DraftKings NFL picks, Week 15: Best DFS fantasy football values
By Drew DeLuca
Week 15 NFL DraftKings Values: Tight Ends
Premium Tier ($5,000 and up): We swear our allegiance to the King of Tight Ends, but only the aristocrats among us can afford Travis Kelce (KC at NO, $8,000) this week. Mark Andrews (BAL vs. JAX, $5,500) has caught five or more passes in three straight games, and T.J. Hockenson (DET at TEN, $5,200), who had 11 passes thrown his way last week, has seen his target volume increase in four straight weeks.
Mid-Tier Values ($4,000 to $4,900): Former Penn State product Mike Gesicki (MIA vs. NE, $4,800) has seen five or more targets in five straight games, and has scored four touchdowns in his last three games, and his well on his way to establishing himself as a preferred option for Tua Tagovialoa. That may interest dynasty fantasy football managers, but some DraftKings enthusiasts may prefer Rob Gronkowski (TB at ATL, $5,200) at a discount, despite less consistency in recent weeks.
Value Tier ($3,500 to $3,900): Our favorites are Dallas Goedert (PHI at ARI, $3,900), Tyler Higbee (LAR vs. NYJ), and Irv Smith, Jr. (MIN vs. CHI, $3,600). Goedert has been the most consistent option to date, Higbee offers a high ceiling against the 32nd ranked defense against fantasy tight ends, as does Smith, who should inherit an increased snap share with Kyle Rudolph likely to sit out Week 15 against a bottom-three defense in terms of fantasy points allowed to tight ends in recent weeks.
Bargain Bin: There is no shortage of prospective plays in this group, though most carry significant, obvious risk. We’ll often save tight end for last this week and fit in someone like Jared Cook (NO vs. KC, $3,400), Hayden Hurst (ATL vs. TB, $3,300), Jordan Reed (SF at DAL, $3,200), Gerald Everett (LAR vs. NYJ, $3,100), Cole Kmet (CHI at MIN, $3,000), or even Adam Trautman (NO vs. KC, $2,500).
Everett, like Higbee gets the Jets this week. Cook and Trautman line up against the Chiefs, who have been second only to the Jets in their generosity to opposing fantasy tight ends over the last three weeks.
Much like 2020 itself, Hurst’s fantasy season has been a disappointment, but with Julio Jones out once again, he should see more an uptick in volume against a defense ranked in the bottom five against fantasy tight ends since the start of Week 12.
Best Buy: Depending on the available budget, we’ll likely opt for Gesicki or Smith; that said, we worry about Gesicki’s health, and we’re not overjoyed by the latter’s prospects, given that Smith will have to fight Jefferson, Thielen, and Cook for Cousins’ attention. We’ll fault no one for going out on an admittedly shaky limb and choosing anyone from the bargain bin in order to save budgetary expenses for other positions.