Week 9 Tight End Preview: Brock Bowers Is Back ... But Is He Back In Your Starting Lineup?

Top Fantasy TEs for Week 9

Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 9 TE Rankings.

1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

McBride excelled with Jacoby Brissett at QB, averaging 12 targets and 1.5 TDs per game. Kyler Murray coming back may be a downgrade. Even so, the matchup against the Cowboys should give McBride the opportunity to continue excelling. Start McBride with confidence, especially since the game is poised to be a shootout.

2. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

Warren went 4-53-0 last week and continues to be a highly targeted pass catcher within the Colts’ offense. He has had at least 5 targets in 7 of 8 games this year and scored a TD in 3 of those. The Steelers have given up 3 TE TDs over the last 2 weeks, and this is a great spot for Warren to score. He is a must start.

3. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Kraft went off for a stunning 7-143-2 line in Week 8. His current form (and role) gives him no-doubt TE1 value for a plus scoring matchup with Carolina. 

4. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Kittle looked healthy last week, reeling in 4-of-5 targets for 43 yards and a TD against an elite Texans defense. This week's opponent, the Giants, are league-average, allowing the 16th-most PPR points to the position. Kittle is an elite, every-week top-5 option.

5. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Bowers has returned to full practices this week, coming off the bye. The last time he managed a full practice previously was back in Week 4. Bowers posted a decent 5-46 receiving line on six targets in that game. And then he hasn’t played since. The Raiders’ patience in bringing him back -- despite Bowers’ reported desire to play through knee trouble -- suggests we should get a better version going forward than what we saw last. The offense (and the knee) still knock him down a bit in our rankings vs. initial expectations. But an active Bowers belongs in your lineup every week.

6. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

Ferguson disappointed last week, only seeing 1 target and not catching it. He’s down to single-digit targets in two of the last three games, but this is a good spot for Ferguson to bounce back. The Cardinals have given up at least 7 catches or a TD to TEs in five of seven games this season. Start Ferguson this week. 

7. Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Kelce tallied 99 yards in Week 8, his highest output since the Divisional Round of last postseason. He totaled only 27 yards in two meetings with the Bills last season but remains a viable fantasy option given the game environment here. Bills-Chiefs carries one of the highest over/unders of the slate at 52.5.

8. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

LaPorta has had three top-5 TE scoring weeks, but doesn’t have a top-20 week beyond those. The Vikings do give up plenty of targets to TEs, with teams targeting TEs 27.5% of passes, third highest in the league. This could be a good spot for LaPorta to find the end zone with the Lions implied for 28.5 points.

9. Oronde Gadsden, Chargers

The Chargers’ pass-catching corps remains crowded. But that hasn’t stopped Gadsden from tallying 19 total catches over the past three weeks. He’s a top-10 TE this week against a struggling Tennessee defense that’s allowed 30+ points in back to back games.

10. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Pitts took advantage of WR Drake London's absence last week to deliver a 9-59 line on 10 targets. London should be back this week, but Pitts averaged 6.3 targets, 5.0 catches, and 47.5 yards in six games with London to open the season. He gets a Patriots defense on Sunday that's been much tougher against the run than the pass this season. That includes ranking 24th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs.

11. Dalton Kincaid, Bills

Kincaid draws a Chiefs unit that’s allowed only one TE score all season. On the positive side, Kincaid's reached 4 catches in four of six games this season. And Buffalo may need to lean pass here against a strong Chiefs offense. He carries a low floor, but Kincaid retains TE1 appeal – especially with TEs like Dallas Goedert, David Njoku, and Harold Fannin on bye.

12. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Played Thursday night.

13. Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders

Ertz profiles as a relatively safe weekly option, but his ceiling raises significantly if Jayden Daniels returns under center. Ertz has averaged over 11 PPR points in games started by Daniels. All 4 of Ertz's TD receptions have come from Daniels. Meanwhile, Seattle cedes the seventh-most PPR points to opposing TEs. View Ertz as a mid-range TE2 with top-10 upside if Daniels returns. 

14. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

After a three-game lull, Johnson has bounced back with back-to-back five-catch games on 15 total targets. QB Tyler Shough adds uncertainty to this passing game this weekend, but the rookie targeted Johnson on six of his 30 attempts last week (20%). The Rams rank a middling 12th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs, making Johnson a serviceable low-end TE1.

15. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Schultz’s 2-catch outing against the 49ers last week broke a four-game streak of 5+ catches. This week brings the dual challenge of a strong Denver defense (including seventh in TE-coverage DVOA) and the returns of WRs Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. Schultz remains an option if you’re in need. But he’s less attractive than he was the past few weeks.

16. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

Hockenson has been disappointing this year, averaging less than 4 catches per game. In the two games with J.J. McCarthy he averaged 2 catches per game. The script might help if the Vikings have to play catch-up, but there is little evidence that Hockenson will have enough volume to be fantasy relevant this week. 

17. Theo Johnson, New York Giants

Johnson has caught multiple passes (and scored 4 TDs) in each of his games played with Jaxson Dart. The Giants just lost Cam Skattebo, which could open up a few more targets for Johnson. This week, he's a mid-range TE2 against a San Francisco defense that has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points to opposing TEs through 8 weeks. 

18. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Henry hasn't topped five targets or four catches in any of his last five games, averaging 3.0 targets and 2.4 catches over that span. He's devolved into a TD-dependent fantasy play. And he gets a Falcons defense this weekend that's allowed just one TE TD all season. Atlanta ranks first in adjusted fantasy points allowed to the position.

19. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos

If you get bonus fantasy points for consistently meh production, then Engram could be a star. But it’s a bit more likely that the 4.4 receptions and 36.4 yards he has averaged over the past five games supplies mediocre value. A difficult matchup with arguably the league’s best defense (Houston) challenges even that level for Engram.

20. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

With Cole Kmet sidelined by a back injury, Loveland just produced his best two fantasy outings of the season. Unfortunately,  the production was still modest, at best. Kmet has returned to practice, which increases his odds of playing and decreases the targets available to Loveland. Consider the rookie a mid-to-low-end TE2, even in a matchup against a Cincinnati defense that allows the most fantasy points per game to TEs. 

21. Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers

Smith hasn’t topped 28 yards in any game this season, and hasn’t gone over 4 catches since Week 2. The Steelers' spreading the ball around to three different TEs gives Smith a low ceiling, even if he scores a TD. Even if Pat Freiermuth is out, Smith likely won’t come through as a fantasy starter.

22. A.J. Barner, Seattle Seahawks

Barner has played a healthy 83.9% of Seattle's snaps. He also has a 64% route rate and 12% target share. Before bottoming out against Houston's top-notch defense. Before that, Barner had averaged 15.5 PPR points in his previous three games, with 3 total TDs. In Week 9, Barner is a low-end TE2 against Washington, who has allowed 5 TDs to TEs so far. 

23. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Played Thursday night.

24. Chig Okonkwo, Titans

Okonkwo’s last TD came in Week 12 of 2024. Sure, he's hit 4 catches in three of the past four weeks, but there's not much of a ceiling to chase vs. Green Bay.

25. Noah Fant, Cincinnati Bengals

Drew Sample out-snapped Noah Fant last week, but Sample is utilized for his blocking prowess. Fant leads Cincinnati's TEs in route rate (43%) and target share (10%). Fant has been a relatively safe fantasy option, catching 3-plus balls in all six of his games played. However, he's only posted two top-12 weeks, both of which came with a TD. The Bears have allowed a TE TD in three of their 4 road games, so view Fant as a TD-dependent TE2.

Next Up

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Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and in-season tools. He currently ranks ninth among 173 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.