Week 15 NFL DFS TE Breakdown: Top Cash Game and Tournament Picks

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

Brenton Strange ($2,500 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel)

This slate is loaded with superstars we’re going to want to pay up for – Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Ja’Marr Chase, etc – so we’re going to need to find some spots to save some money. Fortunately, tight end is a great spot to do so. There are a number of strong value options at the position, with Strange standing out as arguably the best on DraftKings.

The Jaguars have been absolutely decimated by injuries in the skill positions. They were already playing without Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis at receiver, and now they’re without Evan Engram at tight end. It leaves Brian Thomas Jr. and a really uninspiring group for Mac Jones to lean on vs. the Jets.

We’ve already seen one stretch for the Jaguars without Engram this season, and Strange had a passable 14% target share in those contests. However, that was with Kirk and Davis in the lineup. The Jaguars didn’t necessarily need as much from Strange as they’ll need this Sunday.

Jones has historically loved leaning on the tight end position, and Engram racked up a 38% target share in his first contest with Jones. He’s come back to reality a bit since then, but he’s still had a 24% mark in four games with Jones primarily under center.

The Jets don’t stand out as a great matchup on paper, but their defense has taken a clear step back this season. They’re merely 20th in pass defense EPA, so they’re no longer a unit you need to fear.

Of course, the big selling point is the price tag. Historically, tight ends with as much projected involvement as Strange have crushed with a comparable price tag, posting an average Plus/Minus of +2.47 (per the Trends tool).

Hunter Henry ($4,300 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel)

While Strange stands out as the best pure value on DraftKings, it’s hard not to find the extra bit of salary for Henry on FanDuel. He’s merely $400 more expensive than Strange compared to an $1,800 difference on DraftKings.

Henry has been the top option in the Patriots’ passing attack all season. He owns a 20% target share for the year, and that figure was up to 30% in the team’s last outing. Overall, he has at least eight targets in four of his past five outings, which is excellent volume for a tight end in this price range.

The only reason Henry hasn’t been a better fantasy tight end this season is a lack of touchdowns. He’s scored just once despite ranking seventh at the position with 5.0 expected receiving touchdowns (per PFF). That’s a pretty large discrepancy, so he could be due for some positive regression moving forward.

---

Top NFL DFS Tournament Options

Trey McBride ($6,000 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel)

McBride is expected to be extremely popular on DraftKings. He’s projected for more than 20% ownership, so there is definitely some merit to fading him vs. the Patriots. He’s showing up in the optimal lineup simulations at the highest rate at the position, but it’s closer to just 14%.

Still, it’s impossible to look at McBride’s recent volume and not want a piece of it. He’s been one of the busiest tight ends in football all season, but he’s taken things to another level over his past three games. He’s racked up a massive 35% target share, and he’s seen at least 12 targets in all three contests.

That kind of volume is basically unheard of at tight end. David Njoku is second among tight ends in target share over that time frame, and he’s at a distant 28%. Overall, he’s been the No. 1 option in PPR points per game during that stretch despite his continued quest for his first receiving touchdown of the year.

If he ever does find the paint, he has the potential to put up a slate-breaking performance at the position. The Patriots also stand out as a strong matchup, ranking 31st in pass defense EPA, and the Cardinals have the fourth-highest implied team total on the slate.

Stone Smartt ($2,600 DraftKings, $4,500 FanDuel)

Smartt is another potential punt play on DraftKings. He doesn’t grade out quite as favorably as Strange in our projections, but there is plenty to like with him on Sunday.

For starters, he draws a phenomenal matchup vs. the Buccaneers. They’ve given up tons of passing production this season, and they’ve allowed the sixth-most PPR points per game to opposing tight ends.

Smartt has also seen his role expand in recent weeks. He hasn’t seen a huge spike in routes, but he’s been targeted on 25% of his routes run in back-to-back games. With Will Dissly now out with an injury, Smartt should serve as the team’s top option at the position. If he can maintain his 25% mark in targets per route run (TPRR) with a higher volume of snaps, he has the potential to be an excellent value.

Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside

Travis Kelce ($5,700 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel)

Kelce is coming off a down performance last week, finishing with just six targets, five catches, and 45 yards vs. the Chargers. However, that stands out as a clear outlier. His target share is still a robust 28% since Rashee Rice went down with an injury in Week 4, making him Patrick Mahomes’ primary option.

This week’s matchup vs. the Browns is significantly friendlier. The Browns have allowed the 10th most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, while the Chargers are 22nd in that department.

Kelce ultimately stands out as a strong pivot off of McBride across the industry. That’s particularly true on FanDuel, where he checks in at -$800 cheaper.

Sam LaPorta ($4,400 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel)

No tight end is showing up as more undervalued on DraftKings than LaPorta. His optimal lineup rate is nearly 8% in Sim Labs, yet he’s projected for less than 5% ownership.

It has been a disappointing season for LaPorta, who was expected to contend for the top tight end spot in fantasy. However, he’s taken a step backward after a breakout rookie season. He’s averaging 2.1 fewer receptions and roughly 15 fewer receiving yards per game, and he has just five touchdowns in 12 games.

However, it hasn’t exactly been LaPorta’s fault. The Lions are simply throwing the ball at a far lower rate than they did last year: Jared Goff averaged 35.6 pass attempts per game in 2023-24, but he’s down to just 29.3 in 2024-25.

The good news is that LaPorta is at least trending in the right direction. He’s posted a 20% target share over his past six outings, and he’s finished as a top-10 PPR tight end in four of them. His salary has come down to a point on DraftKings where he has significant upside, especially in the game with the highest total of the week.

Juwan Johnson ($3,400 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel)

Someone besides Alvin Kamara has to catch the ball in New Orleans. They’ve been absolutely crushed by injuries, with Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Taysom Hill all currently sidelined. Johnson has a route participation of at least 78% in back-to-back weeks, and he caught four passes for 50 yards and a touchdown vs. the Giants.

Unfortunately, the Saints also lost starting quarterback Derek Carr to an injury last week. That means Jake Haener will be making the first start of his career, so it’s a clear downgrade for Johnson. Still, Johnson seems a bit underpriced for his current role on DraftKings – he owns a 96% Bargain Rating – and the Commanders have been a solid matchup for opposing passing attacks. They can put up plenty of points, so the Saints are likely going to have to throw the ball to try to keep up.