Start 'em and sit 'em tight ends for Week 13 from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.
Week 13 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends
Byes: Buccaneers, Panthers
Start of the Week
T.J. Hockenson at Bears (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Hockenson has been steady for fans at a thin position, averaging nearly 12 points per game while scoring nine or more points in all but one game. He should continue that streak against the Bears, who have been generous to enemy tight ends. The position has scored eight times and has averaged 15.6 fantasy points a game against them. What’s more, Hockenson beat Chicago for 16.6 fantasy points back in Week 1.
Week 13 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
- QUARTERBACKS
- RUNNING BACKS
- WIDE RECEIVERS
- TIGHT ENDS
- KICKERS
- TEAM DEFENSES
Be sure to check out my Week 13 rankings (published by Thursday morning) before finalizing any lineup decisions or if your league has special scoring rules, sign up for SI Fantasy+ for customized rankings.
MORE: Week 13 Rankings, Articles, Reports & Tools Hub
Start ‘Em
Austin Hooper at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Hooper saw just two targets a week ago, but he turned one of them into a touchdown and scored 9.3 fantasy points. I see him as a low-end No. 1 tight end this week, as the Browns face the Titans. Their defense has struggled against the position, allowing seven touchdowns and the ninth-most fantasy points (14.5 PPG). The Titans have also allowed 13-plus fantasy points to a tight end three times since Week 9.
Robert Tonyan vs. Eagles (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Tonyan has put up two straight games with 15-plus fantasy points, and an upcoming matchup against the Eagles makes him a low-end No. 1 tight end. Philadelphia’s defense has struggled to keep the position in check, allowing six touchdowns and the 12th-most fantasy points (13.4 PPG) this season. So while the law of averages could bite Tonyan this week, the matchup is certainly in his favor in this NFC battle.
Jonnu Smith vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Smith put up a real stinker in Week 12, failing to score a single point (zero targets). Still, he had scored at least 9.5 points in his previous three games, and an upcoming game versus the Browns put him on the starters' radar. Their defense has allowed eight touchdowns and the second-most fantasy points to tight ends. Furthermore, the position has scored 10-plus fantasy points nine times against them this season.
More Starts
- Eric Ebron vs. Football Team (Mon. 5 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Mike Gesicki vs. Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Kyle Rudolph vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
DFS Bargains
- Austin Hooper at Titans (DraftKings: $3,800)
- Robert Tonyan vs. Eagles (DraftKings: $3,700)
- Kyle Rudolph vs. Jaguars (DraftKings: $3,400)
Week 13 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends
Sit of the Week
Jared Cook at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Cook was invisible in the stat sheets last week (again), scoring zero fantasy points against the Broncos. He has now seen a mere eight targets in his last four games, and things aren’t likely to get better as long as Taysom Hill is under center for the Saints. In fact, no offense in the league has run the football more often than New Orleans (60.8 percent) over the last two weeks. I’d either sit or release Cook.
Sit ‘Em
Noah Fant at Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): It’s tough to blame Fant for last week’s stinker, as the Broncos started a practice squad WR at quarterback due to COVID-19 protocols. However, Fant has still failed to score 10 or more points in each of his last four games and seven of his last eight overall. That includes a Week 7 game against his next opponent, the Chiefs, where Fant was held to just 6.8 points. At a very thin position, Fant is a low-end option at best.
Logan Thomas at Steelers (Mon. 5 p.m. ET, FOX): Thomas has scored 10-plus fantasy points in two of his last three games, and he’s scored double digits in four of his last six overall. Still, this week’s matchup against the Steelers makes him a fade for me. Pittsburgh has allowed just one touchdown to an opposing tight end, and the position has averaged a mere 8.0 fantasy points per game against them. If you’re looking for a streamer, I would look elsewhere.
Jimmy Graham vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Graham might be the No. 12 fantasy tight end this season, but he’s been tough to trust regardless. He’s failed to score even nine fantasy points in five of his last six games, and his last two contests have resulted in a combined six targets and 6.2 points. Next up is a date with the Lions, who have quietly been tough against tight ends. The position has averaged the seventh-fewest fantasy points against them.
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More Sits
- Trey Burton at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Tyler Eifert at Vikings (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Tyler Higbee at Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
DFS Fades
- Evan Engram at Seahawks (DraftKings: $4,900)
- Hunter Henry vs. Patriots (DraftKings: $4,800)
- Hayden Hurst vs. Saints (DraftKings: $4,000)
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 all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!
