Welcome to Week 15 of the fantasy football season. Christmas is right around the corner and the fantasy playoffs are in full swing. With next week’s championship game deciding fantasy titles, your start/sit decisions will be more crucial than ever.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 15: Tight ends
Which tight ends should you trust for the fantasy playoffs, and which ones must be avoided?
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
If you’re in a shallower league and still alive in the title hunt, chances are you won’t have to think about your tight end position too much. However, some owners don’t have the luxury of plugging in Travis Kelce or Tyler Eifert, so they still have to make tough decisions at the position. We’ll try to help you chase fantasy glory with these recommended starters, along with players you should be avoiding in this crucial week.
Start
Ladarius Green, Pittsburgh Steelers (@ Cincinnati Bengals)
Green had a dud last week, with just two catches for 25 yards. The good news is that he still saw six targets, and the Steelers didn’t need to do much in the air with Le’Veon Bell ripping up the Buffalo Bills’ defense. Green should be back on the TE1 radar against a Bengals team allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends.
Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@ Dallas Cowboys)
Another efficient, if low-ceiling, game by Brate last week with four catches for 47 yards. A weekly lock for 4-5 catches and 40-60 yards, Brate has one of the most stable fantasy floors out of tight ends. It helps that Jameis Winston likes looking his way in the red zone. Brate will be a solid play against the Cowboys this week.
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (@ Baltimore Ravens)
The Ravens’ defense is a tough matchup for tight ends, but Ertz has earned the benefit of the doubt after 19 catches and 191 yards in his last two games. He’s one of the only pass catchers Carson Wentz trusts and should continue to carry TE1 value during the playoffs.
Sit
Coby Fleener, New Orleans Saints (@ Arizona Cardinals)
Fleener is way down on the target priority behind Michael Thomas, Brandin Cooks, and Willie Snead. Even with Thomas sitting out last week, Fleener had just one catch for 6 yards. Now he gets the Cardinals’ defense, which is allowing the fewest fantasy points to tight ends. No thanks.
Dennis Pitta, Ravens (vs. Eagles)
Perhaps Week 14 was a fluke after all. After exploding for 90 yards and two touchdowns, Pitta predictably crashed back to Earth last week, managing just 18 yards on four catches against the New England Patriots. Pitta catches the ball (his 65 receptions are already a career-high), but he doesn’t get yards or find the end zone, making him an unreliable TE2 outside of PPR leagues.
Jared Cook, Green Bay Packers (@ Chicago Bears)
Cooks’ three games since his “breakout” Week 11 performance? Five catches, 41 yards, zero touchdowns. That’s the Jared Cook experience in a nutshell. He’s completely hands-off in subzero weather at Soldier Field.
