As we head into Week 9, tight end Robert Tonyan tore his ACL and is done for the year. Washington Football Team tight end Logan Thomas is expected to begin practicing after the team’s bye week. With all of this going on, the thin group of fantasy-relevant tight ends remains thin. With four teams on bye this week, here are two tight ends that you should start and two that you should sit for your Week 9 fantasy football matchups.
Tight End Starts
Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens
Conklin is fourth on the Vikings in targets. He has 27 receptions on 37 targets for 297 yards and a touchdown. He has at least four targets in six of the seven games that he has played in so far this season. He is a decent bye week fill-in if you need him. The Ravens are giving up the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Conklin is seeing good usage and has a great matchup so I think he is worth a start this week.
Evan Engram, New York Giants vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Engram makes this list because he is one of the few Giants players that is able to suit up and take the field. He hasn’t been the apple of Daniel Jones’ eye this year, but Engram was able to find the end zone last week. If he can sustain some usage in this game and come down with a few extra targets, there is a solid chance he brings in a fantasy-relevant week. The Raiders are giving up the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.
Tight End Sits
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Bears
Freiermuth is a sneaky rest of season tight end for your fantasy football roster. He is getting more in sync with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and I think that he does have solid value the rest of the way. Unfortunately, I think that value picks back up in Week 10. The Bears' defense is beatable on the ground and in the air to wide receivers which is the forte of the Steelers' offense. The one area where the Bears' defense excels is at limiting tight ends. They are giving up the second-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.
Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams vs. Tennessee Titans
As pass-happy as the Rams offense has been, Higbee has been an up and down beneficiary of the offense. The Titans are giving up the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Higbee has become unreliable. He doesn’t have more than 68 yards in a game this year and has only scored two touchdowns. Most recently, he is coming off a three-target game against the Houston Texans, which should have been a fantastic matchup for him. Too risky for me when there are likely better options.