Week 8 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings: Let's get Chiggy with it!

Brown is ranked in the bottom left-hand corner of the efficiency graph, averaging the least yards and targets per route run among tight ends this season.

Barner is the best short yardage non-QB rusher in the NFL. Going back to week one of last season including playoffs, Barner has converted 13 of his 14 rush attempts on third and fourth and short (one to three yards) for first downs, a 93% hit rate, tops among 51 qualified non-QBs. Irv Smith Jr. is going to miss time with a knee injury, which could help Barner's target share, though Ian Hartitz thinks targets will more likely go to JSN instead.

Ian Hartitz ranks Bowers TE2 for Week 8 despite recent underperformance (4 catches 70 yards, then 6 catches 73 yards over last two weeks). Bowers has drawn the same coverage as Jackson Smith-Njigba per PFF with double coverage on more than a handful of routes; he faces the Jets defense that allowed 156 yards and 2 touchdowns to Caleb Douglas and Greg Dulcich combined on 8 targets last week, positioning Bowers to break out of his mini slump in a major way. Bowers ranks among the most efficient tight ends on a per-route basis this season alongside T.J. Hockenson, Isaiah Likely, and George Kittle. Bowers and the Las Vegas Raiders rank second among all NFL teams in PPR points at the tight end position this season. Bowers is an elite tight end exception to the Patriots' Week 8 shutdown defense; the Patriots have shut down pretty much everyone not named Brock Bowers and Cole Kmet Loveland.

Uzomah is at this point a fancy backup tight end and has been banged up. With all three Jets wide receivers now healthy, Uzomah's involvement is limited despite having boomed in the Lions game when multiple receivers were injured. Mason Taylor (three games back from injury with 63%, 70%, and 67% route rates) and Kony Ealy (high draft capital) are competing for targets ahead of him.

Cade Otton is ranked in the bottom left-hand corner of the efficiency graph, averaging the least yards and targets per route run among tight ends this season.

Ranked tight end 11 and streamer of the week with future upside; only rostered in 23% of Yahoo leagues. Since returning from hamstring injury, route share increased from 61% to 68% to 85% most recently—a full-time role. Posted 7 catches for 69 yards while tying Stefon Diggs for team-leading targets last game. With Terry McLaurin done for the season, target competition remains limited. Ian Hartitz views him as a number two to three option in an offense that wants to throw the football with a capable quarterback, making him the go-to option for those dealing with the George Kittle bye. Hartitz identifies a favorable matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles despite their reputation as a solid tight-end defense; he notes the Eagles may be 'quiet quitting' the season, with Cooper DeJean—one of their interior stoppers—playing like 'a shell of himself.' The Commanders offense, lacking Bill Kroski Merritt on IR and unlikely to hand Rashod White 20-plus carries up the middle, will lean on passing, positioning Okonkwo to exploit the Eagles' vulnerability.

Watson is mentioned as the primary target in the Green Bay offense under Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur; the offense mostly goes through Watson and Matthew Golden, with Tucker Kraft as a secondary option despite being a talented tight end in a full-time role.

Ranked tight end 19 for Week 8 alongside Tyler Higbee (TE18) in a Rams offense dealing with Davante Adams' absence. Parkinson was beat up after every single play last week; with no Davante Adams and the Rams spreading targets across multiple tight ends, Parkinson remains a low-volume option with limited upside.

Ian Hartitz ranks Kmet TE4 for Week 8 despite a tough Monday Night Football matchup in Seattle. Back-to-back games show 6 catches 65 yards 1 TD and 7 catches 69 yards 1 TD with 19 targets combined (9th highest mark in entire league). Hartitz's original thesis from August was Kmet being the number one pass game option playing tight end in a high-flying Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams led attack; in three games with healthy Caleb Williams, the Bears scored 59, 31, and 30 points. Kmet faces Washington defense on Sunday Night Football, which allowed two touchdowns to tight ends in Week 1 and has been poor against the position since returning from injury; with Devonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks unavailable, the Eagles offense is condensed around McCaffrey and Goedert, warranting Tier 5 treatment; only Lions and Dolphins have allowed more PPR points per game to opposing tight ends this season.

Loveland was drafted early in the offseason but struggled early in the season; his breakout against the Bengals came only after Cole Kmet was knocked out, and while he was on fire by year-end, that late-season success was not the rationale for the early draft capital investment.

Ian Hartitz ranks Goedert TE5 for Week 8 against the Commanders on Sunday Night Football. Goedert scored 2 touchdowns against Washington defense in Week 1; recent performance shows 6, 6, and 5 receptions with 38, 61, and 48 yards respectively (solid consistency without boom games). Goedert benefits from Eagles injuries with Devonta Smith (hamstring) not expected back soon and Dontayvion Wicks unable to practice; with the Eagles offense condensed around McCaffrey and Goedert, Tier 5 treatment is warranted. Only Lions and Dolphins have allowed more PPR points per game to opposing tight ends this season. Hartitz is feeling good about Goedert as a top-seven option this week.

Ian Hartitz ranks Kincaid TE3 for Week 8 before the bye with a full-time role and strong recent performance: 7 catches on 8 targets including an 18-yard touchdown nullified by holding penalty. Kincaid plays in a great offense led by Josh Allen (described as the best quarterback alive right now) and faces a Bills-Ravens matchup with a 54.5-point game total suggesting a potential shootout environment. Despite facing Washington defense in another matchup context, Hartitz notes Kincaid and Brevin Jordan are big enough pieces of the passing game that he's not worried about the matchup, though he's chasing Jake Ferguson and to a lesser extent Mike Gesicki in similar tier situations.

Consistently getting Aaron Rodgers' attention in the goal line for the Steelers, stealing touchdown opportunities from Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers offense is cooking relative to expectations, and Washington is a key beneficiary of red zone opportunities. Described as fun to watch catching touchdowns; represents the challenge for Freiermuth's fantasy consistency.

Waller is averaging a career-best 14.1 yards per catch and caught a 50-yard touchdown, but Dave Canales rotates tight ends. Waller's routes stabilized around 55% after the bye week, which is not a big enough role to be trusted as a borderline TE1, despite expectations he could get a full-time role. Tommy Tremble has also done good things in the Panthers offense, further limiting Waller's consistency.

Rookie tight end draft capital discussion; Dawson Knox drafted high early in the season but early production has not justified the investment, raising questions about why teams drafted these veterans as high as they did if they didn't prioritize them.

Suffered another torn ACL and is out for the season. His injury may increase Mike Gesicki's role with the Dolphins, potentially providing Gesicki with more full-time opportunities.

George Kittle is among the most efficient tight ends on a per-route basis this season, ranking in the elite tier alongside T.J. Hockenson, Isaiah Likely, and Brock Bowers in yards and targets per route run.

Dulcich posted 86 yards in Week 7 and is flirting with a full-time role more weeks than not, positioning him for better days ahead. Ian Hartitz notes he's trending upward despite the upcoming Dolphins matchup, with Malik Willis starting to play better.

Ranked as a top-12 tight end option for Week 8 but placed in the worst game environment tier: bad offenses (Colts, Dolphins, Browns, Chargers, Titans) facing defenses strong against tight ends. Ian Hartitz advises refraining from 'overly trusting anyone there,' indicating Hurst is a fade for Week 8 due to the combination of offensive weakness and defensive strength.

Ranked tight end 10 on a recent hot streak with finishes of TE16, TE10, TE7, and TE9 in the last four weeks. Facing the Dolphins defense ranked 2nd-worst against tight ends; Patriots offense implied for 25.5 points. Eli Reedden involvement has not diminished Henry's role; Drake Maye's volume ensures Henry remains the primary receiving target. Ian Hartitz received a significant ranking bump for Henry based on game environment analysis—Henry is in the 'good offense in a good matchup' tier, which Hartitz identified as the optimal scenario. He bumped Henry up 'quite a bit' after reviewing his matchup study for his RotoWire article.

Smith Jr. is going to miss time with a knee injury; this could help A.J. Barner's target share, but Hartitz thinks targets will more likely go to JSN instead.

Isaiah Likely is among the most efficient tight ends on a per-route basis this season, ranking in the elite tier alongside T.J. Hockenson, Brock Bowers, and George Kittle in yards and targets per route run.

Ferguson, the $50 million-dollar man, ranks in the bottom left-hand corner of the efficiency graph, averaging the least yards and targets per route run among tight ends this season. The Cowboys have begun using Brevin Jordan Ford enough to make Ferguson a non-viable fantasy asset. Ian Hartitz describes this as part of a cycle of the Cowboys overpaying mediocre to average tight ends (Dalton Schultz to Jake Ferguson to Brevin Jordan Ford).

Ranked tight end 9 returning to top 10 against Tampa Bay defense. Pitts posted 166 yards and 3 TDs in a prior matchup against this group. Recent production surge: 14.8 PPR points per game since Week 4 (tied for 6th-best at position) after 20 scoreless yards in Weeks 1-3. Ian Hartitz sees potential game script advantage if Baker Mayfield and the Falcons are forced to throw more than usual in their run-heavy offense.

Murray has targeted T.J. Hockenson 19 times this season with Hockenson catching 18 of them, demonstrating elite efficiency and trust in the tight end; Murray's play has helped elevate Hockenson's production this season.

Mason Taylor is three games back from injury with route rates of 63%, 70%, and 67%, showing a gradual return to full participation. He caught two touchdown passes last week, demonstrating promise in the Saints' tight end role. However, Ian Hartitz questions whether Taylor can be trusted for consistent production each week. Taylor was drafted with high early-season capital but early production has not justified the investment, raising questions about why the Saints prioritized him if they didn't commit to him as a featured target.

Ranked tight end 15 for Week 8 against the Jets; Ian Hartitz's second preferred streamer both this week and beyond. Full-time player in the Raiders passing game, part of a three-deep pass game behind Kirk Cousins, Brock Bowers, and Trey Tucker. Posted 8 catches for 82 yards in Week 4 and 7 for 95 in Week 6 when Brock Bowers was playing. Jets defense has been pretty good against tight ends but matchup is a tiebreaker for Hartitz. Mayer and the Raiders rank second among all NFL teams in PPR points at the tight end position this season. For bye week needs, Hartitz prioritizes Mayer over A.J. Barner or Greg Dulcich due to superior on-paper matchups.

Ranked tight end 16 for Week 8 against the Titans. Has scored a touchdown in all but one game this season but is extremely touchdown-dependent; posted 1 catch for 4 yards and a touchdown and 1 catch for 6 yards and a touchdown over the last two weeks. May see more of a full-time role now that Eric All suffered another torn ACL and is out for the season. Ceiling is not there but provides a safe floor of 6-7 points if needed.

Ranked tight end 17 for Week 8; represents typical tight end inconsistency. Had three touchdowns between Weeks 4-5 while playing a full-time role but followed with 11 and 22 scoreless yard duds in the next two weeks. Problem is Darnell Washington also gets Aaron Rodgers' attention at the goal line. Freiermuth has 5 red zone targets this year with 4 going for touchdowns, so the issue is goal-line opportunity distribution rather than performance. Steelers offense is cooking relatively well but spreads things out around the goal line, limiting Freiermuth's consistent scoring upside despite efficient production.

Ian Hartitz would like to see Rice back with the Chiefs to add juice to the offense, but Rice didn't look good before his hamstring injury; uncertain if he will look good after returning from the injury. His return status remains unclear and his pre-injury performance raises questions about his fantasy value even upon recovery.

Ranked tight end 8 but facing the Minnesota Vikings, the single best defense against tight ends. Recent target decline is concerning: after viral contract dispute comments, LaPorta received only 2 targets in Week 7 (0 at halftime) and 1 catch last week. The Vikings have limited him to 97 yards and 1 TD in prior matchups. Ian Hartitz ranks him outside the top 5 due to multiple negative factors.

T.J. Hockenson is ranked Tier 7 (low-end Tier 1) for Week 8 based on strong recent play and production. He's been getting significant volume and is among the most efficient tight ends on a per-route basis alongside Isaiah Likely, Brock Bowers, and George Kittle. Hockenson has caught 18 of 19 targets from Kyler Murray this season, demonstrating elite efficiency and quarterback trust; Ian Hartitz thought his best days were behind him but Kyler Murray has elevated his production. Hockenson faces the Detroit Lions, which allows 8.3 additional PPR points per game over the next worst defense against tight ends—a difference equal to the gap between the second and 18th-ranked defenses. This is a revenge game matchup that could lead to enough points to force Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to keep their foot on the gas offensively.

Ferguson is expected to return from injury but Ian Hartitz is not convinced he will solve the Rams' tight end production issues. The Rams have no single tight end ranked higher than TE24 in PPR points per game despite being the third-ranked team at the position, suggesting scheme-based target distribution rather than talent issues. Hartitz prefers Chig Okonkwo over Ferguson for the rest of the season.

Tremble has done good things in the Panthers offense, but Dave Canales' preference for rotating tight ends limits Waller's upside despite expectations he could get a full-time role.

Ranked tight end 14 for Week 8 against the Broncos. Kelce has cooled off recently amid a bad Chiefs offensive performance; Ian Hartitz does not want to overreact to one game but is concerned about the offense's struggles. While Kelce returned good value in Week 1 against Denver, Hartitz is not confident they can expect 59-yard catches and runs every time. Hartitz would like to see Rashee Rice back to add juice to the offense, but Rice didn't look good before his hamstring injury, creating uncertainty about offensive improvement.

Ian Hartitz ranks McBride TE1 for Week 8 with 59 receptions and at least 7 in every game this season. McBride is tied for third all-time with 9 consecutive games of 7+ receptions (Antonio Brown holds the record with 14, Cooper Kupp had 11); Hartitz expects McBride to move into sole third place in double digits against the Cowboys this week. McBride and the Arizona Cardinals lead all NFL teams in PPR points at the tight end position this season.

Ian Hartitz ranks Kraft TE6 against the Panthers on Thursday Night Football after finding the end zone last week against Detroit. While the Panthers matchup is tougher on paper, the defense is banged up and not very good, with multiple teams finding success through the air. Jordan Love throws the deep ball more than most and Kraft has been getting involved in that. Kraft is a talented tight end in a full-time role with a quarterback and play caller (Love and LaFleur) that Hartitz respects; however, his yards per catch and yards per target are a shell of what he produced last season.

Ranked tight end 18 for Week 8 against the Titans. Route rate dropped to a five-week low of 56% while Davis Allen caught two touchdowns last week; despite Allen having only six catches in the previous six games, the Rams continue to spread targets at tight end, limiting Higbee's consistency. Rams dealing with absence of Davante Adams, creating unpredictable target distribution across multiple tight ends.

Would rank around tight end 12 if healthy, but managing a groin injury heading into Week 8. Injury status is uncertain, making his availability and ranking contingent on his ability to suit up through the groin issue.