We looked at the quarterback position (and continue to monitor it on my X timeline) so now we move our attention to tight ends. Outside of a handful of players, the tight end position in fantasy is a crap shoot. A 10 point game gets you a top 12 player at the position on most weeks, but even the 6-12 realm guys have far underperformed that bar this season. Picking the right plug in play for weeks 15-17 can be the difference in advancing, or going home early. Unfortunately, this is not the NBA. We do not have Pat Beverley reservations in Cancun. It will more likely be reservations at work, on Tuesday with the guy who ended our season. So which TE can we stream and trust? As we are doing in this entire series, we look at weeks 15-17 and use schedule adjusted points allowed to the position. This ranks the defense based on points allowed above expectation (based on week’s 1-12). As we did with the quarterbacks, there may be some instances of mixing and matching two guys through the three week playoff march. This requires some look ahead and some roster decisions, which can be huge at playoff time as well.

Pat Freiermuth (PIT) #30 TE: When I originally had this going, the Muth had not made his impressive week 12 comeback. Therefore, this will be pretty short and sweet! If Freiermuth was on your waiver wire, hopefully you grabbed him without hesitation. 7th best playoff schedule, Pickett’s favorite target, run game and play action are coming along nicely. He is a must start and may be worth starting in leagues with multiple flex spots.

Taysom Hill (NO) #11 TE: I have not been the gizmo and gadget fan of Hill over the years, but there is no denying the boom potential he has when he sits at tight end number 11 on the season. With the return of Juwan Johnson who will be mentioned, Hill’s touches did go down a little the last few weeks. Then the Saints went on to place Michael Thomas on IR, Olave was injured last week and so was Rashid Shaheed. Hill makes this list due to the lack of depth at the position, and the injury woes for the Saints. Keep an eye on the next few weeks here. If receivers remain out and Hill’s usage increases he could be a very good play week 16 against the Rams (3rd best matchup) and a solid option in week 17 against Tampa Bay (14th best matchup)

Juwan Johnson (NO) #38 TE: The “traditional’ tight end for the Saints here. The matchups are the same as Hill. The usage for Johnson in his 4 games back has been up and down. 2, 5, 3 and 7 are his targets over the last four weeks. Last week he did have 4 catches for 45 yards, and in week 9 he found the end-zone. The injuries of the Saints wide-outs and his usage will be the things to watch. Johnson is someone to at least have on the radar.

Chigoziem Okonkwo (TEN) #26 TE: “Chig” was one of my favorite year 2 breakouts at the tight end position coming into 2023. That has not quite happened but I am not giving up on him. He has seen 5 or more targets in three of the last 5 games and the Titans have the easiest playoff schedule for the position. Okonkwo will get a Houston Texans defense that allows the 4th most points to tight ends. He gets them twice! Week 15, and again in week 17 with Seattle (11th best in schedule adjusted) in between. This could be a mix and match situation but Okonkwo has been better in games that Derrick Henry plays well. The run defense of Seattle may allow for Okonkwo to be used against a tough Seattle secondary that has been shutting down wide-outs as of late. If he is playing well headed into week 16, he may be viable for all three games.

Gerald Everett (LAC) #24TE & Donald Parham Jr (LAC) #25TE: It is fitting that these two sit right next two each other in the rankings. Whichever one has been in, it seems to be the same performance overall. With the return of Joshua Palmer coming we would expect the value of Charger’s tight ends to drop, but it really should help. There has been no passing offense outside of Keenan Allen; Palmer will open up the field a bit for Herbert. It is all matchups here. The Chargers have the 3rd best playoff schedule and one of these guys will be used. It looks like Everett his healthy; Parham has been dropping passes and has not done anything to surpass Everett on the depth chart. New England may be tough in week 12, but look to see who is involved and how much over the next two games. In week 13 the Chargers have Denver (2nd best matchup for tight ends this season).

Hunter Henry (NE) #21TE: Henry has had a handful of good game this season, but this New England offense is just not scoring touchdowns the last four weeks or even producing much offense at all. But 1 of their 5 touchdowns over that span did go to Henry. I am out on him in week 15 against Kansas City but he then has Denver (2nd best matchup) and Buffalo (11th best). Week 12 is a matchup with the Chargers give up the 6th most schedule adjusted points to the position. If Henry can produce here, keep him on the radar for those final two matchups.

Logan Thomas (WAS) #14TE: In 11 games Thomas has had three top 10 finishes and another three inside the top 15. In good matchups he has been solid outside the Atlanta game. At TE #14 he isn’t as much of a sleeper but is a constant start/sit question in the fantasy community. It is simple unless I have a top option to play instead. In week 15 he draws the 3rd best matchup in the Rams, and week 16 he plays the 8th best matchup in the Jets. Week 17 is San Francisco so best to look elsewhere, but Thomas can very well be a tight end train to ride on into the championship game

David Njoku (CLE) #10TE: Njoku sums up the 2023 TE position. He sits at Tight End number 10 on the season while having four games under 5 points, and another five games under 10 points. As of late he seems like a must start (25 targets the last 2 games), but those were with Dorian Thompson-Robinson who seemed to only look for short throws to Njoku. Will we see the same with a return of PJ Walker or possibly Joe Flacco? Most likely it will be hard to sit Njoku as the Browns have the 6th best playoff slate for tight ends and who is the other option? I just say to keep eyes on the QB change and the affect it has on him.

Daniel Bellinger (NYG) #51TE/Darren Waller (NYG) #19TE: Another guy that looked for a year two jump and then came in Darren Waller. Waller has been out and does look to possibly make his return after the bye week. How is Waller tight end #19 in total points on the season? That may sum up the TE position even more than the Njoku season. The Giants have the 4th easiest slate in the fantasy playoffs. Saints (15th best matchup), Eagles (10th best) and Rams (3rd best). If Waller returns against Green Bay and is healthy, the matchups make him a worthy play with upside, especially weeks 16 and 17. If Waller does not return or re aggravates the injury, Bellinger is worth keeping eyes on with the favorable matchups.