Looking towards Week 1 of the NFL fantasy football season, we will look into the matchups to discern the positive or negative impact a given matchup will have on a tight end. Below are the top tight ends to sit and start based on their Week 1 matchups.
Fantasy Football: Week 1 Must Start/Sit Tight Ends
Must Start
Robert Tonyan – GB (at New Orleans Saints)
Packers – Saints has one of the higher projected point totals on the week according to Vegas odds. While Davante Adams is a target monster, there is still room for Robert Tonyan to succeed. Tonyan depended heavily on touchdowns to elevate himself to a top tight end last season, scoring a touchdown in six of the final seven games of the season. Against the Saints there is a great chance that Tonyan will get into the end zone, making him a must-start tight end.
Dallas Goedert – PHI (at Atlanta Falcons)
All offseason the talk around the football streets was that Zach Ertz was bound to be traded. It seemed inevitable after Ertz and Carson Wentz stayed on the field for a long time following the final game of the 2020 season. Despite all the talk, Ertz went nowhere. It is clear that Dallas Goedert would be a far superior situation without Ertz on the team. With that said, Goedert can still succeed. The Eagles like to utilize the tight end, and Jalen Hurts likes throwing the ball Goedert’s way. This is also a great matchup, as this should be a back-and-forth fight between the Eagles and Falcons.
Austin Hooper – CLE (at Kansas City Chiefs)
Normally fading Browns pass catchers is easy given their run-heavy attack. However, the Chiefs’ offensive output usually forces opponents to throw a lot. A firefight between the two teams gives Austin Hooper upside.
Must Sit
Jared Cook – LAC (at Washington Football Team)
Jared Cook will be one of the biggest sleepers at the tight end position this season. He is going severely under the radar despite being the clear No. 1 tight end on the Chargers roster, but this matchup against the Washington Football team is far from ideal. Cook relies heavily on touchdowns, and when Vegas projects a low-scoring game, the chances of that are much lower.
Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry – NE (vs Miami Dolphins)
If one of these tight ends were to play well this week, it would be Jonnu Smith. He is likely the preferred tight end of the two. However, the best bet is to avoid them both. In a low-scoring matchup that is also Mac Jones’ first NFL game, starting any pass catcher will be dangerous.
Eric Ebron – PIT (at Buffalo Bills)
Eric Ebron is a familiar name among fantasy football players. This year in Pittsburgh there is a lot of uncertainty around Ebron. With the drafting of Pat Freiermuth in the second round, Ebron may not see as much work. This situation will require at least a game or two to feel out how the tight end position will work in Pittsburgh. If Ebron is the clear TE1, then he will have tons of streaming upside. If Freiermuth is involved, then Ebron will be relegated to the bench or waivers.
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