Fantasy football: Higbee, Kmet among four must-start tight ends in Week 11

MIAMI, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Tyler Higbee and Cole Kmet are among my four must-start fantasy football tight ends for Week 11. Travis Kelce tops my weekly Top 20 rankings for the position.

Dalton Schultz and Mark Andrews join Kelce, Higbee and Kmet in the Top 5 of my weekly Top 20 rankings, which are listed below.

All of my must-start options are within the Top 14 of my rankings, which means they should be started in leagues with at least 14 teams that require starting tight ends.

Mike Gesicki, Evan Engram, Cade Otton and Noah Fant are among the players who should be benched or dropped due to Week 11 byes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet (85) celebrates a second touchdown against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Photo by Mark Black/UPI

Cole Kmet

Kmet averaged the second-most fantasy points per game among tight ends over the last four weeks and ranks 10th in that category this season.

The third-year Chicago Bears pass catcher totaled five touchdowns in his last three games. He also scored twice in each of his last two outings and was the top fantasy football tight end in Week 10. He trailed only Travis Kelce in fantasy points per game among tight ends over the last four weeks.

This week, the Bears will face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons allowed the sixth-most receiving yards (59) per game to tight ends through 10 weeks. Look for Kmet to haul in at least seven catches for 75 yards and a score.

He is my No. 2 option.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee caught eight passes in Week 10. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Tyler Higbee

The Los Angeles Rams scored the fewest touchdowns (16) in the NFC through 10 weeks, but Higbee should remain a decent fantasy football option in this struggling offense.

Higbee totaled at least eight targets in five of his nine games this season. He totaled eight catches for a season-high 73 yards in Week 10. I expect Higbee to earn a more consistent share of the Rams' targets going forward due to the recent injury sustained by star wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

The Rams will face the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. The Saints allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends through 10 weeks, but Higbee should get enough targets to be a reliable TE1. I also expect him to find the end zone. He is my No. 4 play for Week 11.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (R) scored in three of his last four games. File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI

Juwan Johnson

Johnson is a touchdown-or-bust TE1 this week for the Saints-Rams matchup. The Saints pass catcher scored touchdowns in three of his last four games and in each of his last two appearances. Johnson also logged at least 30 yards in seven of his 10 appearances this season.

Like the Saints, the Rams smothered opposing tight ends through the first 10 weeks, but Johnson and Higbee each should get several scoring opportunities.

Look for Johnson to catch at least four passes for 50 yards and a score. He is my No. 8 play.

Tight end Pat Freiermuth and the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Pittsburgh. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI

Pat Freiermuth

Freiermuth only scored once so far this season, but continues to get consistent looks in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. The second-year pass catcher averaged nearly seven targets per game over his last five appearances. He also went off for five catches and 75 yards in a Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Steelers will host the Bengals on Sunday in Pittsburgh. Freiermuth is a dart-throw TE1 in Week 11. I expect him to catch at least six passes for 40 yards and a score. He is my No. 9 option.

Week 11 fantasy football tight end rankings

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs at LAC

2. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears at ATL - YARDS

3. Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys at MIN

4. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams at NO

5. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. CAR

6. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers at ARI

7. Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos vs. LV

8. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints vs. LAR

9. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CIN

10. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings vs. DAL

11. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons vs. CHI

12. Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals at PIT

13. Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders at DEN

14. Tyler Conklin, New York Jets at NE

15. Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills vs. CLE

16. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints vs. LAR

17. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals vs. SF

18. Harrison Bryant, Cleveland Browns at BUF

19. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens vs. CAR

20. Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders at HOU