Week 1 of the fantasy football season is here, and we’re back with another crop of start/sit options. Week 1 is always the most challenging week to find quality under-the-radar picks and traps to avoid, but this weekend, those spots seem pretty clearly defined.
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With that in mind, we’ll pick tight ends who should exceed expectations in Week 1, along with three you should probably sit.
Start
We expect Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee offense to have a big day in a shootout scenario against the Raiders. Who does Mariota love to throw to? Walker. What position did the Raiders rank eighth-worst against in 2016? Tight end. Corey Davis is expected to make his pro debut here, and he’s a receiver with major potential. But for this week, expect Walker to remain the receiving star in this offense.
LeSean McCoy can’t touch the ball on every play, can he? Actually, maybe he can. Hopefully he throws one once or twice. Regardless who is doing the throwing for Buffalo, Clay is probably the top option to catch it. The Jets allowed double-digit touchdowns to tight ends last season, and with the Bills’ wide receivers new to the system, Clay is the safe target for Tyrod Taylor.
The Giants want to get back to having a pass-catching tight end who can compensate for an anemic running game and take some of the defensive heat off Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall. Engram was drafted for exactly that purpose, and the Cowboys were generous to opposing tight ends last season. Engram looked really good in the preseason, and with Beckham iffy, Engram could be utilized significantly in this one.
Sit
The Colts passing game gets a major downgrade with Andrew Luck on the sidelines. Doyle is just not worth the risk, especially on the road against a decent defense.
Eifert enters Week 1 dealing with a knee issue, and the Ravens have an elite defense against the tight end position. For most fantasy players in season-long leagues, Eifert was not drafted for the purpose of sitting him, but if you have an alternative, you might want to treat this like a bye week.
Ebron is another tight end playing through an injury (hamstring) against a defense that ranked No. 1 against tight ends last season.
