As we turn our attention to fantasy football week six, the tight end landscape becomes clearer. Streaming is going to get more difficult, as people become hip on streaming tight ends and as bye weeks roll in to take their tolls, the streaming options become bleaker. This week we have to top waiver wire TEs who have produced this season (Kyle Rudolph and Cameron Brate) to account for, so it’s not too bad, but if your TE is ineffective, injured or if streaming was your preferred strategy, we are here to help. The Stream Teams are under 50% ownership on Yahoo!, with one player under 10% ownership for deeper leagues. As always, numbers are as of Saturday afternoon.[embedit snippet=”jeff-ads”]
Jesse James at Miami (44% owned)
Jesse James has been one of the streamable tight ends so far this season, but he hasn’t been consistent enough for him to stick on a roster. This week, however, he takes on a matchup that should have him back in your good graces. The Miami defense has given up the ninth-most fantasy points to the TE position this year, mostly on the back of blowup performances from Delanie Walker, Gary Barnidge and Martellus Bennett. Walker has dipped down to near-streamer level, but the other two have been streaming candidates all season (until Brady’s return, for Bennett). This means that this should be a Jesse James week, just like last week. Last week he absorbed eight targets from Big Ben, turning that into six catches, 43 yards and a touchdown. He should have similar production against the woeful Dolphins.
Charles Clay versus San Francisco (20% owned)
Clay has been injured this season and has been in-and-out of the lineup. However, he was fully back last week, catching all five targets for 73 yards. This stream isn’t about Clay. However, it is about the 49ers, who completely forget to take their defense on the road with them since the beginning of last year. I won’t go through all those numbers. Instead I will let you know this: the 49ers have played two road games so far this season, and in both road games the opposing tight end went for over 100 yards and scored a touchdown. Both of these matchups were with NaVorro Bowman, who is good in coverage against tight ends. Bowman is out for the year, and Clay should feast.
Deep Dive:
C.J. Fiedorowicz versus Indianapolis (1% owned)
Fiedorowicz has seen increased target volume the last two weeks (5 targets, the eight targets) after amassing only four targets on the whole of the season before that. He turned this into 109 yards and a score, which isn’t all that exciting. Much like Clay, this has more to do with his opponent than his innate talents. Indianapolis is bad against all tight ends worth their salt. Every tight end this season that has gotten at least five targets against the Colts has gotten over 70 yards or a score. Only Hunter Henry’s fumble has kept him from the vaunted seven fantasy points threshold you’re looking for in a TE1. Fiedorowicz should get the volume to do that this week.