Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Tight Ends Fantasy Football Week 6: Zach Ertz Ready to Roll

The Cardinals TE faces a defense that has been very kind to the position.

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 vs. Bills
2. Mark Andrews at Giants
3. Tyler Higbee vs. Panthers
4. Zach Ertz at Seahawks
5. Dallas Goedert vs. Cowboys
6. George Kittle at Falcons
7. David Njoku vs. Patriots
8. Gerald Everett vs. Broncos (MNF)
9. Taysom Hill vs. Bengals
10. Evan Engram at Colts

Byes: Lions, Raiders, Texans, Titans

My Week 6 rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | FLEX | K | DST

Week 6 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

Zach Ertz has a plus-plus matchup this week against the Seahawks :: Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports

Week 6 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends

Start of the Week

Zach Ertz at Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Ertz is an obvious start in fantasy land, but he could have a massive game against the Seahawks. Their defense gave up nearly 40 fantasy points to T.J. Hockenson in Week 4, and “tight end” Taysom Hill scored 34.1 against them a week ago. In all, their defense has allowed five players at the position to score double-digit fantasy points in five contests.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Ertz anytime TD (+170)

Start ‘Em

George Kittle at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Kittle has been a bust so far this year, scoring fewer than eight fantasy points in each of his three games. What’s more, he has scored in single digits in each of his last six games dating back to last season. I’d still start him this week, though, as the Falcons have surrendered an average of more than 17 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends this season.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Kittle over 42.5 receiving yards (-125)

David Njoku vs. Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Njoku has been hot in recent weeks, scoring a combined 48.4 fantasy points in his last three games. So while a game against the Patriots isn’t a great matchup on paper, it’ll be tough to sit him during a bye week. Njoku‘s usage (7.7 targets per game) and targets share (23.5%) in that time are also near the top of those categories. Consider him a mid-level No. 1 TE.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Njoku over 38.5 receiving yards (-120)

Irv Smith Jr. at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Smith has been putting up huge totals, but he’s seen no fewer than four targets in four straight games during which time he’s averaged 5.8 targets. That’s good enough to consider him a bye-week replacement for a plus matchup against the Dolphins. Their defense has allowed an average of nearly 15 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends in 2022.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Smith Jr. over 30.5 receiving yards (-120)

More Starts
• Taysom Hill vs. Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Evan Engram at Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains
• Irv Smith Jr. at Dolphins ($3,200)
• Daniel Bellinger vs. Ravens ($3,200)
• Will Dissly vs. Cardinals ($3,100)

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Week 6 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends

Sit of the Week

Dalton Schultz at Eagles (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Schultz has been invisible in the stat sheets over the last three weeks, scoring a combined 1.8 fantasy points. He is dealing with a knee that’s less than 100%, and it seems that Schultz and Cooper Rush aren’t on the same page in the offense. This week’s matchup against the Eagles and their formidable defense is even more reason to avoid Schultz.

Sit ‘Em

Hayden Hurst at Saints (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Hurst will be tough to sit, as he’s put up a combined 29 fantasy points in his last two games. Still, this week’s matchup against the Saints makes him a risk in fantasy leagues. Their defense hasn’t given up a touchdown to a tight end since Week 12 of last season, and the position has averaged just 6.5 fantasy points against them after the first five weeks of 2022.

Hunter Henry at Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Henry is coming off his best game of the season, scoring 9.4 fantasy points in a win over the Lions. Of course, he saw more work with Jonnu Smith out of action and it was against Detroit’s awful pass defense. I’d avoid chasing the points this week, even during the byes, against a Browns defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends.

Tyler Conklin at Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Conklin had a hot start to the season, but his numbers have tanked in the last two weeks since the return of Zach Wilson. In that time, he’s scored a combined 8.2 fantasy points including zero last week. I’d fade Conklin this week, as the Jets face a Packers defense that’s allowed just seven fantasy points per game to tight ends. That’s fifth fewest in the NFL.

More Sits
• Kyle Pitts vs. 49ers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Mike Gesicki vs. Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Fades
• Kyle Pitts vs. 49ers ($4,200)
• Robert Tonyan vs. Jets ($3,600)
• Tyler Conklin at Packers ($3,400)

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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!