The qualification for being a top-12 tight end after three weeks is essentially this: Have you had one good week? Only seven tight ends are averaging double-digit PPR Fantasy points, and only five of those seven have played all three games. Twelve tight ends have topped 100 receiving yards for the season. It's been a complete bloodbath, and now Trey McBride is in the concussion protocol, and Sam LaPorta is questionable with an ankle injury.

I will have streaming options for you below, but I should be clear about one thing. No matter where Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce are in the projections (outside the top 10), I am not considering dropping them. And I am not likely carrying two tight ends to pick up one of the streamers below, even if that stream projects for one more Fantasy point this week. I am getting a lot of questions asking what I am doing about Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews. For now, my answer remains the same: I am probably starting them.

This is not my way of trying to shrug off their miserable starts. I am genuinely concerned. I just do not have enough confidence in any of the waiver wire tight ends to make that move. I also don't have enough confidence in Kelce or Andrews to criticize you if you do want to make that move. There is very little reason for optimism.

Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 4:

Week 4 TE Preview

Who's Out
Numbers to Know
Matchups That Matter
Waiver Wire Targets
DFS Plays
Projections
TE Preview
Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 4 at this time. Here's what it means:

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Trey McBride TE
ARI Arizona • #85
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Elijah Higgins could be a decent streamer.
Sam LaPorta TE
DET Detroit • #87
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Expect Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams to be the biggest benefactors if LaPorta misses time.
TE Preview
Numbers to Know
  • 33% -- Mark Andrews' snap share fell to 33% in Week 3. It will be easier to give up on him if that continues.
  • 34 -- Travis Kelce does not have a game with more than 34 receiving yards this season.
  • 111 -- The Chiefs are giving up 111 receiving yards per game to opposing tight ends.
  • 30.6% -- Dallas Goedert saw a 30.6% target share in Week 3. Jalen Hurts doesn't have anyone else to throw to right now.
  • 0 -- Gerald Everett has zero yards on five targets this season. Hopefully, he's done impacting Cole Kment.
  • 18 -- Brock Bowers leads all tight ends with 18 catches. He may already be TE1 in Dynasty.
  • 2.64 -- Mike Gesicki's 2.64 YPRR ranks first amongst tight ends with at least 50 routes run this season.
TE Preview
Matchups that matter
Hayden Hurst TE
LAC L.A. Chargers • #88
Age: 31 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs KC KC -8 O/U 39

OPP VS TE

9th

PROJ PTS

6.1

TE RNK

24th

YTD Stats

REC

5

TAR

7

REYDS

53

TD

0

FPTS/G

3.4
Jonnu Smith TE
MIA Miami • #9
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs TEN TEN -1.5 O/U 37

OPP VS TE

8th

PROJ PTS

5.8

TE RNK

NR

YTD Stats

REC

9

TAR

12

REYDS

78

TD

0

FPTS/G

5.6
Hunter Henry TE
NE New England • #85
Age: 30 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ SF SF -10 O/U 39.5

OPP VS TE

26th

PROJ PTS

9.8

TE RNK

11th

YTD Stats

REC

12

TAR

18

REYDS

136

TD

0

FPTS/G

8.5
TE Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 4 Streamers (TE Preview)
Colby Parkinson TE
LAR L.A. Rams • #86
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ CHI CHI -3 O/U 41

OPP VS TE

17th

TE RNK

15th

ROSTERED

35%

YTD Stats

REC

8

TAR

12

REYDS

80

TD

0

FPTS/G

5.3
In his first full game without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, Parkinson saw a 21.7% target share from Matthew Stafford. He has two games this season with five targets, and the Rams are projected to be playing from behind.
Brenton Strange TE
JAC Jacksonville • #85
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ HOU HOU -7 O/U 45.5

OPP VS TE

9th

TE RNK

16th

ROSTERED

22%

YTD Stats

REC

5

TAR

11

REYDS

77

TD

1

FPTS/G

6.2
In two games without Evan Engram, Strange has a 15% target share, and he ranks as a top-10 tight end with 9.4 PPR FPPG. Watch the injury report closely, but if Engram is out again, Strange is a fine streamer.
TE Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
Cole Kmet TE
CHI Chicago • #85
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LAR CHI -3 O/U 41

OPP VS TE

15th

PROJ PTS

10.3

TE RNK

5th

YTD Stats

REC

15

TAR

17

REYDS

128

TD

1

FPTS/G

11.3
Kmet has 14 catches on 15 targets in the Bears' last two games. He just scored 25 PPR Fantasy points against the Colts. And his price hasn't had time to catch up. He's one of the few truly cheap tight end options that have slate-busting upside, which he just showed. Since there's no sure thing at the position, you might as well go with the cheapest upside.
Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
Elijah Higgins TE
ARI Arizona • #84
Age: 24 • Experience: 2 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs WAS ARI -3.5 O/U 50.5

OPP VS TE

7th

PROJ PTS

7.5

TE RNK

NR

YTD Stats

REC

4

TAR

4

REYDS

41

TD

1

FPTS/G

4.7
In tournaments, I may just find the cheapest tight end with a big point total and pray for a touchdown. Higgins already has one score playing with Trey McBride and now may get a chance to play against the Washington Commanders without McBride. If the projected roster rate later in the week shows Higgins as chalk, then you can pivot to Erick All, who has turned eight targets into 13.4 PPR Fantasy points without a touchdown.
TE Preview
Heath's Projections

My full set of Week 4 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. You can find them here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 3. Projected stats for all starting tight ends are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.