Week 18 is always a DFS puzzle, and tight end might be the trickiest piece on the board for NFL DFS. With teams resting starters, playoff motivations shifting, and pricing all over the place, identifying which TEs actually have stable roles becomes essential. This week’s must‑start and sit list cuts through the noise, spotlighting the tight ends you can trust on the main slate and the ones you should avoid before they sink your lineup.
MUST‑START TEs — NFL DFS Week 18 (Main Slate)
Trey McBride – Cardinals
Why he’s a smash play: McBride has already shown he can deliver 20–30 point games, and Week 18 sets up perfectly for another spike. With Arizona thin at WR besides Michael Wilson, the path to double‑digit targets is wide open vs. the Rams with Jacoby Brissett leaning on him once last time.
- Just set the NFL single‑season TE receptions record in Week 17
- Cardinals continue feeding him massive volume
- Elite floor + elite ceiling for DFS DFS angle: Best raw projection at the position; cash‑game lock.
Kyle Pitts Sr. – Falcons
Why he’s in play: Over the past few weeks, Pitts has seen a noticeable bump in targets and downfield involvement. Atlanta is finally using him as a vertical mismatch again, and that role gives him slate‑breaking upside at a position where few players can match his athletic profile with Kirk Cousins.
- Falcons still playing their starters
- Saints matchup is neutral but volume is stable DFS angle: Mid‑tier TE with real 20‑point upside.
Hunter Henry – Patriots
Why he’s viable: Henry is the Patriots’ top red‑zone option and one of the few players on the roster with a real touchdown ceiling. At TE, TD equity is everything, and Henry has one of the highest chances on the slate to find the end zone at his price vs. a weak Dolphins defense.
- Red‑zone usage remains elite
- Cheap salary + TD equity DFS angle: Salary‑saving TE with multi‑TD potential.
Juwan Johnson – Saints
Why he’s a strong play: Johnson is one of the Saints’ top red‑zone options, and Shough has always leaned on tight ends, but now especially without Chris Olave. At a position where TDs often decide the slate, Johnson’s scoring upside is a major selling point.
- Top-3 TE on the Main Slate
- Saints still using him heavily in scoring areas DFS angle: Good Chalk Start
MUST‑SIT / FADE TEs — NFL DFS Week 18 (Main Slate)
Oronde Gadsden
Why fade: The offense funnels touches through more established playmakers, leaving Gadsden as a secondary or tertiary option at best. His target share is too thin to justify even value‑tier pricing with Trey Lance.
- Justin Herbert is confirmed OUT for Week 18
- Trey Lance starting → massive downgrade to entire passing game DFS angle: No floor, no ceiling.
Colts TEs (Granson, Ogletree, Woods)
Why fade: The Colts use one of the most frustrating TE committees in the league, and now will have Riley Leonard under center. Mo Alie‑Cox, Kylen Granson, and Will Mallory all rotate snaps and routes, and none of them consistently earn targets. In DFS, unpredictability kills value, and this is as unpredictable as it gets.
- Colts projected for one of the lowest Week 18 point totals (per RB/WR start‑sit context)
- TE rotation is unpredictable DFS angle: Zero consistency; no DFS viability.
Brenton Strange
Why fade: Tennessee’s defense has been far more vulnerable to perimeter receivers than to tight ends. They limit short‑area production and don’t give up many red‑zone TE scores. Strange’s skill set doesn’t threaten this defense in any meaningful way.
- Jaguars offense projected for only 18 points in Week 18 context
- QB play unstable DFS angle: No ceiling for tournaments.
