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USATSI

There are currently 11 tight ends averaging double-digit Fantasy points per game. That's a pretty normal year, and it doesn't include Jake Ferguson, Dalton Kincaid, Mark Andrews, or Sam LaPorta, all of which most people still seem to be starting. That might lead some people to talk about how the position is finally deep in Fantasy. I would not be one of those people. Not this time. 

I do want to take a second to talk about Kincaid because it's getting harder to believe he's going to turn into the must-start option we projected. He's averaging 8.8 FPPG this season and Week 8 was just the third time all year he's scored double-digit Fantasy points. This isn't an opportunity problem either. He had six or seven targets in each of his last five games. He's averaged 43 yards per game in that stretch. 

Kincaid's problem is that he has been mediocre at turning targets into yards and Fantasy points. He's one of 17 tight ends to see at least 100 targets since the start of 2023. He ranks 15th in yards per catch (9.6),  12th in yards per game (40.5), and 11th in yards per target (7.2). Only three tight ends in that group have scored fewer touchdowns than him.

I understand why people are still starting Kincaid. He's a tight end with a 20% target share from Josh Allen. I'm just not sure that's ever going to turn into the type of Fantasy production it seems like it should. And there's a chance Amari Cooper starts to cut into that 20%.

Kincaid has a few weeks to change my mind but I'm not sure we'll be holding him through his Week 12 bye. And if Cade Otton is still available in your league, I'd rather have him rest of season.

Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 9:

Week 9 TE Preview
TE Preview
Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play in Week 9 at this time. Here's what it means:

SF San Francisco • #85
Age: 31 • Experience: 8 yrs.
YTD Stats
REC
6
TAR
7
REYDS
128
TD
1
FPTS/G
24.8
With George Kittle on bye, at least one team will be looking for a streamer this week.
TE Preview
Numbers to Know
  • 52 -- Brock Bowers leads the entire NFL with 52 catches. He's on pace for a truly historic rookie tight end season.
  • 15.6 -- Travis Kelce is averaging 15.6 PPR FPPG in his last three games. Any concerns about him have been put to bed.
  • 22% -- Cade Otton has a 22% target share over the past two weeks. He's a must-start at least until Mike Evans returns, maybe rest of season.
  • 10 -- Isaiah Likely has 10 red zone targets, second only to George Kittle at tight end. Likely is a fine touchdown-dependent streamer.
  • 3 -- Kyle Pitts has now tied his career high with three receiving touchdowns. He has nine games left to break that record.
TE Preview
Matchups that matter
TB Tampa Bay • #88
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ KC KC -8.5 O/U 45.5
OPP VS TE
32nd
PROJ PTS
8.7
TE RNK
4th
YTD Stats
REC
36
TAR
51
REYDS
344
TD
3
FPTS/G
10.8
BAL Baltimore • #89
Age: 29 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs DEN BAL -9.5 O/U 45.5
OPP VS TE
14th
PROJ PTS
10.6
TE RNK
11th
YTD Stats
REC
22
TAR
27
REYDS
263
TD
4
FPTS/G
9
SEA Seattle • #87
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs LAR LAR -1.5 O/U 48.5
OPP VS TE
30th
PROJ PTS
7.3
TE RNK
19th
YTD Stats
REC
27
TAR
32
REYDS
285
TD
0
FPTS/G
6.9
JAC Jacksonville • #17
Age: 30 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ PHI PHI -7.5 O/U 45.5
OPP VS TE
3rd
PROJ PTS
11.4
TE RNK
6th
YTD Stats
REC
20
TAR
24
REYDS
178
TD
1
FPTS/G
10.5
BUF Buffalo • #86
Age: 25 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs MIA BUF -6.5 O/U 50
OPP VS TE
7th
PROJ PTS
10
TE RNK
10th
YTD Stats
REC
28
TAR
44
REYDS
300
TD
2
FPTS/G
8.8
TE Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 9 Streamers (TE Preview)
LAC L.A. Chargers • #81
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ CLE LAC -2 O/U 42.5
OPP VS TE
6th
TE RNK
17th
ROSTERED
2%
YTD Stats
REC
26
TAR
33
REYDS
233
TD
0
FPTS/G
7
Dissly has seen an 18% target share over the past two weeks. He ranks stop five at the position in yards per route run. He has three straight games with at least four catches. None of this has shown up in his Fantasy production because he hasn't scored yet, but that's coming.
NE New England • #85
Age: 29 • Experience: 9 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ TEN TEN -3.5 O/U 38
OPP VS TE
5th
TE RNK
13th
ROSTERED
59%
YTD Stats
REC
32
TAR
45
REYDS
358
TD
1
FPTS/G
9.2
Henry would be my favorite stream if Drake Maye was starting, but for now we're projecting Jacoby Brissett. Still, he had a 100-yard game earlier this season with the veteran and cored 9.5 PPR Fantasy points without a touchdown last week.
TE Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
LV Las Vegas • #89
Age: 21 • Experience: Rookie
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ CIN CIN -7.5 O/U 46.5
OPP VS TE
26th
PROJ PTS
14
TE RNK
2nd
YTD Stats
REC
52
TAR
65
REYDS
535
TD
1
FPTS/G
14.1
The best tight end in Fantasy Football, George Kittle, is on bye this week. The second best is rookie tight end Brock Bowers and he has a good matchup against a mediocre Bengals defense. Bowers had three straight games with double-digit targets before Spags locked him up. I would expect he jumps right back on the high volume train versus the Bengals.
Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
DAL Dallas • #87
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ ATL ATL -2.5 O/U 52
OPP VS TE
22nd
PROJ PTS
9.4
TE RNK
8th
YTD Stats
REC
31
TAR
42
REYDS
263
TD
0
FPTS/G
9.6
Ferguson has been a disappointment this season, but I like his chances to bounce back in a game against the Falcons with an over.under of 52.5. He has seen seven or more targets in four of his last five games, he just hasn't reached the end zone this year. I bet that changes in Week 9.
TE Preview
Heath's Projections

My full set of Week 8 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. You can find them here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 8. Projected stats for all starting tight ends are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.