Fantasy Football Player Notes
Week 3 Rankings
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1.
Travis Kelce
KC (at BAL)
Kelce's a set-it-and-forget-it option at the TE position. He has overall TE1 upside every single week.
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2.
Mark Andrews
BAL (vs . KC)
Andrews disappointed fantasy managers in week two, but he simply wasn't needed in a game that the Ravens were winning by a lot. This week, the Ravens are going to need to rely on Andrews again, which makes him a smash auto-start. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Andrews and Kelce both finish as the TE1 and TE2 on the week.
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3.
Zach Ertz
PHI (vs . CIN)
Ertz has been somewhat of a disappointment to fantasy managers through the first couple of weeks, but he's still seeing the targets that you hope for at the TE position. While this offense is still floundering and trying to figure out how to get back to being a high-powered unit, Wentz should continue to lean on his reliable target over the middle of the field. Ertz is still a weekly must-start option that could go off in this matchup.
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4.
Hunter Henry
LAC (vs . CAR)
It didn't matter who the quarterback was for the Chargers when it came to Henry, who saw the exact same eight targets in each game. His 156 yards through two weeks ranks second among tight ends. Sadly, tight ends haven't produced against the new defensive scheme in Carolina, as they've allowed a miniscule 1.06 PPR points per target on the season. It's a very small sample size but allowing just 58 yards on 13 targets is good no matter which way you slice it. When you find out those tight ends were Darren Waller, Rob Gronkowski, and O.J. Howard, you should be even more impressed. The Bucs and Raiders totaled just 65 pass attempts in the two games against the Panthers, too, so it's not likely that this game brings a lot of volume. You're starting Henry every week with the targets he's getting, but based on what we've seen from this defense, you need to temper expectations to low-end TE1 territory.
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5.
Tyler Higbee
LAR (at BUF)
We're now two weeks in and Higbee has played a rock-solid 87.3 percent of the snaps. Not that you were wondering if you should play him or not after that three-touchdown performance, but if you were here, I told you his vitals were good in Week 1 despite a weak stat line. The Bills defense has been a magnet for tight end targets, as they've seen 20 targets (third-most), which has led to them allowing 15 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown. Those are great numbers and keep in mind that the two tight ends they played against (Mike Gesicki, Chris Herndon) have not been particularly efficient throughout their careers. Of the production they've allowed to running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends, 24.1 percent of it has been the tight ends, which ranks as the ninth-highest percentage in the league. With the tough matchup for Robert Woods, we should see Higbee peppered with some targets in this matchup, making him a rock-solid TE1.
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6.
Darren Waller
LV (at NE)
Remember when the Raiders drafted a bunch of wide receivers that would ruin Waller's fantasy prospects? That was fun. He has 24 targets through two games, while Ruggs and Edwards have combined for 11 targets. He's currently the TE2 in PPR formats, just 2.2 points behind Travis Kelce. The Saints had absolutely no solution for him, including Malcolm Jenkins, one of the best cover safeties out there. It's why you must wonder if the Patriots use Stephon Gilmore to cover him. The Patriots played a couple big-name tight ends last year and here were the results: Zach Ertz 9/94/0, Travis Kelce 7/66/0, and Mark Andrews 2/21/0. Not the worst results, but definitely could be better. The Patriots defense isn't the same, though, and have five new starters in the mix. Mike Gesicki was held to just 3/30/0 in Week 1 and then exploded in Week 2, so maybe it's the scheme that limits the production? You can't sit a tight end who's averaging 12 targets per game, but you can limit expectations considering he might be staring at Gilmore in coverage. He's a TE1 every week, but this is one where you want to stay away in cash games.
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7.
Jared Cook
NO (vs . GB)
Cook didn't exactly see an insane amount of targets last week, but he saved his fantasy day by finding the end zone. Cook doesn't exactly always bring the most consistent floor in terms of target totals, but he can always find the end zone any given week. Cook is a touchdown-or-bust low-end TE1 this week in my rankings.
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8.
Dallas Goedert
PHI (vs . CIN)
Goedert came out swinging in week one, but disappointed fantasy managers that rolled him into their starting lineup in week two. He's still getting the targets that make him an intriguing option in deep leagues, but he's not someone that can be trusted as a reliable start every single week. In this matchup, Goedert is a high-end TE2.
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9.
Mike Gesicki
MIA (at JAC)
Gesicki showed up in a big way last week by turning 11 targets into 8 receptions for 129 yards and a score. He's always had the athleticism, but he now appears to be getting the targets necessary with Preston Williams struggling and no other option behind Devante Parker stepping up in this offense. Jonnu Smith just torched the Jaguars defense for multiple touchdowns and Gesicki's in a prime spot to be a top option at the TE position this week with this matchup. You can start him as a low-end TE1.
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10.
Jonnu Smith
TEN (at MIN)
Smith is currently the TE1 in all of fantasy football and has now moved into weekly must-start territory. In a matchup that should see Tennessee put points up on the board, Smith should easily return TE1 value yet again.
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11.
Hayden Hurst
ATL (vs . CHI)
For those that took a chance on Hurst's role in this offense during draft season, congrats. He racked up eight targets in his second game with the team and turned them into 5/72/1. He's seen 13 of the 14 targets that have gone to tight ends in this offense, which is another good sign about sustainability. The Bears have been pretty generous to tight ends over the first two weeks of 2020, allowing T.J. Hockenson to finish as the TE4 in Week 1, and then Evan Engram to bounce back and finish as a top-15 option in Week 2. It seems the Bears are willing to allow you to dink-and-dunk your way down the field with tight ends, as they allowed the fifth-most receptions to tight ends last year, but the 9.23 yards per reception they allowed was the second-lowest mark in football. Seeing Hurst get eight targets in a game Ryan threw the ball 36 times has to make you feel good about his floor, so continue trotting him out there this week as a mid-to-low-end TE1, though there are likely better tournament options.
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12.
Noah Fant
DEN (vs . TB)
It was a quiet start to the game for Fant last week, but he made his mark on the Steelers once Jeff Driskel came in and ultimately finished with four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. My concern with Fant this year was the lack of targets with so many good options, but now without Sutton and Lindsay, things have opened up a bit, allowing him to be the No. 4 tight end through two weeks. The Bucs knew their safety position was one they could've upgraded, and they did, snagging Antoine Winfield Jr. in the second round. He's looked good through two weeks, and the Bucs have allowed just 14.8 PPR points to tight ends through the first two games, which ranks as the seventh fewest in the league. That's somewhat easy to do when you play against Ian Thomas and Chris Manhertz in Week 2, who combined for just one catch and eight yards. If you go back to Week 1, it was a different story with Jared Cook, who snagged 5-of-7 targets for 80 yards. Knowing the Bucs allowed nine top-12 tight ends last year in this scheme, the jury is still out, but Fant should be seeing five-plus targets in every game, making him a solid low-end TE1/high-end TE2.
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13.
Evan Engram
NYG (vs . SF)
Engram bounced back from his week one performance, but he still didn't look exceptional on the football field. Jones threw an interception because of Engram coming out of his break slowly, slipping on the field, and giving little effort to make up for his mistake. With the other receiving options that are now going to miss some time in this offense, it's possible that Engram sees enough work to be relevant on sheer volume alone, but it's not going to feel great plugging him into your lineup. He's a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 this week against the 49ers.
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14.
T.J. Hockenson
DET (at ARI)
Hockenson has been on fire to start the season and it's resulted in a top-10 TE ranking for fantasy through two weeks. However, he gets a slight downgrade with Golladay most likely returning to the lineup this week. Hockenson is a low-end TE1 in this matchup.
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15.
Jordan Reed
SF (at NYG)
We don't know if Kittle will play just yet, but it certainly wasn't a good sign that he was ruled out days before the game against the Jets. It helps the 49ers to know that Reed can step in and play well, as he racked up seven catches for 50 yards and two touchdowns in his first full-time game since 2018. Stay tuned to the bottom of these notes as the week goes on for updates. The Giants have done a good job with tight ends over the first couple weeks, as Eric Ebron and Jimmy Graham both finished with exactly one catch for 18 yards. But that's the thing... they're Ebron and Graham, guys who haven't been fantasy producers for some time. They also saw a combined three targets, so we can't assume anything. It's a new defense under Joe Judge, so we must sit back and observe, but knowing how involved the tight ends are in this offense, it's hard to sit the starter. If Kittle is out again, Reed should be on the streaming radar as a low-end TE1. If Kittle plays, well, you're playing him. As of now, the 49ers are expecting to have Kittle back.
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16.
Logan Thomas
WAS (at CLE)
All you can do is chase targets at the tight end position, and Thomas is clearly getting them in this offense called by Scott Turner. He's totaled 17 targets through two games, and though they've only netted 63 yards, we must follow the targets, especially when he's about to go against a defense that's allowed a league-high 18 receptions for 148 yards and three touchdowns to tight ends through two games. We watched Drew Sample and C.J. Uzomah rack up the fantasy points against them in Week 2, so it's not like Mark Andrews did all the damage. All in all, the Browns have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to skill-position players through two weeks. Thomas isn't a highly efficient player to this point, but against the Browns, he may not need to be. Consider him a solid high-end TE2 streamer.
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17.
Austin Hooper
CLE (vs . WAS)
We thought Hooper would be much more involved in the gameplan with David Njoku going to IR, but four targets is not something to get excited about. The Browns decided to involve rookie Harrison Bryant and give him two targets, so this is bound to be a timeshare no matter what. Unless we see a game where the Browns are expected to throw the ball 35-plus times, it's going to be tough to trust Hooper as anything more than a touchdown dependent TE2. In this game against Washington, it's tough to see that being the case with the Browns favored by almost a full touchdown. The one positive for Hooper, however, is that of the production Washington has allowed to skill-position players, 28.5 percent of it has gone to tight ends, which ranks as the third-highest mark in the league. He's far from a guarantee with the limited targets, but Hooper may be better than expected this week as a high-end TE2.
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18.
Dalton Schultz
DAL (at SEA)
With the injury to Blake Jarwin, Schultz was an intriguing name to monitor on the waiver wire heading into week two. While not many people played him, you would've been rewarded if you took the shot. Schultz saw 10 targets and reeled in 9 of them for 88 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. While the Cowboys aren't going to be throwing the ball 48 times every single week, Schultz should still remain a key part of this offense. He's a fine play in games where points are expected to be put up on the board and this is one of those matchups. Schultz is a mid-range TE2 with upside this week if he's able to find the end zone again.
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19.
Chris Herndon IV
NYJ (at IND)
If you started Herndon last week because of what we talked about here, I'm sorry. I was right there with you. We were quickly reminded what it's like to play a Jets skill-position player and we instantly regret it. But when he caught 6-of-7 targets in Week 1, and then we found out that Jamison Crowder and Le'Veon Bell wouldn't play, the vital signs were good. Four targets, one catch, and five yards later, we're wondering what happened. Now on to play the Colts, who have allowed just 11 yards to tight ends this year... on seven targets. They weren't a matchup to target with tight ends last year, as they allowed just one tight end all year finish with more than 14.0 PPR points, and none of them finished with more than 73 yards. It's hard saying Herndon doesn't have any appeal considering the targets have to go somewhere, but as we found out last week, it's hardly a guarantee they go his way. It does help that the Colts just placed Malik Hooker on injured reserve, which hurts their safety combo. Herndon should remain in the TE2 conversation, but it's tough to trust anyone on this team right now.
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20.
Eric Ebron
PIT (vs . HOU)
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21.
Drew Sample
CIN (at PHI)
The Bengals have thrown the ball 97 times through two weeks, with the tight ends accumulating a massive 21 targets (21.6 percent target share). Now that C.J. Uzomah is out for the season, Sample will be relied upon as the go-to option. He caught 7-of-9 targets for 45 yards against the Browns last week, which may not seem like a huge deal from a yardage standpoint but seeing nine targets is huge. What's also huge is that Sample is tied for the league lead in red zone targets with four of them. You must consider him if streaming tight ends, and the matchup against the Eagles has been a tremendous one in 2020. First, it was Logan Thomas who caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. Then it was Tyler Higbee tagging them for 54 yards and three touchdowns. Every passing touchdown the Eagles have allowed this year has gone to a tight end. It seems like moving on from Malcolm Jenkins might have hurt more than the Eagles thought. Sample is definitely on the streaming radar this week.
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22.
Tyler Eifert
JAC (vs . MIA)
It was Eifert who walked away with the touchdown in Week 2, but it was James O'Shaughnessy who ate into his potential upside. Eifert did see a respectable six targets (what we look for in streamers), but O'Shaughnessy saw four of his own. We can't expect Minshew to throw the ball 45 times every week, especially in a game they're favored to win. The Dolphins haven't really been tested up the middle with tight ends to this point, as Ryan Izzo and Dawson Knox combined to see just five targets. Don't go assuming that Eifert is going to get targeted more than them, either, as he received just one target in Week 1. He's never going to be someone you'll stream confidently, as he's just a touchdown dependent option. The injuries have added up over the years, leading him to average just 6.86 yards per target over the last two years. This is not an obvious matchup you need to attack.
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23.
O.J. Howard
TB (at DEN)
Howard is the receiving option in this Bucs TE room, but he's not necessarily someone that you can rely on week in and week out just yet. This situation is a mess for fantasy managers to try and figure out and it might be best to just leave Howard on your bench or even your waiver wire in 1TE formats.
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24.
Jordan Akins
HOU (at PIT)
After a solid Week 1 performance where he found the end zone, Akins racked up seven targets in Week 2, which was the second-highest mark of his career. He caught all of them for 55 yards, further making us consider him a legitimate streaming option. Unfortunately, he's going to share the red zone work with the vulture, Fells. But there have been 15 targets to the two of them through two weeks, amounting to a respectable 22.1 percent target share. The Steelers have allowed just a 52.9 percent catch-rate to tight ends through two games, which is much different than the 69.9 percent completion rate they allowed in 2019. They actually allowed 1.93 PPR points per target to tight ends last year, which was the fifth-highest mark in the league, but they faced the fourth-fewest targets, so their overall numbers looked better. With how dominant they are against running backs and wide receivers, it's only natural to expect them to have some sort of weakness. If Will Fuller is held out, the target floor goes up for Akins, but even if he plays, Akins is on the high-end TE2 radar. I'll update later in the week based on the practice reports.
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25.
Greg Olsen
SEA (vs . DAL)
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26.
Mo Alie-Cox
IND (vs . NYJ)
Mo Alie-Cox broke out in a big way last week and put together a dominant performance. Alie-Cox went 5-111-0 on six targets against Minnesota and he showed that he can be a key part of the offense moving forward. While it's hard to trust a player who just put up a dominant performance like that after being a backup for so long, he's in the TE2 conversation this week against the Jets. He's worth holding onto if you have the space on your bench though in case this last performance wasn't a fluke.
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27.
Jimmy Graham
CHI (at ATL)
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28.
Rob Gronkowski
TB (at DEN)
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29.
Dan Arnold
ARI (vs . DET)
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30.
Irv Smith Jr.
MIN (vs . TEN)
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31.
Ian Thomas
CAR (at LAC)
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32.
Kyle Rudolph
MIN (vs . TEN)
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33.
Darren Fells
HOU (at PIT)
Akins was solid last week, but there's simply too much volatility with the Houston TEs to rely on any for fantasy this week. Both Akins and Fells make intriguing DFS plays, but they shouldn't be on the redraft radar just yet.
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34.
Jack Doyle
IND (vs . NYJ)
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35.
Robert Tonyan
GB (at NO)
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36.
Gerald Everett
LAR (at BUF)
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37.
Will Dissly
SEA (vs . DAL)
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38.
Anthony Firkser
TEN (at MIN)
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39.
Jace Sternberger
GB (at NO)
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40.
Harrison Bryant
CLE (vs . WAS)
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41.
Tyler Kroft
BUF (vs . LAR)
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42.
Vance McDonald
PIT (vs . HOU)
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43.
Ryan Izzo
NE (vs . LV)
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44.
Nick Boyle
BAL (vs . KC)
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45.
Jason Witten
LV (at NE)
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46.
Ryan Griffin
NYJ (at IND)
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47.
Kaden Smith
NYG (vs . SF)
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48.
Ross Dwelley
SF (at NYG)
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49.
James O'Shaughnessy
JAC (vs . MIA)
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50.
Josh Hill
NO (vs . GB)
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51.
Cameron Brate
TB (at DEN)
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52.
Foster Moreau
LV (at NE)
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53.
Blake Bell
DAL (at SEA)
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54.
Adam Trautman
NO (vs . GB)
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55.
Devin Asiasi
NE (vs . LV)
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56.
Cole Kmet
CHI (at ATL)
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57.
MyCole Pruitt
TEN (at MIN)
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58.
Chris Manhertz
CAR (at LAC)
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59.
Jacob Hollister
SEA (vs . DAL)
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60.
Nick Vannett
DEN (vs . TB)
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61.
Jesse James
DET (at ARI)
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62.
Virgil Green
LAC (vs . CAR)
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63.
Marcedes Lewis
GB (at NO)
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64.
Adam Shaheen
MIA (at JAC)
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65.
Stephen Anderson
LAC (vs . CAR)
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66.
Charlie Woerner
SF (at NYG)
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67.
Marcus Baugh
WAS (at CLE)
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68.
Tyler Conklin
MIN (vs . TEN)
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69.
Trevon Wesco
NYJ (at IND)
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70.
Nick Keizer
KC (at BAL)
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71.
Demetrius Harris
CHI (at ATL)
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72.
Darrell Daniels
ARI (vs . DET)
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73.
Noah Togiai
IND (vs . NYJ)
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74.
Luke Stocker
ATL (vs . CHI)
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75.
Cethan Carter
CIN (at PHI)
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76.
Durham Smythe
MIA (at JAC)
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77.
Levine Toilolo
NYG (vs . SF)
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78.
Stephen Carlson
CLE (vs . WAS)
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79.
Jaeden Graham
ATL (vs . CHI)
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80.
Jordan Thomas
ARI (vs . DET)
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81.
Mason Schreck
CIN (at PHI)
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82.
Jake Butt
DEN (vs . TB)
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83.
Daniel Brown
NYJ (at IND)
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84.
Jeremy Sprinkle
WAS (at CLE)
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85.
Luke Willson
SEA (vs . DAL)
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86.
Sean McKeon
DAL (at SEA)
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87.
Albert Okwuegbunam
DEN (vs . TB)
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88.
Dalton Keene
NE (vs . LV)
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89.
Lee Smith
BUF (vs . LAR)
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90.
Ben Ellefson
JAC (vs . MIA)
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91.
Johnny Mundt
LAR (at BUF)
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92.
Brycen Hopkins
LAR (at BUF)
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93.
Gabe Nabers
LAC (vs . CAR)
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94.
Geoff Swaim
TEN (at MIN)
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95.
Farrod Green
IND (vs . NYJ)
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96.
Andrew Beck
DEN (vs . TB)
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97.
J.P. Holtz
CHI (at ATL)
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98.
Richard Rodgers
PHI (vs . CIN)
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99.
Donald Parham Jr.
LAC (vs . CAR)
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100.
Pharaoh Brown
HOU (at PIT)
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101.
Derek Carrier
LV (at NE)
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102.
Tanner Hudson
TB (at DEN)
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