Welcome back, readers! I am happy to return for a second year as The Sporting Tribune's fantasy football analyst. If you are new here, my mission is to help fantasy managers with any dilemmas or questions they may have through the course of the season to ultimately win their leagues. For the next 17 weeks, I will produce weekly fantasy content that will go over the waiver wire, rankings, and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em columns.
Being a fantasy manager often means having to make difficult roster decisions, but I aim to take some of the guesswork out of it with my Start 'Em and Sit 'Em column for every position. It goes without saying that I won't include obvious calls like "start Trey McBride" or "sit Tommy DeVito." Instead, I search for players that could be perceived as fringe that could propel your lineups for weekly wins.
As always, if you have any questions or don't see your players here, feel free to follow me on Twitter (X) – @JamesNewell96 and send me a message, where I typically respond in a timely manner.
Start ’Em
T.J. Hockenson @ DET (Projected FPTS – 10.6): In each of the last two full games he’s played, Hockenson has scored 13 fantasy points. This week’s matchup is a great one, as the Lions have allowed at least 13 fantasy points to eight tight ends this season. No other team has allowed more than four tight ends to hit that number. Detroit has also allowed the most receiving yards and touchdowns to the position. While Hockenson isn’t known as a consistent TE1, he did manage a 13-119-0 line back in Week Four. Expect Hockenson to have a solid revenge game against the team that drafted him.
Hunter Henry @ MIA (Projected FPTS – 10.2): Henry scored in single digits in three straight games to open the season. Since then, he’s scored at least 11.2 fantasy points in his last four matchups, including 14-plus points in back-to-back games, and he has been targeted 12 times in his last two contests. He has a great matchup in Week Eight against the Dolphins, who’ve allowed five tight ends to reach 10 or more fantasy points this season. Miami has surrendered the third-most fantasy points per game and the sixth-most yards to the position. Henry is in line to continue his excellent stretch.
Tucker Kraft vs. CAR (Projected FPTS – 12.8): Kraft was one of my favorite tight ends to start last week, and he delivered, scoring 14.8 fantasy points against the Lions. Kraft has now recorded at least 11.6 points in three of his last four contests. I anticipate that he will come through again for his managers in Week Eight against the Panthers, who’ve allowed double-digit fantasy points from the position in three of their last four games.
Honorable Mentions: Chigoziem Okonkwo vs. PHI; Dalton Kincaid vs. BAL; Kyle Pitts Sr. @ TB; Dallas Goedert @ WSH; Brenton Strange vs. IND; Travis Kelce @ DEN; Pat Freiermuth vs. CLE.
Sit ’Em
Jake Ferguson vs. ARI (Projected FPTS – 7.4): It’s a shame Ferguson has become so irrelevant in fantasy this season. Over the last two weeks, he’s been outscored by Brevyn Spann-Ford, 10.6 points to 3.3. He started the year with three touchdowns in the first three weeks but has had none since. He finished with a big doughnut on Monday against the Eagles, and on the season he’s averaged 16.4 yards per game. Despite the juicy matchup this week against the Cardinals, Ferguson is not reliable enough to have in your lineup. You can find somebody better on the waiver wire right now.
Tyler Higbee vs. LAC (Projected FPTS – 9.2): Starting a Rams tight end is like a coin flip. They’ve scored five touchdowns over the last six games, but it’s almost impossible to figure out which one will get the extra six points. At this point, it’s Higbee, Colby Parkinson and now Davis Allen all competing for targets, with Los Angeles playing in 13 personnel at the highest rate. This week they take on the Chargers, who’ve allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Starting any one of these tight ends is a major risk. Just sit them all.
Mike Gesicki vs. TEN (Projected FPTS – 8.9): Through the first four games, Gesicki could be somewhat reliable, scoring four touchdowns and posting at least three receptions and 37 yards. However, he’s caught one pass in each of his last two games, which fortunately were both touchdowns. This week Gesicki takes on the Titans, who’ve allowed the third-fewest touchdowns, the fifth-fewest yards and the 10th-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. Regression is likely about to happen.
Lowlights: Mark Andrews @ BUF; Darren Waller @ GB; Michael Mayer @ NYJ; Harold Fannin Jr.@ PIT; Cade Otton vs. ATL; Greg Dulcich vs. NE; Oronde Gadsden II @ LAR.