Week 16 of the NFL season has arrived, which means it’s time for the second round of the fantasy playoffs! Do you have tough lineup decisions to make in this must-win matchup? I’ve got you covered.
Let’s break down my Week 16 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football TE picks.
Start ‘Em: Brenton Strange (Jaguars) at Raiders
Am I really trusting someone who will be catching passes from Mac Jones this week?
Yes. Yes I am.
With Evan Engram done for the year, Strange stepped into a monstrous target share last Sunday against the Jets, hauling in a whopping 11 of 12 targets for 73 yards. While it may be unrealistic to expect that level of production again, Strange does draw a very favorable matchup against a subpar Raiders secondary that allows the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends.
Jones should continue to utilize the second-year tight end as his safety blanket, giving Strange legitimate TE1 upside after being a relative unknown for most of the season.
Sit ‘Em: Kyle Pitts (Falcons) vs. Giants
Don’t do it. Just… don’t.
I do not care that Michael Penix could give the Falcons new life offensively. You do not trust Kyle Pitts in a must-win fantasy matchup. Quite frankly, name value alone has carried his start percentage across major fantasy platforms to a ridiculously high level.
Pitts has not scored double-digit points in six straight outings. He has seen a snap share of 41% or lower in two of Atlanta’s last three outings. Penix could certainly benefit the likes of Drake London and Darnell Mooney, but there are better options out there at tight end this week.
Check out my full Week 15 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Sam LaPorta (Lions) at Bears
Last week was by far the most impressive performance of the year for LaPorta, who caught seven of 10 targets for 111 yards.
This was the most involved the 23-year-old has been all season, boasting a 97% snap rate. It’s also the fifth time he’s scored double-digit fantasy points in his last seven games, giving LaPorta a legitimate TE1 fantasy floor after a horrendous start to the year. He should remain heavily involved this week against the Bears.
Sit ‘Em: Hunter Henry (Patriots) at Bills
Drake Maye is good at football. Hunter Henry is good at football.
The problem? Virtually all of New England’s remaining offensive players are not. After a solid stretch in the middle of the season, it actually appears that the Pats are regressing on that side of the ball, mostly due to one of the worst offensive lines in football. It’s simply impossible to trust Henry against this imposing Bills defense, as he likely won’t get many extended drives.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 16 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.
