Fantasy Football Redraft

Print

Week 14 Fantasy Football Tight End Preview

Top Fantasy TEs for Week 14

Let's dig into the reasons you should -- or shouldn't -- play these TEs in Week 14 ...

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

Jonnu Smith, Dolphins

Smith leads all TEs in fantasy points over the past five weeks. He’s hit 21 PPR points in three straight. Fed ideal volume, the veteran remains a no-doubt TE1 against the Jets.

Tyler Conklin, Jets

Conklin saw a 13% target share last week – his highest since Week 5. That tells you everything about his lack of involvement in a low-floor New York offense.

Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings

T.J. Hockenson, Vikings

Hockenson has mostly sat in TE2 territory, but he is getting healthier and running more routes. The Falcons are middle of the pack against TEs in terms of yards per target, but usually have tight coverage to force those targets elsewhere. Low-end TE1

Kyle Pitts, Falcons

Another goose egg for Kyle Pitts with only two targets last week. He has hard to trust, no matter the match-up. He hasn’t hit double-digit fantasy points in four weeks. TE2 at best in hopes for a spike week.

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants

Juwan Johnson, Saints

With Taysom Hill sidelined, the door is open for Johnson to take the TE role with some snaps going to Foster Moreau. Johnson has run more routes however and should have a solid target share. He is a TE2 this week who should have a solid week.

Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles

Grant Calcaterra, Eagles

Last time Dallas Goedert went down, Calcaterra became a full-timer. He topped 90% playing time in three of four starts and averaged 4 targets across those three games. Passing volume figures to be an issue in a game that finds Philly heavily favored. That keeps Calcaterra down here in the “emergency” section of TE options.

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Panthers

Sanders has managed limited practices this week after missing the last game with a neck injury. He caught 3+ passes in five of seven games before going down – including 3 receptions in the Week 12 contest he left after just 12 snaps. If Sanders is all the way back, he presents some upside vs. others in this range at TE.

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

David Njoku, Browns

Njoku has caught nine passes in two of his past three games and fallen short of 5 receptions just once since Week 6. That came in the first meeting with Pittsburgh. But even that game should have included a TD catch. (Njoku dropped an easy one in the end zone.) It did include a much more difficult grab for a 2-point conversion. Overall, Pittsburgh has been far-friendlier to TE scoring than to any other position.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers

Freiermuth delivered season highs in receptions (6) and receiving yards (68) last week, along with his second TD among the past four games. But that marked his first time exceeding 4 catches in a game since Week 4 and just his third game with at least 3 receptions among the past seven. Freiermuth has averaged just 3.5 targets per game across Russell Wilson’s six starts.

Las Vegas Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brock Bowers, Raiders

Bowers has hit 30 PPR points in two of his past three games. Keep expectations high for a positive matchup vs. Tampa Bay. 

Cade Otton, Buccaneers

Otton’s numbers have come back to earth with Mike Evans returning from injury. He did catch four of seven targets last week, but only for 20 yards. He continues to be on the field and running routes, though, so the numbers could come back. The Raiders are giving up the second most receptions per game to TEs, so this is another good spot. He is a cautious low-end TE1 this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans

Evan Engram, Jaguars

Engram caught seven of nine targets for 41 yards. Mac Jones checkdowns should be strong again for Engram to gather plenty of volume, though scoring a TD is unlikely in the current offense. The Titans have given up TDs to TEs, though they are one of the best in yards per target. Trust Engram as a TE1 this week.

Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans

Okonkwo is a big play waiting to happen and has a solid match-up against the Jaguars who are bottom five in yards per target to TEs and TD rate. Though he isn’t highly targeted, as a throw something a the wall hoping for a big play, you could do worse. Low End TE2.

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

Trey McBride, Cardinals

McBride has delivered 12 receptions in two straight games, making him the only TE this season with two games of more than 10 catches. He has tallied 11+ targets in three of his past five contests. And the Cardinals have increased their passing in that time, ranking seventh in the league in pass rate over expected over the past four weeks.

Noah Fant, Seahawks

Fant returned last week from three games down for a groin injury to reclaim his low-impact role. He drew a mere 4 targets for his third straight game and has exceeded that number just twice in nine games.

Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams

Dawson Knox, Bills

Dalton Kincaid returned to limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday, but he’s not yet a lock to return vs. L.A. If he remains out, Knox will retain some streaming appeal against a Rams squad that supplies a positive matchup for TEs.

Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers

George Kittle, 49ers

Kittle had a rough game catching only one of two targets for seven yards. He dropped a TE screen and made a few mental mistakes. He should bounce back with Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason down for this game. The Bears are in the bottom half in the league against TEs, so it is one area to exploit. Fire Kittle up as a top five TE.

Cole Kmet, Bears

Kmet only caught three passes for 26 yards last week, and generally has fallen to fourth in the target order for the Bears. The 49ers are also crippling against opposing TEs. This combination makes Kmet a poor play. 

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Kansas City’s increased passing lean in recent weeks have helped Kelce collect 6+ receptions in five of his past six games. He delivered a 7-89 receiving line against the Chargers back in Week 4.

Will Dissly, Chargers

Dissly posted an alarming zero last week in what shouldn’t have been a difficult matchup with Atlanta. But his role didn’t change. Only Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston ran more pass routes among Chargers. And Dissly caught 4+ passes in three straight games and in six of seven games before that contest. He could prove especially important this week if McConkey can’t play or is limited. And even if McConkey’s ready, Dissly gets a Chiefs D that ranks sixth-friendliest to TE scoring on the season.

Noah Gray, Chiefs

We can’t count on significant target volume for Gray. But he has caught four passes in three straight games, for an offense that pulled into the league lead in pass rate over expected for that span. Gray’s two games with 4 receptions before the most recent span included a 4-40 line in the Week 4 meeting with the Chargers. He sports some upside for TE2 range.

Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys

Jake Ferguson, Cowboys

Ferguson (concussion) has a real shot to return vs. Cincinnati, and playing on Monday night certainly helps. If active, he’ll be in a nice spot for volume against a struggling Bengals pass D.

Mike Gesicki, Bengals

The Cowboys have allowed the third-fewest catches to enemy TEs. Gesicki, though, benefits from a pass-heavy Bengals squad that lacks a difference-making WR3. The former Dolphin posted 5-53 in Week 13.

Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks 1st among 133 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.