Fantasy Football Tight End Streaming: Week 4 Edition
So I guess Andy Reid finally got the message. Sort of.
Travis Kelce has been a mainstay on my weekly tight end streaming articles due to his tremendous athletic profile and seemingly ripe opportunity on a Kansas City team without much offensive firepower. Kelce finished Week 3 as the 10th-best tight end in PPR scoring while seeing just four targets.
Another recommendation last week, Niles Paul, continued his hot start to the 2014 season finishing as the ninth-best tight end in Week 3. Paul saw nine targets versus Philadelphia, further proving that Kirk Cousins has built a real rapport with the tight end that should continue moving forward.
Larry Donnell posted a 6/45/0 line, finishing as the 14th-best tight end. Eli Manning played extremely well, but found his old go-to Victor Cruz early and often against Houston. Though Donnell didn't carry fantasy squads to victory, he was more than serviceable for streamers.
With bye weeks starting and waiver wires being picked thin, it will be tougher to find weekly difference makers at the tight end position. But don’t fret; there’s still streaming gold to be mined.
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Owned - ESPN: 11.4%, Yahoo: 49% Week 4 numberFire Rank: 10th
The time is swiftly approaching where Travis Kelce will no longer be eligible for this list. Following his Week 3 touchdown catch, this may be the last chance you have to snag Kelce from your league’s wire.
When talking about Kelce, I would be remiss not to mention his Reception Net Expected Points (NEP) metrics thus far this season. With just 10 catches on the season, Kelce ranks fifth among all tight ends in terms of Reception NEP, and third in Reception NEP on a per-target basis.
It’s worrisome and non-sensical that he only has 15 targets on the season, but as of right now, he has performed at a top-tier level at the position.
Kelce’s snap count has risen each of the past three weeks, and head coach Andy Reid finally seems to see what the fantasy community has known all along: the Chiefs are better when Kelce gets the ball.
On Monday Night Kansas City welcomes New England, the top-ranked pass defense on a per play basis according to our metrics, so the matchup isn’t a cakewalk. But if what we’ve seen over the first three weeks is any indication, Kelce is more than capable of breaking the Patriots’ defense down.
Niles Paul, Washington Redskins
Owned - ESPN: 7.2%, Yahoo: 44% Week 4 numberFire Rank: 15th
Niles Paul’s 12.8 PPR points in Week 3 made him the 10th-best tight end, but considering Washington threw up 34 points against Philadelphia, some owners made have still felt disappointed. Shame on you for being so selfish.
But focusing on the positive. Paul was targeted nine times on Sunday to go along with his 11 targets in Week 2. Kirk Cousins spread the ball around against Philadelphia, but is still looking at his tight end often. When finding streaming tight end options, consistent target volume is a huge factor.
Paul ranks eighth in Reception NEP among all tight ends this season, ahead of both Rob Gronkowski and Zach Ertz.
Jordan Reed has already been ruled out for Thursday Night’s game against the Giants, cementing Paul as the starter. The Giants’ defense has been decent so far this season, but ranks as the 22nd against the pass according to our numbers.
Don’t expect Cousins to post astronomical stats again this week, but it’s not unreasonable to expect Paul to be heavily targeted on Thursday.
Owen Daniels
Owned - ESPN: 5.9%, Yahoo: 27% Week 4 numberFire Rank: 11th
It’s been a really long time since Owen Daniels’ name has been relevant in fantasy football circles. Playing behind Dennis Pitta since the beginning of the season has limited his snap count and his production (the two-touchdown game against Pittsburgh withstanding).
In a tragic twist of events on Sunday, Pitta re-injured his hip and is now out for the season. And while no one should ever laud in a player’s injury, it presents a clear opportunity for Daniels to see more work and more targets in the Gary Kubiak-orchestrated offense.
Through Week 3, Pitta and Daniels have combined for 33 targets, showing clear intent by the coaching staff to involve the position.
Among all tight ends with at least 10 catches, Daniels ranks fifth in terms of Reception NEP per target, showing his high level of efficiency. If you combine efficiency and opportunity, production usually follows.
Baltimore’s Week 4 opponent, Carolina, sports the 15th-ranked defense versus tight ends, leaving the door open for Daniels to have a sneaky productive day.
Deeper Streamers
Garrett Graham (vs. Buffalo), Derek Carrier (vs. Philadelphia)
