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The Elites

Rank Previous Rank Name Team Wk 1 Snaps Wk 2 Snaps Wk 2 Increase Total Snaps
1 1 Travis Kelce KC 87% 96% 9% 135
2 2 George Kittle SF 98% 0% -98% 61
3 4 Darren Waller LV 88% 91% 3% 130
4 3 Mark Andrews BAL 71% 59% -12% 80

Set it and forget it. These are the TEs I’d be trading for if you don’t want to just live the stream at TE. 

  • George Kittle may not play this week due to lingering injury concerns plus MetLife field concerns. Even missing another week, I’d still take him as my #2 TE for the rest of the season. 
  • Darren Waller gets the official bump to the elites after 16 targets in week 2. 12 receptions on 16 targets, *moving on up…*.
  • Of course, 1 week after I put Mark Andrews into the top tier, he disappoints, but last year’s track record and his connection with LJax keep him here for now. 

 

La-Z-Boy Comfortable

Rank Previous Rank Name Team Wk 1 Snaps Wk 2 Snaps Wk 2 Increase Total Snaps
5 10 Noah Fant DEN 73% 79% 6% 104
6 5 Zach Ertz PHI 87% 94% 7% 126
7 13 Tyler Higbee LA 89% 84% -5% 124
8 6 Evan Engram NYG 94% 97% 3% 127
9 9 Mike Gesicki MIA 74% 56% -18% 88
10 17 Jonnu Smith TEN 73% 86% 13% 113
11 7 Hunter Henry LAC 80% 85% 5% 130
12 11 Dallas Goedert PHI 79% 89% 10% 117

Pop your feet up and feel comfortable knowing that you’re starting a TE with snaps, targets, and the talent, or at least the athletic agility, to make something out of the opportunities provided. 

  • Noah Fant doesn’t have a huge targets share or even team snap percentage, but with the loss of Courtland Sutton (knee), Fant should be picking up some extra work along with KJ Hamler, Tim Patrick, and DaeSean Hamilton at WR. 
  • I still believe in Zach Ertz. 14 targets through 2 weeks. Plays basically every down and his rapport with Wentz is well established.
  • Tyler Higbee doesn’t have the targets to deserve his spot, but his connection in the red zone lead to 3 TDs last week. With that kind of variance, he may not be the most steady option, but has the upside to win weeks. The yardage hasn’t carried over from the end of 2019, but he’s established himself as the TE1 for the Rams. 
  • Sterling Shepard to IR means the middle of the field should open up a little more for Engram. The Giants are still full of slot WRs, but one of them has to move outside. Engram has the snaps, the targets, and the skill. With the loss of Saquon, game scripts should be even more likely to be favorable for the passing game in NY. 
  • Gesicki truther. He’s going to be great. The only reason he’s not above Engram is because of the pending QB swap in Miami and the adjustment period that may follow. 
  • Known Jonnu hater. Doesn’t win matchups 1 on 1, and has to be schemed for in the offense. Disappears at times (like the 2nd half) because of that. However, he’s fast and big and the Titans are in need of pass catchers. Jonnu is just under a 40% TD per reception rate, which is completely unsustainable. The best TD/reception rate over the course of a full season, 27.9% by Julius Thomas in 2014. Let’s also not forget that the Titans have been sans A.J. Brown who will take some targets and red zone looks away. 
  • Hunter Henry gets a bump with Herbert for sheer volume (and probably accuracy). The only thing holding him back in the rankings is his injury history tbh. 
  • I just trust Ertz more than Goedert, but another week with similar splits and they’ll get a lot closer. 

 

Best of the Rest

Rank Previous Rank Name Team Wk 1 Snaps Wk 2 Snaps Wk 2 Increase Total Snaps
13 8 Hayden Hurst ATL 79% 65% -14% 112
14 16 Jared Cook NO 64% 65% 1% 83
15 12 T.J. Hockenson DET 64% 68% 4% 91
16 18 Chris Herndon NYJ 71% 74% 3% 88
17 15 Austin Hooper CLE 77% 98% 21% 113

Other than Jared Cook, who I view in a similar manner as Jonnu, big, fast, but not overly skilled, happens to be in the right situation. The rest of these guys, THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. I believe in the talent, but the situation is lacking.

  • Hurst made his mark in Atlanta in week 2 with 5 receptions on 8 targets, 72 yards, and a TD. It’s a great offense for TEs, but there might be some growing pains while Matty Ice and Hurst get to know each other. Quoting Rudy Gamble, “a banged up Julio is the best thing for the rest of the passing options in Atlanta.”
  • I already gave you my Jared Cook spiel.
  • Fully believe Hockenson has every bit of the talent of the members of this tier and the one above, however, he plays for the Lions. Do you know who the last TE for the Lions was to put up a 150 point PPR season? Brandon Pettigrew, the answer is Brandon Pettigrew in 2011.
  • Just going to keep telling you that Herndon is a gifted receiving TE being wasted on the Jets. However, similar to the Engram piece earlier, the Jets should be in favorable passing game scripts all season.
  • Austin Hooper might as well be playing for the Lions. The Browns offense/Baker Mayfield does not run through the TE position. I’m hopeful that the target share continues to climb, but if it doesn’t happen soon, he’ll be dropping down to the next tier. 

 

Could Be Worse

Rank Previous Rank Name Team Wk 1 Snaps Wk 2 Snaps Wk 2 Increase Total Snaps
18 NR Tyler Eifert JAC 58% 59% 1% 74
19 NR Drew Sample CIN 35% 59% 24% 78
20 20 Logan Thomas WAS 76% 91% 15% 113
21 NR Dalton Schultz DAL 69% 63% -6% 94
22 14 Rob Gronkowski TB 77% 69% -8% 96
23 NR Jordan Reed SF 16% 46% 30% 38
24 NR Jordan Akins HOU 81% 83% 2% 97
25 NR Mo Alie-Cox IND 41% 66% 25% 79
  • Tyler Eifert doesn’t play every down, but he is used in the red zone and Gardner is looking for him down there. His 3 red zone targets in week 2 was tied for 2nd among TEs. 
  • Speaking of red zone threats, Drew Sample is tied for the most red zone targets among TEs with Mark Andrews at 5.
  • I wanted to bump up Thomas because he’s getting the snaps and the targets you want from a TE. Unfortunately, he plays for the Washington Football Team. 
  • Dalton Shultz took over for Blake Jarwin and exploded with 9 receptions for 88 yards and a score. There are a ton of options in Dallas though and I don’t think Dalton is particularly good himself. 
  • What a fall for Gronk. I was, and still am to some extent (in deeper leagues), willing to see if Gronk can get on the same page as Brady again, but 4 total targets over 2 games and hasn’t looked like the Gronk we used to know and love, on the football field. 
  • I refuse to get behind Jordan Akins too much because my boy Kahale Warring is coming for that job at some point. 
  • Mo Alie-Cox actually looked good in week 2 and Rivers seemed to look toward him often with 6 targets (tied for the team lead). Jack Doyle’s injury doesn’t sound too serious though, and I’m not sure that Mo’s snap percentage and target share don’t drop back closer to week 1 figures.

 

The Rest of the Story

Rank Previous Rank Name Team Wk 1 Snaps Wk 2 Snaps Wk 2 Increase Total Snaps
26 22 Jimmy Graham CHI 82% 62% -20% 93
27 23 Greg Olsen SEA 64% 70% 6% 86
28 19 Jack Doyle IND 77% 0% -77% 57
29 NR OJ Howard TB 53% 56% 3% 71
30 NR Eric Ebron PIT 62% 76% 14% 90
31 21 Irv Smith Jr. MIN 60% 65% 5% 66
  • Jimmy G is a TD dependent option at this point in his career. I thought the 7 targets in week 1 may have been a sign, but maybe not. It’s possible his role was more game script related in each of these contests, but I still don’t trust Jimmy Graham at this point in his career. 
  • Greg Olsen I do still kind of trust at this point in his career, but with the standard, ‘when he’s healthy and on the field’ exception. Olsen and Dissly are splitting snaps, and it seems like Russ is pretty content throwing to his 2 outside threats.
  • I believe in Irv Smith’s talent, but under 70% snap rate and only 5 targets in 2 weeks. He needs a Rudolph injury this season to really move aggressively up this board.