We’re only a few weeks into the 2025 NFL season, and the fantasy tight end landscape has already been thrown into chaos. The reigning top three TEs are nowhere near what the consensus expected, which means you almost certainly have tough lineup decisions to make at the position. Here are my TE start/sit Week 4 fantasy football picks!
Check out my full Week 4 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Brenton Strange (Jaguars) at 49ers
And the new WR1 in Jacksonville is… a tight end?
Jokes aside, Strange has actually been the Jaguars’ most reliable receiving threat through three games, and Trevor Lawrence knows it. The third-year TE has 13 catches for 137 yards so far and is fresh off his best performance of the young season, in which he put up six receptions for 61 yards.
The Niners’ defense took a brutal blow in the loss of Nick Bosa for the season, which should afford Lawrence more time to pick out his new safety blanket early and often. San Francisco allows almost 13 fantasy points to opposing tight ends. If Strange puts up those numbers, it will have been a successful outing. Fire him up as a low-end TE1.
Sit ‘Em: Zach Ertz (Commanders) at Falcons
Ertz jumped out to a monstrous start to the season, scoring in each of Washington’s first two matchups and re-establishing himself as Jayden Daniels’ safety blanket.
The problem? Once Daniels went down, so did Ertz’s production. With Marcus Mariota taking over for the injured star QB, Ertz only saw three targets come his way against the Raiders. Instead, it was Washington’s ground game that got the job done, between the new RB committee and Mariota himself. That leaves managers with little optimism for Ertz against Atlanta, and I wouldn’t start him even if Daniels can return to action.
The Falcons are allowing a minuscule 3.6 fantasy points to opposing tight ends through three weeks. Michael Penix Jr. and the offense still have a ways to go, but the defense is more than holding up its share of the bargain. Ertz will return to fantasy relevance soon enough, just not this week.
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Start ‘Em: Hunter Henry (Patriots) vs. Panthers
Touchdowns scored by Hunter Henry in the 2024 NFL season: Two
Touchdowns scored by Hunter Henry last week against Pittsburgh: Two
Mr. Reliable struck again for New England, racking up a monstrous eight receptions on 11 targets for 90 yards. Henry has been Drake Maye’s safety blanket throughout his young career, but he could be so much more if the red zone looks continue to spike. The 30-year-old may not be a double-digit target hog weekly, but you can lock him in for six to eight if game script allows for it. Henry should get involved early and often against the Panthers, who allow north of 15 fantasy points per contest to opposing tight ends.
Looking for more TE start/sit Week 4 picks? Stay tuned for my MNF fantasy start/sit article! New tight end start/sit picks drop weekly!
Sit ‘Em: Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns) at Lions
After a fantastic NFL debut in which he racked up seven receptions for 63 yards, Fannin has come back down to earth. The rookie recorded just a combined eight catches for 73 yards over the next two outings, seeing his target and snap share dip.
David Njoku hasn’t established himself as the Joe Flacco target machine we saw a couple of years ago, but the veteran is still firmly locked in as Cleveland’s TE1. Fannin could still have matchup-dependent value, but that won’t be the case against a Lions defense that typically stymies opposing tight ends. There are better options on waivers in Week 4.
Those are my TE Week 4 start/sit picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice throughout the week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
