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Tight ends are one of the most difficult positions to navigate during each Fantasy Football season. There are very few elite options that provide consistent production on a weekly basis, making it a challenge to determine who is worthy of starting in a Fantasy Football lineup.
A good strategy for tight ends is to look at their direct matchups each week and start an available option based on a favorable situation. Here are three tight ends to potentially target and three to avoid in Week 1 of the 2022 Fantasy Football season.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Tight Ends: Start 'Em
Tight ends to target in Week 1 Fantasy Football.
Cole Kmet - Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers
Cole Kmet failed to score a single touchdown during the 2021 NFL season despite being heavily involved in the Chicago Bears offense. He ranked in the top 12 among all tight ends last season in targets and receiving yards. A breakout Fantasy Football season could well be on the way for him.
The Bears are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL during the 2022 NFL season, so they will likely be playing from behind often. This means they will likely have to throw a lot of passes late in the game, which creates favorable game scripts for Kmet. This trend could start in Week 1 when the Bears have a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
T.J. Hockenson - Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles
T.J. Hockenson was one of the most productive Fantasy Football tight ends prior to getting injured last season. He ranked in the top seven in fantasy points per game among tight ends through the first 13 weeks of the 2021 season.
Hockenson is reportedly healthy entering the 2022 NFL season, so he will look to get back on track and continue his solid production. Similar to Kmet, he should see many positive game scripts as the Detroit Lions are projected to be one of the worst teams this year. That could start in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, where the Lions are big underdogs.
Gerald Everett - Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Gerald Everett finds himself in a favorable situation entering the 2022 NFL season. He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers during the offseason, where he will join one of the most high-powered passing attacks in the NFL. Their offense is led by young superstar quarterback Justin Herbert.
Everett has an intriguing matchup in Week 1 when the Chargers play the Las Vegas Raiders. This game has shootout potential, especially considering that they combined to score 67 points the last time they played against each other in Week 18 last year.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Tight Ends: Sit 'Em
Tight ends to avoid in Week 1 Fantasy Football.
Mike Gesicki - Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots
Mike Gesicki played a crucial role in the Miami Dolphins offense last season. However, the 2022 NFL season may present more of a challenge for him to find consistent production. The Dolphins added several pieces to their offense to compete for targets, including Tyreek Hill and Chase Edmonds.
Gesicki will open the 2022 season in a difficult matchup against the New England Patriots in Week 1. He struggled heavily against the Patriots last season, despite more targets being available. He recorded just two receptions for 22 yards combined across two games.
David Njoku - Cleveland Browns vs. Carolina Panthers
David Njoku could potentially see an increase in playing time during the 2022 NFL season following the departure of Austin Hooper. Consistent Fantasy Football production may still be difficult to come by as the Cleveland Browns prefer to operate out of a run-heavy offensive scheme. This is compounded by Deshaun Watson's suspension.
Njoku faces a tough challenge in Week 1 when the Browns take on the Carolina Panthers, who played extremely solid defense last season. They allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game, so the Browns are likely to lean on their rushing attack.
Tyler Higbee - Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills
The Los Angeles Rams are one of the best offensive teams in the entire NFL. This means they are capable of producing many solid contributors in Fantasy Football as well, like other high-scoring offenses.
Despite the Rams' offensive success, Higbee failed to eclipse six receptions or 70 receiving yards in any game last year. That trend may continue in Week 1 of the 2022 Fantasy Football season, as the Rams take on the Buffalo Bills. The Bills had the top-ranked defense from a year ago and improved even further by adding Von Miller.
Top 10 Fantasy Football Tight Ends in Week 1
- Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Jets
- Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears
- Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
- TJ Hockenson, Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams
- Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs
- Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers
