Fantasy TE PPR Rankings Week 1: Who to start, sit at tight end in fantasy football

Nick Musial

Fantasy TE PPR Rankings Week 1: Who to start, sit at tight end in fantasy football image

Tight end is consistently the scarcest position in fantasy football. We can bank on consistent production from at least five TEs, but after that, it’s a crapshoot as to whether players will finish the season ranked within the top 10. In our Week 1 fantasy TE PPR rankings, we've identified a few must-starts, and as you probably guessed, the top tier of Travis Kelce (@ Cardinals) and Mark Andrews (@ Jets) headline our rankings. However, we also have a few sleepers that might be worthy of a "start 'em" call in Week 1.

While a tough matchup could eventually result in a rankings drop for Kelce and Andrews, they’re more than likely going to sit at Nos. 1 and 2 in our TE rankings throughout the duration of the season. For the remaining tight ends, their rankings will fluctuate more based on who they're playing on a week-to-week basis. Once you get outside the top 12, it’s tough to find a reliable TE who can turn into an every-week starter.

A few TEs lower down our rankings who might overperform relative to expectation in Week 1 include Cameron Brate (@ Cowboys), David Njoku (@ Panthers), Mo Allie-Cox (@ Texans), and Brevin Jordan (vs. Colts). These four TEs could be in line for a high target share against defenses that were susceptible to allowing fantasy points to TEs last year. Obviously, we're not recommending necessarily starting any of them, as there's still a lot we don't know about matchups, but they are definitely TEs to watch or even stream if you're in a deep league.

WEEK 1 STANDARD FANTASY RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kicker

Additionally, some TEs who might be in line for a rougher Week 1 include Mike Gesicki (vs. Patriots), Noah Fant (vs. Broncos), and Tyler Higbee (vs. Bills). They're matched up against defenses that limited production from the TE position last year, which is at least something to take into account.

WEEK 1 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | D/STs | Kicker

The best thing you can do in the early season, especially in Week 1, is to make an educated guess and roll with it. We're doing our best to help you with that process, and inevitably we'll have to make adjustments to our TE rankings throughout the season once more data points roll in. For the most part, though, we're recommending the same guys who were likely the top 12-15 TEs drafted this summer. Right now, they stand out as the most reliable options for targets, but that could change in a hurry.

WEEK 1 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKingsFanDuel | Yahoo

Keep in mind that Raiders TE Darren Waller missed a good chunk of training camp dealing with a hamstring injury, so he might start a little slower than usual. He’s still a must-play, but don’t panic if Waller sees fewer snaps than usual. Fortunately he should get a boost in PPR leagues.

WEEK 1 DFS: Best values | Best stacks

Patriots TE Hunter Henry (@ Dolphins) is one of our biggest fallers from standard to PPR formats, as he’s a touchdown-dependent TE who won’t haul in too many receptions. Dawson Knox (@ Rams) also fits that description, but they're both still in our top 12. Guys like Dallas Goedert (@ Lions), Zach Ertz (vs. Chiefs), and Pat Freiermuth (@ Bengals) get bumps up thanks to frequent targets. Understanding a player’s value in both formats is crucial to your hopes of taking home a fantasy championship at the end of the season.

WEEK 1 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

We'll be updating these TE PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes and analysis.

Fantasy TE PPR Rankings Week 1: Who to start, sit at tight end in fantasy football

Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring

Rank Player
1 Travis Kelce, Chiefs @ Cardinals
2 Mark Andrews, Ravens @ Jets
3 Kyle Pitts, Falcons vs. Saints
4 Darren Waller, Raiders @ Chargers
5 Dalton Schultz, Cowboys vs. Buccaneers
6 T.J. Hockenson, Lions vs. Eagles
7 Pat Freiermuth, Steelers @ Bengals
8 Dallas Goedert, Eagles @ Lions
9 Dawson Knox, Bills @ Rams
10 Zach Ertz, Cardinals vs. Chiefs
11 Hunter Henry, Patriots @ Dolphins
12 Irv Smith Jr., Vikings vs. Packers
13 Mike Gesicki, Dolphins vs. Patriots
14 Cole Kmet, Bears vs. 49ers
15 Logan Thomas, Commanders vs. Jaguars
16 Robert Tonyan, Packers @ Vikings
17 Albert Okwuegbunam, Broncos @ Seahawks
18 Noah Fant, Seahawks vs. Broncos
19 Cameron Brate, Buccaneers @ Cowboys
20 Evan Engram, Jaguars @ Commanders
21 David Njoku, Browns @ Panthers
22 Tyler Higbee, Rams vs. Bills
23 Mo Alie-Cox, Colts @ Texans
24 Gerald Everett, Chargers vs. Raiders
25 Austin Hooper, Titans vs. Giants
26 Brevin Jordan, Texans vs. Colts
27 C.J. Uzomah, Jets vs. Ravens
28 Hayden Hurst, Bengals vs. Steelers
29 Jonnu Smith, Patriots @ Dolphins
30 Adam Trautman, Saints @ Falcons

Nick Musial

Nick Musial Photo

Nick Musial is a Content Producer at The Sporting News. He recently joined the team after studying sport management and journalism at the University of Kansas. Nick’s an avid sports bettor who’s always looking for value.