Six teams are on a bye this week. But fortunately for us, the fantasy gods have spared the tight end position. Only two fantasy-worthy tight ends — Jake Ferguson and Dalton Schultz — are on byes and absent from the Week 7 tight end rankings. Compared to the toll other positions around the league are taking this week, I’ll happily take that.
There are a few injuries worth monitoring this week. Pat Freiermuth missed Week 5 with a hamstring injury and received extra rest with the team’s Week 6 bye. Freiermuth should be able to suit up in Week 7, but watch the practice reports to confirm. UPDATE: Freiermuth has been ruled out for Week 7.
Dalton Kincaid missed Week 6 with a concussion and remains in concussion protocol as of Tuesday. Dawson Knox will again be the Bills’ primary tight end if Kincaid can’t clear protocol this week. UPDATE: Kincaid will suit up in Week 7. Both he and Knox are TE2s.
Tight End Notes
Bye Weeks: CAR, CIN, DAL, HOU, NYJ, TEN
- You can’t ask much more from Darren Waller. He leads the Giants in targets (41) and the position in target share (21.8%). He’s also racked up 282 receiving yards, tied for sixth-most among tight ends. The only thing Waller has yet to do is score a touchdown this season. However, Week 7 could be the week he finds pay dirt. Waller gets a favorable matchup against a middling Commanders defense that has given up three touchdowns to tight ends in the past two weeks. The Giants offense is in shambles, but Waller has an opportunity to shine in Week 7.
- Luke Musgrave could make some noise in Week 7. He faces a porous Denver defense that has allowed the most fantasy points and receiving yards to tight ends this season, in addition to the fifth-most receptions. Volume shouldn’t be a problem for Musgrave. Before his Week 6 bye, Musgrave saw at least seven targets in two of his previous three games (a concussion in Week 4 limited him to one target). The Broncos allowed 65+ receiving yards or a touchdown in each of their last three games. I expect Musgrave to follow suit in Week 7.
- It took a little while, but Michael Mayer finally impacted the tight end rankings. He caught five of his six targets for a team-leading 75 yards and finished as the week’s TE7. Mayer has an opportunity to keep rolling this week in a plus matchup against the Bears. Chicago has allowed the second-most receptions and seventh-most receiving yards to tight ends. If Jimmy Garoppolo can’t suit up this week, Mayer could be a security blanket for Brian Hoyer or Aidan O’Connell. Mayer is a top-tier TE2 with upside for me in Week 7.
- The return of Cooper Kupp has been great for the Rams but not so great for Tyler Higbee‘s fantasy value. In four games without Kupp, Higbee averaged 6.5 targets and 49 receiving yards per game. But in the two weeks since Kupp’s return, Higbee has yet to top three targets or 20 receiving yards per game. Yuck. Higbee is a TE2 with little upside against a tough Steelers defense this week.
More Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty
Week 7 Tight End Rankings
Note: Ranks based on half-PPR scoring
Rnk | Player | Team | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Travis Kelce | KC | LAC |
2 | Mark Andrews | BAL | DET |
3 | T.J. Hockenson | MIN | SF |
4 | Sam LaPorta | DET | @BAL |
5 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | MIA |
6 | Darren Waller | NYG | WAS |
7 | Evan Engram | JAX | @NO |
8 | George Kittle | SF | @MIN |
9 | Kyle Pitts | ATL | @TB |
10 | Luke Musgrave | GB | @DEN |
11 | Jonnu Smith | ATL | @TB |
12 | Cole Kmet | CHI | LVR |
13 | Logan Thomas | WAS | @NYG |
14 | Michael Mayer | LVR | @CHI |
15 | Taysom Hill | NO | JAX |
16 | Zach Ertz | ARI | @SEA |
17 | David Njoku | CLE | @IND |
18 | Gerald Everett | LAC | @KC |
19 | Dalton Kincaid | BUF | @NE |
20 | Trey McBride | ARI | @SEA |
21 | Cade Otton | TB | ATL |
22 | Tyler Higbee | LAR | PIT |
23 | Dawson Knox | BUF | @NE |
24 | Mike Gesicki | NE | BUF |
25 | Hunter Henry | NE | BUF |
26 | Donald Parham Jr. | LAC | @KC |