NFL Fantasy 2023 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Tight ends for Week 3

Dallas Goedert was a start last week and had a team-high seven targets, catching six of them. The issue was that he turned those six catches into just 22 yards. Still, the volume is encouraging and the yards are sure to follow. Last season, he averaged 2.1 yards per route run, which was third-highest at the position. A full season of production still outweighs a down two weeks. The yards -- and touchdowns -- are coming for Goedert, so long as the volume stays steady. Continue to trust this TE.

Sam LaPorta was the TE8 in Week 1 and followed that up in Week 2 by finishing as … the TE8 again. He’s currently the TE4 on the season. The rookie has played over 80 percent of the snaps and garnered five-plus targets in each game. He’s clearly a mainstay in the Lions' offense and should earn more volume as he becomes more comfortable and progresses as a player. The Falcons allowed Hayden Hurst to score a TD and log 15 fantasy points in Week 1, the second-most at that position at the time. Roll with LaPorta.

I know, the internet is already mad at me for this call. But I’m willing to give Kyle Pitts another shot in Week 3. He faces the Lions, who have already allowed 175 yards to tight ends -- most in the NFL. That’s despite the fact that they’ve faced the Travis Kelce-less Chiefs and the Seahawks. Pitts is by far the most talented tight end Detroit will have faced this season. This is also an indoor game against an offense that should be able to put up points, meaning the Falcons may have no choice but to throw (finally). If Pitts struggles in this one, it will be time for a difficult conversation. But give him one more shot in a strong matchup.

In Week 1, Hurst scored more than 15 fantasy points and finished as the TE2. Last week, he had the toughest matchup for tight ends in the Saints … and it showed. Hurst was limited to just three catches for 20 yards. Fortunately, the matchup is much better this week against the Seahawks. Seattle has allowed the third-most yards to tight ends this season, after allowing the most fantasy PPG to the position last season. Hurst is a strong streaming option in Week 3. 

Dalton Schultz has been a sit each of the first two weeks, so let’s go for the trifecta. Through two games, he has six catches for 38 yards on 11 targets ... that’s in total. He has been the “cardio king” of the first two weeks, running plenty of routes but earning a target on just 14 percent of them. The Jags aren’t a terrifying matchup, but there’s just no way I’m starting Schultz until we see some production.

I was willing to give Gerald Everett one more shot last week due to the matchup. Then he ran fewer routes (15) than Donald Parham (17). This is starting to look like a (worrying) trend, as the two split routes and targets in Week 1, as well. Through two games, Everett has just six targets, five catches and 68 yards. Now he faces the Vikings, who’ve allowed just 41 yards to tight ends this season. There are better options than Everett on the waiver wire.

Chigoziem Okonkwo scored his first fantasy points in Week 2, but he still has just four catches for 35 yards on six targets this year. To make matters worse, he has earned a target on just 13 percent of his routes. Believe in the talent all you want, but Chig has been the fourth option on a team heavily focused on running the ball. Plus, the Browns have been stingy to tight ends, allowing a league-low 19 yards to the position and holding Pat Freiermuth to 2 yards in Week 2. Get away from Okonkwo.

Tyler Higbee has not seen the volume anticipated in Cooper Kupp’s absence -- because it’s all going to Puka Nacua (and to a lesser extent, Tutu Atwell). Higbee has 10 targets, six catches and 61 yards through two games and has been targeted on just 14 percent of his routes. Plus, the Bengals have yet to allow 100 yards to the position in total, after ranking in the bottom 10 in fantasy PPG allowed to the position last year. Higbee has not shown enough upside to trust in this matchup.