Week 14 brings crucial lineup decisions for fantasy football managers, particularly when it comes to tight ends. While every week presents key start and sit choices, this week’s tight-end matchups offer both opportunity and danger, depending on the opponent.
Start ‘Em:
Jonnu Smith (Dolphins):
Jonnu Smith is the tight end to start in Week 14. Over the past three weeks, Smith has been the top performer at the position, scoring 21-plus points in each game. With 30 combined targets during this stretch, his first-read rate has even surpassed that of Tyreek Hill’s. Despite the tough matchup against the Jets—who have limited tight ends to just two scoring more than 9.5 points this season—Smith has become a must-start player due to his consistent production.
Will Dissly (Seahawks):
After a disappointing game with zero points and only one target in Week 13, Dissly is still worth starting against the Chiefs in Week 14. Kansas City has been vulnerable to tight ends, allowing the highest receiving yards per game to the position. This could be a bounce-back game for Dissly, making him a solid option despite the previous week’s struggles.
Cade Otton (Buccaneers):
Otton hasn’t been very reliable recently, scoring just 10 fantasy points combined over the last two weeks, but with six teams on bye, he becomes a viable start in Week 14. The Raiders’ defense has allowed several tight ends to score over 25 fantasy points since Week 8, making Otton a potential high-reward player.
Pat Freiermuth (Steelers):
Freiermuth has been solid recently, scoring 9.9 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games, including a season-best 18.8 points in Week 13. With the Browns allowing the most fantasy points per game to tight ends over the past month, Freiermuth is a strong play for Week 14.
Sit ‘Em:
Kyle Pitts (Falcons):
Pitts, who has struggled significantly over the past month, has seen his production dip to 2.1 or fewer points in two of his last four games. His low snap count and lack of impact make him a tough start against the Vikings. Minnesota’s defense has only allowed two touchdowns to tight ends this season, making Pitts a risky option.
Tucker Kraft (Packers):
Though Kraft has posted solid fantasy totals in recent weeks, he faces a tough Lions defense that has only allowed one tight end to score more than 9.6 points since Week 7. If you have better options, it might be wise to leave Kraft on your bench for this challenging matchup.
Cole Kmet (Bears):
Kmet has been inconsistent, failing to reach double-digit points in all but one of his last six games. With the Bears set to face the 49ers, who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, Kmet’s ceiling looks limited. No tight end has surpassed 12.3 points against San Francisco this season.
Mike Gesicki (Patriots):
Gesicki’s performance last week was his best in a while, but the Cowboys present a tough matchup in Week 14. Dallas has allowed just 44.3 receiving yards per game to tight ends, and only two players have posted more than 12.2 fantasy points against them this season. Gesicki is best left on the bench.
TEs with Bad Matchups include Noah Fant (Seahawks vs. Cardinals), Tyler Conklin (Jets vs. Dolphins), and Tommy Tremble (Panthers at Eagles). These players are all facing tough defenses that have stifled tight-end production, making them risky choices this week.
With these insights, fantasy managers can make informed decisions and hopefully find success in their Week 14 matchups.
