Who Should I Start? Jake Ferguson or Brock Bowers

Saturday, December 20, 12:18 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has cooled off in the second half of the season after ranking as the TE1 in Weeks 1 through 9. Ferguson caught just two of four targets for 16 yards in last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings and hasn't scored in four consecutive games, his longest drought of the season. The 26-year-old draws another tough matchup on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, who have held opponents under 20 points in three straight games. The Chargers are giving up the fifth-fewest receptions and seventh-fewest PPR points per game to tight ends. Ferguson has fallen to TE14 in RotoBaller's rankings for the second round of the fantasy playoffs.

Friday, December 19, 5:03 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has an opportunity to bounce back in Week 16 against the Houston Texans. The second-year tight end is coming off a disappointing Week 15 showing without quarterback Geno Smith (back, shoulder), hauling in six of his eight targets for just 28 yards, scoring single-digit fantasy points for the first time since Week 10. Despite this poor result, Bowers played 90% of the team's snaps, ran a route on every drop-back, and had a target share of 32%, signifying his importance in Las Vegas' overall passing scheme. Smith will start in Week 16, and Bowers is his preferred target against a Texans defense that just gave up 12 receptions, 134 yards, and two touchdowns to Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, a career day for him, in Week 15. Since returning from injury in Week 9, Bowers has been a steady TE1 option for fantasy managers, averaging 16.9 PPR points per game. Bowers has a safe floor and should be started in all league formats in Week 16, but a sputtering Raiders' offense against a dominant Texans defense will probably limit his upside.