Fantasy Football Week 6 Tight End Preview: Projections, numbers to know, and more
Everything you need to know about tight end for Fantasy Football in Week 5
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2 min read
I have talked about it once already this season, but a huge problem with streaming tight ends has been that someone emerges with a great week and then disappears almost immediately. Harold Fannin scored 13.6 points in Week 1, then gave us three straight single-digit games. Zach Ertz scored 18.4 in Week 2 and hasn't scored double digits since. Juwan Johnson looked more consistent with three straight starter-worthy performances before combining for 9.5 points in the past two weeks combined. I probably don't need to remind you how Tommy Tremble fooled me in Week 4.
All that is to say that it was very encouraging that Darren Waller followed his two-touchdown debut in Week 4 with an even better Fantasy output in Week 5. His snap total doubled, and honestly, he looks the part. I am *this close* to saying that Waller is back as a must-start tight end. I would just like to see it against Derwin James and the Chargers first. This defense has only surrendered 29 yards per game to the position, and Travis Kelce is the only tight end with more than 40 yards against them. If Waller produces against them, we don't have to ask any more questions.
Back to Johnson, I am not opposed to giving him one more week. His snap share was still 84.8% in Week 5, and he was the only Saints tight end to see a target. This was a rare game where the Saints played with the lead the entire second half, which won't happen very often. This offense could still be close to 40 attempts each week, and Johnson could still be a low-end starter.
Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 5:
Week 5 TE Preview
TE Preview
Numbers to Know
- 26.8% -- Mason Taylor has seen a 26.8% target share the past two weeks, which ranks number one amongst tight ends.
- 20% -- Theo Johnson leads the Giants with a 20% target share on Jaxson Dart's pass attempts.
- 7 -- Hunter Henry has seven red zone targets this season. That is second amongst tight ends behind only Johnson.
- 9.8 -- Tucker Kraft is once again averaging an insane number of yards after the catch. His target volume isn't what we would like, but his YAC ability makes him tough to sit.
- 0 -- Zach Ertz had zero catches in Week 5. That was his first game without a catch since November 27th, 2014.
- 33.3 -- Dallas Goedert's 33 yards per game is his lowest mark since his rookie year. I do not want to count on him scoring every week, and his profile outside of the touchdowns is not one of a starter.
- 5 -- Kyle Pitts is averaging a career-high five receptions per game. The aDOT is down, the YAC is up, and Pitts looks like a more reliable Fantasy starter.
TE Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 6 Streamers (TE Preview)
With Pat Surtain on Garrett Wilson, the Jets will have to lean on their secondary option in the passing game, and Taylor has clearly been that the last two weeks. He is the kind of guy who could end your streaming days and become a weekly starter if his involvement in the passing game stays as high as it has been.
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Johnson has been the primary target for Jaxson Dart, and he has dominated looks in the end zone. With Darius Slayton now battling a hamstring injury, the Giants don't have much choice but to continue feeding their young tight end. My only reservation this week is that Dart and the Giants face Philadelphia, and I am not sure anyone is going to have a red zone target.
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Tonges already has three touchdowns this year and saw 11 targets in Week 5 with Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall out. If those two are out again, then I will rank Tanges as a top-10 tight end this week. If one of those receivers returns, then Tonges is still a fine touchdown-dependent streamer. Tonges does not have the same rest of season appeal as Mason Taylor or Theo Johnson because George Kittle should be back soon.
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TE Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by
Sportsline
I don't know how you can go away from Ferguson in cash games. He has four straight games with at least 16.8 PPR Fantasy points. He's averaging over 10 targets per game in that stretch. Oh, and the Panthers are giving up the most PPR Fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
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Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by
Sportsline
Henry was disappointing last week, and Stefon Diggs has emerged as the WR1 the Patriots so desperately needed. These are the reasons I expect Henry's roster rate to be lower this week. But the Saints have been a bottom-six defense against the position, and they have given up four touchdowns in the last four weeks to tight ends.
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TE Preview
Heath's Projections
My full set of Week 6 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. You can find them here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 5. Projected stats for all starting tight ends are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.
