Tight End Streaming: Week 11 Edition

Can you believe it's Week 11? It seems like just yesterday that Brandon Myers, Dwayne Allen, and Zach Sudfeld were good ideas. But as high expectations turned into subpar production, we adjusted and found solace in the Charles Clays and Jordan Reeds of the world. We played with our Jimmys (Graham), waited on our Gronks, and exhausted our Rudolphs (Kyle) until they had nothing left to give us. All the while, one thing has remained constant - the tight end stream is still as bountiful as Thanksgiving dinner.

Week 10 Recap

The best tight end in football in Week 10 was - drum roll please - John Carlson. Logic, you betray me yet again! Carlson, who hasn't been fantasy-relevant this decade, went for 98 yards and a touchdown, while replacing Kyle Rudolph, who is out for most of the season.

Carlson, however, wasn't the only streamer to unleash the beast last week. Eight of the top-12 Week 10 tight ends were streamers, most of them coming from the deep end of the talent pool. If you started Brandon Bostick, Chris Gragg, or Taylor Thompson last week, please contact me with stock tips. You have a gift I cannot fathom. For the rest of us who can't rely on magic or sorcery, let's look back to the tight end stream for Week 11 and let statistics, trends, and matchups be our guide.

Week 11 Streamers

Scott Chandler, Buffalo Wild Wings (owned in 15.5% of ESPN Leagues)

The Jets don't cover tight ends; they allow them to graze the hillside peacefully and untouched. Only four teams have given up more yards to tight ends than the Jets, and they've let up six touchdowns over the past seven games. One of those touchdowns was reeled in by none other than Scott Chandler, who tallied 79 yards on five catches in the Bills' Week 3 game in New York.

Chandler's overall numbers have been solid but not spectacular: 388 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. However, he has a Receiving Net Expected Points per Target of .65, which tells that he's been more efficient than bigger names like Martellus Bennett and Antonio Gates. We give him the same chance of scoring a touchdown this week as Jordan Cameron. Ross and Rachel agree that Chandler Bing is a Week 11 tight end target.

Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bungles (owned in 7% of ESPN Leagues)

The Eifert Tower had mixed results last week with Jermaine Gresham out for the Bengals. Eifert had 10 targets as Cinci's primary tight end, an impressive number. However, he tallied only 55 yards on three receptions. You can blame the low reception total on Andy Dalton's accuracy, or inaccuracy, rather than Eifert's pass-catching skills. But, on a positive note, Sunday showed that Dalton has confidence in his rookie tight end.

Eifert's Receiving NEP per Target is mediocre at .44, but that can happen when your quarterback can't get you the football - Dalton has thrown six interceptions in his last two games. Dalton, however, is a pendulum, likely to swing back to more efficient and consistent play. Although Gresham might be back this week, it looks like Eifert will remain the Bengals' primary option at tight end. We think Eifert has a better chance to touchdown dance than both Rob Gronkowski and Julius Thomas this week. It's time to press play on your iFert 5s.

Rob Housler, Arizona Ellingtons (owned in 2% of ESPN Leagues)

Rob Housler spent the first nine weeks of 2013 like the Canadian dish "poutine": you've heard that it's good, but you've never actually seen it. Finally, Housler made his presence felt, with 57 yards and a touchdown in Week 10. He has been nursing a groin injury for the majority of the season, and it was nice to see him finally have some success in a role occupied by Heath Miller and Dwayne Allen in previous incarnations of Bruce Arians' offense.

This week Housler gets the Jaguars, third-worst against tight ends this season. Housler's .57 Receiving NEP per Target shows that he has been about as efficient in his offense as Owen Daniels was to the Texans before his season ended with an injury. With Michael Floyd banged up, look for Housler to continue to have a prominent role on Sunday. Don't be surprised if this guy takes it to the House-ler.

Deeper Sleepers