When we talk about tight ends, upside doesn’t often come to mind. A large part of their value is dependent upon reaching the end zone but they don’t have upside in the way a wide receiver has. Seeing a tight end go for 100-plus yards just isn’t something that will happen often unless you are dealing in the truly elite territory. Fifty yards and a touchdown is a perfectly reasonable expectation from your tight end, and that means your budget should be allocated accordingly. Just make sure you are paying for the production you are getting though.
This doesn’t mean you should never look towards the higher end options if the situation dictates or the salary cap allows, but tread carefully here. There is a fine line to walk between risk and reward as you can’t afford taking a zero from a lineup spot. At the same time, you don’t want to spend any more than necessary at the risk of other positions.
For those who have yet to subscribe, what are you waiting for? Until then you will get one free pick to whet your appetite. There are a lot of bargains this week available this week at the tight end position but let’s start by looking at someone a little higher priced. Hunter Henry ($5,100 DK, $6,100 FD) is finally healthy and we need to take advantage of that as he is a large part of the Chargers offense. Last week Henry was targeted eight times and caught five passes for 73 yards while just missing a touchdown. That workload should continue for Henry and paying up for the security of his production might be worth it this week as his price won’t bust your budget.
Behind the paywall, we will continue to take a closer look at some more tight ends who deserve our attention this week along with a few from whom we should keep our distance. And not all will break the bank either which will leave plenty of room for help at other positions. So, keep on going and take a look at what we have to offer.
Noah Fant ($4,400 DK, $5,300 FD) got his sophomore season off on the right foot as he looks to take his career to the next level. Fant will also benefit from Drew Lock’s growth as he caught five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown last week. Last season saw Fant average 14.1 yards per catch and that sets him apart from a lot of other options at the position as he is not just a touchdown dependent option but instead a large part of Denver’s downfield passing game. The Broncos are touchdown underdogs against Pittsburgh so available targets shouldn’t be an issue for Fant but we do need to note that the Steelers did shut down Evan Engram last week. But at Fant’s price it is a risk worth taking.
And now we get to the discount bin. This isn’t meant to discount any of the options, but you have to know what you are getting into. More importantly we shouldn’t discount the cost savings from any of these options. What they all have in common is the fact that their role is secure this week while their track record is either non-existent or questionable.
With Jack Doyle sidelined this week, Mo Alie-Cox ($3,000 DK, $4,000) appears on our radar. Last season Alie-Cox managed just eight receptions for 93 yards but that was really just depth chart related as he was stuck behind Doyle and Eric Ebron. Last week after Doyle left the game Alie-Cox caught two passes for 20 yards as he gets set for a larger role this week. Again, as with most options at this price, he is touchdown dependent but we also have a free square here to spend up on the remainder of our roster and he does have the athleticism to make an impact.
After catching just one pass for 11 yards last week on four targets things aren’t that much more secure for Dalton Schultz ($3,700 DK, $4,000 FD) although I do feel a little more comfortable with him. Schultz steps in for the injured Blake Jarwin for a Dallas offense that is primed for a breakout game this week. Dallas faces an Atlanta defense that let the Seahawks’ passing offense essentially do whatever they wanted to in Week One and Dak Prescott and company should do the same this week. Based on how the Cowboys utilize their tight ends, including Jarwin prior to his injury, the targets should be there for Schultz.
Jordan Reed ($2,600 DK, $4,800 FD) is healthy. Enjoy it while it lasts. With George Kittlesidelined this week, Reed is slated to step in after catching two passes for 12 yards last week. Unlike with Alie-Cox and Schultz we have seen Reed have success in the past as it’s mainly the health that has been issue. Despite the injury Kittle was still on the field for 61 of 62 snaps last week so Reed didn’t have a chance to make his presence felt. We know that the Jets defense is going to struggle and Reed shouldn’t run into much opposition. Of all the low-cost options this week Reed might be my favorite, at least on Draft Kings, based on price, opportunity, and track record.
Based on the above criteria that led us to the majority of our options, Logan Thomas ($3,600 DK, $4,700 FD) should be right there on the list. But with Thomas we are paying for last week’s success while with the others it is all about the potential. Thomas caught four of his eight targets last week for 37 yards and a touchdown which means he is truly a touchdown dependent option. Don’t go chasing the past as far as production goes.
Another touchdown dependent option who we are looking to stay away from this week is Greg Olsen ($3,900 DK, $5,000 FD). Olsen also caught a touchdown last week but he was even less explosive as his four catches went for just 24 yards. We also have to be aware of Will Disslyreturning to health but if Olsen doesn’t catch a touchdown, his value is essentially non-existent.
