Fantasy football managers know that every lineup decision can make or break a week, and choosing the right players to start or sit is where championships are won. With the 2025 NFL season underway, matchups, stats, and trends are more important than ever. From favorable matchups and scoring trends to players you should avoid in tough spots, my weekly positional start and sit guide is built to give you an edge.
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Tight Ends to Start
Hunter Henry NE
Hunter Henry is starting to show signs of life in an otherwise inconsistent New England passing game, delivering at least six targets in two of his last three outings. His involvement has trended upward, and the Patriots have leaned on him as a reliable short-to-intermediate option when drives stall. Even though his yardage totals haven’t always spiked, his role has remained steady, and his usage in scoring areas has quietly improved. Henry ranks 2nd among TEs in deep targets while ranking 3rd in air yards share. The matchup he draws this week only strengthens the case for including him in fantasy football start conversations.
This is the exact type of setup fantasy managers chase when choosing who to start because Cincinnati has been shredded by tight ends all season. The Bengals have allowed the most yards, most touchdowns, and the most fantasy points per game to the position, with multiple opponents dropping massive performances on them. Nine tight ends have eclipsed double-digit PPR points against Cincinnati, and several have approached or surpassed 30 points. Henry hasn’t posted a huge fantasy football ceiling in recent weeks, but he has maintained a sturdy floor and now gets his cleanest path to a spike week. With volume, matchup, and scoring opportunity aligning, Henry becomes a strong start candidate in Week 12.
Dallas Goedert PHI
Dallas Goedert’s involvement in the Philadelphia offense remains dependable even as the team cycles through its usual mix of explosive downfield plays and controlled intermediate concepts. His seven-catch outing against Dallas earlier in the season showed how easily he can command targets when the coverage structure favors him. Goedert continues to rank near the top of the position in target share, first-read usage, and involvement in high-value areas like the red zone. Even more impressive for the veteran is that he sits at 7th among TEs in points per target, and in a matchup like he has this week, the more volume could result in a monster game.
This week, Goedert lands on the start side thanks to another favorable matchup against the Cowboys. Dallas has struggled against tight ends of late, allowing multiple players to post 12-plus PPR points in recent weeks, and has had their fair share of struggles defensively this year. The Cowboys deployed a heavy dose of two-high in the first meeting, a structure that funnels targets toward players like Goedert, who thrives in the short and intermediate zones. While his recent fantasy football finishes haven’t been elite, the volume should return in a big way here. Given his previous success in this matchup and the defensive tendencies he’ll encounter again, Goedert fits firmly into start territory for Week 12.
Mark Andrews BAL
Mark Andrews has taken a winding path through the season, mixing modest receiving outputs with critical scoring plays that keep him fantasy-relevant. His recent stretch has leaned heavily on touchdowns, including a surprising 35-yard rushing score that boosted his production last week. Even with limited yardage totals, he continues to draw meaningful red-zone attention and remains one of Baltimore’s most trusted weapons when plays break down. His target share and first-read rate remain strong enough to sustain consistency, and the Ravens continue to dial up creative ways to get him involved. Despite the volatility, Andrews has stayed inside the start conversation for fantasy football managers most weeks.
Touchdown dependency is usually a warning sign, but this matchup keeps Andrews in the start range because the Jets have allowed the third-most touchdowns to tight ends this year. New York’s defense excels at limiting yardage but routinely surrenders scores inside the 20, which aligns perfectly with where Andrews has been most productive. His three straight TE1 finishes have all come in games where he found the end zone, and this contest sets up with a similar blueprint. With scoring chances likely again, Andrews remains a priority start in fantasy football lineups.
Tight Ends to Sit
Jake Ferguson DAL
Jake Ferguson remains an integral part of the Dallas passing game, but his role has shifted as the offense has re-centered itself around CeeDee Lamb and the vertical passing attack. Since Lamb returned to full form, Ferguson has taken a clear backseat, posting just one game over 30 receiving yards in the past month. His targets have remained average but not impactful, and he’s increasingly reliant on red-zone opportunities to salvage fantasy value. Ferguson is currently sitting at a 4.1 average depth of target, and with the reduced volume, he is not cashing in with much fantasy production. Although he leads the team in red-zone targets, those looks haven’t resulted in much production with the tough matchups as of late. This kind of volatility pushes him toward the sit bubble in fantasy football.
The matchup only reinforces the sit case, as Philadelphia has suffocated tight ends all season. The Eagles have allowed the second-fewest yards to the position and just one tight-end touchdown, making them one of the worst defenses to start against. Ferguson’s efficiency has dipped, and this game projects to funnel targets away from tight ends and toward perimeter receivers instead. His fantasy football profile becomes touchdown-or-bust in a spot where touchdowns rarely happen against Philadelphia’s defense. With safer options available at the position, Ferguson is best viewed as a sit this week.
Theo Johnson NYG
Theo Johnson has settled into a meaningful role for the Giants, emerging as a touchdown-driven option who has flashed TE1 production when the volume cooperates. His involvement since Week 4 has been solid, with a strong target share and a lineup of red-zone opportunities that keep him fantasy-relevant. However, the inconsistency remains obvious, as his efficiency fluctuates and his scoring reliance creates unpredictable outcomes. Last week’s dip with Jameis Winston under center underscored the fragile nature of his usage. Even with multiple TE1 weeks this season, his profile leans more toward matchup-dependent risk than weekly reliability in fantasy football.
This is not the matchup to chase, making Johnson a strong sit candidate. Detroit has quietly improved against tight ends, allowing bottom-half fantasy production to the position and limiting yardage in recent weeks. Over the past month, Detroit’s defense has only allowed 11.1 PPG to tight ends. Without a touchdown, his fantasy football floor remains extremely low with Winston under center this week once again. Given the tough matchup and inconsistent production outside of red zone scores, Johnson is a strong sit this week.
Juwan Johnson NO
Juwan Johnson has delivered a roller-coaster season, swinging between stretches of strong involvement and frustrating disappearances. His early-season production created optimism before he went quiet for several weeks, only to resurface again with a pair of strong outings leading into the bye. Under Tyler Shough, his yardage production has been efficient, but the volume has remained low with just four targets in each of the rookie’s starts. Johnson has shown big-play ability and red-zone upside, but those traits alone haven’t created consistent fantasy value. His volatility makes him difficult to trust in tough matchups instead of being a lineup lock.
This week brings an especially tough matchup, pushing Johnson into the sit recommendation. Atlanta has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends and faces fewer tight-end targets than almost any defense in the league. While the Falcons can occasionally be beaten downfield, they rarely give up meaningful production to tight ends, and New Orleans’ passing volume doesn’t project to bend that trend. Johnson’s recent touchdowns have skewed perception, but his target counts remain too low to rely on in fantasy football lineups. With a stingy defense ahead, he profiles as a sit for Week 12.
