Week 11 is an interesting one for tight ends, as some of the studs have tough matchups but a bunch of mid-level guys look like matchup-based sleepers. We rarely have a plethora of options at this position, so let's enjoy it while we can. Our Week 11 Fantasy TE rankings will dive into all the options below and ultimately help you decide who to start among the studs and sleepers.
Noah Fant and Tyler Higbee head to a bye week, while C.J. Uzomah, Evan Engram, and Cole Kmet rejoin the rankings. Usually, those guys aren't that notable, but all three look like sleepers this week (more on that below).
WEEK 11 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | D/ST | Kicker
Mark Andrews (@ Bears), Darren Waller (vs Bengals), Kyle Pitts (vs. Patriots), and Dallas Goedert (vs. Saints) are the studs in tough matchups this week, but Andrews, Waller, and Pitts have too much upside to bench. Goedert is legitimately on the bubble, especially after suffering a concussion in Week 10, so if you have another solid option in a favorable matchup, it's not crazy to consider pivoting.
WEEK 11 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
For instance, rather than starting Goedert, we'd opt for Pat Freiermuth (@ Chargers) and C.J. Uzomah (vs. Raiders). Both of their AFC West opponents are in the bottom five against fantasy TEs. Again, those two are players we'd definitely start over Goedert, but there are a few more players in that discussion.
WEEK 11 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Cole Kmet (vs. Ravens), Evan Engram (vs. Buccaneers), and Tyler Conklin (vs. Packers) have solid matchups and typically get a good amount of targets. The Bucs and Ravens have been downright dreadful against tight ends. Green Bay has been decent, but Conklin is gaining steam as the season goes along. Ultimately, we'd end up opting for Goedert over Conklin, but Kmet and Engram would make us think twice.
WEEK 11 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel | Yahoo
Dan Arnold (vs. 49ers) has been more dependable than most guys on the start-or-sit bubble in recent weeks, but this feels like the game he goes quiet against a stellar 49ers' linebacker group. Jared Cook (vs. Pittsburgh) has only been playable in favorable matchups, and he certainly doesn't have that this week.
WEEK 11 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
You might think we're crazy when we say this, but Atlanta is somewhat of a tough matchup for Hunter Henry (@ Falcons). Yes, the Falcons are associated with bad defense, but in Weeks 3 through 9, they've only surrendered fewer than nine fantasy points to all tight ends except Mike Gesicki. If Henry doesn't find the end zone, he'll bust. It's that simple.
Monitor the health of Logan Thomas (hamstring) and Rob Gronkowski (back). They were both out in Week 10, and we know each of them has TE1 upside. Gronk would be a must-start if he returns, while Thomas is probably best suited for a week of observation before being slotted into your lineup.
Note: We'll be updating these TE rankings throughout the week, so check back for the latest player movement and analysis.
Fantasy TE Rankings Week 11: Who to start at tight end
Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Travis Kelce, KC vs. DAL |
| 2 | Mark Andrews, BAL @ CHI |
| 3 | Darren Waller, LV vs. CIN |
| 4 | Mike Gesicki, MIA @ NYJ |
| 5 | Rob Gronkowski, TB vs. NYG |
| 6 | Dawson Knox, BUF vs. IND |
| 7 | George Kittle, SF @ JAX |
| 8 | T.J. Hockenson, DET @ CLE |
| 9 | Kyle Pitts, ATL vs. NE |
| 10 | Pat Freiermuth, PIT @ LAC. Against the Lions, Freiermuth caught five-of-nine targets for just 31 yards, but we expect his production to pick back as Ben Roethlisberger should return from the reserve/COVID list to face the Chargers. Freiermuth is a better option in PPR leagues, but we like him in all formats against L.A. The Bolts were a bottom-five team against fantasy tight ends even before Tyler Conklin caught two touchdowns against them. |
| 11 | C.J. Uzomah, CIN @ LV. Las Vegas is weak against tight ends and strong against wideouts, so perhaps this will be another opportunity for Uzomah to feast. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will get their fair share of targets, but if Las Vegas can limit them just a bit, Uzomah can make the middle of the defense pay. The Bengals are coming off of a bye after two straight embarrassing losses, so they'll likely be motivated and ready to toss the football round. |
| 12 | Dallas Goedert, PHI vs. NO. Goedert (concussion) might not play against New Orleans, but he certainly could. He's just on the edge of TE1 status given the fact the Saints are a top-five defense against fantasy tight ends. However, they are a stout rushing defense, and we don't see Philadelphia being able to run the ball the majority of the time like we've seen in weeks prior. If Hurts' attempts are up, Goedert could still have a nice day. He's risky even if he does play simply because the Eagles haven't shown the ability to pass with success on a consistent basis. His overall talent keeps him as a low-end TE1, though. |
| 13 | Dalton Schultz, DAL @ KC. In Schultz's past three games, he has just seven catches for 79 yards and zero touchdowns. We thought Blake Jawin (hip) being on IR would open his game up even more, but that has not been the case to this point. However, the games have been weird all around for Dallas in the past three weeks. First, they didn't have Dak Prescott, then they got blown out by the Broncos, and last week, they destroyed the Falcons. The game vs. Kansas City should be a back-and-forth affair, so Schultz's ceiling should be high. Even with all the weird factors, he has to be penalized a bit in rankings due to the lack of production. |
| 14 | Cole Kmet, CHI vs. BAL. Justin Fields came alive against Pittsburgh, and Kmet had something to do with it. Before a Week 10 bye, Kmet caught six-of-eight targets for 87 yards. We try not to overreact to one performance, but Baltimore allows the second-most points to fantasy tight end, so here's a spot where Kmet has real appeal for starting lineups. |
| 15 | Hunter Henry, NE @ ATL. You might assume Atlanta is terrible against tight ends, but that's not actually the case. Sure, Dallas Goedert, Mike Gesicki, and Rob Gronkowski had good games against them, but mid-tier tight ends haven't hurt them. They rank as a middle-level defense against the position, so they aren't a tough or favorable matchup. Henry has scored five touchdowns in his past five games, but he's failed to receive more than four targets in any of them. We should view him as a touchdown-or-bust option in that case. Of course, he could score his eighth touchdown of the season in this game, but it's tough to chase touchdowns. He's up enough fantasy points this season to be a respected option, but just know there is the potential for a dud. Standard leagues are his forte. |
| 16 | Dan Arnold, JAX vs. SF. Arnold moves up rankings in PPR leagues, but San Francisco is a top defense against fantasy TEs, so it's tough to expect a ton of production in this contest. He should get easy targets for cheap PPR points, but beware in standard. He's done enough and is "guaranteed" enough targets to be considered over the options below him, though. |
| 17 | Evan Engram, NYG @ TB. Engram caught a touchdown in each of his past two games but only accumulated 53 yards on six catches over that span. Tampa Bay is a favorable matchup for tight ends, but if Saquon Barkley (ankle) and Sterling Shepard (quad) are back for the Giants, Engram will likely be low on the totem pole for targets. Despite Tampa Bay's lack of success on defense this season, this is a tough spot for the Giants on the road. If Tampa Bay's front seven harasses Daniel Jones, he'll likely opt for scrambling or dump-offs to whichever back(s) are in for New York. |
| 18 | Tyler Conklin, MIN vs. GB. From Weeks 8 to 10 (before MNF) Conklin is the TE4 in standard and PPR leagues. Over that stretch, he's enjoyed favorable matchups. Green Bay cannot be considered a favorable matchup, as it ranks in the top half of the league against fantasy TEs. Conklin has been pretty matchup-dependent so it's tough to think he'll continue his reign. However, he is available in most leagues, so if you need a one-week option, you could do worse than a guy with this much upside -- clearly. |
| 19 | Zach Ertz, ARI @ SEA |
| 20 | Jared Cook, LAC vs. PIT |
| 21 | Anthony Firkser, TEN vs. HOU |
| 22 | Gerald Everett, SEA vs. ARI |
| 23 | Austin Hooper, CLE vs. DET |
| 24 | Adam Trautman, NO @ PHI |
| 25 | Marcedes Lewis, GB @ MIN |
| 26 | Mo Alie-Cox, IND @ BUF |
| 27 | Jonnu Smith, NE @ ATL |
| 28 | Jack Doyle, IND @ BUF |
| 29 | David Njoku, CLE vs. DET |
| 30 | Jordan Akins, HOU @ TEN |
| 31 | Tommy Tremble, CAR vs. WAS |
| 32 | Hayden Hurst, ATL vs. NE |
| 33 | Ryan Griffin, NYJ vs. MIA |
| 34 | Will Dissly, SEA vs. ARI |