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. For updates, visit the models directly.
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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.
- T.J. Hockenson
- Hayden Hurst
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
T.J. Hockenson ($5,100 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel): Minnesota Vikings (-3) vs. New York Giants (48.5 total)
T.J. Hockenson has taken on more of an underneath role with Minnesota, which can force him to be reliant on volume to have big games. He still has the ability for these spike performances, as we saw him catch 13 of 16 targets for 109 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants in Week 16. His 38.9 DraftKings points were his second-highest point total of the season.
He’s a safe bet for about seven to ten targets, which is important as he’s only averaging 8.7 yards per catch and 6.0 yards per target since joining Minnesota. His 23.8% target rate per route run is one of the tops in the leagues.
The Giants have been torched by opposing tight ends, allowing the third-highest catch rate and 7.9 yards per target to the position. Hockenson has huge upside, and on a slate without Kelce, it’s unlikely that anyone matches a ceiling performance from him.
Hockenson is the top tight end in our Cash Game and Tournament Model, as well as Sean Koerner’s Pro Model.
Hayden Hurst ($3,100 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel): Cincinnati Bengals (-8.5) vs. Baltimore Ravens (40.5 total)
Hayden Hurst has been looked to fairly often since coming back from injury, and he caught four of five targets for 14 yards last week. Similar to Hockenson, Hurst relies on volume and touchdowns to pay off his salary due to the nature of his targets. He’s averaging merely 8/0 yards per catch and 6.1 yards per target on the season.
Hurst hasn’t had many big games this year, with just four games of double-digit DraftKings points on the year. He did have his best game of the year when these teams matched up in Week 5, catching six of seven targets for 53 yards and a touchdown.
The Ravens have been pretty stout as a whole, allowing merely 6.4 yards per target to tight ends. The matchup isn’t great, but Hurst’s salary doesn’t require much production to pay off.
He’s the top tight end in Chris Raybon’s Pro Model.
Other Notable NFL DFS Tight End Picks
George Kittle ($6,100 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel): San Francisco 49ers (-9.5) vs. Seattle Seahawks (42 total)
Apparently, Brock Purdy under center was exactly what George Kittle needed to get going. His two best performances of the year have come in the past four weeks with Purdy under center, and he has seven of his 11 touchdowns on the year in the past four weeks.
Kittle missed Week 2 when these teams first played but caught four of five targets for 93 yards and two touchdowns when these teams played in Week 15. Tight ends have tortured Seattle all season long, as they’ve allowed 8.9 yards per target which is the second-highest rate in the league.
Evan Engram ($4,400 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel): Jacksonville Jaguars (+2.5) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (47.5 total)
Evan Engram became an essential part of the Jacksonville offense down the stretch and had some volatile results to close out the year. From Weeks 13-16, he had results of 14.0, 42.2, 14.2, and 21.3 DraftKings points before finishing the year with 3.9 and 6.7 DraftKings points.
This is a great game environment with the second-highest total of the weekend and a good matchup. The Chargers have allowed the fourth-most yards per target on the year but just the third-lowest catch rate. Engram also had a tough time when these teams matched up in Week 3, catching one of three targets for nine yards. However, he seems to be more involved now and doesn’t have too restricting of a salary this weekend.
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