Streaming Tight Ends
Why is it not getting any better? This is what I ask myself as I stare at the tight-end leaderboard for Week 4. We saw a slight uptick gradually over the first three weeks, leaving only five players at the position to have double digits in half PPR scoring. Taysom Hill was on his way to fantasy greatness this week before an injury in the second quarter capped him with two rushing touchdowns to lead the week. The Steelers found themselves trailing in most of their game, which sparked the passing game and produced 7 targets for Pat Freiermuth, who caught 5 of them, one for a score. George Kittle and Travis Kelce appeared in the top five this week, and with the injuries to their teammates, we may get to see them regularly. After that, we get the new normal of hodgepodge players like AJ Barner, Blake Whiteheart, and Austin Hooper. On the other hand, Kyle Pitts and Mark Andrews goosed… again. At this point, I don’t blame anyone for moving on from these two and looking to stream the position. That said, I have both guys in many of my leagues, and based on what’s out there, I’m still playing them. I’m weighing the shot at them still having potential over the 4 points I may find on the waiver wire. Come back in three weeks, though, and I may have changed my tune.
With Week 5 being the beginning of bye weeks, our pool of streaming options will only shrink. I still like Trey McBride coming back this week from a concussion despite a tough matchup against the 49ers. I like what he does for the overall offense and the pieces involved. I talked about how Brock Bowers could struggle against the defensive scheme in Cleveland on the QB List pod. This is another tough defense this week against the Broncos, but I like him to have a better week than last. Cole Kmet returned to his minimal work with the trio of receivers all on the field, but with the matchup with the Panthers, the game may support enough points where he falls in the end zone. Mike Gesicki has returned to the barely relevant again, but the Ravens are giving up the second most points to the position.
And now, here are a handful of streaming options for you all to consider this week:
Tucker Kraft
Double Dippin’
So I try to avoid repeat players on back-to-back weeks, but did you see Jordan Love tossing the rock this weekend? Despite the loss, the Packer’s offense was humming. Tucker Kraft was looking at over an 85% snap share, which was a concern with him working in reps with the other guy, Luke Musgrave. Kraft had a season-high 9 targets this week and pulled in 6 for 53 yards and a score. Christian Watson, the Packers’ big red zone threat, is also looking to miss some time with an ankle injury, which will help distribute more targets Kraft’s way. Kraft may be working himself into a regular starting role in fantasy lineups if he continues to command a sizable target share. He was second in targets after Watson left and has been over the 15% mark in the last three games. He also continues to run more routes than Musgrave, leading him 48 to 17 last week.
Predictions: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 33 yards, 1 TD
Juwan Johnson
Lookin’ for Monday Magic
Taysom Hill came out swinging last week, scoring two quick touchdowns, but he left the game afterward. Early reports point to another absence in Week 5. Alvin Kamara has also said he was playing with broken ribs just to throw them out there. Juwan Johnson has seen his route participation increase weekly, hitting a season-high in Week 4 at 69.2%. Derek Carr has always shown himself to take a liking to his tight ends, giving Johnson end zone possibilities, and that’s the critical piece I look for when streaming this position. Not to mention that the Chiefs are the worst in the league against the position, giving up the most points, making this a good chance for Johnson to return streaming value.
Predictions: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 33 yards, 1 TD
Zach Ertz
Start Up the Old Fella
Zach Ertz keeps coming back to this article. I’m not too fond of it, but this is where the landscape is. Ertz is currently a TE1 in fantasy football. He’s sixth in targets and tenth in yards, but you can’t really be that surprised by that when he has the most accurate quarterback in the league right now. Jayden Daniels continues to impress this year, getting the job done through the air and on the ground. Ertz had only a 10% target share last week, which is not ideal, but I like him in this matchup with the Browns. They are in the middle of the road at the position but can shut down the run game, forcing the Commanders to toss it more. I don’t see him lighting up the scoreboard, but in deep enough leagues, I like the chances of Ertz finding paydirt this week.
Prediction: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 39 yards, 1 TD
Let me know what you think about these players! Any questions? Please find me on Twitter/X @TooMuch_Brian.
Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on Twitter) / Photography by Ian Johnson / Icon Sportswire