Week 9 of the NFL season has arrived! The fantasy tight end landscape is in a state of constant flux, so it’s time to take a deeper dive into that position.
Let’s break down my Week 9 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football TE picks.
Start ‘Em: Zach Ertz (Commanders) at Giants
Don’t look now, but 33-year-old Zach Ertz is now PPR TE9 on the season.
The veteran has greatly benefited from being a part of Washington’s surprisingly dynamic offense. After a relatively slow start to the year, Ertz has racked up 14 points in back-to-back outings, seeing a season-high 11 targets against the Bears last week. He’s also received a 76% snap share or higher in two of the Commanders’ last three games, establishing himself as a focal point of the offense.
Ertz and Jayden Daniels should pick up where they left off this Sunday against the Giants, fire him up as a low-end TE1.
Sit ‘Em: Dalton Schultz (Texans) at Jets — THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
I can’t advise you to sit C.J. Stroud but start his top two targets. That’s just not how this works.
Schultz has been incredibly underwhelming this season, failing to score double-digit points in all eight games. When Nico Collins went down, many expected Schultz to assume a larger role in the passing game. He didn’t.
With Stefon Diggs out of the equation, people are making that same assumption. I need to see it before I believe it. The veteran is talented, but so is the Jets defense, as that unit has allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game. While I still expect Tank to produce, it could be a long day for fantasy managers who are expecting big things out of Schultz.
Check out my full Week 9 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Cade Otton (Buccaneers) at Chiefs
With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin out of the equation, Otton has been elevated to Baker Mayfield’s top receiving threat.
The 25-year-old saw an elite snap share paired with decent production for the first six games of the season. In his last two weeks, he’s caught 17 balls for 181 yards and two touchdowns, amassing 47.1 PPR points. That bump in production should continue against the Chiefs, who allow the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends in the league. Otton is a top-five option this week at his position.
Sit ‘Em: Cole Kmet (Bears) at Cardinals
Thanks to a pair of 24-plus point outings, Kmet sits as PPR TE8 on the year. The rest of his performances have been… uninspiring, to say the least.
The 25-year-old has failed to score nine points in three of his last four games, and he saw just one target against the Commanders, hauling it in for 14 yards. With the other weapons in Chicago’s offense, Kmet has become a touchdown-or-bust fantasy option. Considering how his fellow tight ends around the league have exploded over the last few weeks, it’s best to leave him on the bench for a better candidate.
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 9 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.
