In most fantasy football leagues, this is the final week of the regular season. So if this is the week you need to win to qualify for the playoffs in your league, you better not make a mistake filling out your lineup.
The tight end position has been tricky for fantasy footballers this season. Some of the upper-tier veterans like Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Baltimore’s Mark Andrews have not provided the bang for the buck people thought they would, while youngsters like Detroit’s Sam LaPorta and Buffalo’s Dalton Kincaid have disappointed fantasy managers as well.
Fantasy managers need solid production out of their tight ends during this most crucial week of the season. So out of Jonnu Smith, Cade Otton, and Jake Ferguson, which tight end should you start in Week 15? Here is a look:
Should I Start Jonnu Smith for Fantasy Football?
Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith has been one of the hottest tight ends in fantasy football over the past month. He has provided fantasy footballers with 28 receptions for 345 yards and four touchdowns over his recent four-game stretch.
✝️🙏🏾☝🏾9️⃣ https://t.co/PjJoesXjfy
— Jonnu Smith (@Easymoney_81) December 13, 2024
Miami head honcho Mike McDaniel has finally figured out how to utilize Smith after ignoring him during the opening month (nine catches, zero TD in first four weeks). Smith has found a place as the Dolphins’ No. 3 pass catcher behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
There is no reason to bench Smith while he is on fire. While he does face a Houston defense that is ranked seventh against the pass and usually plays better at home, Smith is a high TE1 until he finally falters. Keep riding the hot hand and hope that he does not come back down to earth during your fantasy squad’s playoff push.
Should I Start Cade Otton for Fantasy Football?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton went on a torrid hot streak during the middle of the season when Pro Bowl wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were both out with injuries. Otton had 27 receptions for 273 yards and four touchdowns in four games between Week 5 and Week 8 as he became Baker Mayfield’s top target.
Otton has slumped recently as Evans has returned, catching 13 passes for 155 yards and no scores in his past four outings. He is still Mayfield’s second-best option in Tampa Bay’s passing attack, though, and racked up 70 yards in last week’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Diving into Isaiah Pola-Mao against TEs recently
Here is his target against Cade Otton#Raiders pic.twitter.com/VlFm1a4hUe
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) December 10, 2024
Otton faces a stingy Los Angeles Chargers defense that is ranked eighth against the pass and did not allow Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Kirk Cousin to throw for more than 215 yards in its last three games. Otton is a low-end TE1 this week that could muster 50-60 yards.
Should I Start Jake Ferguson for Fantasy Football?
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has had a downer of a season for his fantasy managers thanks to injuries and his inability to find the end zone (zero touchdowns). He returned from his latest injury last week and caught three passes for 32 yards on Monday night against Cincinnati.
Ferguson has only topped the 50-yard mark three times in 10 games this year and has to deal with the quarterback downgrade of having Cooper Rush throwing to him instead of Dak Prescott. He also has backup tight end Luke Schoonmaker breathing down his neck for time and targets.
Seeing Luke Schoonmaker get a catch instead of Jake Ferguson
pic.twitter.com/xwGCCdUj9K— Squid (@SquidK0) December 10, 2024
Ferguson is facing a Carolina Panthers defense that has allowed three tight end touchdowns over their past three contests, but it is hard to feel good about him with how he has played in 2024. He is a TE2 this week who should be benched unless you have no better viable option on your fantasy roster.
Popular Week 15 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 15 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Jonnu Smith, Cade Otton, Jake Ferguson compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Jonnu Smith
Hunter Henry or Cade Otton
Hunter Henry or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Mark Andrews or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Jonnu Smith
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Dalton Kincaid or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Jake Ferguson
Mark Andrews or Jake Ferguson
Sam Laporta or Jonnu Smith
Juwan Johnson or Jake Ferguson
Tj Hockenson or Jonnu Smith
Adam Thielen or Jonnu Smith
Dalton Schultz or Cade Otton
Jake Ferguson or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Dalton Kincaid or Cade Otton
Trey Mcbride or Jonnu Smith
Cade Otton or Jonnu Smith
Kyle Pitts or Jake Ferguson
Isaac Guerendo or Jonnu Smith
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Mark Andrews or Jonnu Smith
Sam Laporta or Cade Otton
Travis Kelce or Jonnu Smith
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith or Cade Otton
Khalil Shakir or Jonnu Smith
Tj Hockenson or Jake Ferguson
Calvin Ridley or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Cade Otton
Deebo Samuelsr or Jonnu Smith
George Kittle or Jonnu Smith
Jake Ferguson or Jonnu Smith
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Mark Andrews or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Jake Ferguson or Cade Otton
Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson
Kyle Pitts or Cade Otton
Noah Gray or Cade Otton
Pat Freiermuth or Cade Otton
Will Dissly or Jake Ferguson
Brian Thomasjr or Jonnu Smith
Brock Bowers or Jonnu Smith
Cole Kmet or Cade Otton
Devonta Smith or Jonnu Smith
Pat Freiermuth or Cade Otton
Pat Freiermuth or Jonnu Smith
Zach Ertz or Jonnu Smith
Cole Kmet or Jake Ferguson
Dalton Schultz or Jake Ferguson
Deandre Hopkins or Jonnu Smith
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Jayden Reed or Jonnu Smith
Jaylen Waddle or Jonnu Smith
Tim Patrick or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Aj Brown or Jonnu Smith
Cedric Tillman or Jonnu Smith
Davante Adams or Jonnu Smith
Deandre Hopkins or Jonnu Smith
Dj Moore or Jonnu Smith
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Jonnu Smith
George Kittle or Jake Ferguson
Grant Calcaterra or Jake Ferguson
Hunter Henry or Cade Otton
Hunter Henry or Jake Ferguson
Jakobi Meyers or Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson
Josh Downs or Jonnu Smith
Tank Bigsby or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Jonnu Smith
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zay Flowers or Jonnu Smith
Adam Thielen or Jonnu Smith
Brian Robinsonjr or Jonnu Smith
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Christian Watson or Cade Otton
Courtland Sutton or Jake Ferguson
Dalton Kincaid or Cade Otton
Dalton Kincaid or Jake Ferguson
Dalton Kincaid or Jonnu Smith
Dalton Schultz or Jake Ferguson
Dandre Swift or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Cade Otton
David Njoku or Jake Ferguson
Devonta Smith or Jonnu Smith
Dk Metcalf or Jonnu Smith
Elijah Moore or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
George Kittle or Cade Otton
Jake Ferguson or Jonnu Smith
Jayden Reed or Jake Ferguson
Jonathan Taylor or Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith or Cade Otton
Juwan Johnson or Cade Otton
Keenan Allen or Jonnu Smith
Khalil Shakir or Jonnu Smith
Mark Andrews or Cade Otton
Mark Andrews or Jake Ferguson
Marquez Valdesscantling or Cade Otton
Pat Freiermuth or Cade Otton
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Patrick Taylorjr or Jonnu Smith
Sam Laporta or Jake Ferguson
Stone Smartt or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tony Pollard or Jonnu Smith
Travis Kelce or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zay Flowers or Jake Ferguson
Zay Flowers or Jonnu Smith
Adam Thielen or Cade Otton
Adam Thielen or Jonnu Smith
Adam Thielen or Jonnu Smith
Amari Cooper or Cade Otton
Amari Cooper or Jake Ferguson
Amari Cooper or Jonnu Smith
Brian Thomasjr or Cade Otton
Brock Bowers or Cade Otton
Brock Bowers or Cade Otton
Brock Bowers or Jonnu Smith
Brock Bowers or Jonnu Smith
Bucky Irving or Jonnu Smith
Bucky Irving or Jonnu Smith
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jake Ferguson
Cade Otton or Jonnu Smith
Cade Otton or Jonnu Smith
Calvin Ridley or Jonnu Smith
Chase Brown or Jake Ferguson
Christian Watson or Jonnu Smith
Chuba Hubbard or Cade Otton
Chuba Hubbard or Jonnu Smith
Cole Kmet or Jake Ferguson
Cole Kmet or Jake Ferguson
Courtland Sutton or Jonnu Smith
Dalton Kincaid or Cade Otton
Dalton Kincaid or Cade Otton
Dalton Kincaid or Cade Otton
Dalton Kincaid or Jake Ferguson
Dalton Schultz or Jonnu Smith
Dandre Swift or Jonnu Smith
Daniel Bellinger or Jake Ferguson
Darnell Mooney or Cade Otton
Darnell Mooney or Jonnu Smith
Darnell Mooney or Jonnu Smith
Darnell Mooney or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Cade Otton
David Njoku or Jake Ferguson
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
David Njoku or Jonnu Smith
Dawson Knox or Jake Ferguson
Deandre Hopkins or Jake Ferguson
Deandre Hopkins or Jonnu Smith
Deebo Samuelsr or Cade Otton
Deebo Samuelsr or Jonnu Smith
Deebo Samuelsr or Jonnu Smith
Demario Douglas or Cade Otton
Demario Douglas or Cade Otton
Devaughn Vele or Cade Otton
Devaughn Vele or Jake Ferguson
Devonta Smith or Jonnu Smith
Dk Metcalf or Jonnu Smith
Drake London or Jonnu Smith
Drake London or Jonnu Smith
Elijah Moore or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Cade Otton
Evan Engram or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Jake Ferguson
Evan Engram or Jonnu Smith
George Kittle or Cade Otton
George Kittle or Jonnu Smith
George Kittle or Jonnu Smith
George Kittle or Jonnu Smith
George Kittle or Jonnu Smith
Grant Calcaterra or Jake Ferguson
Gus Edwards or Cade Otton
Gus Edwards or Cade Otton
Hunter Henry or Jake Ferguson
Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith
Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith
Isaiah Likely or Jake Ferguson
Isaiah Likely or Jake Ferguson
Isiah Pacheco or Jonnu Smith
Jake Ferguson or Cade Otton
Jake Ferguson or Jonnu Smith
Jakobi Meyers or Jonnu Smith
Jakobi Meyers or Jonnu Smith
James Conner or Jonnu Smith
James Cook or Cade Otton
James Cook or Jonnu Smith
James Cook or Jonnu Smith
Jameson Williams or Jonnu Smith
Jatavion Sanders or Jonnu Smith
Jayden Reed or Cade Otton
Jayden Reed or Jonnu Smith
Jaylen Waddle or Cade Otton
Jaylen Waddle or Jonnu Smith
Jaylen Warren or Jake Ferguson
Jaylen Warren or Jonnu Smith
Jerry Jeudy or Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith or Cade Otton
Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson
Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson
Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson
Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson
Jonnu Smith or Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith or Jonnu Smith
Jordan Addison or Cade Otton
Jordan Addison or Jonnu Smith
Joshua Palmer or Jake Ferguson
Juwan Johnson or Cade Otton
Juwan Johnson or Jake Ferguson
Keenan Allen or Jake Ferguson
Kenneth Walkeriii or Cade Otton
Kenneth Walkeriii or Jonnu Smith
Keon Coleman or Jonnu Smith
Khalil Shakir or Jonnu Smith
Khalil Shakir or Jonnu Smith
Kyle Pitts or Cade Otton
Kyle Pitts or Cade Otton
Kyle Pitts or Jake Ferguson
Kyle Pitts or Jake Ferguson
Kyle Pitts or Jonnu Smith
Kyle Pitts or Jonnu Smith
Kyren Williams or Jonnu Smith
Ladd Mcconkey or Jonnu Smith
Mark Andrews or Cade Otton
Mark Andrews or Cade Otton
Mark Andrews or Cade Otton
Mark Andrews or Jake Ferguson
Mark Andrews or Jake Ferguson
Mark Andrews or Jonnu Smith
Michael Pittmanjr or Jonnu Smith
Mike Gesicki or Jake Ferguson
Najee Harris or Jonnu Smith
Najee Harris or Jonnu Smith
Noah Gray or Jake Ferguson
Noah Gray or Jonnu Smith
Pat Freiermuth or Cade Otton
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson
Patrick Mahomes or Jonnu Smith
Patrick Taylorjr or Jonnu Smith
Quentin Johnston or Jonnu Smith
Raheem Mostert or Jonnu Smith
Rashod Bateman or Cade Otton
Rayray Mccloudiii or Jake Ferguson
Rhamondre Stevenson or Jake Ferguson
Rhamondre Stevenson or Jonnu Smith
Rico Dowdle or Cade Otton
Rico Dowdle or Jake Ferguson
Rico Dowdle or Jonnu Smith
Rome Odunze or Cade Otton
Rome Odunze or Jake Ferguson
Rome Odunze or Jonnu Smith
Sam Laporta or Cade Otton
Sam Laporta or Cade Otton
Sam Laporta or Cade Otton
Sam Laporta or Jake Ferguson
Sam Laporta or Jake Ferguson
Sam Laporta or Jonnu Smith
Sam Laporta or Jonnu Smith
Sam Laporta or Jonnu Smith
Sincere Mccormick or Jake Ferguson
Sterling Shepard or Cade Otton
Tank Dell or Jake Ferguson
Tank Dell or Jake Ferguson
Taysom Hill or Cade Otton
Terry Mclaurin or Jonnu Smith
Tim Patrick or Jake Ferguson
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Cade Otton
Tj Hockenson or Jake Ferguson
Tj Hockenson or Jake Ferguson
Tj Hockenson or Jake Ferguson
Tj Hockenson or Jonnu Smith
Tony Pollard or Jonnu Smith
Travis Etiennejr or Jonnu Smith
Travis Kelce or Cade Otton
Travis Kelce or Cade Otton
Travis Kelce or Jake Ferguson
Travis Kelce or Jonnu Smith
Trey Mcbride or Cade Otton
Trey Mcbride or Jake Ferguson
Trey Mcbride or Jake Ferguson
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Cade Otton
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Tucker Kraft or Jake Ferguson
Tyrone Tracyjr or Cade Otton
Tyrone Tracyjr or Cade Otton
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jake Ferguson
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jonnu Smith
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jonnu Smith
Wandale Robinson or Jonnu Smith
Will Dissly or Jake Ferguson
Will Dissly or Jonnu Smith
Will Dissly or Jonnu Smith
Xavier Legette or Cade Otton
Xavier Legette or Cade Otton
Xavier Worthy or Jake Ferguson
Xavier Worthy or Jonnu Smith
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Cade Otton
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jake Ferguson
Zach Ertz or Jonnu Smith
Zay Flowers or Jonnu Smith
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