The tight end position is deep. At least that is what we told ourselves all offseason. I know Week 1 didn’t go the way most of us hoped. That’s why we are back again with our favorite Week 2 tight end sleepers and streamers. You should still start your studs like Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Trey McBride, and Evan Engrams (no not you Dalton Kincaid). But some of us out there in the fantasy football world are left looking at Noah Fant, Ben Sinnott, and Greg Dulcich on our rosters wondering what to do.
Tight End Streamers
Colby Parkinson
The Rams have always utilized their tight ends well. Tyler Higbee has had two top-10 years and three other top-24 years as a Ram since 2019. Under head coach Sean McVay, Higbee has flushed. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury suffered late last season. This opened the door for Colby Parkinson to start for the Rams. With a healthy Matthew Stafford under center, Parkinson will continue to be a viable fantasy football option each week. With sophomore Puka Nacua dealing with an injury that caused him to miss half of their Week 1 game, Parkinson will see an increase in opportunities in Week 2. The Cardinals were able to slow down the Buffalo Bills’ pair of talented tight ends Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid but the Bills’ overall passing game still shined. If it was a better matchup Parkinson would be a must-start not a tight end streamer for Week 2.
Mike Gesicki
It’s been a few years since we saw Mike Gesicki as a relevant player in fantasy football. He had a quiet Week 1 but he is the perfect tight end streamer for Week 2. What doesn’t show up in the stat sheet is the dropped touchdown pass that Gesicki had in Week 1. It was a spectacular grab but he couldn’t maintain possession once he hit the ground. It is a sign that Cincinnati wants to get him involved. With Tee Higgins missing last week and his status for Week 2 in question, it opens up targets. Star receiver Ja’Mar Chase was noticeably frustrated after the Week 1 performance and has threatened to hold out over contract talks. It’s another positive marker toward Gesicki getting more looks. The matchup in Week 2 is really what makes the six-year vet a tantalizing tight end streamer. He will face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. On top of it all, this game is looking to be a shootout or at worst the Bengals playing from behind. We just saw the Chiefs allow Isaiah Likely to post 9 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. If Gesicki can get half of that he will be a top-ten Week 2 tight end.
Tucker Kraft
The game in Brazil didn’t go the way the Green Bay Packers wanted. On top of the loss they also lost their starting quarterback Jordan Love. It looks as if the Packers will roll with Malik Willis for their Week 2 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. With Willis under center, he will be looking for a safety value and that is usually a tight end. One of the biggest shockers of Week 1 was that Tucker Kraft outplayed Luke Musgrave. Despite being drafted after him and playing behind him last season Kraft came out and was the main tight end for the Packers. He only saw three targets but caught two of them for 37 yards. He will get a chance to shine in Week 2 as a tight end streamer against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts just saw a very similar passing attack in the Houston Texans. A team with multiple wide receivers who could be the main guy complimented by a good tight end and a good run game. The Texans tight ends Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan combined for five targets for four receptions and 19 yards.
Tight end Sleepers
Saints Tight Ends not named Taysom Hill
We had a ton of bold predictions all offseason and heading into Week 1 but no one predicted the Saints offense would be this good. Part of that was the contribution of the tight ends Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson. They each had a touchdown and saw a handful of targets. While it would be great if one of them could get all the work, it’s nice to know that both are capable in this offense. They get the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns had four receptions for 44 yards before leaving with an injury and then Jordan Akins had three more receptions for 27 yards. If either Foster Moreau or Juwan Johnson can have those stats it won’t be the greatest outing and they need a touchdown to be fantasy gold. Well, be encouraged by the fact that they each had a red zone target, which they caught and they were the only red zone targets on the team. It’s a sign that the tight end position in the Big Easy might be more than Swiss army knife Taysom Hill.
Jordan Akins
It appears that star tight end David Njoku will miss some time. He left the Week 1 game and was seen in a walking boot after the game. This opened up an opportunity for Jordan Akins who might be the tight end sleeper you are looking for. After Njoku went out, Akin had four targets, catching three of them for 27 yards. If he plays the whole game he should add a few more to those numbers. The Cleveland Browns didn’t look spectacular in their Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. I think the game script played into the amount of passing the Browns had so that is a mild concern heading into Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. While the Jaguars aren’t going to light up the scoreboard they also held the Miami Dolphins to only 20 points. It’s a good sign that a neutral game script which will keep the whole playbook open. The hope is Deshaun Watson can continue to get back form with another week of practice under his belt. He hold the keys to unlocking the Browns offense and Akin’s production while Njoku misses time.
Hayden Hurst
I know. It feels like forever since Hayden Hurst was actually good for your fantasy football team. He has been a semi-hyped-up player every offseason for what seems like the past 10 years. Now on his fourth team in four years, Hurst is a sneaky tight end sleeper for Week 2. He goes against the Carolina Panthers. The same Panthers that just got toasted by Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson with Derek Carr throwing the ball. Now comes Hurst who is catching passes from Justin Herbert. It’s a great matchup that should allow Hurst to see plenty of space and opportunity. The receivers for the Chargers were fine but still lacked the true alpha who demands targets based on their play. Hurst has every chance to assert his dominance in the passing game. When you are looking for a tight end sleeper, I want someone who has a chance to lead his team or be a top-three option in the passing game. In Week 1 Hurst was only two targets off the second spot on the team. Given the good matchup and the opportunities, I’m looking at Hurst to give you one week of fantasy football production.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!