Nobody likes a six-team bye week, but somehow, tight end is largely spared from the carnage. We can still find several sleepers and potential waiver-wire streamers to go along with the handful of must-start studs at the top. That helps our Week 14 fantasy TE PPR rankings remain fairly strong despite fewer options.
Let's start with who won't be playing. The Packers, Falcons, Bears, Commanders, Colts, and Saints are off, taking away Juwan Johnson, Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, and Logan Thomas. Not a huge deal, right? Well, no, but when you remember that Kyle Pitts (knee) and Zach Ertz (knee) are out for the year, Dallas Goedert (shoulder) is out until at least Week 15, and Darren Waller (hamstring), David Njoku (knee) and Hayden Hurst (calf) are "questionable" at best for this week, clearly there are holes to fill.
Fortunately, none of the teams on bye this week present overly favorable matchups to TEs. In fact, four of the teams on bye entered Week 13 as top-10 defenses against TEs, including the two toughest (Washington and New Orleans). Clearing out those opponents makes life a little easier for the active tight ends.
WEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | D/STs | Kickers
Of course, there are still some bad matchups, and the tight ends we're most worried about this week are Dawson Knox (vs. Jets), Foster Moreau (@ Rams), Tyler Conklin (@ Bills), and Noah Fant (vs. Panthers). None of those guys are must-starts, so fantasy owners should either have another TE on their rosters or easily be able to pick up a streamer to replace them.
WEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Our favorite replacement options include Greg Dulcich (vs. Chiefs), Evan Engram (@ Titans), and Hunter Henry (@ Cardinals). All have had their ups and downs this year -- which is why they're available in over 50 percent of Yahoo leagues -- but all have solid ceilings in favorable matchups like these. Dulcich has the most overall upside, especially in PPR formats, but Henry has by far the best matchup. Even though his floor is lower in PPR leagues, he's still a solid stream.
WEEK 14 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Going a little deeper, Mike Gesicki (@ Chargers), Trey McBride (vs. Patriots), Ian Thomas (@ Seahawks), and Jonnu Smith (@ Cardinals) also have favorable matchups. The Seahawks and Cardinals have allowed over three more fantasy points per game (FPPG) to TEs than any team in the league, so Smith and Thomas have to be considered despite their extremely low floors. The same goes for McBride against a Pats' defense that entered Week 13 allowing the eighth-most FPPG to TEs. The Chargers aren't quite as bad, but it's still a favorable matchup for Gesicki, who always has upside thanks to Miami's explosive offense.
WEEK 14 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Would we start any of these guys over more proven TEs in neutral matchups, such as Dalton Schultz (vs. Texans) or, if active, Njoku (vs. Bengals)? No, not in PPR. We'd take the "safer" targets and higher floors of those players. And we definitely prefer middling TEs in favorable matchups, such as Gerald Everett (vs. Dolphins) and Tyler Higbee (vs. Raiders), over the "sleeper" tier, too.
WEEK 14 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
At this point in the season, there's no need to force players into your lineup based simply on matchups. It's important to recognize which players have higher floors and higher ceilings in a particular week, but at a position like this, sometimes it's best to just trust the targets and hope for a touchdown. As usual, it all comes down to if you're projected to win or lose big and whether you think you need a "safe" player or a "boom-or-bust" option.
We'll be updating these TE PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes and analysis.
Week 14 fantasy TE PPR rankings
Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring
Rank Player
1 Travis Kelce, Chiefs @ Broncos
2 Mark Andrews, Ravens @ Steelers
3 T.J. Hockenson, Vikings @ Lions
4 Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs. Ravens
5 George Kittle, 49ers vs. Buccaneers
6 Gerald Everett, Chargers vs. Dolphins
7 Greg Dulcich, Broncos vs. Chiefs
8 Evan Engram, Jaguars @ Titans
9 David Njoku, Browns @ Bengals
10 Dalton Schultz, Cowboys vs. Texans
11 Hunter Henry, Patriots @ Cardinals
12 Tyler Higbee, Rams vs. Raiders
13 Mike Gesicki, Dolphins @ Chargers
14 Trey McBride, Cardinals vs. Patriots
15 Ian Thomas, Panthers @ Seahawks
16 Jonnu Smith, Patriots @ Cardinals
17 Noah Fant, Seahawks vs. Panthers
18 Austin Hooper, Titans vs. Jaguars
19 Foster Moreau, Raiders @ Rams
20 Tyler Conklin, Jets @ Bills
21 Dawson Knox, Bills vs. Jets
22 Chig Okonkwo, Titans vs. Jaguars
23 Brevin Jordan, Texans @ Cowboys
24 Daniel Bellinger, Giants vs. Eagles
25 Jack Stoll, Eagles @ Giants
26 Will Dissly, Seahawks vs. Panthers
27 Cameron Brate, Buccaneers @ 49ers
Week 14 TE PPR fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
We're proud to offer SN Fantasy readers an exclusive look at Draft Sharks’ award-winning projections and rankings every week. To see Draft Sharks' Week 14 3D floor-to-ceiling projections for tight ends -- plus get access to all of Draft Sharks' industry-leading tools -- become a Draft Sharks' member today at the link below!
TRY DRAFT SHARKS FREE: Dominate with exclusive tools, including Free-Agent Finder & Trade Navigator!
