This past week of fantasy football might be described as “Backup Tight End” Week. Of the top 12 scorers at the position heading into Monday Night Football, nine were drafted well outside the top 10 at the position in the offseason, according to average draft position (ADP) data.
Only Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride and Mark Andrews cracked the list while Jonnu Smith (15.3 half-PPR points) led the way, Brenton Strange (11 catches) dominated and two Broncos (Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins) made the cut.
Will Week 16 be any different? Fantasy managers who are moving onto the second round certainly hope so. In the most important week of the year, should Travis Kelce, Dalton Kincaid or Tucker Kraft still get the start? Or should some streaming options be in play?
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This weekly column helps identify tight ends that are strong streaming options for the week ahead. Whether it’s due to bye weeks, injuries or overall lack of production, these tight ends are often widely available on the waiver wire (all are fewer than 50% rostered in Yahoo! leagues) and have matchups worth exploiting for fantasy football.
Fantasy Football Tight End Streamers & Waiver Wire Pickups
Brenton Strange (TE – JAX) @ Las Vegas Raiders | 2% Rostered
With Evan Engram out for the season, Brenton Strange stepped into the starter’s role and produced massively. With Mac Jones as his quarterback, Strange saw 12 targets. He finished with 11 receptions and 73 receiving yards. He played 82% of snaps and trailed only rookie Brian Thomas Jr. in targets on the day.
With the Jaguars hardly ever targeting their running backs, and no other pass-catcher stepping up for the team, it’s possible Strange will have an oversized role the rest of the season and become a preferred target for Jones over the next three weeks.
The matchup in Week 16 couldn’t be much better as the Jaguars travel to Las Vegas in a game that could go a long way to determining who has the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2025. The Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the tight end position and certainly don’t want to win their third game and potentially risk dropping three or four spots at the top of the draft. Jones and Strange, on the other hand, are trying to prove what they can do in case both end up on different teams in 2025.
Noah Gray (TE – KC) vs. Houston Texans | 19% Rostered
Even with Travis Kelce still around, we need to face the reality that Noah Gray is a significant part of this Kansas City Chiefs offense and is routinely out-targeting everyone on his team not named Kelce or Xavier Worthy. Week 15 represented Gray’s fourth time in his last five games to have at least five targets. He also has exactly four receptions in four straight games, bolstered by the fact that he also has four touchdown receptions in that span.
Patrick Mahomes is likely to miss Week 16 against Houston with an ankle injury. That means Carson Wentz will be asked to step up and simply manage the game and not make any mistakes. What better way for a quarterback to accomplish that than by focusing on a player who can make himself an open target in the shallow part of the field?
Gray has the potential to be Wentz’s best option if he starts in place of Mahomes. As a bonus, Gray has six red-zone targets in the last four weeks, which is more than any other Kansas City pass-catcher not named Kelce.
Stone Smartt (TE – LAC) vs. Denver Broncos | 6% Rostered
Stone Smartt makes this list for the second week in a row after he did not let streamers down with his six targets, five receptions and 50-yard game against the Buccaneers in Week 15. With Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst out, Smartt stepped up again for Justin Herbert and earned season-highs in targets, receptions and yards. He even had one red-zone target, also known as the same number Ladd McConkey had.
With the Chargers having a quick turnaround to play on Thursday Night Football, it is unlikely Dissly will play, opening up the starting spot once again for Smartt. The Chargers play the Broncos on Thursday night, a team that just allowed Kylen Granson to record 47 yards on three receptions. Smartt might not have the scoring upside of Noah Gray or Brenton Strange, but if you are desperate for a player who is going to get 4-6 targets and likely around 50-60 yards, Smartt is a wise choice for the tight end needy.
Bonus Tight End Pickup: Cade Otton (TE – TB) @ Dallas Cowboys | 77% Rostered
Cade Otton is only available in slightly less than 25% of leagues right now, but that might change after waivers run for Week 16. Four of Otton’s last five games have been completely underwhelming, with no more than 35 yards and zero touchdowns in those four games. That might lead some teams to drop Otton in favor of some of the better options listed above for Week 16.
However, if you have a tight end option you are comfortable playing in Week 16, Otton is a superb stash for Week 17. In championship week, Otton plays the Carolina Panthers, who allow the most fantasy points per game to tight ends this season. Watch your waiver wire to see if Otton becomes a free agent this week. If he does, grab him as a Week 17 stash if you can.
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