Streaming Tight Ends
Welcome, one and all. It’s playoff time! If reading this, there’s a better than not chance that you’ve made your league’s fantasy playoffs. You’ve done the grinding, the research, just enough moves to get to the big dance. Hopefully, if you are reading this, it isn’t because you are still streaming the position. As a result, we will take a different approach to this article in the final weeks. First, let’s review last week.
The Browns have found a true gem in the third round in their rookie Harold Fannin Jr. He was the number one tight end of the week with 117 yards and nabbed the ball in the end zone for a score. I look forward to seeing where his career takes him. Mike Gesicki flourished in the snow up in Buffalo this week as he climbed the charts to land in the top two. The backup tight end took off as Josh Oliver found pay dirt twice, while Dawson Knox pulled in 6 catches for 93 yards. Kyle Pitts has hit 82 and 09 yards over his last two without Drake London. Colston Loveland finished in the top 9 in a game without Rome Odunze. Trey McBride finished outside of the top 12 for just the fourth time this season. We had several disappointments across the league, including from players like Juwan Johnson, as his quarterback ran in two of the team’s touchdowns. Brenton Strange was playing in some bad rain and limited his upside after a couple of top-end finishes. Luke Musgrave is not even a shell of what Tucker Kraft was. Zach Ertz, unfortunately, tore his ACL for the second time in three years, and Travis Kelce had a very unexpected 8-yard performance.
Tight Ends I Love this Week
Take me to the Divisional Round
George Kittle finds himself sitting atop my rankings this week. I really love this schedule for the 49ers in the playoffs, starting with a Titans team, which is the third-best matchup for tight ends. Harold Fannin Jr. becomes a favorite quickly this season, and his involvement is so hard to find in a player who is still widely available. David Njoku is dealing with another injury, and Fannin continues to lead the Browns in so many receiving metrics. If Sanders can continue playing the way he is and moving the ball, Fannin will continue to feed fantasy rosters. Can we play two guys in one TE spot? Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely play the worst defense against tight ends that I can remember. For reference, my first handheld game was a Game Boy Color, so we’re going back at least a few decades. I’m willing to play both Ravens TEs this week. Let’s go back to Dalton Kincaid this week in a divisional matchup with the Patriots. He may be their best pass catcher and has to get involved if they are going to be a threat in the playoffs. For my long shot in this section, I want AJ Barner and Theo Johnson. Barner has been a regular piece in this offense, and Johnson is coming off a bye with a rested Jaxson Dart behind center.
Solid Plays
They shouldn’t lose you the week, but they may not win it
Travis Kelce falls under this umbrella for me this week. We have said it for weeks now, but the Chiefs are truly a win-and-go-home situation. It’s a tough one with the Chargers, but Kelce has a chance to show us what’s left in the tank. Jake Ferguson and Dallas Goedert also fall in this category for me. Both the Cowboys and Eagles have over a 25-point implied total, which means plenty of points are on the board for these two. Brenton Strange came up short last week, but the Jaguars saw short fields and wild weather this past week against the Colts. Better days are ahead this week, playing the Jets defense. Colston Loveland is among the many mouths to be fed in Chicago. The Bears’ running game has led the charge lately as well. The talent is there, and without Rome Odunze, he’s left with a bit more opportunities.
Players I’m Down on
I’ll tinker with these decisions till kickoff
While these players fall under this category, I am not by any means saying I am completely fading them or forcing them out of my lineups. Moreover, all players have a large number of outcomes in their weekly finishes, and these are the tight ends, who could land on the lower end of the outcome spectrum. Let’s rip the band-aid off with Trey McBride. Yeah, that guy. His matchup is against Houston, which is playing out-of-their-mind defense. Texans are a bottom-three matchup for tight ends, and they haven’t allowed a single QB1 finish, which could limit the influx Jacoby Brissett has added to his score. Brock Bowers is also facing a tough matchup and a possible change at QB, but I don’t want to rain on this parade too much. Tee Higgins looks to miss, which usually indicates Mike Gesicki is locked and loaded, but they play the Ravens in a Thanksgiving rematch. They are giving up 5.5 points above expectation in the position over the last five games. The Buccaneers have been a bottom-five play for tight ends, and Drake London is on track to come back this week. Kyle Pitts has had a lovely couple of weeks, but I don’t see him going into fantasy playoffs on fire. Tyler Warren also makes this list. He has a good matchup. It’s the fact that the Colts will be rolling out a 44-year-old quarterback who hasn’t played since the COVID season. The upside is that Warren could be heavily involved in carries and snaps in the backfield, and he’s even the emergency quarterback. On the flip side, this offense could deliver us one of the worst performances in recent history.
Let me know what you think about these players! Any questions? Please find me on Twitter/X @TooMuch_Brian.
Photo by John Byrum | Adapted by Parker McDonald (@CarbonFoxGFX on Twitter/X)