The tight end position has seen many new names atop fantasy football rankings and stats recaps, with true breakout players shining when it matters most.
The likes of Kyle Pitts, coming off his own historic fantasy performance, and Harold Fannin Jr. Stood out among a large group of Week 16 difference-makers. (12 tight ends scored a touchdown last week!)
With more trustworthy options than expected this late in the season, the fantasy TE group can actually provide a sense of security heading into the fantasy championship round.
Here's your list of Week 17 tight ends with start-sit tips for your league finals.
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Fantasy TE Week 17 Rankings PPR: Start 'em, sit 'em tight end lineup tips
These Week 17 tight end player ratings account for point-per-reception (PPR) league scoring, with one additional point awarded for every 10 receiving yards, along with the standard 6 points per touchdown.
Any player's TE Bonus lineup consideration (weighing tight end receptions more heavily in point rewards) is noted below in the Week 17 Value column.
↕️ Fantasy Rankings for Week 17 tight ends
| Rk | Tr | Name | TM | OPP | Week 17 Value |
| 1 | 1 | Trey McBride | ARI | @CIN | Elite TE1 |
| 2 | 1 | Harold Fannin | CLE | PIT | Elite TE1 |
| 3 | 1 | Kyle Pitts | ATL | LAR | Elite TE1 |
| 4 | 2 | George Kittle | SF | CHI | TE1 |
| 5 | 2 | Brock Bowers | LV | NYG | TE1 |
| 6 | 3 | Dalton Schultz | HOU | @LAC | TE1 |
| 7 | 3 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | @BUF | TE1 |
| 8 | 4 | Darren Waller | MIA | TB | TE1 |
| 9 | 4 | Colston Loveland | CHI | @SF | TE1 |
| 10 | 4 | Travis Kelce | KC | DEN | TE1 |
| 11 | 4 | Juwan Johnson | NO | @TEN | TE1 |
| 12 | 4 | Hunter Henry | NE | @NYJ | TE1 |
| 13 | 5 | Jake Ferguson | DAL | @WAS | Strong TE Streamer |
| 14 | 5 | Cade Otton | TB | @MIA | Strong TE Streamer |
| 15 | 5 | Oronde Gadsden | LAC | HOU | Strong TE Streamer |
| 16 | 5 | Taysom Hill | NO | @TEN | Strong TE Streamer |
| 17 | 5 | T.J. Hockenson | MIN | DET | Strong TE Streamer |
| 18 | 6 | Brenton Strange | JAX | @IND | TE Streamer |
| 19 | 6 | Isaiah Likely | BAL | @GB | TE Streamer |
| 20 | 6 | Dawson Knox | BUF | PHI | TE Streamer |
| 21 | 6 | Tyler Warren | IND | JAX | TE Streamer |
| 22 | 7 | Mike Gesicki | CIN | ARI | TE Streamer |
| 23 | 7 | Luke Musgrave | GB | BAL | TE Streamer |
| 24 | 7 | Evan Engram | DEN | @KC | TE Streamer |
| 25 | 7 | Colby Parkinson | LAR | @ATL | TE Streamer |
| 26 | 8 | Mark Andrews | BAL | @GB | Deep TE Bonus Sleeper |
| 27 | 8 | Chig Okonkwo | TEN | NO | Deep TE Bonus Sleeper |
| 28 | 8 | Dalton Kincaid | BUF | PHI | Deep TE Bonus Sleeper |
| 29 | 8 | AJ Barner | SEA | @CAR | Deep TE Bonus Sleeper |
| 30 | 9 | Luke Schoonmaker | DAL | @WAS | Bench |
| 31 | 9 | Josh Oliver | MIN | DET | Bench |
| 32 | 9 | Stone Smartt | NYJ | NE | Bench |
| 33 | 9 | Jeremy Ruckert | NYJ | NE | Bench |
| 34 | 9 | Jonnu Smith | PIT | @CLE | Bench |
| 35 | 9 | Gunnar Helm | TEN | NO | Bench |
| 36 | 10 | Greg Dulcich | MIA | TB | Bench |
| 37 | 10 | Elijah Higgins | ARI | @CIN | Bench |
| 38 | 10 | Noah Gray | KC | DEN | Bench |
| 39 | 10 | Theo Johnson | NYG | @LV | Bench |
| 40 | 10 | Daniel Bellinger | NYG | @LV | Bench |
| 41 | 10 | Mitchell Evans | CAR | SEA | Bench |
| 42 | 10 | Pat Freiermuth | PIT | @CLE | Bench |
| 43 | 10 | Shane Zylstra | DET | @MIN | Bench |
| 44 | 11 | Devin Culp | TB | @MIA | Bench |
| 45 | 11 | Cole Kmet | CHI | @SF | Bench |
| 46 | 11 | Austin Hooper | NE | @NYJ | Bench |
| 47 | 11 | Ja'Tavion Sanders | CAR | SEA | Bench |
| 48 | 11 | Adam Trautman | DEN | @KC | Bench |
| 49 | 11 | Darnell Washington | PIT | @CLE | Bench |
| 50 | 11 | Jackson Hawes | BUF | PHI | Bench |
| 51 | 12 | Cade Stover | HOU | @LAC | Bench |
| 52 | 12 | Pharaoh Brown | ARI | @CIN | Bench |
| 53 | 12 | Will Dissly | LAC | HOU | Bench |
| 54 | 12 | Davis Allen | LAR | @ATL | Bench |
| 55 | 12 | Anthony Firkser | DET | @MIN | Bench |
| 56 | 12 | Drew Sample | CIN | ARI | Bench |
| 57 | 12 | Tanner Hudson | CIN | ARI | Bench |
| 58 | 12 | Charlie Woerner | ATL | LAR | Bench |
| 59 | 12 | Ian Thomas | LV | NYG | Bench |
| 60 | 12 | Foster Moreau | NO | @TEN | Bench |
| 61 | 12 | Tommy Tremble | CAR | SEA | Bench |
| 62 | 12 | John FitzPatrick | GB | BAL | Bench |
| 63 | 12 | Quintin Morris | JAX | @IND | Bench |
| 64 | 12 | Julian Hill | MIA | TB | Bench |
| 65 | 12 | Payne Durham | TB | @MIA | Bench |
| 66 | 12 | Durham Smythe | CHI | @SF | Bench |
| 67 | 13 | Jared Wiley | KC | DEN | Bench |
| 68 | 13 | Cam Grandy | CIN | ARI | Bench |
| 69 | 13 | Ben Sims | MIN | DET | Bench |
| 70 | 13 | Grant Calcaterra | PHI | @BUF | Bench |
| 71 | 13 | Terrance Ferguson | LAR | @ATL | Bench |
| 72 | 13 | Ben Sinnott | WAS | DAL | Bench |
| 73 | 13 | John Bates | WAS | DAL | Bench |
| 74 | 13 | Charlie Kolar | BAL | @GB | Bench |
| 75 | 13 | David Martin-Robinson | TEN | NO | Bench |
| 76 | 13 | Michael Mayer | LV | NYG | Bench |
| 77 | 13 | Drew Ogletree | IND | JAX | Bench |
| 78 | 13 | Eric Saubert | SEA | @CAR | Bench |
| 79 | 13 | Ross Dwelley | DET | @MIN | Bench |
| 80 | 14 | Jack Stoll | NO | @TEN | Bench |
| 81 | 14 | Brevyn Spann-Ford | DAL | @WAS | Bench |
| 82 | 14 | Josh Whyle | GB | BAL | Bench |
| 83 | 14 | Colson Yankoff | WAS | DAL | Bench |
| 84 | 14 | Josiah Deguara | ARI | @CIN | Bench |
| 85 | 14 | Brenden Bates | CLE | PIT | Bench |
| 86 | 14 | Blake Whiteheart | CLE | PIT | Bench |
| 87 | 14 | Jelani Woods | NYJ | NE | Bench |
| 88 | 14 | Nate Adkins | DEN | @KC | Bench |
| 89 | 14 | Luke Farrell | SF | CHI | Bench |
| 90 | 14 | Mo Alie-Cox | IND | JAX | Bench |
| 91 | 14 | Hunter Long | JAX | @IND | Bench |
| 92 | 14 | Johnny Mundt | JAX | @IND | Bench |
| INJ | -- | Mason Taylor | NYJ | NE | |
| INJ | -- | David Njoku | CLE | PIT | |
| INJ | -- | Noah Fant | CIN | ARI | |
| INJ | -- | Brock Wright | DET | @MIN | |
| IR-R | -- | Tyler Higbee | LAR | @ATL | |
| IR-R | -- | Elijah Arroyo | SEA | @CAR | |
| IR-R | -- | Sam LaPorta | DET | @MIN | |
| IR | -- | Zach Ertz | WAS | DAL |
📋 BEST TE PICKUPS: Week 17 waiver wire
Week 17 fantasy TE injuries to watch
- A continued absence for David Njoku (knee) would keep Harold Fannin Jr. Among the top handful of tight ends this week.
- The Jets' Mason Taylor likely would be a heavy target of whoever starts at QB for the Jets, given that Garrett Wilson has now been ruled out for the season. If he returns, he could leap into the streamer tiers.
Who are the best Week 17 fantasy tight ends?
The aforementioned Fannin has enjoyed a late-season breakthrough with Shedeur Sanders under center and would remain a top-10 option even if Njoku returns.
Your typical top-end names of Trey McBride, George Kittle, Kyle Pitts and Brock Bowers remain in must-start territory.
On the heels of huge fantasy semifinals performances, Dalton Schultz (at Chargers) and Dallas Goedert (at Bills) must be in lineups, as well.
The Broncos' pass defense, while strong, leaks to tight ends, and even let Brenton Strange score a touchdown in Week 16. This'll keep Travis Kelce among the worthy fantasy starting group.
Who are the top fantasy Start 'Em tight ends for Week 17?
Matchup boosts for sleeper status go to:
- Darren Waller (vs. Buccaneers): Tampa Bay has been the weakest defense against tight ends the past four weeks (25.2 PPR points per game allowed).
- Colston Loveland (at 49ers): The matchup nightmare should earn a bombardment of targets against a Niners linebacker crew.
- Hunter Henry (at Jets), Jake Ferguson (at Commanders), Cade Otton (at Dolphins), Oronde Gadsden (vs. Texans), Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill (at Titans, the latter maybe getting some snaps as a running back) headline other streamers to grab.
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Which fantasy TEs are on bye this week?
The NFL no longer has bye weeks. All healthy, active tight ends are available for fantasy lineups.