It’s been rough for the tight end position. Hopes of things turning around are still left waiting. We haven’t seen the dominant performances so fantasy football managers are looking for tight end streamers and sleepers more than they ever have. Expectations need to be tempered across the board at the tight end position. You probably aren’t going to be able to get 10-plus points but a serviceable five to eight is very achievable and findable off waivers or deep on your bench. Here are the Week 4 tight end sleepers and streamers.
Week 4 Tight End Sleepers and Streamers
Streamers
Pat Freiermuth- Pittsburgh Steelers
Don’t look now but the Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0 and leading their division. Justin Fields has led this team to three straight wins and not only because of his legs. He has been passing the ball very well. It’s a low-volume passing offense. Week 3 was the first time they threw the ball over 30 times. We knew the identity of the Steelers would be running the ball, especially with only George Pickens as a notable wide receiver. What has finally started to come true is all the hopes and dreams fantasy football managers had for tight end Pat Freiermuth. He has continued to be a consistent player. He has caught all but one of his targets this season and in each game has four receptions. He lacks the touchdowns or red zone targets but consistently getting four receptions a week is enough to put him in the tight end streamers category.
Week 4 he will be lining up across from the Indianapolis Colts defense. A defense that just gave up 10 receptions for 97 yards and a score to Cole Kmet in Week 3. It’s a possible jump start for Freiermuth and his fantasy managers. The Colts have struggled to score points in bunches so the Steelers can stay in their game plan. If they do get behind its only better for Freiermuth. With how bad the tight end position has been this year for fantasy football many managers are looking for something. I don’t believe Freiermuth will be a top-10 guy but he is consistent enough to be considered as a tight end streamer if you are looking for one this week
Ty Conklin- New York Jets
When I’m looking for a tight end streamer I start by looking at tight ends who are playing a high percentage of their team’s snaps. For the New York Jets that is Tyler Conklin. He has played on over 90% of the team’s snaps each week this year. Next, I look for a player who can be a top two or three in targets on his team. While Conklin isn’t quite there yet, it looks like quarterback Aaron Rodgers is starting to feel comfortable in this offense and targeting the tight end position more. It has opened the door for Conklin who saw only two targets in the first two games to six this past Thursday night.
Lastly, I look for a good matchup. The New York Jets are playing the Denver Broncos who are bottom ten in terms of surrendering points to the tight end position. The Broncos just got torched by Cade Otton in Week 3 for seven receptions for 47 yards. Matchup is not always just how bad a team is at covering the tight end. I also look at potential game scripts. The Broncos are a team trying to figure it out. They showed some flashes but still lacked the scoring output to match with even lower nd teams let alone a good offense like the Jets. I expect the Jets to pass early and often to get the lead. I think Conklin will be part of that plan and get his looks early in the game. As far as a tight end streamer goes, most signs point
Cade Otton- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I just talked about how Cade Otton had a great game in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. His involvement in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers passing game will continue to be important to their success. Otton has been a letdown most of this season. He had negative points in Week 2 and only one reception in Week 1. He’s not my ideal idea of a tight end streamer. I’m banking on Baker Mayfield and the Bucs turning things around after an embarrassing loss to the Broncos. I expect them to get back to what was working for them last year. A year where Cade Otton had four tight ends and multiple games over ten fantasy points.
Sleepers
Jordan Akins- Cleveland Browns
It’s poetic that the team name is the Browns because that color represents what their offense looks like most weeks. They haven’t scored over 20 points yet this season and are lacking a spark, especially in the passing game. Part of that is tight end David Njoku missing time with an ankle injury. That has opened the door for Jordan Akins to emerge as a tight end sleeper. It has been an up-and-down season for the six-year vet but he has had two games with a fantasy impact. Both Week 1 and Week 3 were serviceable in terms of fantasy points. Week 4 he lines up against the Las Vegas Raiders who are giving up the seventh most points to tight ends. It’s a solid matchup for Akins who can continue to be a solid tight end sleeper.
In Week 3 Akins saw seven targets. He only hauled in four of them for 29 yards but the opportunities are there. That is what we are looking for in our tight end sleepers. Given that Njoku will likely miss another week and no other receiver has stepped up to be something across from Amari Cooper, Jordan Akins is a great tight end sleeper.
Jared Whyle- Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are going through some growing pains. That’s to be expected with a young quarterback. Will Levis has shown flashes of greatness followed by head-scratching decisions. The inconsistency is what is holding the whole passing game back. A surprise part of that has been tight end Jared Whyle. It’s been an interesting mix to start the season between Whyle and Chig Okonkwo. Week 2 saw both play similar snaps per entage and running close to the same number of routes. Whyle finished the game catching both of hsi targets for 13 yards while Okonkwo caught all three of his for 16 yards. In Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers Whyle caught four of his five targets accumulating 43 yards while Okonkwo caught his two passes for 15 yards.
Heading into Week 4 the Titans will face the Miami Dolphins. First, the game script looks to be a low-scoring affair. The Dolphins can’t seem to click without Tua Tagaviola. The Titans should be able to control the clock and run the ball. It’s probably a low-volume passing game, very similar to what we saw from the Titans in Week 2. Levis only attempted 28 passes against the New York Jets. The lower volume hinders Whyle’s potential output. When you are looking for a tight end sleeper you would hope to find someone with higher volume and a higher percentage of being a top two or three target-getter on his team. The matchup isn’t great either. The Dolphins are currently giving up the 5th fewest points to tight ends. They did just allow Noah Fant to post a 6-60 stat line in Week 3. The hope is the Titans use this game to give Levis some more easy thrones and build his confidence, Jared Whyle should be in that game plan.
Tommy Tremble- Carolina Panthers
I honestly never thought a Carolina Panther would find their way into this article. After watching the horrific play last year and then seeing that continue through two game this year it looked like they would never appear here. Then the Panthers benched Bryce Young and rolled out veteran Andy Dalton and everything changed. Part of that change was tight end Tommy Tremble. The third-year player seems to be holding off rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders. In Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Tremble saw three targets catching all of them for 29 yards. Its his second straight week with just over five fantasy points. While those aren’t winning numbers they are great for a tight end sleeper you can get off waivers.
Looking ahead to Week 4 the Panthers will face the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are a middle-of-the-road team in terms of giving up points to the tight end position. They were able to hold Travis Kelce at bay in Week 2 and Hunter Henry in Week 1.
While the matchup isn’t stellar for Tremble I like what I saw from Dalton It’s not his first game against Cincinnati since leaving there in 2020 but he is still playing to keep his career alive. I expect Tremble to still be a viable fantasy asset and a good tight end sleeper in this game.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 4 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis as it comes out through the week.