As always, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em is geared toward helping fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. You won't see "start Jahmyr Gibbs" here. Instead, I'm exploring the players closer to the perceived fringe and aiming to optimize your lineup for a win each week. Importantly, the new "Start of the Week" and "Sit of the Week" are the calls I have deemed the most notable in each category, not necessarily the most essential players to start or sit.
Also, you'll see quite a few references in this year's column to NFL Pro, spotlighting insights provided through Next Gen Stats data dashboards, matchup evaluations, All-22 film and the uniquely trained Fantasy AI Assistant. You can get access to all of those tools yourself with an NFL+ Premium subscription!
P.S. Feel free to follow me on X (@MattOkada) or Instagram (@mattokadaNFL) and hit me with your questions, congratulations or complaints throughout the year.
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Detroit has played six games this season and allowed at least 13 fantasy points to eight tight ends. For context, no other team has allowed more than four such performances on the year. The Lions have yielded league-highs in receiving yards (602) and touchdowns (10) to the position, along with a whopping 65.8% success rate and a 17.8% explosive catch rate. And while Hockenson isn’t the reliable TE1 he once was, he did drop a 13-catch, 119-yard performance in Week 4. Against this defense, Kyler Murray and Kevin O’Connell could turn to the veteran tight end in a similar manner, making him a strong stream in Week 8.
Notable starts
Kraft cracked this column last week and scored 14.8 fantasy points against Detroit. Thus, I'm doubling down. Kraft has logged double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four games, and Carolina has allowed a double-digit tight end in three of its last four contests.
After three confusing games in which Kincaid saw a total of seven targets, he bounced back with eight targets in Week 6, catching seven. Coming out of the bye, expect Joe Brady and Josh Allen to continue involving the explosive tight end in a duel with the Ravens.
Okonkwo was the No. 3 priority in this week's waiver wire column, so slide him into your lineup if you snagged him. He’s had four-plus catches and 60-plus yards in consecutive games and will be a top target for Jayden Daniels with Terry McLaurin out for the year.
Sit 'Em
NOTE: This is not an easy week for tight end "Sits." Almost every fringe starter is on a bye or has a good matchup. The names below are streamers to avoid, but for the most part, you're starting what you've got.
Sit of the Week
Ferguson had a strong start to the 2025 fantasy season before fading quickly, and it’s been a bit of déjà vu so far in 2026. The Cowboys TE scored three touchdowns in the first three weeks but has zero since. He's averaged just 16.4 yards per game on the year and just laid a goose egg against the Eagles on Monday Night Football. He has a measly 9.4% target share on the season and only one (incomplete) red-zone target since Week 4. The lack of reliable TE starters and a "green” matchup with the Cardinals might make Ferguson intriguing to some, but he should not be played in any reasonable league ... and is close to the drop zone.
Notable sits
Yes, Gesicki has a touchdown reception in four straight games (and five of six on the season). However, he’s caught one pass in each of his last two games. Regression is coming, likely this week against the Titans, who’ve been tough on the position for fantasy.
Rams tight ends have scored five touchdowns over the last six games, but trying to predict which one to start -- with Higbee, Parkinson and Davis Allen all competing for relevance -- is a hopeless task. Just sit all of them.
