Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Tight Ends for Fantasy Football Week 18

Michael Fabiano | Jan 2, 2025

Mark Andrews (left) is a start this week while Kyle Pitts (right) is a sit. / Mark Andrews: Cooper Neill/Getty ImagesKyle Pitts: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It’s Week 18, folks! For you crazies who play this week, let’s set those fantasy lineups and take home a championship! Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I'll examine the quarterbacks who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their opponents.

For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and I, as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!

All Positions: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | K & DSTs

Fabs’ Top 10 Tight Ends

1. Brock Bowers vs. Chargers
2. Trey McBride vs. 49ers
3. George Kittle at Cardinals
4. Sam LaPorta vs. Vikings
5. Mark Andrews vs. Browns (Sat.)
6. T.J. Hockenson at Lions
7. Jonnu Smith at Jets
8. Pat Freiermuth vs. Bengals (Sat.)
9. Zach Ertz at Cowboys
10. Chig Okonkwo vs. Texans

Complete Week 18 tight end rankings

Week 18 Start ‘Em: Tight Ends

Start of the Week

Mark Andrews vs. Browns (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN): Andrews has been one of the most consistent fantasy tight ends in the last five weeks, scoring a touchdown in each contest and averaging 14.7 points. He’s a virtual must-start against the Browns, who have given up a least 9.9 fantasy points to six different tight ends since Week 11, including Andrews beating them for five catches, 36 yards, a touchdown and 14.6 points back in Week 8.

Start ‘Em

Tucker Kraft vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Kraft’s numbers have been anything but good in the last three weeks, as he’s failed to score more than 9.5 points and hasn’t seen more than four targets in any of those contests. Still, he gets a plus matchup against a Bears defense that’s allowed at least 9.4 points to tight ends six times since Week 10. During that time, four players at the position have scored at least 14.3 points against them.

TEs With Good Matchups

• Pat Freiermuth vs. Bengals (Sat. 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Chig Okonkwo vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Sam LaPorta vs. Vikings (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

Week 18 Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends

Sit of the Week

Jake Ferguson vs. Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Ferguson, listed as a sit ‘em last week, scored just 2.8 fantasy points in a loss to the Eagles. He’s now scored single digits in four of his last five games, and he hasn’t found the end zone even once in the season. This week’s matchup against the Commanders isn’t bad on paper, but Ferguson’s overall lack of production in the second half of the season makes him tough to trust this weekend.

Sit ‘Em

Kyle Pitts vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Pitts posted a touchdown and 14.4 points in a loss to the Commanders, but it was his first time scoring more than 9.5 points since Week 8! In that time, Pitts has been held to single digits in all but one game, and he’s seen more than four targets in just three of his last eight contests. The Panthers have also allowed just 37.3 yards per game to tight ends since Week 14, so don’t chase the points here.

TEs With Bad Matchups

• Dalton Kincaid at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Dalton Schultz at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Cole Kmet at Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)