Week 11 of the NFL season delivered a bunch of unknown tight ends who produced at an extremely high level. This follows a week where all the superstar players at the position seemed to have found their form but all of those players had down weeks in week 11. Tight ends are the most matchup-dependent fantasy position which means research is important to succeed. Name value isn’t enough this year with tight ends so it is imperative to focus on these matchups and if your player’s team will be leading or trailing in the game.
Tight Ends Start’em: Week 12
Browns TE David Njoku
The one positive for Browns pass catchers with Jameis Winston at quarterback has been the volume that the Browns pass the ball. Winston also loves to air the ball out down the field whenever he can which helps in fantasy even when the target share can be low. Njoku has had at least 5 catches in the last five games that he has played in, including a 9 catch performance last week. Out of the Ravens pass catchers against Pittsburgh, a lot of the big plays were to Ravens tight ends which should excite Njoku owners. This is one of the easier starts in a divisional matchup on Thursday night.
Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith showed out in the Dolphins win over the Raiders last week. Smith had a season-high 28 fantasy points after three straight weeks of single-digit fantasy point performances. Smith getting 8 targets was great to see as outside of Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, Smith seems to be the next-best option for Miami. The Patriots are a bottom-ten defense and it is a game you would expect the Dolphins will go for a statement win as they continue to climb the standings. Smith’s production seems sustainable at the moment which makes him a start for week 12.
Tight Ends Sit’em: Week 12
Ravens TE Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews used to be an easy start that you could start without any thought. In the 2024 season, that has been far from the truth. With the emergence of Isiah Likely and the decline of Andrews, he has been a tough player to start every week. Andrews played in only 61 percent of snaps in the Ravens’ loss to the Steelers last week.
That was not a good sign for fantasy owners who still have hope he can turn his season around. With the Ravens playing the Chargers who have been a top-three defense in the league this year, this is a must-sit as it’s unclear if Andrews is even in the favor of the Ravens coaching staff.
Seahawks TE Noah Fant
The Seahawks captured their most important win of the season as they got to 5-5 on the year after a clutch road win in San Francisco. But that win was without starting tight end Noah Fant. Fant hasn’t played since week eight against the Bills. He is listed as questionable for this week but this is a tough player to start because Fant is coming off a groin injury.
That is an injury that could lead to a snap count as the team might be unsure how Fant reacts to the injury. With that being said, it seems like a bad idea to start Fant. I would wait until you know his snap count will be normal before putting him in your lineup.
Conclusion
To wrap things up heading into week 12, fantasy owners can smell the fantasy playoffs. That means owners will feel like every decision is life or death. That is especially the case at the tight end where it has been tough to decipher which player can produce on a consistent level. The importance of getting this position right can win you a fantasy championship because tight ends have a wide variety of production and if you can find the diamond in the rough, that could lead to fantasy glory. If you don’t find that player, your team could be in big, big trouble.
