Week 4 has already started. We need to begin game-planning for our lineups. I will be here weekly with my starts/sits of the week at tight end. Tight ends are tricky since you’ll likely want to start the best six to eight tight ends no matter what. I will give some players right after that elite tier that you can play and a few sleepers lower in the rankings. Tight end sits will be strictly based on matchups and may impact some of the elites.
Be sure to follow our other start/sit articles and authors; they contain great advice to help you each week.
Changing the Call (QB): Mike Hicks
The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver
Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook
12 Formation (TE): Steven Pintado
Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown
IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser
Recapping Last Week
Last week, we went two of six. Not the best week. The Bears offense was nowhere in sight, leading to a poor Cole Kmet game. Cade Otton’s one chance for fantasy failed with one target. Taysom Hill was the risky play that didn’t pan out in week three. The Bengals forced the Rams to run the passing game through Tyler Higbee for his solid game. I said sit David Njoku and Kyle Pitts, and that was the right call for week three.
Start ‘Em
Gerald Everett, Chargers – TE18
Everyone is talking about who will step up between Josh Palmer and Quenton Johnston. Everyone seems to forget about Gerald Everett as a beneficiary of Mike Williams being done for the year. In week three, where Mike Williams left that game, Gerald Everett had six targets, the most in any game for him this season. Everett has been fifth in YAC, fourth in yards per route run, and fifth in target separation. Everett is doing everything right and finally saw decent targets in week three. The Raiders are a bottom-ten unit vs. fantasy tight ends this year. They have allowed 40 yards and a touchdown in back-to-back games vs. opposing tight ends. Everett sitting at TE18 is too low, and he should finish as a borderline TE1.
Chig Okonkwo, Titans- TE23
We may finally see a decent Okonkwo game in 2023. Okonkwo plays the Bengals, who allow the third most fantasy points per game to tight ends. They have allowed three straight TE1s to start the season. Okonkwo has seen back-to-back games with four targets. The Titan’s other pass catchers are banged up. DeAndre Hopkins is only playing half the snaps, and Treylon Burks will miss week four with an injury as he was ruled out Friday. The Titan’s run game seems ineffective, so they need someone to step up in a game they will likely be behind. Okonkwo has a high-end TE2 upside in week four.
Noah Fant, Seahawks – TE28
We get into a deep sleeper for week four. Noah Fant has been forgotten about since he was traded to Seattle. He has back-to-back games of four receptions for 40 yards in the last two games. He is in a three-way committee, but he is producing. The Giants have allowed a tight end over 50 yards in the previous two games. Fant isn’t a must-start for fantasy lineups, but he could be what you need if you struggle to start a tight end in week four.
Sit ‘Em
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys – TE14
I’ve been on the Ferguson hype train all year so far. While he has seen 18 targets over these three games, He only has 70 yards and a touchdown to show for it. Half of those targets were in the red zone. Ferguson is struggling to produce, which could lead to more playing time for Peyton Hendershoot soon. The Patriots have been tough against fantasy tight ends this season, allowing zero touchdowns on the year. Ferguson, unfortunately, isn’t playing to the level of a high-end TE2 and should be lower than that for week four.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles – TE8
I hate to put Goedert on this list, but we have to face the fact he is not playing well for our fantasy teams. He is 27th in ADOT and outside the top 30 in YPR and YPT this year. He sees seven targets in back-to-back games but is not producing with that opportunity. The Eagles rely on their two receivers to make up elite production, and the run game has been nonstop the last two weeks. The Commanders have been a strong unit vs. fantasy tight ends in 2023. They haven’t allowed a tight end over 25 yards and zero touchdowns. It’s tough to continue playing Goedert based on his name value.
Kyle Pitts, Falcons – TE10
Kyle Pitts has another tough start in week four. It’s not the matchup; it is a favorable matchup against the Jaguars on paper. The Jaguars have allowed a touchdown in back-to-back games to a tight end. They haven’t allowed a tight end over 40 yards this year. Pitts is not a touchdown machine, but his yardage has produced his fantasy points. Kyle Pitts did see nine targets in week three, but his backup, Jonnu Smith, did as well. Even in a matchup that should expect more passing, the Falcons will continue to run the ball. Sitting with him is tough, but I do not see more opportunities for him to succeed.
