Week 3 of the NFL season has arrived! The fantasy tight end landscape is already in a state of constant flux, so it’s time to take a deeper dive into that position.
Let’s break down my Week 3 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football TE picks.
Start ‘Em: Pat Freiermuth (Steelers) vs. Chargers
I’m not going to sit here and act like Freiermuth is primed for a 30-point fantasy performance on Sunday. That’s not realistic.
That said, the fantasy tight end field has proven to be unbelievably shallow so far this year. Only Brock Bowers has scored double-digit points in each of the two weeks. We’ve reached a point where you’re looking for a solid floor at this position, which is what Freiermuth provides.
The current PPR TE9 has seen four targets in each game as Justin Fields’ No. 2 receiving threat, catching all eight of those balls for 68 yards. Those numbers aren’t flashy, but they are consistent. This week, Freiermuth and the Steelers will take on a Chargers defense that has been particularly vulnerable against opposing tight ends through two contests. I expect that trend to continue, which makes Pittsburgh’s tight end a solid fantasy option.
Sit ‘Em: Cole Kmet (Bears) at Colts
After seeing just a 48% snap share in Week 1, that number jumped all the way up to 77% against the Texans for Kmet. The 25-year-old hauled in four of his five targets for 27 yards, which would lead one to believe his arrow is pointing up.
I’m not buying it.
It’s not even really Kmet’s fault. He just happens to be working with a rookie quarterback who is simultaneously experiencing growing pains and playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football. Every time Caleb Williams drops back, he’s at risk of being flattened by opposing rushers. As a result, I expect Kmet to spend a lot of his time against Indy assisting the offensive line with pass protection.
It’s hard to trust any of Chicago’s offensive weapons until they figure out how to consistently protect their quarterback.
Check out my full Week 3 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Mike Gesicki (Bengals) vs. Commanders
The fantasy tight end landscape is once again a mess. I know, shocker.
Only six guys are averaging over 10 PPR points per game. In a bizarre turn of events, Gesicki just so happens to be one of them.
The veteran played a surprisingly significant role in Cincinnati’s passing attack against the Chiefs, catching seven of nine targets for 91 yards. His Week 1 numbers against the Patriots don’t look great on paper, but it’s worth noting he caught a touchdown that was ultimately overturned.
Whenever Tee Higgins returns to the equation — and Ja’Marr Chase starts playing like Ja’Marr Chase — Gesicki’s role will almost certainly decrease. However, I don’t expect both of those things to happen this Sunday against the Commanders, so fire up the 28-year-old tight end!
Sit ‘Em: Dalton Schultz (Texans) at Vikings
Schultz appears to be one of the odd men out in Houston’s receiving corps, along with Tank Dell.
I had concerns about the veteran’s potential role heading into the season, and they’ve been justified through two weeks. The talented tight end has received just six targets, catching five of them for 37 yards. The snap percentage has been there for Schultz (75.5%) but the rapport he boasted with Stroud last year has greatly diminished.
It may take an injury for Schultz to see consistent targets, and there are probably better options on your waiver wire this week.
Fantasy Advice Twitter Takeover
On Sunday from 11-1 ET, Jeff Pratt will be taking over the DraftKings Network X account to answer all of your start/sit questions. Don’t miss out!
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 3 fantasy football tight end picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
