Tight end is one of the most difficult positions to nail down each week. It’s a position where you can spend all the way up, pay all the way down, or look somewhere in between. Tight ends derive a bunch of their value from scoring touchdowns, which can be difficult to predict on a week-to-week basis.
In this piece, I highlight tight ends who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by the award-winning expert ranker, Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Or you can just use our NFL DFS sims to effortlessly create advanced lineups.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace.
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Cash Game Picks
Trey McBride ($6,900 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel)
McBride turned in a huge season at tight end last year, and he picked up right where he left off. He torched the Chargers’ secondary in Week 1, finishing with nine catches, 95 yards, and a touchdown. McBride also racked up 13 targets, good for a 34% target share. That was easily the top mark at the position, with Isaiah Likely the only other TE above 25%.
With Brock Bowers expected to miss his second straight game, there is no one at the position that can match McBride’s production. He has been extremely consistent since Jacoby Brissett took over at quarterback, and he once again leads the position in median and ceiling projection.
The only question is whether or not you should pay up for him in cash games. He’s a bit pricey at $6,900 on DraftKings, but he’s a slam dunk on FanDuel. His price tag comes with an 83% Bargain Rating, and he’s third at TE in projected Plus/Minus.
Dalton Schultz ($3,200 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel)
McBride is the premier TE option this week, but Schultz is the top value target. Schultz has been a reliable low-end TE1/high-end TE2 for fantasy purposes since landing in Houston, but he has the chance to be more than that this week. The Texans were already down two of their top receivers in Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell, and Nico Collins could join them on the sidelines this Sunday. He sat out practice all week, which makes him doubtful to suit up vs. the Bengals.
That should give Schultz a solid boost in value. He was ninth at the position with a 19% target share in Week 1, and that number could easily eclipse 20% sans Collins.
The matchup is also as good as it gets. The Bengals hemorrhaged fantasy points to opposing TEs last season. They allowed an absurd 19 PPR points per game to the position, and no other team was above 16.5. In other words, they weren’t just bad; they were historically awful.
Cincinnati is off to a better start against tight ends this season, limiting Cade Otton to just three catches for 26 yards in Week 1. However, Otton is near the bottom of the list in terms of starting NFL tight ends. Schultz will be a much tougher test, and if Collins is out of the picture, he could be poised for a huge game. He ultimately ranks first at the position in projected DraftKings Plus/Minus by a comfortable margin.
Top NFL DFS Tournament Picks
Mark Andrews ($4,400 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel)
I was banging the table for Andrews this offseason, and we saw exactly why in Week 1. The Ravens offense looked as good as ever, racking up 41 points and more than 500 yards of total offense vs. the Colts.
A lot of that damage came on the ground, but Andrews’ role in the offense looked good. He had a 77% route participation and 25% target share, both of which represent significant increases compared to last season.
The only thing Andrews didn’t do was the paint, but that should come in time. He had 11 touchdowns two years ago and six touchdowns in 10 games the year before. As long as this offense is back on track, Andrews is going to be a massive value at tight end this season.
Michael Mayer ($3,600 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel)
Bowers officially returned to practice for the Raiders on Friday, but he’s doubtful to suit up in Week 2. That keeps Mayer firmly in play for fantasy purposes.
Mayer was the Raiders’ clear-cut top pass-catcher in Week 1 (excluding Ashton Jeanty). He had a 77% route participation and 24% target share, and he was targeted on 29% of his routes run. Mayer didn’t do a ton with those targets – he had just six catches for 32 yards – but that was still enough to pay off his modest salary.
Mayer shouldn’t be quite as popular this week as he was last week, with Schultz absorbing some of the ownership in this price range. That makes him a solid tournament option. He trails only Andrews and McBride in terms of Sim Labs optimal lineup rate.
Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Picks With Upside
Colston Loveland ($5,000 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel)
Here’s the bad news for Loveland. His offense managed 59 points and 552 yards of total offense last week, and Loveland got absolutely none of it. Literally. He had just two targets and zero catches, putting up a bagel for fantasy purposes after an offseason full of hype.
The good news is that there will be plenty of better days ahead. The Bears’ offense could be a wagon, and Loveland’s role was significantly greater than it was during his rookie year. He was on the field for 87% of the team’s snaps and had an 89% route participation; those figures were 66% and 65%, respectively, last season.
Don’t forget just how good Loveland was down the stretch last year. He had 18.4 and 20.1 0.5-PPR points in his final two regular season contests, and he followed that up with 19.7 in his first playoff game. All signs for Loveland are still pointing up, despite the Week 1 donut.
Loveland ranks fourth at tight end in terms of optimal lineup rate, and his projected ownership is checking in below that figure. He’s a strong bounce-back candidate.
Juwan Johnson ($3,900 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel)
Johnson did basically what he did all of last season in Week 1. He quietly racked up seven targets, three catches, 54 yards, and a touchdown, resulting in 14.4 DraftKings points. It wasn’t a game-changing performance, but it was more than enough to make him an excellent value.
Johnson will likely be overlooked once again in Week 2. He is facing a bit of a tougher matchup vs. the Ravens, but he’s still the Saints’ No. 2 pass-catcher. Chris Olave is going to be their clear-cut top option, but Johnson is right behind him.
This matchup vs. the Ravens should also result in a favorable game script. The Saints are 8.5-point underdogs, so just like last week, they could spend most of the game trying to play catch up. This game also has a 46.5-point total, which is the third highest on the main slate.
Evan Engram ($3,300 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel)
Engram’s first year with the Broncos was nothing short of a disaster. That said, he still has a solid track record of production at tight end. He’ll hope to turn things around in 2026-27, and he got off to a strong start in Week 1. He had a respectable 16% target share, and he finished with four receptions, 43 yards, and a touchdown.
Now, Engram gets a chance at one of his former teams. He’s taking on the Jaguars, and he’s expected to garner almost no ownership. At just $5,000 on FanDuel, it’s hard to find a cheaper TE with comparable upside.
Pictured: Dalton Schultz
Photo Credit: Imagn
