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 ($6,700 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel)
McBride has reached the point where even his bad games are pretty good. He was basically held in check by the Seahawks last week, but he still managed eight receptions, 41 yards, and a touchdown. That was good for 14.1 FanDuel points and a +5.30 Plus/Minus.
McBride has been a fantasy monster basically ever since Jacoby Brissett took over at quarterback for the Cardinals. He’s scored 12 touchdowns in his 14 games with Brissett, compared to just seven scores in 55 games without him. He’s also been a target monster: he had a 28% target share alongside Brissett last year, and he’s at 38% so far this season.
There’s no reason to expect much different moving forward. He’s the unquestioned top tight end in fantasy, at least while Brock Bowers is getting up to speed.
As usual, paying up for McBride is difficult on DraftKings, but it’s a viable option on FanDuel. His salary comes with an 83% Bargain Rating, and he leads the position in projected Plus/Minus.
Dalton Schultz ($4,200 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel)
The Texans offense was unable to do any scoring against the Bengals last week, but they moved the ball pretty easily. That was particularly true through the air. C.J. Stroud racked up 353 passing yards, despite missing his top receiver in Nico Collins.
Schultz stepped up as Stroud’s No. 1 option in that contest. He racked up 14 targets against the Bengals, and he responded with 12 catches for 140 yards. The Bengals were an elite matchup, and he took full advantage.
Schultz draws another phenomenal opponent this week. He’s taking on the Colts, resulting in an elite +5.1 Opponent Plus/Minus. They’ve allowed 18.9 PPR points per game to the position this season, which is the fourth-most in the league. They weren’t much better last year, allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
Additionally, Collins could be out for the second straight week. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. If he’s out once again, Schultz should be poised for another expanded workload in a fantastic spot. He’s a bit more expensive than he was last week, but he still ranks first in projected DraftKings Plus/Minus.
Top NFL DFS Tournament Picks
Travis Kelce ($4,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel)
It appears as though the reports of Kelce’s demise were a bit premature. He’s started 2026-27 with two solid performances, and he currently sits at TE4 in terms of fantasy production. The Chiefs’ offense looks as good as it has in years, so even if Kelce isn’t the same player, he should still be pretty productive for fantasy purposes.
Kelce has served as Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target to start the year. He owns a 25% target share, and he’s been on the field for 79% of the team’s pass plays. His target share jumped up to 28% against the Colts in Week 2, and he finished as the highest-scoring TE in fantasy.
The Chiefs should put plenty of points on the scoreboard in Week 3. They’re taking on the Dolphins, who have been a disaster defensively to start the year. They rank dead last in pass defense EPA, and the Chiefs are implied for 28.25 points. That’s the fourth-highest mark on the main slate.
Kelce’s price tag remains a bit depressed, making him a solid value across the industry. He also has a strong ceiling for his salary, giving him the fourth-best optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs.
Sam LaPorta ($4,300 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel)
The Lions have been a fantasy machine through the first two weeks. They have one of the best offenses in football and a defense that can’t get a stop. It has resulted in two high-scoring affairs, and with their defense still ailing, there could be another in store in Week 3. The Jets have had a strong defense through the first two weeks, but the total on this game still sits at a healthy 48.0 points.
LaPorta has also taken on a slightly larger role than he did last year. Particularly down the stretch, he was losing targets to Jameson Williams. But through two weeks this year, LaPorta has an 18% target share.
He’s responded with a positive Plus/Minus in his first two outings, including 17.2 DraftKings points vs. the Bills in Week 2. He’s underpriced on DraftKings – his $4,300 salary comes with a 92% Bargain Rating – and he ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus.
Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Picks With Upside
Orande Gadsden ($3,500 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel)
The Chargers have been a disaster to start the year, but Gadsden is a really intriguing fantasy target in Week 3. He’s operated as part of a three-man committee to start the year, with David Njoku and Charlie Kolar both cutting into his workload. Njoku has had a 38% route participation, while Kolar has been at 36%.
Both of those guys hit the IR this week, leaving Gadsden as the last TE standing in Los Angeles. He should be much more of a full-time player, and we’ve seen what he’s capable of in that role previously. He had some big games as a rookie, and the Chargers might have to throw the ball a lot this week. They’re 7.5-point road underdogs vs. the Bills in a game with a 50.5-point total.
It’s hard to have any confidence in the Chargers at this point, but Sim Labs loves Gadsden this week. He trails only Schultz in terms of DraftKings optimal lineup rate, and no TE has a larger gap between optimal lineup rate and projected ownership.
Isaiah Likely ($4,700 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel)
The Giants lost starting QB Jaxson Dart to a season-ending injury in Week 2, which is a massive blow for the team. It could hurt Likely the most. He displayed instant chemistry with the young QB in Week 1, and Dart threw to the tight end at an above-average frequency.
Still, Jameis Winston is far from a zero at quarterback. He’ll make a boneheaded play from time to time, but he has the arm talent to be a starting QB. He leaned just as heavily on Likely in Week 2 as Dart did in Week 1, with the TE racking up a 30% target share. Those looks didn’t lead to the same type of production, but it was against a much tougher defense.
As long as Likely continues to be a focal point of the Giants’ passing attack, he’s going to have plenty of weekly upside. He’s another option who stands out as undervalued in Sim Labs.
Cade Otton ($3,100 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel)
If you’re looking to go as cheap as possible at the position, Otton could be your guy. His numbers to start the year don’t jump off the page, but he’s posted an 18% target share and an 84% route participation. Those are pretty quality figures for someone who costs just $3,100.
Otton could be even more involved this week. The Buccaneers are facing the Vikings and their blitz-happy defensive coordinator. If they bring as much pressure as they have the first two weeks, Baker Mayfield could be forced to check it down to his TE a bit more than usual.
Pictured: Sam LaPorta
Photo Credit: Imagn
