Every week now, it seems like we are having to reevaluate the tight position in terms of who is a must-start, who is a borderline start, and who is an avoid. This week is no different. One way to look at it is by who has done what year-to-date, and in the most recent month. That's where we will start the Week 9 preview.
As a rule, I use 12 PPR Fantasy points per game as a barometer for a must-start tight end. So far this year, six tight ends have hit that mark: Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Isaiah Likely, George Kittle, Tyler Warren, and Sam LaPorta. If you wanted to call all of them must-starts, I wouldn't argue with you. Harold Fannin and Travis Kelce just miss the mark, but they are in the conversation.
Looking at the last month, you'll find Colston Loveland (14.0), Kyle Pitts (13.5), and Tucker Kraft (13.1) join the mix while LaPorta falls out. We are mostly buying the recent surge from Loveland and Kraft, and we're content to give LaPorta one more week to break out of his slump, because he's facing the Dolphins. The one that is really hard to figure is Pitts.
Since Michael Penix took over at QB, Pitts is averaging 10.5 PPR FPPG. But that is mostly about touchdowns. In the same stretch, he ranks 13th in receptions and 18th in yards at tight end despite not having a bye or missing a game. He has the same number of yards as AJ Barner and the same number of catches as Dallas Goedert, who has only played four games in the last six weeks.
All of that is to say, as big of a Pitts proponent as I was coming into the year, I don't view him as one of the must-start options and as of Tuesday afternoon, he is not one of my top 12 tight ends for Week 9. I also don't really want to drop him, so if you can't roster two tight ends, you should probably just start him and hope for a touchdown.
Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 9:
Week 9 TE Preview Numbers to Know Waiver Wire Targets DFS Plays Projections TE Preview Numbers to Know- 8 -- Sam LaPorta still ranks second amongst tight ends with eight red zone targets. He should bounce back.
- 11.7 -- Travis Kelce scored 11.7 PPR points in Week 8, his best game since September. He is best viewed as a borderline starter, not a must-start.
- 26.7% -- Terrance Ferguson had a 26.7% target-per-route run rate earlier in the year. He could be back this week.
- 259 -- Harold Fannin's 259 routes run this season are second only to Trey McBride.
- 28 -- Colston Loveland has 28 targets in three games since Caleb Williams came back. He may be a league winner yet.
- 91.7% -- Eli Raridon played a season-high 91.7% of the snaps in Week 8.
Eli Raridon TE NE New England • #82
Age: 22 • Experience: Rookie Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs GB NE -3 O/U 46.5 OPP VS TE 2nd TE RNK 17th ROSTERED 7% YTD Stats REC 13 TAR 20 REYDS 173 TD 2 FPTS/G 6 Hunter Henry suffered a foot injury in Week 8, which could elevate Raridon into Henry's role this week. The rookie has been very good this season, averaging 13.3 yards per catch and 8.7 yards per target. If A.J. Brown is also out again, Raridon has a chance to be Maye's top target in the passing game this week. 
Dalton Schultz TE HOU Houston • #86
Age: 30 • Experience: 9 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ LAC HOU -4.5 O/U 40.5 OPP VS TE 6th TE RNK 22nd ROSTERED 37% YTD Stats REC 33 TAR 43 REYDS 322 TD 0 FPTS/G 9.3 Schultz was dropped when he was on bye, and I get it. It has been an up-and-down season. But I still expect him to be the mix for the number two option in this passing game every week, which makes him a very good bye-week replacement. He's probably going to score a touchdown at some point, too. TE Preview DFS Plays Top DFS Play Projections powered by Sportsline 
George Kittle TE SF San Francisco • #85
Age: 33 • Experience: 10 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs LV SF -10 O/U 52.5 OPP VS TE 29th PROJ PTS 14.1 TE RNK 3rd YTD Stats REC 34 TAR 46 REYDS 425 TD 5 FPTS/G 14.9 The price gap is just big enough to where I will pass on Bowers and McBride in favor of Kittle this week. Kittle easily has the best matchup of the three and the highest implied point total. He's also scored at least 16 PPR Fantasy points in five of his last six games. Contrarian DFS Play Projections powered by Sportsline 
Greg Dulcich TE MIA Miami • #85
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs DET DET -7 O/U 50.5 OPP VS TE 32nd PROJ PTS 10.7 TE RNK 18th YTD Stats REC 22 TAR 28 REYDS 256 TD 0 FPTS/G 7.1 Dulcich has at least five targets in four straight games and faces the best matchup against tight ends. Detroit has allowed 27.1 PPR FPPG to opposing tight ends this year and at least 14 points to three straight tight ends. If you want to go cheap at the position, Dulcich is the answer. TE Preview Heath's Projections My full set of Week 9 Fantasy football projections for every position is now available here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 9. Projected stats for all starting tight ends are updated throughout the week, so check back before you set your lineup for the latest information.
