Taysom Hill really threw the tight end position into chaos during Week 11, and as long as he's starting at QB for the Saints and TE eligible in certain fantasy leagues, he'll be the top TE play. Even in a week with no byes, Hill tops our Week 12 PPR TE rankings despite being unlikely to have a catch. (Update: ESPN has taken away Hill's TE-eligiblity, so we've removed him from these rankings.)
Sure, you could make a case that Darren Waller (@ Falcons) could catch 15 passes against the league's worst defense against TEs or Travis Kelce will get multiple TDs against the Buccaneers and outscore Hill. That said, Hill has a high rushing floor, and simply put, no tight end can match the potential output of a QB, not even in PPR formats.
WEEK 12 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Of course, arguments about Hill only matter for small minority of fantasy owners. For most, it's all about deciding whether to make a pickup, start a backup or stick with their usual starting TE, and there are some interesting sleepers who are widely available this week. Dalton Schultz (6.1 targets per game), Logan Thomas (5.7), Jimmy Graham (5.7), and Jordan Reed (5.5 targets in four starts) all will be trustworthy streamer options. Of the group, Thomas has been the most consistent and gets a favorable matchup against the Cowboys, so he's probably the one to trust.
WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | D/ST | Kicker
Some TEs who get slight downgrades in PPR formats include Jonnu Smith (@ Colts), who averaged 3.2 targets per game his five games prior to Week 12, and Jared Cook (@ Broncos), who has just six targets in his past three games. It's probably best to avoid both of these players unless you want to give Smith a shot as a TD-or-bust play.
WEEK 12 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Hayden Hurst, who failed to record a catch in Week 11 despite Julio Jones (hamstring) being in and out of the game, and Eric Ebron (vs. Ravens), who has a tough matchup and was only able to salvage his Week 11 with a late TD, are also risky options this week.
WEEK 12 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Check back for updates to these TE PPR rankings throughout the week. For individual analysis of key TEs, click here.
MORE WEEK 12 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
Week 12 Fantasy TE PPR Rankings
These rankings are for full-point PPR leagues
WEEK 12 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Darren Waller, LV @ ATL |
| 2 | Travis Kelce, KC @ TB |
| 3 | Evan Engram, NYG @ CIN |
| 4 | Austin Hooper, CLE @ JAX |
| 5 | Logan Thomas, WAS @ DAL |
| 6 | Rob Gronkowski, TB vs. KC |
| 7 | T.J. Hockenson, DET vs. HOU |
| 8 | Mike Gesicki, MIA @ NYJ |
| 9 | Dallas Goedert, PHI vs. SEA |
| 10 | Hunter Henry, LAC @ BUF |
| 11 | Jordan Reed, SF @ LAR |
| 12 | Mark Andrews, BAL @ PIT |
| 13 | Dalton Schultz, DAL vs. WAS |
| 14 | Hayden Hurst, ATL vs. LV |
| 15 | Trey Burton, IND vs. TEN |
| 16 | Eric Ebron, PIT vs. BAL |
| 17 | Jordan Akins, HOU @ DET |
| 18 | Jimmy Graham, CHI @ GB |
| 19 | Jonnu Smith, TEN @ IND |
| 20 | Noah Fant, DEN vs. NO |
| 21 | Robert Tonyan, GB vs. CHI |
| 22 | Richard Rodgers, PHI vs. SEA |
| 23 | Mo Alie-Cox, IND vs. TEN |
| 24 | Tyler Higbee, LAR vs. SF |
| 25 | Jared Cook, NO @ DEN |
| 26 | Tyler Kroft, BUF vs. LAC |
| 27 | Kyle Rudolph, MIN vs. CAR |
| 28 | Gerald Everett, LAR vs. SF |
| 29 | Jacob Hollister, SEA @ PHI |
| 30 | Tyler Eifert, JAX vs. CLE |
| 31 | Darren Fells, HOU @ DET |
| 32 | Drew Sample, CIN vs. NYG |
| 33 | Ian Thomas, CAR @ MIN |
| 34 | Anthony Firkser, TEN @ IND |
| 35 | Dan Arnold, ARZ @ NE |
| 36 | Cameron Brate, TB vs. KC |
