NFL Week 10 Tight End Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Sleepers

| Friday, November 13, 2026 | Week 10 Sunday and Monday

Tight end is one of the biggest headaches in fantasy football. One week your guy catches eight passes and scores twice. The next he disappears like he was never on the field.

This weekend has real opportunities to exploit, thanks to injuries, new quarterbacks and matchups worth attacking. We're covering the stars, the sleepers, the touchdown candidates and the bargains that could swing your DFS lineups.

The Tight Ends You Need to Know About

1. Brock Bowers, Raiders vs. Seahawks

Bowers is still one of the most valuable tight ends in fantasy. He's a matchup problem as a receiver, and his target volume gives him a far higher floor than most at the position. One new wrinkle: rookie Fernando Mendoza makes his first career start after the Kirk Cousins trade, and young quarterbacks tend to lean on their tight end.

Fantasy: MUST START.
DFS: Premium option with tournament-winning upside.
Props: Receptions and receiving yards overs, and a strong anytime touchdown candidate.

Verdict: If you drafted Bowers, you're starting him. Don't overthink it. Seahawks at Raiders matchup

2. George Kittle, 49ers at Cowboys

Kittle combines receiving production and touchdown potential as well as any tight end. The 49ers-Cowboys total is 55.5 on our board, the highest of the week, and San Francisco's receiver room is banged up with Brandon Aiyuk out and Mike Evans questionable.

Fantasy: MUST START.
DFS: An excellent stack with Brock Purdy.
Props: Receptions and receiving yards overs, plus a strong anytime touchdown case.

49ers at Cowboys matchup

3. Trey McBride, Cardinals vs. Rams

McBride is an elite receiving tight end and should stay heavily involved. With rookie Carson Beck making his first start and Michael Wilson on injured reserve, McBride could be an even bigger part of the offense. A safety blanket for a first-time starter is exactly what you want.

Fantasy: MUST START.
DFS: High-floor receiving option.
Props: Receptions and receiving yards overs, with an anytime touchdown worth a look.

Verdict: One of the safest tight ends on the board. Rams at Cardinals matchup

4. Travis Kelce, Chiefs at Falcons

Kelce is still a major part of Kansas City's passing game, especially in the red zone, even with deadline pickup Josh Downs joining the receiver room.

Fantasy: START.
DFS: Strong tournament option.
Props: Receptions over, with yardage matchup-dependent. Anytime touchdown is worth a look.

Chiefs at Falcons matchup

5. Tyler Warren, Colts vs. Dolphins

Warren wins with short catches, yards after the catch and red-zone looks. With Indianapolis having traded Josh Downs and Keenan Allen and Alec Pierce on injured reserve, he's the Colts' clear top target.

Fantasy: START.
DFS: Strong mid-range option.
Props: Receptions and receiving yards overs, plus an anytime touchdown to consider.

Dolphins at Colts matchup

6. Isaiah Likely, Giants: Already Played

Likely played Thursday night, so he's not a Sunday option, but he earned a mention: 9 catches for 127 yards and a 66-yard touchdown in the 24-21 loss to Washington. He's a tight end to watch going forward. Box score

Start 'Em: The Tight Ends We Want in Lineups

Tier 1: Elite Starts

Brock Bowers, George Kittle, Trey McBride, Travis Kelce and Tyler Warren. You don't bench these players unless an injury or an unusual roster situation forces your hand.

Tier 2: Strong Starts

Hunter Henry, Patriots at Lions. Henry has a strong opportunity in a 49.5-total game, but he's listed as questionable, so confirm his status first. If he plays, he's excellent value. Props to research: receptions and receiving yards overs, plus anytime touchdown. Patriots at Lions matchup

Darren Waller, Panthers at Saints. Waller can still produce as a receiver, and New Orleans is an interesting matchup in a 48.5-total game. A start in deeper leagues and a possible salary-saver. Props to research: receptions and receiving yards. Panthers at Saints matchup

Brenton Strange, Jaguars at Titans. Strange is efficient when he gets chances, but Jacksonville is a 10.5-point favorite, and big leads can cut into his volume. A TE1/TE2 depending on league size, and a tournament play. Props to research: receptions and a speculative anytime touchdown. Jaguars at Titans matchup

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers at Bengals. A viable streamer with touchdown potential in a 49.5-total division game. A start in deeper formats and a mid-range DFS option. Props to research: receptions and anytime touchdown. Steelers at Bengals matchup

Mike Gesicki, Bengals vs. Steelers. A TE2 with upside on the other side of the same game, and a cheap tournament play. Props to research: receptions and receiving yards.

Sit 'Em: Tight Ends to Avoid

Tucker Kraft, Packers vs. Vikings. Kraft is talented, but this is a matchup that worries us in a 41.5-total game. Sit him if you have a comparable option. Prop lean: unders on receptions or yards, depending on the line. Vikings at Packers matchup

Sam LaPorta, Lions vs. Patriots. LaPorta hasn't been consistent, and New England is a tough matchup. A low-end TE1/TE2. Prop lean: yardage under if the line looks inflated.

Mark Andrews, Ravens vs. Chargers (Monday). Jacoby Brissett's arrival makes Baltimore's passing game interesting, and a backup quarterback could mean more short throws to the tight end. But the 38.5 total is the week's lowest. Sit him if you have a better option. Prop lean: receiving yards under. Chargers at Ravens matchup

Juwan Johnson, Saints vs. Panthers. Hard to trust his target share right now. SIT. Prop lean: receptions under.

Chig Okonkwo, Commanders. Washington already played Thursday, when Okonkwo caught 4 of 8 targets for 24 yards. He's not a Sunday option.

Waiver Wire: Tight Ends to Pick Up

Mike Gesicki, Bengals: A favorable spot and growing involvement.
Darren Waller, Panthers: His usage suggests more targets could be coming.
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers: A dependable streamer with touchdown upside.
Eli Raridon, Patriots: A deep-league sleeper, especially if Hunter Henry's status keeps him out or limited.
Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker, Cowboys: Jake Ferguson is out until late November, so Dallas's tight end snaps are up for grabs. Don't confuse extra snaps with guaranteed production.
Tyler Higbee, Rams: Worth watching if he plays, but he's questionable and so are Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen. Risky.

Check every backfield and tight end room on our NFL depth charts.

Tight End Prop Leans

Tight end props get less attention than receivers and backs, which can create value. Week 10 props haven't posted on our NFL props page yet, so these are directions to research, not numbers:

Brock Bowers: receptions OVER
George Kittle: receptions OVER
Trey McBride: receptions OVER
Travis Kelce: receptions OVER
Tyler Warren: receptions OVER
Hunter Henry: receptions OVER (if active)
Darren Waller: receptions OVER
Mike Gesicki: receptions OVER
Tucker Kraft: receptions UNDER
Mark Andrews: receptions UNDER
Sam LaPorta: receptions UNDER

The number is everything. Bowers over a low reception line is a very different bet from Bowers over a high one. Compare every posted line against our NFL projections.

DFS Tight End Value

Top tier: Brock Bowers, George Kittle and Trey McBride. Worth paying up for when you're building around a high-upside passing game.

Mid-range: Travis Kelce, Tyler Warren, Hunter Henry (if active) and Darren Waller.

Bargain and tournament plays: Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, Eli Raridon and Brevyn Spann-Ford. Confirm prices, roles and expected routes before you lock them in.

Stacks:

49ers: Brock Purdy, Kittle and Christian McCaffrey or a 49ers receiver.
Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, Kelce and Rashee Rice.
Patriots: Drake Maye, Henry and a Patriots receiver.
Cardinals: Carson Beck, McBride and an Arizona receiver.

Our NFL DFS tools line up price against production for every tight end.

Tight End Touchdown Candidates

Tier 1: George Kittle, Brock Bowers, Trey McBride and Travis Kelce.

Tier 2: Hunter Henry, Tyler Warren, Sam LaPorta and Pat Freiermuth.

Long shots: Mike Gesicki, Darren Waller, Brenton Strange and Brevyn Spann-Ford.

Touchdown props swing hard. A tight end can have a huge receiving day without scoring.

Tight End Parlay Ideas

Parlay 1: The Big Names

Brock Bowers over receptions
George Kittle over receptions
Trey McBride over receptions

Parlay 2: Touchdown Hunt

George Kittle anytime touchdown
Travis Kelce anytime touchdown
Tyler Warren anytime touchdown

Parlay 3: Value Receivers

Hunter Henry over receptions (if active)
Mike Gesicki over receptions
Tyler Warren over receptions

Parlay 4: DFS and Betting Crossover

Brock Bowers over receptions
George Kittle over receptions
Travis Kelce over receptions

Don't force all four into one ticket. Compare the prices and consider playing the strongest props on their own. The AI NFL parlay builder builds from the real board, and the NFL teaser generator is there if you'd rather move a spread.

Tight End Injury Watch

From our NFL injury report as of Friday morning:

Hunter Henry, Patriots: Questionable
Dalton Kincaid, Bills: Questionable
Harold Fannin Jr., Browns: Questionable
T.J. Hockenson, Vikings: Questionable
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys: Out until late November
Josh Whyle, Packers: Questionable
Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen, Rams: All questionable
David Njoku, Chargers: Injured reserve, eligible to return for Monday night

Check the inactive lists on game day. Going from questionable to active doesn't guarantee a full workload. NFL player news has every update as it happens.

FantasyDailies Final Tight End Rankings

Best overall tight end: Brock Bowers
Best DFS tight end: George Kittle
Best receiving-volume play: Trey McBride
Best bargain: Hunter Henry, if he's active without a workload limit
Best sleeper: Darren Waller
Best touchdown candidate: George Kittle
Best waiver target: Mike Gesicki
Biggest disappointment risk: Tucker Kraft against Minnesota
Best salary-saving tournament play: Eli Raridon, if Henry sits

Final Word

Tight end isn't about picking the biggest name. It's about finding the players actually getting targets, running routes and seeing red-zone looks. Bowers, Kittle and McBride are the premium options. Henry, Waller and Gesicki offer value. And the injuries to Ferguson, Kincaid, Hockenson and others open doors for managers willing to look past the obvious names. Check the final injury reports, compare the lines and confirm prices before kickoff, or paste your roster into the AI lineup analyzer and let it grade every start and sit.

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NFL Week 10 Tight End Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Sleepers, Waiver Wire, DFS Value, Props and Touchdown Parlays