Week 9 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | Team D/K

Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players such as Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all of your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily.

Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.

Byes: Steelers, Titans 

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Tight End Rankings For Week 9 

1. Brock Bowers at 49ers
2. Trey McBride at Seahawks
3. Isaiah Likely at Eagles 
4. George Kittle vs. Raiders
5. Sam LaPorta at Dolphins
6. Colston Loveland at Buccaneers
7. Tucker Kraft at Patriots
8. Tyler Warren vs. Cowboys
9. Harold Fannin Jr. at Saints
10. T.J. Hockenson vs. Bills (Mon.)

Week 9 Start ’Em Tight Ends

Start of the Week

Sam LaPorta at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Fox): LaPorta has posted two stinkers in a row, totaling just 9.3 fantasy points and catching only four passes for the Lions. Still, he’s in line to post one of the better stat lines among tight ends this week against the Dolphins. Their defense has surrendered the third-most fantasy points per game and the sixth-most yards per target to tight ends. Miami has also allowed five tight ends to beat them for 10-plus points, including three with at least 18. 

Jared Goff with a strike to Sam LaPorta for a 28-yard gain!@NYJvsDET on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mFPbUcdqj1

— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026

Start ’Em

T.J. Hockenson vs. Bills (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Hockenson has re-emerged as a solid fantasy starter, scoring 13-plus fantasy points in each of his last three full games. He has also scored a touchdown in each of his last two games. The Vikings veteran gets a great matchup this week too, as the Bills have allowed five tight ends to score at least 11 fantasy points since Week 2. I’d continue to ride Hockenson while he’s hot at a very thin tight end position.

Harold Fannin Jr. at Saints (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Fannin is coming off his best game of the year, scoring 23.4 fantasy points in a loss to the Steelers. The Browns tight end has scored 36.5 fantasy points in his last two games, during which time he has seen 21 combined targets. He should remain in most starting lineups against the Saints, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. What’s more, New Orleans has allowed the third-highest EPA per target.

Kyle Pitts Sr. vs. Bengals (Madrid 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Pitts and the entire Falcons offense laid an egg in the rain last week in Tampa Bay, but the veteran had scored 13-plus points in each of his previous three games. I’d stick with him against the Falcons, who have allowed 14-plus fantasy points to each of the last two tight ends they’ve faced. That includes the Titans' Gunnar Helm, who racked up 76 receiving yards and 14.6 fantasy points in Week 8.

More Starts

• Colston Loveland vs. Buccaneers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Travis Kelce vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Tyler Higbee at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Tight End Streamers

• Mason Taylor at Chiefs (9%): Taylor has had five-plus targets in three straight games, and the Chiefs have allowed the fifth-highest fantasy points per route run to tight ends.
• Darren Waller vs. Broncos (7%): The Broncos have allowed 10-plus fantasy points to tight ends five times this season, including each of their last two games.
• Greg Dulcich vs. Lions (2%): Dulcich has scored at least 8.3 fantasy points in four of his last five games, and the Lions have allowed the most points to tight ends. 

Week 9 Sit ’Em Tight Ends

Sit of the Week 

Dalton Kincaid vs. Vikings (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Kincaid went off last week, scoring a solid 18.6 fantasy points in the Bills' win over the Ravens. He now has had 14 targets in his last two games, so it’ll be tough to sit him in fantasy leagues. Still, I’d beware of a matchup against the Vikings. No defense has allowed fewer fantasy points per game to tight ends, and not a single opposing player at the position has scored more than 9.5 points this season.

Sit ’Em

Juwan Johnson vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Johnson had a hot start to the season, scoring 10-plus points in four straight games with at least seven targets in three of those games. That was then, and this is now: Johnson has just 10 combined targets in his last three games, during which time he has scored 7.3 fantasy points. With the Saints using three tight ends in their most recent rotations, it’s hard to trust Johnson even in a plus matchup.

Dalton Schultz at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Schultz has failed to score in double digits in each of his last five games, during which time he has averaged a mere 6.3 points. I’d keep him on the sidelines this week, as the Texans veteran will face a Chargers defense that has been tough on opposing tight ends. Aside from Cardinals star Trey McBride, who puts up great numbers against almost every team, San Diego's defense hasn’t allowed a tight end to score more than 9.5 fantasy points this season.

Oronde Gadsden II vs. Texans (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Gadsden is coming off his best game of the season, posting five catches for 52 yards and 10.2 fantasy points. However, the Chargers tight end had been held to fewer than five points in three of his previous four games, and a matchup against the Texans is unfavorable. Their defense has allowed the fifth-fewest points per game and the fourth-lowest EPA per route run to tight ends, so Gadsden might struggle to produce.

More Sits

• Mark Andrews vs. Jaguars (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Chig Okonkwo vs. Rams (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Michael Mayer at 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)