I try to hesitate to insinuate tight end might be deep, but it's the only position in Week 17 that feels better than it has for most of the season. There aren't any streaming options inside my top 12 this week and that feels like a win. The strange thing is it's true even with Darren Waller, Dalton Schultz, and Gerald Everett ranking outside my top 12 in the projections below.
A big part of that is because we have Dallas Goedert back healthy and Evasn Engram is on fire. Add in late-season surges from Tyler Higbee and Dawson Knox, as well as a projected high-scoring game for Cole Kmet and things don't look all that bad. We've even got a line of demarcation in full PPR, with Taysom Hill sitting at TE12.
Because Hill is not a prototypical tight end, his inconsistency seems to bother people, but he's a must-start in non-PPR, where he ranks as TE2 on the season, and he's a solid, if inconsistent, starter in full PPR as well. He's played at least 40% of the offensive snaps in six straight games and he's scored a touchdown in three straight. That doesn't guarantee anything in Week 17, but it does make him a fine option if you don't have one of my top 11.
Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 17:
Even if Henry misses Week 17, it will be difficult to trust Jonnu Smith.
TE Preview
Numbers to Know
3.7 --The Saints have shut down tight ends in the last two weeks, allowing just 3.7 PPR Fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Dallas Goedert and the Eagles draw the Saints this week.
16 -- Targets for Tyler Higbee in the last two games, the most on the Rams.
12 -- Receptions for Cole Kmet in his last two meetings versus the Lions. It led to a combined 139 yards and two touchdowns.
112.3 -- Evan Engrams is now averaging 112.3 yards per game over the past three weeks on 26 total receptions with two touchdowns.
Conklin has been a borderline starter this year without Zach Wilson, and the Seahawks have allowed more Fantasy points to tight ends than any other defense. Still, Conklin is more of an injury replacement, I wouldn't start him over anyone you've been starting.
This is the easiest advice I give every week: Play Travis Kelce in cash games. This week he's projected for six more Fantasy points than any other tight end. He's already set a career high with 12 touchdowns, but he needs nine more catches to set a career-high for receptions. Don't be surprised if he does that this week. He's also just 160 yards away from breaking his own record for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end.
Kmet hasn't been very good lately, so I don't expect his roster rate to be very high. But the Bears and Lions have the highest over/under on the slate and Kmet has been very good against this defense, as have most tight ends this season. With a lowered cost and roster rate, he's the perfect play to fade Kelce and Evan Engram this week.
