past two opponents, allowing 84 total points and nearly 1,000 yards of total offense. If Dissly is as involved as he was last week, he has plenty of upside for his price tag.
Trey McBride ($5,500 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel)
With so many strong TE options up and down the pricing spectrum, McBride could be a bit overlook. He’s currently projected for less than five percent ownership across the industry, but his optimal rate is a smidge higher.
In a lot of ways, McBride has been the gold standard for fantasy tight ends this season. He ranks second in route participation, first in target share, and fourth in air yards. He’s only No. 4 in PPR points per game, but that’s primarily due to him failing to catch a single touchdown so far this season.
McBride has the top ceiling projection at the position in our NFL Models, and getting that type of player at less than five percent ownership is always enticing.
Dalton Schultz ($4,100 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel)
Schultz had a down week for the Texans in Week 7, but the Texans’ passing game in general laid a large egg. C.J. Stroud completed less than 50% of his passes for less than 100 yards, so none of the pass-catchers were able to get going.
Still, Schultz figures to have a boosted role for as long as Nico Collins is sidelined. He put that on display the week prior, finishing with a 28% target share vs. the Bills.
He also has a great matchup. The Colts defense is 25th in pass defense EPA this season, so it’s a great bounce-back spot for Schultz and the rest of the Texans’ passing attack.
