Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system. For your final starting lineup decisions, check my weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes:Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Is this low-hanging fruit? Yes it is, but there's four teams on a bye and the tight end position is super thin. Enter Hooper, who wasn't drafted to be a No. 1 tight end but has emerged into close to an elite player at the position. Arizona has given up the third-most catches, the most yards, the most touchdowns and the most fantasy points to tight ends.
Dissly has emerged into a solid option, as he's scored 12-plus points in four straight games including a combined four scores. He has also scored more fantasy points in the red zone than any tight end in the league, and his rapport with Russell Wilson gets better each week. He'll face a Browns defense that was just gashed by George Kittle.
Let's be honest, Olsen has been a dud in recent weeks with a combined 2.5 fantasy points in his last two games. Still, he remains a solid option with four teams on a bye against the Buccaneers. Their defense has allowed 7.4 catches, 89 yards and the second-most fantasy points to tight ends, including 17 to Olsen back in Week 2.
Everett has been a fantasy star over the last two weeks, ranking second in targets, first in catches, first in receiving yards and first in fantasy points among tight ends. At what is a thin position, he is now a worthwhile add and start against the 49ers in what could be a high-scoring game. Everett is a free agent in many NFL.com leagues.
Start 'Em:Delanie Walker at Denver Broncos, Vance McDonald vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Sleepers:Noah Fant vs. Tennessee Titans, Jordan Akins at Kansas City Chiefs
Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
Howard has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football, and his prospects don't figure to improve in London. The veteran ranks 31st at the position in targets, and 36 tight ends have run more routes in the red zone. Carolina has also allowed just 3.2 catches, 28 yards and the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends.
Cook found the end zone for the first time this season a week ago, so some fantasy fans will chase the fantasy points. I'd beware, though, as he ranks 14th in targets per game, 12th in routes run and just 16th in red-zone routes among tight ends. The Jaguars have allowed just 9.5 fantasy points per game to tight ends as well, so Cook remains a fade.
Hockenson is coming off a bye week, and a lot of fantasy fans will be forced to start him with four teams on a bye. Keep in mind, however, that the Packers have surrendered just 36.2 yards per game to tight ends, and the position has found the end zone just once against them. Hockenson has also averaged 4.8 points since the season opener.
Graham was a popular streamer a week ago, and he failed to produce with just three catches on three targets for 41 yards. Next up is a date with the Lions, who have held tight ends to an average of four catches per game ... and that includes matchups agaist Zach Ertz and Travis Kelce. Unless you're desperate, and many are, Graham is a fade.
Sit 'Em:Kyle Rudolph vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Jason Witten at New York Jets
Busts:Tyler Eifert at Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Goedert at Minnesota Vikings
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
