NFL Week 8 schedule rankings: Top 5 Sunday games to celebrate National Tight Ends Day – The Athletic
What do we do with National Tight Ends Day? Is it an elaborate NFL in-joke, football version’s of a Nathan Fielder bit? Or is it a call to celebrate unsung bruisers in a dense sport? Maybe it’s just our invitation to get nostalgic and blurt out a few “remember some guy” names — we’ll oblige there with Alge Crumpler, Kevin Boss and Randy McMichael.
Sunday’s Week 8 slate looks promising, and we’re going to lean into this National Tight Ends Day thing. The unofficial holiday has been observed on the fourth Sunday of October since 2019. And the TE spot is evolving, maybe more than any other position in the game. Today’s tight ends can extend the field on deep passes and pancake second-level blitzers, sometimes on the same drive. They make “WrestleMania” cameos and inspire gratuitous pop songs — well, one of them does.
Here are our picks for Sunday games that should show off the tight ends. ‘Tis the season (to be in 12 personnel).
Week 8 Sunday viewing guide
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GameTime (ET)TVStreaming
Giants at Eagles
1 p.m.
Fox
49ers at Texans
1 p.m.
Fox
Titans at Colts
4:25 p.m.
CBS
Cowboys at Broncos
4:25 p.m.
CBS
Packers at Steelers
8:20 p.m.
NBC
In-market CBS and Fox games are free over the air. “Sunday Night Football” is free over the air on NBC and streams on Peacock.
It must be said that two of football’s best tight ends are on a bye week. That feels like an affront to Tightie, the unlicensed National Tight Ends Day mascot that we just made up. Alas, no Trey McBride and no Sam LaPorta with the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions taking the week off.
Oh, and two other greats are playing Monday, which is very much not National Tight Ends Day. Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz pair up on “Monday Night Football” when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Washington Commanders. How did the schedule makers let this happen?! On to the rankings:
5. Tennessee Titans (1-6) at Indianapolis Colts (6-1)
We can’t make this list without including rookie breakout Tyler Warren, who leads all tight ends in receiving through seven weeks. Warren pulls up on Sunday with touchdowns in three straight games, and he’s been shredding defenses with yards after catch. The position’s YAC king (alias: YAC Galifianakis) cuts loose inside Shane Steichen’s system — he’s always in pre-snap motion, and he has multiple 40+ yard plays from lining up in the backfield (!). Whether running stick routes or sail routes, the first-year TE gets himself open. Per TruMedia, Warren ranks second among rookie TEs in average scrimmage yards (63.6) since 2000.
The Titans are mostly here by association with Indy. Chig Okonkwo starts the week at No. 20 in TE yardage. But for what it’s worth, Okonkwo was Tennessee’s leading receiver when these teams met in Week 3. Heading into this week, the Colts have allowed the second-most yards to opposing TEs. Maybe Cam Ward gives him extra looks again. If nothing else, Titans kind of sounds like tight ends. That’s the spirit.
Best Titans TE: Frank Wycheck
Best Colts TE: John Mackey
Winner: Mackey, proven by his plaque in Canton.
4. New York Giants (2-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)
Given his recent play, Jaxson Dart should be filling up a TE advent calendar or updating his “x days until National Tight Ends Day” decor. We can’t prove that he’s not doing that. New York’s new QB fed two relatively nondescript tight ends last Sunday — Daniel Bellinger and Theo Johnson each topped 66 yards and caught a touchdown. Johnson deserves additional love for bailing out a tipped ball and turning it into a wild chunk-play touchdown. Without a viable second wideout complementing Wan’Dale Robinson, Dart’s rookie effort should be TE-heavy for the rest of the way.
Philly is the true factor for this pick. In just six games, Dallas Goedert already has five TDs, which ties his career high for most in a season. He faced this Giants defense in Week 6, and went off for nine grabs and 110 yards. It takes a lot for Eagles fans to embrace someone named Dallas, but Goedert has balled out accordingly.
Best Giants TE: Mark Bavaro
Best Eagles TE: Pete Retzlaff
Winner: Retzlaff, because he had more career yards and touchdowns in an era with less passing.
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-2) at Houston Texans (2-4)
Steve Martin’s Neal Page did whatever it took to get to Thanksgiving dinner. Bing Crosby promised that he’d be home for Christmas. Lo and behold, George Kittle made it back from a hamstring injury to suit up for his holiday. To borrow from a fellow sports nerd, “How can you not be romantic about National Tight Ends Day?”
The hindered Kittle was able to play last Sunday, but he went without a catch for the first time in 114 games. Consummate to the position, Kittle did throw down some big blocks on running plays, and his presence made much-needed space for a depleted offense. With another week of rest and prep, the six-time Pro Bowler should be busy in H-Town. No one is better at thrashing around and screaming “let’s go!” — and that’s an important part of the job.
Houston matches with Dalton Schultz, who is second among tight ends by target share (per SumerSports). He is coming off a nine-catch, 98-yard outing on Monday, and his open-space stutter step is crispy. Like Kittle, Schultz is a bit banged up (back and shoulder), but he was able to get a limited practice in Thursday. The Texans are short on receivers, so their TE1 is a teeth-gritting option for an offense that needs to produce.
Best Niners TE: Vernon Davis (if Kittle hasn’t surpassed him)
Best Texans TE: Owen Daniels
Winner: Davis, who had two separate 13-TD seasons and made “The Catch III.”
2. Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1) at Denver Broncos (5-2)
As we roll into Week 8, no tight end has more catches or touchdowns than Jake Ferguson. Towering at 6-foot-5, he boxes out misfortunate linebackers and safeties. So far, the Cowboy has been TE1 in every fantasy football format imaginable, and he’s found the end zone in four consecutive games (two TDs in two of them). That heat check rolls into Sunday, with CBS’ top duo in the booth; we can already hear Tony Romo yelping as Ferguson lays out for the ball.
Broncos counterpart Evan Engram sets up a tight end style clash. While he’s no major red zone threat, he helps pace a game script with short routes and hip-turn outs. We can’t spell National Tight Ends Day without “PPR,” except we can, because there are no Ps or Rs in there at all. Whatever. Engram has at least six targets in each of his last four outings, and Dallas’ defense has been an unattended seafood buffet through 2025.
Best Cowboys TE: Jason Witten
Best Broncos TE: Shannon Sharpe
Winner: Sharpe, with more first-team All-Pro nods (4 to 2) and Super Bowl wins (3 to 0).
1. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
Yes, Aaron Rodgers is the headliner. He’s playing his former team, the only NFL franchise he doesn’t have a win against. The broadcast will be fixated on him, understandably so. Hey … maybe the enigmatic Rodgers will feel the holiday spirit and suddenly line up next to his right tackle (he will not do that).
Anyway, National Tight Ends Day is cool, but have we considered National Tight Ends Night? Yup, dream bigger. Through Week 7 and measured by standard fantasy points, the Packers defense is second-worst against TEs, while the Steelers defense come in at third-worst. And per SumerSports, Pittsburgh and Green Bay are both in the top five in two-tight end formation rates.
The visitors have an excellent lead in Tucker Kraft, who’s tallied back-to-back games with a touchdown and a 20+ yard catch. The hosts have Jonnu Smith, because no one loves a tight end (this particular tight end) like offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. They also have Pat Freiermuth, who earns bellowing “Muuuth” cheers from the black and yellow. Nothing gets tight end culture like a guttural, long-vowel chant. There should be a lot of them on “Sunday Night Football.”
Best Packers TE: Ron Kramer
Best Steelers TE: Heath Miller
Winner: Kramer, because he helped revolutionize the position as Vince Lombardi’s “12th man.”
Updated Week 8 odds
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