In this piece, I highlight tight ends that 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.
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You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Tight End Picks in the FantasyLabs Models
On DraftKings, there are two tight ends near the top of the individual Sean Koerner, Chris Raybon, Cash Game, and Tournament Player Models.
- Trey McBride
- David Njoku
We’ll discuss why these two are popping in our models, as well as take a look at some other tight ends.
Top Model NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Trey McBride ($5,700 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel): Arizona Cardinals (+4) at Chicago Bears (48 total)
Trey McBride just continues to soak up volume and perform. He saw 11 targets last week against San Francisco, catching 10 balls for 102 yards. The 49ers have been one of the toughest matchups for opposing tight ends, and McBride made mincemeat of them, posting his third-best score of the season.
He’s seen at least nine targets in four of the five games since Kyler Murray returned, with over 22 DraftKings points in three of five games.
McBride gets a beatable spot here, as Chicago has allowed the fourth-most catches per game to tight ends and fifth-most DraftKings points per game.
Despite the high tag, McBride leads the position in Points/Salary and Projected Plus/Minus.
He’s the top tight end in our Cash Game Model, as well as Sean Koerner and Chris Raybon’s Pro Models.
David Njoku ($5,300 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel): Cleveland Browns (-3) at Houston Texans (40 total)
The Joe Flacco experiment has worked wonders for David Njoku, who has 56.5 DraftKings points over the past two weeks. He’s seen 22 targets over that same stretch, as he’s clearly a top target for Flacco.
We now get to partner Njoku’s great usage with a smash matchup, as Houston has allowed the second-most receptions per game to tight ends and the eighth-most DraftKings points per game.
Njoku is second in both Projected Plus/Minus and Points/Salary, looking like one of the strongest plays of the weekend. He’s a prime target for Flacco stacks, as he correlates and fills an always gross tight end position.
He’s the top option in our Tournament Model.
Don’t forget to check out our SImLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineup using the power of simulation:
Other Notable NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Cole Kmet ($4,400 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel): Chicago Bears (-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (43 total)
Cole Kmet is currently questionable with a quadriceps injury but is expected to suit up on Sunday. He has double-digit DraftKings points in three straight games, with seven targets in all three contests.
Kmet has seen almost 30% of Chicago’s red zone targets, showing his strong role around the goal line. He has six touchdowns on the year, with multiple touchdowns in two different games. Arizona hasn’t given up much production to tight ends, but it’s more because they’ve been gashed all around as opposed to them being necessarily stout against tight ends.
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My Favorite NFL DFS Tight End Leverage Pick(s)
T.J. Hockenson ($5,800 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel): Minnesota Vikings (+3) vs. Detroit Lions (47 total)
If you read last week’s Showdown article, you would know that I was all over T.J. Hockenson. It wasn’t exactly the performance that I was hoping for, as he caught six of seven targets for 63 yards.
The return of Justin Jefferson is somewhat worrisome, as Hockenson has a 27.5% target rate per route run with Jefferson off the field compared to 22% with them sharing the field. However, Hockenson is going a little overlooked on a slate that has few tight ends with elite ceilings.
Hockenson boasts the second-highest ceiling projection, and the matchup with Detroit will likely lead Minnesota to increase their passing volume. Hockenson is a low-owned pivot on the expensive side for tournaments this week.
