Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Tight Ends Fantasy Football Week 4: Breakout Game for Pat Freiermuth

The Steelers tight end has been consistent, so he should bounce back after a mediocre Week 3 outing.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the NFL season.

Fabs Top 10 Tight Ends

1. Travis Kelce at Buccaneers
2. Mark Andrews vs. Bills
3. Darren Waller vs. Broncos
4. George Kittle vs. Rams (MNF)
5. Kyle Pitts vs. Browns
6. T.J. Hockenson vs. Seahawks
7. Tyler Higbee at 49ers (MNF)
8. Zach Ertz at Panthers
9. Dallas Goedert vs. Jaguars
10. Pat Freiermuth vs. Jets

Complete positional rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | FLEX | K | DST

Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports

Week 3 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends

Start of the Week

Pat Freiermuth vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Freiermuth had just 6.1 fantasy points last week, but it was his first real stinker of the season. What’s more, he had scored at least 7.2 points in his previous nine games dating back to last season. So while the Jets have been pretty tough on enemy tight ends (only Mark Andrews has scored double digits against them this season), Freiermuth remains a start ‘em.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Freiermuth over 35.5 receiving yards (-118)

Start ‘Em

Dawson Knox at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Knox has had a slow start, scoring 16.1 fantasy points in his first three games. He has seen a combined nine targets in his last two games though, and a matchup against the Ravens is favorable. Their defense has already given up double-digit fantasy points to Tyler Conklin and Mike Gesicki, so Knox should break out of his small slump in this game.

Gerald Everett at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Everett took a step back last week, scoring just 4.5 fantasy points after starting the season with two double-digit stat lines. I’d continue to roll with him at a thin position against the Texans, who haven’t given up much to tight ends but haven’t faced any true fantasy starters either. Everett still makes sense in a game the Chargers should dominate.

Tyler Conklin at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Believe it or not, but Conklin ranks third in fantasy points among tight ends after three weeks. He’s tied for third in targets, and only Mark Andrews has more catches. That trend might change with Zach Wilson under center, but Conklin is still worth a look against the Steelers. Their defense just surrendered a touchdown and 23.9 points to David Njoku.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Conklin over 27.5 receiving yards (-120)

More Starts

• Tyler Higbee at 49ers (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• David Njoku at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains

• Dawson Knox at Ravens ($3,800)
• Tyler Conklin at Steelers ($3,600)
• Robert Tonyan vs. Patriots ($3,500)

Week 3 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends

Sit of the Week

Irv Smith Jr. at Saints (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Smith fell back to earth last week, scoring just 5.2 points after scoring 14.6 in Week 2. This week, he'll be a risk against the Saints, who have been tough against tight ends. In fact, their defense hasn't allowed a touchdown to the position in eight straight games dating back to last season. At best, Smith is a risk-reward option at a thin position.

Sit ‘Em

Evan Engram at Eagles (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Engram barely missed a score last week, but he finished with just 3.9 points in a win over the Chargers. He has now posted fewer than seven fantasy points in two of his first three games with the Jaguars, and a matchup against a tough Eagles defense makes Engram a fade. He's averaged a modest 8.2 points in four career games against Philadelphia.

Hunter Henry at Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): A top-10 fantasy tight end last season, Henry has disappeared from the Patriots offense in 2022. In his first three games, the veteran has seen just five targets (six fewer than Jonnu Smith) and ranks tied for 17th among tight ends in routes run per PFF. So while the Packers can be vulnerable to tight ends, Henry simply isn’t getting enough looks to start.

Logan Thomas at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Thomas is one of the numerous tight ends who are difficult to trust as regular fantasy starters. He's failed to score more than 7.5 fantasy points in two of his first three games, and his targets have dropped in each contest. The Cowboys have allowed just two touchdowns to tight ends in each of their last eight games dating back to last year, so Thomas is a fade.

More Sits

• Cole Kmet at Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jelani Woods vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Fades

• Evan Engram at Eagles ($3,400)
• Logan Thomas at Cowboys ($3,300)
• Albert Okwuegbunam at Raiders ($3,300)

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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!