Amari Cooper – Cooper is dealing with an injury to the ribs and as of now, it doesn’t look serious. X-rays came back negative which is a good sign moving forward. Still sore ribs can be tough to deal with so it’s important to monitor Cooper throughout the week.

Chris Olave – Olave left the week 12 contest with a concussion and did not return. He is also dealing with a hand injury that is worth monitoring. Concussions are always tricky to come back from the next week so be sure to follow any updates on Olave.

Dallas Goedert – Goedert missed last week’s battle with the Bills due to a forearm injury. Early reports suggest Goedert is pushing to play in week 13 vs. the 49ers. That would be a big boost to the Eagles offense which will need all their weapons against the stout San Francisco defense.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Week 13 Rankings appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Geno Smith (@Det) – Don’t give up on Geno Smith just yet. Smith and the entire Seattle Seahawks offense had a forgettable game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Smith threw for only 112 yards on the day and 1 touchdown. I don’t expect similar numbers when Seattle visits the Lions in week 2. In 2022, Smith torched the Lions for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns when the Seahawks won in a 48-45 shootout. Expect him to bounce back this week.

Sit ‘Em

Jimmy Garoppolo (@Buf) – Garoppolo is in for a tough afternoon when the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Buffalo will be looking to put its miserable loss against the Jets behind them and will take out their frustrations on the Raiders. Garoppolo was efficient in the week 1 win against the Broncos but did have 1 interception and 1 fumble. I see him throwing a pair of picks against Buffalo’s defense in week 2.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Jahmyr Gibbs (vs. Sea) – Gibbs averaged 6.7 yards per touch in his debut against the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a small sample size as he only had 9 touches in the game but he looked explosive. Expect the Lions to ramp up his usage this week and Gibbs will get his first NFL touchdown against Seattle.

Sit ‘Em

Alexander Mattison (@Phi) – Mattison underwhelmed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. He averaged just 3.1 yards per touch and if it wasn’t for a late receiving touchdown he would’ve been in the Dud category. Mattison will once again find yards hard to come by when the Vikings visit the Eagles. The Eagles have some concerns in their secondary but the front 7 is as good as it gets.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

George Pickens (vs. Cle) – Pickens was quiet in week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. He did have 7 targets on the day but was only able to turn that into 36 receptions yards. The Steelers will be without Diontae Johnson for several weeks which means it’s Pickens time to step up. I like the Steelers offense to bounce back this week and Pickens to find the end zone.

Sit ‘Em

Drake London (vs. GB) – London was one of the Duds of week 1 as he was completely shut out on Sunday. He only had 1 target which is concerning for the 2nd year pro expected to take the next step in his trajectory. He now faces a talented Packers secondary and will likely be shadowed by Jaire Alexander all game.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Dallas Goedert (vs. Min) – Goedert was also shut out on Sunday versus a stingy Patriots defense. Don’t panic with Goedert yet as he is still the #1 tight end on the dynamic Eagles offense. I expect Philadelphia to intentionally get Goedert more involved on Thursday night. The last time he faced the Vikings, Goedert had 82 receiving yards on 5 receptions.

Sit ‘Em

Dalton Schultz (vs. Ind) – Schultz was another tight end who disappointed in week 1. The Texans brought in Schultz to be their TE1 but he didn’t look the part on Sunday. He had just 4 receiving yards on 4 targets and wasn’t much of a factor in Houston’s offense. I am sitting Schultz until I see better production.

Start of the Week

Zay Flowers (@ Cin) – Flowers was somebody I was high on all offseason and is my pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He did not disappoint in his debut as he hauled in 9 receptions for 78 yards. More importantly, he had 10 targets and also received 2 carries in the backfield. Don’t worry about OBJ taking targets away from Flowers as he looks to be the WR1 for the Ravens going forward.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 2 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Dallas Cowboys: WR Brandin Cooks [ADP: 118.7]

The Dallas Cowboys traded for Brandin Cooks in the offseason and he slots in as their WR 2. The Dallas offense is very dynamic so look for Cooks to have a bounce-back year. He is capable of getting over 1000+ receiving yards so his value in the 10th round is worth it.

New York Giants: WR Isaiah Hodgins [ADP: 185.8]

Isaiah Hodgins became my favorite super late pickup of the previous season. He and Daniel Jones would always connect for TDs and it showed even in the playoffs. With a full training camp, the two will hope to build more from last year. With no locked-in WR 1, Hodgins can hopefully take that crown for the Giants.

Philadelphia Eagles: TE Dallas Goedert [ADP: 57]

Philadelphia was definitely the hardest to choose as they have so many highly-ranked players and their ADP feels safe. Enter Dallas Goedert. Without the injuries, I feel he should be in the discussion for the top five TEs in all of football. He was very unlucky last season as he missed five games in the middle of the season. In a position lacking in depth, Goedert is worth a pick in the late 50s.

Washington Commanders: QB Sam Howell [ADP: 123.6]

It’s very difficult to say a QB is a fantasy sleeper unless there are certain circumstances. Ranked 29th among all QBs is the starter of the Commanders, Sam Howell. The QB from North Carolina started just one game last season as a rookie. His only competition is Jacoby Brissett so Washington will want to see what he’s made off. The Commanders do have some pieces on offense so I think Howell won’t be too bad if you’re in a 2QB type of league.

The post NFC East: Biggest Fantasy Sleepers appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Quarterbacks

Gardner Minshew – QB Philadelphia Eagles

Out of the gate we start with some unfortunate news on Jalen Hurts. It looks like he suffered a shoulder strain that will keep him out for a couple weeks. If you’re a Hurts owner this is not the news you wanted heading into your crucial playoff game this weekend. In steps Gardner Minshew whom doesn’t have the same upside as Hurts but can put up solid numbers with all the talent around him.

Running Backs

Zack Moss – RB Indianapolis Colts

More unfortunate injuries this time at the running back position. Jonathan Taylor will officially be shut down for the season due to his high ankle sprain. The next man up appears to be Zack Moss as he totaled 24 carries in the loss to the Vikings for 81 yards. This development is a bit surprising as many expected Deon Jackson to step into that lead role. Jackson is still worth stashing but Moss is our top waiver priority for week 16.

Wide Receivers

Zay Jones – WR Jacksonville Jaguars

Zay Jones lit up the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday hauling in 3 touchdowns and 109 yards. The last 4 weeks he has seen a whopping 41 targets from his emerging QB Trevor Lawrence. If somehow Jones is available in your league you should prioritize picking him up. The Jaguars offense is getting hot at the right time and Jones should continue to soar.

Tight Ends

Dallas Goedert – TE Philadelphia Eagles

Goedert is getting set to come back off of IR and could be on track to play this weekend. More than likely he was dropped a while back when he suffered his shoulder injury. Goedert has shown he can put up solid fantasy numbers and if you need to stream a TE for your pivotal matchup this is the guy.

The post Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The tight end position in the NFL showcases greek god-like figures in Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Darren Waller. Well, I’m going to simply outline a few tight-end profiles that are under the radar and poised to become household names in the near future.

Dallas Goedert

I absolutely expect Dallas Goedert – who was on PFF’s all-underrated team in 2021 – to have a personal best season in 2022. Goedert had career-high marks in receptions (56) and yards (830) last season while missing two contests. He should certainly blossom with a wiser Jalen Hurts and an up-tick in targets after Zach Ertz is completely removed from the offense. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith may be the most popular weapons in Nick Sirianni’s offense, but Goedert should excel with frequent key match-ups for his young QB.

David Njoku

The very explosive tight end in Cleveland, David Njoku, is primed to be a Pro Bowl-caliber TE moving forward. Per ESPN, he could be the number two target (after Amari Cooper) in 2022. Kevin Stefanski has really expressed that they want Njoku to be quite involved. With or without Deshaun Watson next season, I fully expect the Browns TE that recently inked a hefty contract extension (four-year $56.75 million deal) to be involved well moving forward.

Dawson Knox

I love the outlook for the Bills TE Dawson Knox (9 touchdowns in 2021) after Cole Beasley and Emmanual Sanders were pushed out of town. It should also be said that OJ Howard shouldn’t hurt Knox’s high-end role, per PFT. I really expect Knox, who missed a couple of games last season, to be the third TE on this list to make the Pro Bowl with a potential MVP-winning QB in Josh Allen next season.

The post 3 underrated tight ends right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Philadelphia Eagles traded their Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz to the loaded Arizona Cardinals squad in mid-October of 2021. Ertz isn’t a washed-up TE to a stretch. He is only 31 years old, which is four years younger than Jimmy Graham.

There were issues with Ertz splitting reps with Dallas Goedert. The Eagles TE1 Goedert wasn’t a fan of sharing the success with the long-time Eagle. At the same time, the Eagles were also paying Ertz quite a bit of money. It seemed to work best for both parties (Ertz and Philly) that they should split up.

I still believe that the Eagles and Ertz should hash things out and get back together. I also don’t imagine that Dallas Goedert is the supreme lord of the Eagles roster or management. Ertz was in love with the team that drafted him and it would fit well for both teams to agree on a new contract.

The Eagles need more firepower on their squad, especially in the division with the Dallas Cowboys. The world knows DeVonta Smith (916 yards, 5 touchdowns) and Goedert (830 yards, 4 touchdowns) are talented, but they need more juice.

Jalen Reagor is underperforming so much that Justin Jefferson feels bad for him. Ertz obviously isn’t a wideout, but he can dominate from the slot. The Cardinals current TE recorded 763 yards from PHI and AZ combined last season. He is still a superb chain mover.

When the Eagles traded Ertz, they likely weren’t expecting to be a playoff contender. If they had him in the wildcard game, it would’ve been a different outcome. The Bucs barely edged out the Eagles with Ertz, but they mopped the floor against the struggling Jalen Hurts later in the postseason.

The Eagles have 14th in cap space, which is a lot more than nearly all the elite teams. It may make sense to bring back the familiar TE, especially if he is willing to return on a cheaper contract than expected. The ascending Jalen Hurts would be excited to have his old toy back on a potential short-term contract.

The post Why the Eagles should bring back Zach Ertz appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Levi Ellis

When looking at tight end rankings in fantasy football you will find it’s a dim look after the top three to four players.  Rankings are all over the place and you can just as easily make an argument that one guy’s fifteenth ranked tight end could be another guy’s fifth-ranked tight end. 

If you’re reading this article it’s likely that you don’t own one of the top three guys so the most important thing for me when deciding to trade for a player is to find value.  I rarely ever go after a player and give a team a king’s ransom.  I like to look for players that can be scooped up for a value.  Below you will find three players that I believe are currently a value at the tight end position.

The first player on this list is Dallas Goedert.  While Goedert certainly will come with a cost I think his current situation makes him a value.  Many people are worried about the long-term future of the Eagles quarterback situation and that they are likely to be a run first team this year.  The team also just drafted wide receivers in the first round of back to back drafts (Jalen Reagor and Devonta Smith) and Zach Ertz is still on the roster.  All of these things bring uncertainty however one thing is for certain and that is Goedert is a heck of a player.  I believe Ertz will be traded or cut soon and there are rumors that the Eagles are after Deshaun Watson.  Whether the Watson rumors are fact or fiction doesn’t change a lot for me.  I happen to be a firm believer in Jalen Hurts talent and while he is definitely not at Watson’s level I think Hurts can be a solid starting quarterback in the NFL.  The Eagles have also shown in the past that they will be aggressive in acquiring talent so if Hurts doesn’t work out I have no doubt they will find another quarterback.  Goedert will also be a free agent after this season so he could just as easily sign with another team this offseason.  Imagine if Goedert were to leave via free agency next season and sign with a team like Seattle, Buffalo or the LA Chargers.  Goedert may not be a top five tight end this season but if you’re playing in dynasty he has all the tools to be a consistent top ten player year in and year out and his value is likely to never be lower than it is right now.  

Another tight end that I believe is at a great value right now is Jonnu Smith.  Smith flashed quite a bit early last season before falling out of the game plan in Tennessee.  Smith has a ton of talent and is special with the ball in his hands.  I think a lot of people are concerned about Smith because he and Hunter Henry both signed with New England this offseason, however that is exactly why I like him even more.  New England has shown the dedication and willingness to involve the tight end in the offense and they have proven experience with running two tight end formations and were extremely successful in doing so.  I believe that Smith will play the Hernandez role while Henry will play the Gronk role.  I know that analogy doesn’t seem to make the case for Smith as much as it does for Henry but my point is both tight ends were special in that offense and I think Smith will be the big play vertical guy while Henry will be the more inline blocker and middle of the field guy.  Also, take into consideration that New England does not have a bonafide top wide receiver on the roster that will demand ten plus targets a game.  Smith and Henry can also both be special regardless of which quarterback plays.  Cam likes to throw to the big-bodied players which is great for both Smith and Henry and if Cam’s accuracy really is as bad as what we saw last season he isn’t likely to sling it to the outside as much which means he will be looking for the dump-offs which just happens to be what Smith excels at.  If Mac Jones comes in at some point this also should work out well for Smith.  Rookie quarterbacks tend to lean on the tight end position to serve as a security blanket and Jones would have two of them. I think New England would then build the offense to get the ball out of Jones’s hands quickly, something that he’s great at, and again that works out well for Smith with screens, dump-offs, and slants.  Regardless of Henry or which quarterback plays, Smith is destined to be involved in the offense and he has the talent to succeed and you may not get a better time to buy than now.

I have been pounding the table all offseason to buy this next guy because his value has taken such a hit that he is an incredible value and that guy is Zach Ertz.  Look I don’t expect Ertz to be a top-three tight end this season but I do expect him to be a top ten guy and likely more in the five to seven range.  Although Ertz hasn’t yet been traded or released I think the time is coming and will happen before the season starts.  Philadelphia needs to move on both for cap space as well as to let Goedert out of his cage.  I expect Ertz to land with a team like Buffalo or Indianapolis and I believe he would be a focal point of either offense.  If he did join Indianapolis he would also be reunited with his old quarterback, Carson Wentz and we know that they already have a connection.  By all accounts, Ertz is now healthy and you better believe he will be ready to prove that he still has it.  It feels like the consensus in the fantasy community is that Ertz is washed up but the guy is just thirty years old and only one year removed from an 88 catch season.  The talent is still there and if a zip code change is in store you better believe there will be a chip on his shoulder this season.

If you’re shopping for a tight end this offseason these are three great players to buy if you can get good value from their current owner and while there are other tight ends out there that I like, I believe these three may be at the best bargains.  Good luck on your search and remember to always buy at a value!

The post 3 TEs To Trade For In Dynasty appeared first on Pro Football Mania.