The Week 15 fantasy outings from Kyle Pitts, Evan Engram, and Pat Freiermuth likely led to many fantasy managers seeing an early exit from their league playoffs. If you managed to advance to the semifinals of your fantasy football playoffs, consider it an early holiday gift and turn your attention to the next round.
Here are some of my start/sit options at the TE position for Week 16 of NFL action.
Which TE Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
A touchdown in two straight games at the tight end position should always catch your attention. What is more encouraging for Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely is 5+ receptions for 70+ yards in two straight games.
Likely has slid right into the fantasy-friendly Mark Andrews role in this Ravens passing offense, which makes him a solid low-end TE1 option even against a stingy San Francisco 49ers defense who just gave up 10 receptions for 102 yards to Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride on Sunday.
Which TE Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ passing offense is in complete disarray at the moment, and it doesn’t seem like a guarantee at this time that they will get starting QB Kenny Pickett back in Week 16. That means we’re likely to get another week of either Mitchell Trubisky or Mason Rudolph under center against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That reality does not bode well for the fantasy outlook of Pat Freiermuth, who has failed to register four receptions or 30 yards receiving in three straight games. If you’re in the business of streaming a tight end for your fantasy playoff matchup, I would go in a different direction in Week 16.
Trending Searches for TE Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, and we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on!
Should You Start Isaiah Likely or Jake Ferguson?
It feels hard to go wrong with either of these tight ends right now, but Dallas Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson has seen eight targets and 5+ receptions in three straight games.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Likely hasn’t been far behind in those categories, but a matchup against the 49ers linebackers and safeties is one I would prefer to stay away from when I have another quality option, which makes me want to lean towards going with Ferguson in Week 16.
Should You Start Pat Freiermuth or Tucker Kraft?
Green Bay Packers rookie Tucker Kraft has certainly made a compelling case for the starting tight end position over Luke Musgrave with his play over the last four weeks, a stretch during which he’s recorded 13 receptions for 173 yards and two scores.
If you filter that sample size down to just the last two games, he has caught four passes for 57+ yards in consecutive weeks.
Freiermuth has gone north of 57 yards receiving just once all season, hasn’t scored since Week 3, and will be catching passes from Rudolph this week.
Assuming Musgrave doesn’t return to the lineup in time to face off against the Carolina Panthers, I’m rolling with Kraft in Week 16.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
