Coming into the year, there were only several tight ends that were highly sought after in fantasy football. This elite group included names like Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, George Kittle, and T.J. Hockenson. But on the fringe of that group, there were several tight ends that managers hoped would step into the top tier in 2023.
One of these tight ends was Dallas Goedert of the Philadelphia Eagles. But after Week 1, many Goedert managers are unsure what to do about their tight end. Let’s find out if Goedert is a player we can rely on in Week 2.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Start/Sit Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
Should I Start or Sit Dallas Goedert in Fantasy This Week?
Goedert had a strong 2022 campaign. He finished with 55 catches for 702 yards and three touchdowns in just 12 games played. This was good enough for the fifth-best points per game among tight ends last season.
OC Brian Johnson said the Eagles need to be more ‘mindful’ and “try to get those guys going within the flow of the game” in regards to Dallas Goedert and D’Andre Swift.
Hopefully Thursday night is a lot different than Week 1. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/EYJlDAiQYb
— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) September 13, 2023
But Week 1 of 2023 was a very different story. In the Eagles 25-20 win against the New England Patriots, Goedert saw only one target, which fell incomplete. The tight end was in on 92% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps, but he was a non-factor in the passing game.
This came in a game where QB Jalen Hurts had 33 total pass attempts. Goedert was tied for sixth in targets on the team, with three receivers and two running backs ahead of him.
Which ultimately begs the question: Should we start Dallas Goedert in Week 2? I think Goedert is still a tight end you will want to start on your teams. Unless you have an option in the same tier as Goedert like Kyle Pitts, Evan Engram, or Pat Freiermuth, Goedert is still your best chance for points at the position.
Fantasy Outlook for Goedert vs. Vikings
While Week 1 was highly disappointing, I still have faith that Goedert will be a key part of the Eagles’ offense in 2023. Yes, he only saw one target on Sunday, but he also was on the field for almost every offensive snap. Opportunities will arise if Goedert continues to be on the field as much as he was in Week 1.
Remember, the Eagles were matched up against legendary head coach Bill Belichick, who historically does different things with his defense to keep the opposing offense guessing.
The plan that the Patriots came in with could have been constructed to take Goedert out of the game and force Hurts to look elsewhere than the middle of the field for his pass attempts.
MORE: Fantasy Football’s Week 2 Burning Start/Sit Questions
When you look at Hurts’ passing chart for Week 1 from Next Gen Stats, you can see that most of his passes were to the outside. At least two out of three pass attempts on Sunday were well outside the hashes for Hurts.
Compare this to his Week 9 passing chart from last year (a game in which Goedert had eight catches on nine targets for 100 yards and a touchdown), and you can see that the Patriots may have changed the Eagles’ game plan a bit in Week 1.
Goedert is still a talented tight end in a high-powered offense in Philadelphia. One game does not dictate an entire season. If Goedert fails to see his targets increasing after Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings, then we can start to wonder if this is a trend. But for now, I would chalk up Week 1 to just one low-output afternoon.
I expect a rebound from Goedert on Thursday night and would be starting him on any roster where he was the top tight-end option entering the season.