It is week two of the 2020 NFL season and that means we need to figure out who we should start or sit. Unfortunately, you probably need to start a tight end this week. We all do. For some reason, we’ve decided to saddle ourselves with these pretend wide receivers and hope that they don’t somehow disappoint us. But we know in the deepest recesses of our soul that they will. After scouring the wasteland that is the tight end position, we need to ask ourselves who we should start or sit this week between Dallas Goedert, Logan Thomas, or Jonnu Smith?
Start or Sit Dallas Goedert versus the Los Angeles Rams?
If you’ve been paying attention to Football Absurdity this year, you know that co-founder Evan Hoovler is very high on Dallas Goedert. In fact, he has predicted that Goedert will finish the year as a top-five tight end in fantasy football. Evan Hoovler is so serious about his desire that you start him that he may have gone a little overboard. I am saying that Evan Hoovler of BBQ Strategy fame is holding my family hostage and will not release them unless I can convince you to start Dallas Goedert in your fantasy lineups in week two.
So for the love of God, please start Dallas Goedert. Do you have any idea how much is at stake here? This isn’t just about the screaming, needy family that I’m trying to get back, although now that I think about it, it is kinda nice to have some peace and quiet around here. It’s actually making it easier for me to write about how amazing Dallas Goedert is. And he is incredible. No, it’s not just about that. This is about your fantasy season being on the line. Do you realize that Dallas Goedert had the thirteenth-most targets of any offensive player in week one of the NFL? He wasn’t just used more than tight ends. Only twelve other players, period, had more targets.
To put that in perspective, this isn’t just some tight end you bring out in the red zone or toss the occasional screen pass to. No, his 34-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz was a big boy receiver route. In a game where Washington spent most of their time taking turns to decide who got to wrestle Carson Wentz to the ground, Dallas Goedert was the single beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak day for Eagles fans.
So for the sake of all that you hold dear, for the sake of my family, and perhaps most importantly, for the sake of your future fantasy football championship, please start Dallas Goedert.
Start or Sit Logan Thomas versus Arizona?
This week, people have been falling in love with Logan Thomas. I assume the reason for this is that they don’t realize he was drafted in 2014. Think about it. Logan Thomas has been in the NFL since 2014 and this is probably the first time you’ve ever really thought about him. And there’s a good reason you haven’t thought about him. Why would you think of a guy who, in four NFL seasons, has 354 total yards and 3 touchdowns?
Now you might be asking yourself, how has Logan Thomas only played four NFL seasons when he was drafted in 2014? I’m glad you asked me, loyal Absurdist. The reason for this is because Logan Thomas came into the NFL having only ever been a quarterback. Apparently, quarterbacks are the new power forwards of tight ending. And he had to spend a couple of years on the practice squad to learn how to not be terrible at being a tight end.
Now that I’ve tempered your expectations on the amazing Logan Thomas, there are things to like about him in week two. Mainly, the Arizona Cardinals. In 2019, the Arizona Cardinals gave up the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. And it wasn’t even close. They gave up more than four points a game more than the next worse defense against fantasy tight ends.
And to be fair to Logan Thomas, he was a key part of Washington’s comeback against the Eagles. He showed athleticism and Washington did try to utilize that. However, Dwayne Haskins is still his quarterback, which is a concern.
If push came to shove and you need to play a high-upside lottery ticket at tight end in week two, it would not be the worst idea in the world to start Logan Thomas.
Start or Sit Jonnu Smith versus Jacksonville?
Jonnu Smith is a guy that people in the fantasy community have talked about as a 2020 sleeper. In week one, he had four catches for 36 yards and a touchdown. If you started him in week one, you are probably satisfied with those numbers, but I’m not sure you should feel happy about it. Tight ends, for the most part, are touchdown-dependent, which is why we all hate the position outside of a select few guys. And Smith got lucky with his touchdown, as it came on a blown coverage.
I’m not gonna lie to you, I don’t understand the infatuation with Jonnu Smith. He’s a tight end entering his fourth year in the NFL. How many fourth-year tight ends break out to become fantasy superstars? With Goedert, you can see how his career trajectory has been on the upswing. With Thomas, you can understand that there was a learning curve. And with Smith, you see none of that. He has never had more than 45 targets or more than 3 touchdowns in a season.
On top of that, Jonnu is playing a Jacksonville team that, while not a terrible matchup, isn’t exactly a good one either. In 2019, Jacksonville gave up the eighteenth-most points to opposing fantasy tight ends. What Jacksonville is absolutely terrible at is stopping the run. Last year, Jacksonville gave up the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. This year, they’ve given up the third-most. This means that we will probably see 2019 Tannehill, where he throws the ball ten times and the Titans ram Derrick Henry down the throat of the opposing defense.
So while this match-up is good news for fantasy players who have Derrick Henry rostered, it’s not so good news for people who’ve rostered Jonnu Smith. Basically what I’m saying is that if I had a better option, I would sit Jonnu Smith
The Verdict
If you’re trying to decide to start or sit Dallas Goedert, Logan Thomas, or Jonnu Smith, you should definitely start Dallas Goedert. If Goedert isn’t available, start Logan Thomas. And if Thomas isn’t available, you should hate yourself while you start Jonnu Smith. Good luck with all your start-sit decisions in week two!
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