Week 18 is the trickiest week of the fantasy football calendar, especially at tight end. Usage volatility, rest risk, and late-season motivation collide at a position that already walks a thin line between breakout and bust. In championship matchups, fantasy managers must prioritize role security and offensive intent over name recognition. Some tight ends remain central to playoff pushes or record chases. Meanwhile, others face uncertain snaps or compromised quarterback play.
Here’s how to navigate the tight end landscape for Week 18 in the 2025 regular-season finale.
Start ’Em
Trey McBride, ARI (@ LAR)
Trey McBride has officially entered rare air. With 10 receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown in Week 17, McBride set the all-time NFL record for catches by a tight end in a single season. He surpassed Zach Ertz’s long-standing mark from 2018. The milestone performance was the latest chapter in a dominant season. It now includes 119 receptions, 1,174 yards, and 11 touchdowns on an absurd 161 targets.
The key fantasy takeaway is simple. McBride’s role is immune to game script. Even in losses, he remains Arizona’s offensive centerpiece, particularly in the middle of the field and near the goal line. Unless the Cardinals make a late decision to sit starters, he remains the safest tight end play in Week 18. Volume, usage, and motivation all align.
Kyle Pitts, ATL (vs. NO)
Kyle Pitts’ Week 17 box score won’t impress. He had two catches for 16 yards. However, context matters. Atlanta threw for just 126 yards total in its win over the Rams. Pitts still managed to maintain his usual snap share. Prior to that game, Pitts had posted four straight outings with at least six receptions and 57 yards. He has quietly strung together the most consistent stretch of his career.
More importantly, Pitts is already enjoying career-best numbers in 2025. Atlanta has shown a willingness to scheme him opportunities when the passing game functions normally. The Saints have struggled to contain athletic tight ends. Pitts remains the Falcons’ most dangerous downfield mismatch. He’s a rebound candidate with TE1 upside in the finale.
Hunter Henry, NE (vs. MIA)
Hunter Henry continues to be one of the most dependable red-zone tight ends in football. He caught all three of his targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in Week 17. He even scored one of Drake Maye’s five touchdown passes in a blowout win over the Jets. That pushed Henry to seven touchdowns on the season. It's a strong return on modest target volume.
The real appeal here is motivation. New England still has a path to the AFC’s top seed. That means starters should play with urgency. Henry’s chemistry with Maye in scoring situations makes him a strong touchdown bet. In Week 18, touchdowns often outweigh yardage totals at tight end.
Other Starts: Juwan Johnson, NO (@ ATL); Jake Tonges, SF (vs. SEA)
Sit ’Em
Tyler Warren, IND (@ HOU)
Tyler Warren’s Week 17 line had five catches for 43 yards. It was respectable, but it masked some troubling trends. Indianapolis spread targets widely. No pass catcher truly dominated usage. Warren’s production was buoyed by a couple of intermediate gains rather than consistent involvement.
With the Colts eliminated from playoff contention, there’s little incentive to force-feed any one player. Houston’s defense has been particularly stingy against tight ends, too. Warren’s ceiling is limited in a game that could feature reduced offensive urgency. He’s a fringe TE2 best left on the bench.
Travis Kelce, KC (@ LV)
Travis Kelce showed signs of life in Week 17. He caught five passes for 36 yards while clearly serving as Chris Oladokun’s security blanket. Still, the overall environment remains unfavorable. Kansas City’s offense has struggled without Patrick Mahomes. Kelce’s yardage efficiency has cratered.
Yes, another week of practice with his quarterback could help. That said, the Chiefs’ passing game lacks explosiveness. Kelce’s red-zone opportunities have been inconsistent, too. Against a Raiders defense that’s improved late in the season, Kelce carries more name value than fantasy football reliability in Week 18.
Dalton Kincaid, BUF (vs. NYJ)
Dalton Kincaid’s knee injury continues to muddy the waters. He was inactive in Week 17. That forced Buffalo to lean on Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes in his absence. Even if Kincaid is active in Week 18, snap limitations and target uncertainty loom large.
Add in the possibility that Buffalo could manage workloads with playoff positioning set. With that, Kincaid becomes a risky play. Tight end is unforgiving in championship week, and uncertainty is the enemy.
Other Sits: Mark Andrews, BAL (@ PIT); Chig Okonkwo, TEN (@ JAX)
Final takeaway
Week 18 tight end decisions should favor certainty over upside. Chase elite volume like McBride’s, red-zone trust like Henry’s, and bounce-back profiles like Pitts. Avoid situations clouded by injuries, quarterback instability, or motivational ambiguity. At a position where margins are razor-thin, clarity is often the difference between a title and heartbreak.
