Week 4 Tight End Preview: Will Kyle Pitts Finally Get Going?
Top Fantasy TEs for Week 4
Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 4 TE Rankings.
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1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
After finishing as the TE1 last season, McBride is picking up where he left off. He's producing 19.7 PPR points to lead all TEs through three weeks. The Cardinals TE has yet to have fewer than 10 targets in a game this season, and that is only expected to continue in a Week 4 matchup with the Giants. McBride projects as the TE1 overall.
2. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Bowers made his season debut in Week 3 and dominated, catching 10 of 13 targets for 116 yards and a TD to finish as TE1. His 13 targets were the most by any TE in a game this season. He also had the highest route rate by any TE in a single game this season (90%). The Raiders have averaged 29.3 points per game, and their role as 4.5-point home underdogs should keep them throwing. Kansas City sits in the middle as a TE matchup (14th-most favorable). Bowers is a must-start TE1.
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle is producing 2.07 yards per team pass attempt on his way to 15.8 PPR points per game. Both marks rank in the top 10 among TEs, which is remarkable considering he’s doing it in just his first three games since tearing an Achilles tendon. The 49ers might be without Mike Evans, making him even more of a focal point on an offense that leads the league in TD passes. Kittle projects as a high-end TE1 in a Week 4 matchup against the Broncos.
4. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Warren caught 9 of 10 targets for 55 yards in Week 3, finishing as TE10. He is averaging 7.33 targets per game, fifth among TEs, and has scored 2 TDs this season. Nearly all of his work comes near the line of scrimmage, with a 1.73-yard aDOT that keeps his yardage low. Washington has been the second-most favorable TE matchup, allowing 22.35 adjusted PPR points per game. That volume and matchup make Warren a must-start TE1.
5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce made the most of just 2 targets in Week 3, catching both for 59 yards and a TD to finish as TE11. He is averaging 16.37 PPR points per game (TE3) despite ranking ninth among TEs in targets per game. That production has been driven by his 11.07 yards after catch per reception, and he is outscoring his expected points by 6.51 per game. Las Vegas has been the fourth-most favorable TE matchup (20.28 adjusted PPR allowed per game). Kelce is a strong TE1 this week.
6. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
LaPorta is producing just outside TE1 range as the TE14 with 11.5 PPR points per game. His 17.7% target share ranks third on his own team behind WR Amon-Ra St Brown and RB Jahmyr Gibbs. As the third option on an offense with the 8th most pass attempts, LaPorta projects as a middling TE1 against a Panthers defense allowing the 15th most points to TEs.
7. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
Kincaid had a quiet Week 3, catching 2 of 3 targets for 38 yards (TE37). He has still been productive this season, averaging 14.77 PPR points per game (TE8) with 263 receiving yards. His 12.82-yard aDOT gives him a downfield role few TEs have. The concern is that New England is the second-toughest TE matchup so far at just 5.95 adjusted PPR points allowed per game. Kincaid is still worth starting as a low-end TE1 because of his big-play ability.
8. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Johnson is coming off his highest-scoring week, posting 23.3 PPR points to finish as the TE5. He accounted for a 20.0% target share that trailed only WR Chris Olave for the team lead. Facing a Falcons defense that's allowed the ninth most points to TEs, Johnson projects as a low-end TE1 in Week 4.
9. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
WR Nico Collins’ return puts a serious dent in Schultz’s target outlook. But the matchup with the Cowboys keeps him in the low-end TE1 mix this week. Dallas sits dead last in our Pass Defense Power Rankings and 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs.
10. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
We’re still waiting for the Kraft breakout game. Through three games, he’s tallied 9.5, 3.5, and 6.6 PPR points. The good news: He’s up to a 73% route rate on the season and is seemingly free of restrictions coming off a November ACL tear. He draws a Bucs pass defense that’s allowed two TE scores through three weeks.
11. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Played Thursday night.
12. Isaiah Likely, New York Giants
Likely is commanding a team-high 28% target share that ranks third among all TEs. Unfortunately, he's played on the lowest-scoring offense since Jaxson Dart went down, which has left him as the TE7 on the season with 13.1 PPR points per game. Jameis Winston has yet to throw a TD pass but with the help of a Cardinals defense that is allowing the sixth most points to TEs, Likely projects as a fringe TE1 in Week 4.
13. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Andrews can't seem to get to 50 yards, no matter the opponent or whether Zay Flowers is playing. He has managed just 4 and 3 catches in Flowers' two appearances so far this season. Flowers looks healthier this week, which chips away at the TE's floor. One key factor that's bound to change, though: Andrews has yet to see an end-zone target. He tied for third among TEs in that category last year.
14. Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets
It might be tough to leave Sadiq out of your starting lineup after last week’s breakout, and he’s certainly a viable play with WR Adonai Mitchell and TE Mason Taylor out again. It’s worth noting, though, that Sadiq still ran a route on just 59% of pass plays last week. Sunday’s game vs. the Bears also doesn’t project as the shootout that last week’s game against the Lions turned into. Chicago ranks fifth in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs, although they haven’t really been tested by the Panthers, Vikings, or the Goedert-less Eagles.
15. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
The Bears passing game kept humming even without QB Caleb Williams last week, but Loveland was left out again, catching 4 balls for 31 scoreless yards. He now ranks 43rd among TEs in expected PPR points per game and 48th in actual points per game. We still believe that Loveland will get going at some point, but he’s certainly benchable until he shows signs of life.
16. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Strange enters Week 4 with no more than 3 targets in any game. His yardage totals have gone 23, 17, and 32. He remains a low-floor TE2, although the matchup with a Bengals unit that’s weak in LB coverage adds some appeal.
17. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
Hockenson caught only 2 of 4 targets for 11 yards in his first full game with Kyler Murray. If Justin Jefferson (ankle) is out or limited, Hockenson should see some extra looks. Even then, in a nice matchup with Miami, the veteran TE is best viewed as a TE2 given his recent production.
18. Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers
Waller accounted for a 19.0% target share in Week 3, a sizable leap from his previous 9.4% the week before. It also ranked 13th among all TEs on the week. His route participation increased from 47.7% over the first two weeks to 58.5%. If Coker returns, expectations dampen, but Waller projects as a TE2 against a Lions defense that has allowed the most points to TEs.
19. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Pitts has had an underwhelming start with his 1.3 PPR points per game trailing 78 other TEs. There wasn’t a week in which he had less than a 10% target share last season, yet he hasn't accounted for a 10% target share in any game this season. With the Saints allowing the fourth most points to TEs, Pitts projects for a season-high TE2 finish in Week 4.
20. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Henry caught 1 of 2 targets for 5 yards in Week 3, finishing as TE54. He is averaging just 3.33 targets and 4.70 PPR points per game (TE43) and has yet to score a TD. The Patriots have also averaged only 12 points per game, limiting his scoring chances. Buffalo is a neutral matchup, ranking 19th in TE fantasy points allowed. Henry is a low-end TE2 who needs a TD to pay off.
21. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Played Thursday night.
22. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Ferguson scored his third TD of the season last week but finished with just 3 catches on 5 targets. He ranks 26th among TEs in both targets and target share through 3 weeks. The floor here is low, especially in this Sunday’s matchup against the Texans’ 11th-ranked TE defense.
23. Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers
Gadsden's first game after TE teammates Charlie Kolar and David Njoku landed on IR found more playing time but still just 2 targets. The combo of a still-struggling offense and even tougher matchup with Seattle this week keep Gadsden out of lineup consideration.
24. A.J. Barner, Seattle Seahawks
Barner flashed for a usable 5-69 receiving line in last week's loss at Washington. But he benefited from elevated passing volume (45 attempts). Barner totaled just 3 targets across the first two weeks and averaged a mere 4 per game last season.
25. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
Higbee popped for an 8-62-1 receiving line on 11 targets in a game Terrance Ferguson left early. He'll contend with Puka Nacua's return this week, though, which should soak up most of that target share.
