It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the final week of the fantasy football season. While most fantasy leagues wrapped up last week, some continue to the end of the line and hold their championship games in Week 18. For you courageous souls, Fantrax has you covered. Week 18 can be a tricky week to set lineups. Teams that clinched a playoff spot may opt to rest their starters or pull them early from the game. There’s a lot to consider in the final week of the season, so let’s go ahead and take a look at the Week 18 tight end rankings and notes.
Week 18 Tight End Notes
- Evan Engram had a dud game last week, catching one of his two targets for 16 receiving yards and adding another 13 yards on the ground. However, Engram wasn’t needed much as the Jaguars were up early in the game. He should be relied upon more in Week 18 in an AFC South title-deciding game against the Titans. Tennessee allows the most receiving yards to tight ends, as well as the fifth-most fantasy points. Engram torched the Titans in Week 14 to the tune of 162 receiving yards and two scores. He’s a top-five tight end for me in the season finale.
- Dawson Knox has been on a touchdown roll, finding the end zone in each of his last three games. He also has 20 targets over that span, tied for fourth-most among the position. That scoring streak could continue this week when the Bills host the Patriots. Tight ends have scored a total of 10 touchdowns against New England this season, tied for second-most in the league. Knox is a top-10 tight end for me in Week 18.
- I’m going back to the Tyler Conklin well this week. He’s coming off a game where he caught all six of his targets for a team-leading 80 receiving yards. Conklin is a popular target for Mike White, seeing at least six targets in three of the four games with White under center. The targets should keep coming this week against Miami. The Dolphins allow the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends, and the 10 touchdowns they’ve surrendered to the position is tied for second-most. Conklin is a back-end TE1 for me this week. UPDATE: Joe Flacco will start for the Jets in Week 18. In three games with Flacco under center, Conklin averaged eight targets and 47 receiving yards. He remains a back-end TE1 for me.
- Chigoziem Okonkwo is a solid streaming play this week. He gets a favorable matchup against a Jacksonville defense giving up the fifth-most receiving yards and ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends. Okonkwo last faced the Jaguars in Week 14 where he caught all six of his targets for 45 receiving yards and a touchdown. This is a must-win game for the Titans, and Okonkwo should get looks from Joshua Dobbs in this one. He is a TE2 with upside in Week 18.
Week 18 Tight End Rankings
Note: Ranks based on half-PPR scoring
Rnk | Player | Team | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Travis Kelce | KC | @LVR |
2 | George Kittle | SF | ARI |
3 | T.J. Hockenson | MIN | @CHI |
4 | Evan Engram | JAX | TEN |
5 | Mark Andrews | BAL | @CIN |
6 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | NYG |
7 | Pat Freiermuth | PIT | CLE |
8 | Dalton Schultz | DAL | @WAS |
9 | Dawson Knox | BUF | NE |
10 | Darren Waller | LVR | KC |
11 | Taysom Hill | NO | CAR |
12 | Tyler Conklin | NYJ | @MIA |
13 | Tyler Higbee | LAR | @SEA |
14 | Chigoziem Okonkwo | TEN | @JAX |
15 | Cade Otton | TB | @ATL |
16 | Cole Kmet | CHI | MIN |
17 | Gerald Everett | LAC | @DEN |
18 | Juwan Johnson | NO | CAR |
19 | David Njoku | CLE | @PIT |
20 | Hunter Henry | NE | @BUF |
21 | Robert Tonyan | GB | DET |
22 | Trey McBride | ARI | @SF |
23 | Jordan Akins | HOU | @IND |
24 | Logan Thomas | WAS | DAL |