Who Should I Start? Kyle Rudolph or Tyler Higbee

Monday, September 4, 11:06 AM

Two-time Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph announced on Monday that he will officially retire as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Rudolph makes the decision after playing 12 seasons in the NFL. Originally a second-round pick of the Vikings in 2011 out of Notre Dame, Rudolph played the first 10 seasons of his career in Minnesota before joining the New York Giants in 2021 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. He'll finish with 482 career receptions on 709 targets for 4,773 yards and 50 touchdowns in 165 games (145 starts). In just nine games (zero starts) for Tampa in 2022, the 33-year-old had three catches for 28 yards and one touchdown. Both of his Pro Bowl campaigns came in Minnesota -- in 2012 and in 2017.

Saturday, September 6, 2:45 PM

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee remains atop the depth chart heading into Week 1 against the Houston Texans, but he's not a reliable fantasy option given the competition for targets posed by wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Higbee has a track record of lower production when he's third or lower in the pecking order. In the two games where Higbee, Nacua, and Cooper Kupp were all healthy last year, Higbee averaged just 4.8 fantasy points. Fantasy managers should expect the veteran tight end to have a similar role this year, or perhaps a slightly smaller role if Terrance Ferguson emerges as a pass-catching threat. He can be avoided in all 1TE leagues this week.