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USATSI

I thought the tight end position was a mess at the beginning of the year, I had no idea how bad it was about to get. 

Through the first five weeks of the season, only nine tight ends have scored even 10 PPR Fantasy points per game. That includes Tasyom Hill, who only has one catch on the season. It also includes Gerald Everett, who had one catch for two yards last week. It obviously includes Tyler Higbee, who somehow still doesn't have a touchdown yet this year.

  • Week 6 previews: QB | RB | WR

We should probably include Pat Freiermuth in that list. He's at 9.9 FPPG. He's also currently in the concussion protocol. So we aren't expecting him, and we'll also be without Darren Waller and T.J. Hockenson due to their teams being on a bye this week. Add in the fact that Kyle Pitts is still projected out with a hamstring injury, and the tight end position looks worse than even we could have imagined in Week 6.

I have a few waiver wire adds below, but the truth is that just about anyone you could envision scoring a touchdown is streamable at tight end this week. That includes Tyler Conklin, who has fallen off a cliff since Zach Wilson took over. In fact, if you can't get Hill or Hayden Hurst, I'd likely just hold on to Conklin and start him one more week against the Packers. That defense hasn't been as good as expected, and this will be the first game since Wilson took over that the Jets face an NFL-ready starting quarterback. I would expect their pass volume to rebound.

Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 6:

Week 6 TE Preview
TE Preview
Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 6 at this time. Here's what it means:

PIT Pittsburgh • #88
Age: 26 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Zach Gentry is also banged up for the Steelers.
TE Preview
Numbers to Know
  • 134 -- Passing and rushing yards for Taysom Hill in Week 5 to go along with four total touchdowns. He needs to be rostered everywhere.
  • 0 -- Dalton Schultz hasn't caught a pass in two weeks; hopefully Dak Prescott can salvage his season.
  • 73 -- David Njoku has three straight games with at least 73 receiving yards.
  • 90.4 - Cade Otton had a 90.4% route participation in Week 5, a 35.7% increase from Week 4. 
  • 7 -- Hayden Hurst saw seven targets in Week 5 with Tee Higgins hobbled. He's a starter if Higgins is out.
TE Preview
Matchups that matter
SF San Francisco • #85
Age: 31 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ ATL SF -5.5 O/U 43.5
OPP VS TE
28th
PROJ PTS
12.7
TE RNK
9th
YTD Stats
REC
11
TAR
15
REYDS
99
TD
0
FPTS/G
6.3
CLE Cleveland • #85
Age: 28 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs NE CLE -3 O/U 42.5
OPP VS TE
21st
PROJ PTS
9.4
TE RNK
6th
YTD Stats
REC
24
TAR
29
REYDS
289
TD
1
FPTS/G
11.4
LAC L.A. Chargers • #88
Age: 31 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ NO CIN -1.5 O/U 43.5
OPP VS TE
5th
PROJ PTS
8.5
TE RNK
8th
YTD Stats
REC
20
TAR
28
REYDS
157
TD
2
FPTS/G
9.5
TE Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 6 Streamers (TE Preview)
NO New Orleans • #7
Age: 34 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs CIN CIN -1.5 O/U 43.5
OPP VS TE
23rd
TE RNK
17th
ROSTERED
53%
YTD Stats
REC
1
TAR
1
REYDS
2
TD
6
FPTS/G
15.2
Hill is far more valuable in non-PPR because he only has one catch all season. But he's a starter in both formats due to his upside and red-zone involvement. Just don't look for him in the projections below because he's broken my process. I wasn't properly accounting for running tight ends.
LAC L.A. Chargers • #88
Age: 31 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ NO CIN -1.5 O/U 43.5
OPP VS TE
5th
TE RNK
8th
ROSTERED
32%
YTD Stats
REC
20
TAR
28
REYDS
157
TD
2
FPTS/G
9.5
Hurst is a very good play if Higgins is out, but this is a tough matchup for tight ends, so I would be much less excited if Higgins plays. It's likely Hurst needs a bunch of volume just to be serviceable.
TB Tampa Bay • #88
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ PIT TB -8 O/U 43.5
OPP VS TE
12th
TE RNK
19th
ROSTERED
4%
YTD Stats
REC
10
TAR
13
REYDS
76
TD
0
FPTS/G
4.4
I think it's quite possible Otton becomes the best Buccaneers tight end, regardless of who is healthy. But I'm only considering starting him this week if Cameron Brate remains out.
TE Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
LAR L.A. Rams • #89
Age: 31 • Experience: 9 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs CAR LAR -11 O/U 41
OPP VS TE
13th
PROJ PTS
10.1
TE RNK
5th
YTD Stats
REC
33
TAR
48
REYDS
290
TD
0
FPTS/G
12.4
Travis Kelce gets the Bills, who are awesome against tight ends, and Mark Andrews faces his former defensive coordinator, who I'd imagine will try to scheme him away. For those reasons I'll go with Higbee, who has been remarkably productive in Fantasy considering he still hasn't scored a touchdown.
Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
BUF Buffalo • #85
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ KC BUF -3 O/U 54
OPP VS TE
20th
PROJ PTS
2.2
TE RNK
NR
YTD Stats
REC
6
TAR
9
REYDS
67
TD
0
FPTS/G
2.7
I'm playing the Bills tight end against the Chiefs. If Dawson Knox is back, it will be him. If not, it's Quintin Morris, who saw five targets in Week 5.
TE Preview
Heath's Projections