NFL Fantasy 2022 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 3: Tight ends

I am going back for more with Pitts, who is currently tied for 15th among tight ends in targets. That’s right, Pitts and Irv Smith Jr. have the same number of targets through two games. In Week 2, Pitts saw just three targets and was basically a forgotten man in the second half. He has been asked to block entirely too much. Arthur Smith can say its not fantasy football -- but you do not have to be a head coach to realize throwing the ball to your best playmaker is a good thing. Week 3 has the potential to be a squeaky wheel game for Pitts. Additionally, he opened up the year against the Saints and Rams, two stout defenses. Things should get better this week against Seattle, who currently is in the top 10 in fantasy points and receiving yards to tight ends, despite having played the Broncos and the Niners without George Kittle. This is a get-right spot for Pitts.  

Higbee currently leads all tight ends with 20 targets. He has also played 96 percent of the snaps so far this season, which also leads the position. In Week 2, Higbee caught seven of his nine targets for 71 yards. Higbee is currently the TE7 on the season and is in play as a streaming option due to volume alone. This week, Higbee faces the Cardinals, who have allowed more production to tight ends than any other team. So far they have allowed a league-high 29.1 fantasy PPG, 19 catches, 212 receiving yards and three touchdowns, each of which is the most allowed to tight ends through two weeks. Higbee is a strong start in Week 3.

Everett was a start in Week 2, and he came through with 13.1 fantasy points and finishing as the eighth-best tight end. That was actually worse than what he did in Week 1. Everett is looking like a consistent part of the Chargers' passing attack, and he is the TE4 through two games. This past week, Everett tied for the team lead with 10 targets, and even when he wanted to take a breather, Justin Herbert wanted him on the field and targeted him. It didn’t go as according to plan, but it shows the trust that the young QB has in his tight end. Last year, Jared Cook finished as the TE18, while being fourth at the position with nine end-zone targets. He was a streaming options at times. Everett, who is both younger and more athletic, already is a streaming option but is quickly working his way into a weekly starting option. Given the offense and QB he gets to play with, there is a lot of upside here for Everett. If you streamed him in Week 2, continue to ride with him in Week 3.  

Engram was targeted a team-high eight times in Week 2, catching seven of them for 46 yards. He has played 71 percent of the snaps so far this season for the Jags. Engram was a sleeper coming into the season, as he is in a system that historically has featured the tight end. Seeing volume like that in Week 2 is exactly what you hoped to see if you were in on Engram. This week, he faces the Chargers, who have allowed 12.6 fantasy PPG to tight ends. It's also a game during which the Jags could be chasing points and forced to throw, which could lead to an uptick in volume for Engram, especially considering the corners who will be on the Jags receivers. Engram is a top-13 tight end in the Week 3 rankings.

Okwuegbunam failed to build off of an encouraging Week 1. In fact, he failed to score a single fantasy point in Week 2. He saw just two targets and did not catch any, while Eric Saubert saw the same number of targets and scored a touchdown for Denver. So far this season, Okwuegbunam has played just 60 percent of the snaps for the Broncos and that dipped to just 55 percent in Week 2. With a decline in targets and snaps in a matchup against the Niners, who have allowed the fewest fantasy PPG to tight ends this season (2.55), it’s a week to get away from Okwuegbunam.  

After getting lots of preseason hype, Likely had a nice game in Week 2, catching four of his five targets for 43 yards. That could have some thinking that Likely can be used as a streaming option in Week 3. However, Likely is still a volatile option. He played just 31 percent of the snaps in Week 2, after playing 45 percent in Week 1. This is on a team that we know is going to pass below league average. So far this season, the Ravens have thrown the ball on 61 percent of their plays, which is an improvement for them, but still below league average (63 percent). Likely does have upside, but until we see him get consistent playing time and usage, he is far too volatile to trust.  

The next fantasy point Kmet scores will be his first. That is awful to say about a player who has played two games already. Kmet had a lot of offseason hype, but unfortunately this offense is completely holding him back. The Bears have thrown on only 41 percent of their passes this offseason, which has led to Kmet seeing two targets through two games. Kmet cannot be started until we see far more consistent usage. In fact, Kmet can be dropped right now.

Hill was looked at as a possible streaming option in Week 1. That was largely because of one long run by Hill. In a game without Alvin Kamara, Hill ran the ball just three times and did not see a target. His role is the same as it's ever been in fantasy football: He does not do enough to warrant rostering, let alone starting, but he does enough to ruin his teammates fantasy days. If you stream any tight end from the Saints, it should be Juwan Johnson, who has played 80 percent of the snaps this season. He saw seven targets, catching four of them for forty yards in Week 2. Johnson is in play as a streaming option, while Hill should be left on waivers.