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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Top NFL DFS Tight End Picks in the FantasyLabs Models
On DraftKings, there are three tight ends near the top of the individual Sean Koerner, Chris Raybon, Cash Game, and Tournament Player Models.
- Travis Kelce
- Evan Engram
- Trey McBride
We’ll discuss why these three are popping in our models, as well as take a look at some other tight ends.
Top Model NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Travis Kelce ($8,400 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel): Kansas City Chiefs (-7) at Denver Broncos (47 total)
We’d been waiting for Travis Kelce to absolutely erupt, and he delivered last week. Kelce caught 12 of 13 targets for 179 yards and a touchdown en route to 38.9 DraftKings points.
Kelce now gets a matchup against Denver, whom he had success against two weeks ago, catching nine of nine targets for 124 yards. Denver has allowed the most DraftKings points to opposing tight ends, as well as the highest catch rate and yards per target.
Derwin James had given Kelce problems in the past, but that wasn’t the case last week. There’s no way to poke holes in Kelce’s outlook this week. He has the highest ceiling projection by 7.7 points, which is the same difference between the TE2 and TE15.
He’s the top option in our Tournament Model, unsurprisingly.
Evan Engram ($4,500 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel): Jacksonville Jaguars (-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (41 total)
Evan Engram continued his steady role last Thursday Night, catching five of seven targets for 45 yards. He’s now seen seven or eight targets in every game since Week 1, as his role in the offense is as stable as ever.
Engram is running a route on over 85% of the team dropbacks and has over 20% of the team targets, both ranking in the top five among all tight ends.
His matchup is unappealing this week, with Pittsburgh having allowed just 6.1 yards per target and the third-fewest DraftKings points to opposing tight ends. Engram still ranks third among all tight ends in Points/Salary.
He’s the top option in our Cash Game Model and Chris Raybon’s Pro Model.
Trey McBride ($2,800 DraftKings, $4,700 FanDuel): Arizona Cardinals (+9.5) vs. Baltimore Ravens (44.5 total)
With Zach Ertz sidelined, the tight end room now belongs to Trey McBride. His role had been growing over the past two weeks with Ertz still in the picture. McBride saw caught four of five targets for 62 yards in Week 6, and three of six targets last week for 29 yards.
This isn’t the best spot for him, with Baltimore allowing the second-fewest DraftKings points and yards per target to opposing tight ends.
Regardless, McBride laps the position in Projected Plus/Minus and Points/Salary, making him a very strong play on Sunday. He’s the top option in Sean Koerner’s Pro Model.
Other Notable NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Mark Andrews ($6,400 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel): Baltimore Ravens (-9.5) at Arizona Cardinals (44.5 total)
Mark Andrews delivered for us last week, catching four of six targets for 63 yards and finding paydirt twice en route to 22.3 DraftKings points. Andrews doesn’t seem to have the upside in years past, as he seems somewhat reliant on touchdowns to reach a ceiling. He used to have a 10-catch and 100-yard upside, but he hasn’t topped 80 yards or six catches in a game this year.
The matchup isn’t amazing, with Arizona allowing the fourth-fewest DraftKings points to opposing tight ends, but if Andrews can revert to his old form, that may not matter.
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My Favorite NFL DFS Tight End Leverage Pick(s)
Dalton Schultz ($3,900 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel): Houston Texans (-3.5) at Carolina Panthers (43.5 total)
Dalton Schultz has quietly produced at a high level the past few weeks and now gets a great matchup.
His role between the 20s is fine, with a 15% team target share. However, in the red zone, he’s seen a massive 33.3% target share, which has proved fruitful with his three touchdowns over the past three games.
Carolina has allowed a hefty 8.1 yards per target to opposing tight ends and a bottom-10 touchdown rate. This game environment also provides some sneaky upside, and Schultz makes a lot of sense in the midrange.
A lot of people will likely punt with McBride or choose another mid-tier tight end, allowing Schultz to slip through the cracks.
He’s a great tournament option this week.
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