Fantasy Football Week 16 Tight End Preview: Streamers, projections, and more

Everything you need to know about tight end in Week 16

Hopefully, if you made it to the Fantasy semi-finals in Week 16, you did so with George Kittle, Mark Andrews, Rob Gronkowski, or Dallas Goedert. Then you at least won't have to stress about one position. Notice I didn't say Travis Kelce, we can't count on him because he's currently on the COVID-IR. I'll have waiver wire options for the Kelce managers below, but first, let's talk about those guys in the middle. 

Kyle Pitts, Dawson Knox, Mike Gesicki, and Zach Ertz are all exactly the types of tight ends who have driven us crazy this season. And Week 16 will b no different. Pitts still has just one touchdown on the year, Knox has the toughest matchup on the board, and Gesicki and Ertz have both struggled with consistency on a week-to-week basis. But as you'll see below, they all project better than any streamer. Which means I'm probably going to tell you to start them in Week 16, even if it's not with confidence.

The one exception may be Knox, just because of how incredible the Patriots have been against the position. In fact, I was ready to tell you to sit him until Cole Beasley was ruled out. Now I plan on sticking with him, but I wouldn't blame you for choosing a streamer below instead. Like everything else this time of year, it's what can you live with? The more talented player with the bigger target share against an awful matchup? Or the up-and-down streamer against a worse defense? I'm sticking with Knox, if you aren't, there are options below.

Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 16: 

Week 16 TE Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

TE Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 16 at this time. Here's what it means:

Travis Kelce TE

KC Kansas City • #87
Age: 32 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Blake Bell is also out, so Noah Gray would be a desperation stream.

Pat Freiermuth TE

PIT Pittsburgh • #88
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.

You can do better than Zach Gentry

TE Preview

Numbers to Know

• 48 -- Kyle Pitts needs 48 yards to pass Jeremy Shockey for the second-best yardage total for a rookie tight end.
• 15.7% -- Foster Moreau has seen a 15.7% target share in three games without Darren Waller.
• 6.1 -- The Patriots have allowed a league-low 6.1 PPR FPPG to tight ends this season.
• 8 -- Cole Kmet has averaged eight targets per game over his last four games.
• 7 -- Noah Gray has seen seven targets all season. He currently projects as the Chiefs starting tight end.
• 10 -- The Raiders have allowed 10 touchdowns to tight ends this season, the second most in the NFL behind the Chargers.

TE Preview

Matchups that matter

Kyle Pitts TE

ATL Atlanta • #8
Age: 21 • Experience: 2 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs DET ATL -6 O/U 42.5	OPP VS TE 18th	PROJ PTS 13.1	TE RNK 9th

YTD Stats
REC 58	TAR 95	REYDS 847	TD 1	FPTS/G 10.6

James O'Shaughnessy TE

CHI Chicago • #80
Age: 30 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ NYJ NYJ -2.5 O/U 41.5	OPP VS TE 26th	PROJ PTS 7	TE RNK 22nd

YTD Stats
REC 20	TAR 30	REYDS 195	TD 0	FPTS/G 6.9

Dawson Knox TE

BUF Buffalo • #88
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ NE NE -2.5 O/U 43.5	OPP VS TE 1st	PROJ PTS 8.7	TE RNK 6th

YTD Stats
REC 44	TAR 61	REYDS 527	TD 8	FPTS/G 12.2

Hunter Henry TE

NE New England • #85
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs BUF NE -2.5 O/U 43.5	OPP VS TE 3rd	PROJ PTS 7.8	TE RNK 14th

YTD Stats
REC 41	TAR 58	REYDS 471	TD 9	FPTS/G 10.2

Cole Kmet TE

CHI Chicago • #85
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ SEA SEA -7 O/U 43.5	OPP VS TE 27th	PROJ PTS 9	TE RNK 23rd

YTD Stats
REC 49	TAR 78	REYDS 490	TD 0	FPTS/G 7

Dalton Schultz TE

DAL Dallas • #86
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs WAS DAL -10.5 O/U 47.5	OPP VS TE 10th	PROJ PTS 11	TE RNK 15th

YTD Stats
REC 61	TAR 82	REYDS 651	TD 5	FPTS/G 11.3

Noah Fant TE

SEA Seattle • #87
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ LV LV -1.5 O/U 42	OPP VS TE 30th	PROJ PTS 9.2	TE RNK 12th

YTD Stats
REC 58	TAR 77	REYDS 532	TD 3	FPTS/G 9.9

TE Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 16 Streamers

Cole Kmet TE

CHI Chicago • #85
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ SEA SEA -7 O/U 43.5	OPP VS TE 27th	TE RNK 23rd	ROSTERED 40%

YTD Stats
REC 49	TAR 78	REYDS 490	TD 0	FPTS/G 7

Kmet has had intermittent high target games and has a great matchup against Washington.

Foster Moreau TE

LV Las Vegas • #87
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs DEN LV -1.5 O/U 42	OPP VS TE 4th	TE RNK NR	ROSTERED 33%

YTD Stats
REC 23	TAR 37	REYDS 247	TD 3	FPTS/G 4.7

Moreau is a solid stream as long as Darren Waller remains out.

David Njoku TE

CLE Cleveland • #85
Age: 25 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ GB GB -7 O/U 44.5	OPP VS TE 20th	TE RNK 10th	ROSTERED 36%

Njoku is a very good stream if Landry and Hooper remain out.

TE Preview

DFS Plays

Top Play

Rob Gronkowski TE

TB Tampa Bay • #87
Age: 33 • Experience: 12 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ CAR TB -10.5 O/U 44	OPP VS TE 12th	PROJ PTS 12.2	TE RNK 4th

YTD Stats
REC 40	TAR 67	REYDS 527	TD 6	FPTS/G 14.3

The loss of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans should lead to an increased target share for Gronkowski.

Contrarian Play

Kyle Pitts TE

ATL Atlanta • #8
Age: 21 • Experience: 2 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs DET ATL -6 O/U 42.5	OPP VS TE 18th	PROJ PTS 13.1	TE RNK 9th

YTD Stats
REC 58	TAR 95	REYDS 847	TD 1	FPTS/G 10.6

I still think there's an explosion coming from Pitts before the season's end. He's done everything but score touchdowns. Don't be surprised if he scores in bunches once he does.

TE Preview

Heath's Projections

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