Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 10: Tight Ends - Sleepers, Fades, Matchups, DFS Bargains


Start 'em and sit 'em tight ends for Week 10 from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.

Week 10 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends

Byes: Chiefs, Cowboys, Falcons, Jets

Start of the Week

T.J. Hockenson vs. Football Team: Hockenson continues to produce nice totals for fantasy fans, as he hauled in five of eight targets and scored a touchdown in last week's loss to the Vikings. He has now produced at least 9.3 fantasy points in every game this season, and his 12.8-point per game average looks good at what has been a tough position to fill. This week's matchup looks good too, as the Football Team has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Week 10 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

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Start ‘Em

Dallas Goedert at Giants: Goedert was a disappointment in his return to action in Week 8, but I still see him as a solid No. 1 tight end as long as Zach Ertz is on the sidelines. Carson Wentz targets tight ends an average of 10.3 times per game, which is second in the league behind Derek Carr. The Giants have allowed 13-plus fantasy points to tight ends three times in their last four games, including 14.5 points to Richard Rodgers (who replaced Goedert) for the Eagles back in Week 8.

Austin Hooper vs. Texans: Hooper has missed time after an appendectomy, but he should be back in fantasy lineups if he’s active in Week 10. He recorded double-digit points in three straight games before the procedure, and an upcoming game against the Texans is a positive one. Their defense has allowed four scores and nearly 15 fantasy points per game to tight ends, including giving up 16-plus points three times. With Odell Beckham Jr. out, Hooper should be more reliable too.

Eric Ebron vs. Bengals: Ebron was in this space last week, and he made good with a touchdown and 11.2 fantasy points. He's now scored 11-plus points in three straight games, and he's averaged more than five targets per game in that time. I like him again this week, as the Steelers host a Bengals team that's been bad against opposing tight ends. Their defense has allowed six touchdowns and the second-most fantasy points (17.6 PPG) to the position so far this season.

More Starts

  • Evan Engram vs. Eagles
  • Robert Tonyan vs. Jaguars
  • Logan Thomas at Lions

DFS Bargains

  • Austin Hooper vs. Texans (DraftKings: $3,900)
  • Robert Tonyan vs. Jaguars (DraftKings: $3,600)
  • Logan Thomas at Lions (DraftKings: $3,300)

Week 10 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends

Sit of the Week

Hunter Henry at Dolphins: Henry is a tough player to bench, but he's failed to put up more than 7.3 fantasy points in three straight games and four of his last five. He has also failed to produce more than four catches in each of his last five contests. Henry has a tough matchup this week too, as the Dolphins have given up three touchdowns and the seventh-fewest points to the position. Not a single player at the position has scored more than 9.1 fantasy points against them.

Sit ‘Em

Jared Cook vs. 49ers: The return of Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders last week hurt Cook’s stock, as he had just three targets and scored his fewest points (3.0) since Week 3. Things don’t figure to get much better this week, as Cook also faces a tough matchup against the 49ers. Their defense has surrendered the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, and just one (Mike Gesicki) has scored more than 8.6 points against them. I’d keep Cook on the sidelines if at all possible.

Jimmy Graham vs. Vikings: Graham had a strong game in the stat sheets a week ago, scoring a touchdown and 17.5 fantasy points on six targets. Of course, it was the first time Graham had scored more than 8.4 points since Week 6. I’d avoid him this week, as the veteran is a touchdown-dependent player facing a Vikings team that’s allowed just three touchdowns to tight ends. You can certainly do worse at a super-thin position, but the matchup doesn't bode well for Graham.

Tyler Higbee vs. Seahawks: Higbee has been a massive disappointment this season, scoring fewer than nine fantasy points in all but one game. He's also played 54 percent of his snaps on running plays, and his 3.6 targets per game doesn’t rank in the top 30 at the position. He’s a fade for me this week, as Higbee has a bad matchup against the Seahawks. Their defense has been tough on tight ends, allowing two touchdowns and the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position.

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More Sits

  • Jonnu Smith vs. Colts (TNF)
  • Trey Burton at Titans (TNF)
  • Gerald Everett vs. Seahawks

DFS Fades

  • Jared Cook vs. 49ers (DraftKings: $4,600)
  • Mike Gesicki vs. Chargers (DraftKings: $4,300)
  • Hunter Henry at Dolphins (DraftKings: $4,100)

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for the latest news and analysis!

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