Week 15 marks the start of the fantasy football playoffs in most season-long leagues. Every decision by fantasy owners means more at this stage of the year and making the right roster choice can make or break your season.
NFL bye weeks are completed for the year so you will have all healthy players from all 32 teams to choose from. The tight end spot has been a particularly volatile position this season with production down just about across the board. Whether you are choosing for your season-long fantasy rosters or in DraftKings DFS competitions, getting some production from this position can give your team a significant edge.
Here is a look at three tight ends with a path to outperforming their price point and could give you an edge on winning your competition.
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions ($4,400)
While he is a bit more expensive on the value scale, Sam LaPorta enters eighth in price this week and has a great chance to be the top-performing tight end. LaPorta has underwhelmed relative to expectations thus far, ranking 13th among tight ends based on DraftKings scoring.
Overall this season, he has recorded 36 receptions for 445 yards and five touchdowns. He has tallied at least one catch in every game and is third on Detroit in both receptions and receiving yards while ranking second in touchdown receptions. The Lions will prepare to face the Bills this week with these two being the top scoring offenses in the league.
Expect there to be plenty of offense in this matchup and for both teams to have success. Buffalo has allowed an average of 39.2 receiving yards to tight ends this season. LaPorta has recorded more yards than this in six games. Count on the tight end to play a key role in the team’s offensive production and for there to be plenty of points in this matchup. Don’t be surprised if this is the week he fully breaks out in the way fans have been waiting all season.
Noah Gray, Kansas City Chiefs ($3,200)
Travis Kelce dominates the headlines at the tight end position for the Kansas City Chiefs, but Noah Gray has taken a significant leap in production this year. The fourth-year tight end has already reached career highs across the board as the Chiefs have leaned more heavily on two tight end sets. Overall, Gray has tallied 35 receptions for 399 yards and four touchdowns. He has been granted more freedom to run routes and is making the most of his opportunities.
Gray enters this week after recording four receptions in four consecutive games. He also has all four of his touchdowns over this stretch. Gray has logged over 50 percent of the offensive snaps in every game this season and 57 percent or greater in every week since Week 5.
The Chiefs will face off with the Cleveland Browns this week who have had some defensive struggles. Cleveland ranks 26th in points allowed, 21st in yards given up and 29th in net yards per pass attempt. Kansas City has still yet to play up to its full potential as a team but using Gray as a second tight end has proven to be a bright spot in the offense. Look for this trend to continue and for a solid fantasy output from the tight end this week.
Grant Calcaterra, Philadelphia Eagles ($3,500)
Injuries have derailed the season for starting tight end Dallas Goedert who remains on the IR with a knee injury. This has paved the way for Grant Calcaterra to step into the starting lineup and he has looked more than competent in these opportunities. In the first week Goedert was on IR, Calcaterra finished as the ninth-ranked tight end and successfully found the end zone against the Panthers.
Heading into this week, the Philadelphia Eagles are facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Eagles still have the look of a Super Bowl contender, their passing game has a ways to go and this has been aired out plenty this week within the team. Expect this to be a focused effort from the team ahead of the cross-state rivalry and for a more concrete passing game plan to be put in place. This is especially the case when considering the Steelers rank 18th in passing yards allowed compared to fourth in rushing yards given up.
Calcaterra had emerged as a part of the Eagles offense before the Goedert injury and his opportunity will be maximized moving forward. Look for him to outperform his DFS price point of $3,500 and make his impact felt this week against the Steelers.
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