Week 17 Fantasy Football Tight End Preview: Taysom Hill a great start in non-PPR, fine in full

I try to hesitate to insinuate tight end might be deep, but it's the only position in Week 17 that feels better than it has for most of the season. There aren't any streaming options inside my top 12 this week and that feels like a win. The strange thing is it's true even with Darren Waller, Dalton Schultz, and Gerald Everett ranking outside my top 12 in the projections below. 

A big part of that is because we have Dallas Goedert back healthy and Evasn Engram is on fire. Add in late-season surges from Tyler Higbee and Dawson Knox, as well as a projected high-scoring game for Cole Kmet and things don't look all that bad. We've even got a line of demarcation in full PPR, with Taysom Hill sitting at TE12.

• Week 17 Previews: QB | WR | RB

Because Hill is not a prototypical tight end, his inconsistency seems to bother people, but he's a must-start in non-PPR, where he ranks as TE2 on the season, and he's a solid, if inconsistent, starter in full PPR as well. He's played at least 40% of the offensive snaps in six straight games and he's scored a touchdown in three straight. That doesn't guarantee anything in Week 17, but it does make him a fine option if you don't have one of my top 11. 

Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 17:

Week 17 TE Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

TE Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 17 at this time. Here's what it means:

Greg Dulcich TE

DEN Denver • #80
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.

The Broncos don't have a Fantasy relevant tight end if Dulcich is out.

Hunter Henry TE

NE New England • #85
Age: 29 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Even if Henry misses Week 17, it will be difficult to trust Jonnu Smith.

TE Preview

Numbers to Know

• 3.7 --The Saints have shut down tight ends in the last two weeks, allowing just 3.7 PPR Fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Dallas Goedert and the Eagles draw the Saints this week. 
• 16 -- Targets for Tyler Higbee in the last two games, the most on the Rams. 
• 12 -- Receptions for Cole Kmet in his last two meetings versus the Lions. It led to a combined 139 yards and two touchdowns. 
• 112.3 -- Evan Engrams is now averaging 112.3 yards per game over the past three weeks on 26 total receptions with two touchdowns.
• 7 -- Tyler Conklin has at least seven targets in the last two games started by Mike White. 
  

TE Preview

Matchups that matter

David Njoku TE

CLE Cleveland • #85
Age: 27 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ WAS WAS -2.5 O/U 40.5

OPP VS TE 5th

PROJ PTS 9.1

TE RNK 9th

YTD Stats
REC 53	TAR 72	REYDS 565	TD 3	FPTS/G 10.5

Dallas Goedert TE

PHI Philadelphia • #88
Age: 29 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs NO PHI -7 O/U 44

OPP VS TE 1st

PROJ PTS 10.8

TE RNK 5th

YTD Stats
REC 46	TAR 56	REYDS 611	TD 3	FPTS/G 12.3

Cole Kmet TE

CHI Chicago • #85
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ DET DET -6 O/U 52

OPP VS TE 25th

PROJ PTS 9.7

TE RNK 10th

YTD Stats
REC 44	TAR 61	REYDS 460	TD 5	FPTS/G 8.1

Tyler Conklin TE

NYJ N.Y. Jets • #83
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ SEA NYJ -2.5 O/U 42.5

OPP VS TE 32nd

PROJ PTS 7.8

TE RNK 16th

YTD Stats
REC 50	TAR 77	REYDS 459	TD 3	FPTS/G 7.6

Darren Waller TE

NYG N.Y. Giants • #12
Age: 31 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs SF SF -6 O/U 44.5

OPP VS TE 7th

PROJ PTS 10.1

TE RNK 11th

YTD Stats
REC 23	TAR 32	REYDS 281	TD 2	FPTS/G 9

Pat Freiermuth TE

PIT Pittsburgh • #88
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ BAL BAL -3.5 O/U 36

OPP VS TE 12th

PROJ PTS 11.4

TE RNK 12th

YTD Stats
REC 60	TAR 90	REYDS 696	TD 2	FPTS/G 10.1

TE Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 17 Streamers (TE Preview)

Tyler Conklin TE

NYJ N.Y. Jets • #83
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ SEA NYJ -2.5 O/U 42.5

OPP VS TE 32nd

TE RNK 16th

ROSTERED 44%

YTD Stats
REC 50	TAR 77	REYDS 459	TD 3	FPTS/G 7.6

Conklin has been a borderline starter this year without Zach Wilson, and the Seahawks have allowed more Fantasy points to tight ends than any other defense. Still, Conklin is more of an injury replacement, I wouldn't start him over anyone you've been starting.

Noah Fant TE

SEA Seattle • #87
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs NYJ NYJ -2.5 O/U 42.5

OPP VS TE 19th

TE RNK 14th

ROSTERED 29%

YTD Stats
REC 44	TAR 56	REYDS 426	TD 4	FPTS/G 7.4

If Tyler Lockett remains out, Fant should have a decent target opportunity and has scored in three of his past four games.

TE Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play (TE Preview)

Travis Kelce TE

KC Kansas City • #87
Age: 34 • Experience: 12 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs DEN KC -13.5 O/U 45

OPP VS TE 26th

PROJ PTS 17.1

TE RNK 1st

YTD Stats
REC 97	TAR 135	REYDS 1257	TD 12	FPTS/G 19.7

This is the easiest advice I give every week: Play Travis Kelce in cash games. This week he's projected for six more Fantasy points than any other tight end. He's already set a career high with 12 touchdowns, but he needs nine more catches to set a career-high for receptions. Don't be surprised if he does that this week. He's also just 160 yards away from breaking his own record for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end.

Contrarian DFS Play (TE Preview)

Cole Kmet TE

CHI Chicago • #85
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ DET DET -6 O/U 52

OPP VS TE 25th

PROJ PTS 9.7

TE RNK 10th

YTD Stats
REC 44	TAR 61	REYDS 460	TD 5	FPTS/G 8.1

Kmet hasn't been very good lately, so I don't expect his roster rate to be very high. But the Bears and Lions have the highest over/under on the slate and Kmet has been very good against this defense, as have most tight ends this season. With a lowered cost and roster rate, he's the perfect play to fade Kelce and Evan Engram this week.

TE Preview

Heath's Projections