It's Week 9 of the NFL season, and fantasy football owners have a few decisions to make at the tight end position with six teams on a bye. Let's look at the start 'em sit 'em tight ends for Week 9.
The Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers don't play this week, so finding replacements will be key to a victory in your league. Which tight ends should you start and which should you sit?
Here are the start 'em sit 'em tight ends for Week 9 as this fantasy football season continues.
Week 9 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
That sound you hear is fantasy football owners rejoicing at Pitts' production in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers. He earned his highest fantasy finish of the season (third) by catching five of nine targets for 80 yards and a touchdown, and we might as well lean into that at a position that is easily the most inconsistent in fantasy football. There's always risk with this Atlanta offense that wants to run more than throw, but perhaps the team is realizing that making Pitts more than a decoy is a smart move. The Los Angeles Chargers are around the middle of the pack against opposing tight ends, so move Pitts back into the start category unless you were one of the people who dropped him out of pure frustration.
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers
The Falcons vs. Chargers game appears to be friendly to tight ends. The reason why on the Chargers' side has a lot to do with injuries. With Keenan Allen seemingly still dealing with an injury after being held out of practice on Monday, and Mike Williams expected to miss a month of action, that leaves Everett as one of the top available options for Justin Herbert. Everett has four top-11 finishes at the position this season, and the Falcons allow the eighth-most points to opposing tight ends (12.5). That combination makes Everett an appealing option in a game that could feature some points.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
Anyone with three top-nine finishes in three of the past four weeks is an automatic start at this position. That's exactly what Engram has done in Jacksonville, with at least six targets and 40 yards receiving in every game during that stretch. He has clearly built a connection with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and they could be a nice fantasy football combination down the stretch. Next up? The Las Vegas Raiders, who allow the third-most points per game to tight ends. Points will be scored in this game, so plug Engram in with no hesitation.
Week 9 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks
We love talking about fantasy football points allowed, but, sometimes, you have to look beyond that to find the best fantasy option. That's the situation with Fant, who could have a huge game against an Arizona Cardinals team allowing the second-most points to tight ends this season (16.2). Only the Seahawks allow more, so there's no debate that Zach Ertz is a must-play. But Fant is a trickier decision. Sure, he had his highest fantasy finish against the Cardinals in Week 6, but he still only had six receptions for 45 yards and no touchdowns. With only one score this season, Fant's upside is limited even in a juicy matchup.
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay offense is struggling, and Otton only catching two of his five targets for 15 yards in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens isn't exactly what you're looking for in fantasy football. He still hasn't scored a touchdown this season, and he has only eclipsed 29 yards receiving twice. To add to that, the Los Angeles Rams rank third in the NFL in allowing just 5.4 points per game to tight ends. If you can find a reason in there to start Otton in a matchup between two underwhelming offenses, I'm all ears.
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Likely secured the No. 2 spot on the tight end fantasy leaderboard in Week 8, racking up six catches on seven targets for 77 yards and a touchdown. With Mark Andrews dealing with an injury, that makes Likely an intriguing play. However, matchup-wise, the New Orleans Saints will present some challenges. They're allowing only 5.1 fantasy points per game at the position, and even in a game with high scoring potential, it may be hard to be confident in Likely producing the same type of output he had against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are allowing 12.9 points per game to tight ends. There's momentum here, but it's more about the matchup than a lack of talent.
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