Week 9 brings us one step closer to the fantasy football playoffs. Winning matters every week but even more now. We only have two teams on bye this week but bye week hell is looming. Finding that diamond in the rough is important every week. That is why we are here. Here are the tight end streamers and sleepers for Week 9.
Must starts- Trey McBride, TJ Hockenson, Evan Engram, Brock Bowers, Tucker Kraft, David Njoku, Kyle Pitts, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Cade Otton
Week 9 Tight End Streamers
Noah Fant – Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have dealt with injuries at the wide receiver position. Tyler Lockett started the season less than 100% and now DK Metcalf is dealing with a knee injury. That has opened the door for tight end Noah Fant. While only playing on roughly 60% of the team’s snaps Fant hasn’t scored below five points since Week 4.
Week 9 brings a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams who are giving up the second most fantasy points to tight ends. Given Fant catching all but four of his targets this season he has the opportunity to be involved heavily in this divisional matchup. While Metcalf continues to rehab to get back Fant moves up the target depth chart and takes over the middle of the field. He’s a solid tight end streamer start this week.
Mike Gesicki – Cincinnati Bengals
Week 9 will go one of two ways for Mike Gesicki. Either he has a massive week of over 10 fantasy points like we saw in Week 7 or he will be a complete nothing like we have seen from him three times this season. A lot of Gesicki’s opportunities come when Tee Higgins misses time. Higgins is dealing with a quad injury and his status for Week 9 is still up in the air
The matchup for Gesicki isn’t the greatest. Playing the Las Vegas Raiders who are giving up the seventh fewest points to tight ends. It will have to be volume for Gesicki because the big plays don’t seem to come against this defense. He has been able to hold off rookie Erick All but that could change at any point in time.
Zach Ertz – Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders arent throwing the ball at the pace they were last season but they have less target competition. After wide receiver Terry McLaurin there hasnt been a solid option seeing a high volume total. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz has been able to find a nice spot in this offense and with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Having five or more targets in five games so far this season Ertz has turned in seven games of over five fantasy points. He has proven that he can do more with limited targets. Now he gets to face the New York Giants. A team that is giving up the fourth fewest points to tight ends. It’s also the team that back in Week 2, Ertz caught all four of his targets for 62 yards. Currently, a top 10 tight end despite only scoring one touchdown means his production is coming from catches and yards. That is a much more predictable stat than touchdowns. Fire up Ertz with confidence.
Week 9 Tight End Sleepers
Dalton Schultz – Houston Texans
Often here we talk about how injuries create opportunity for another player. We have that now in Houston. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs left the Week 8 game with a knee injury. With Nico Collins already on injured reserve, it will be up to tight end Dalton Schultz to pick up some extra work.
It can’t come at a better time. Schultz had started to lose some of his snaps to rookie Cade Stover but this should now lock him in as a nearly every down player.
It’s a tough matchup against the New York Jets. The Jets are giving up the seventh fewest points to tight ends. While the offense might be struggling the defense for the Jets has been holding teams to under 25 points in all but two games this season. If Schultz can take on some of the targets that the Diggs injury creates he should see enough volume to be a sleeper play in Week 9.
Ty Conklin – New York Jets
On the opposite side of the field from Dalton Schultz is Ty Conklin for the New York Jets. Just as tough of a matchup since the Texans are giving up the ninth fewest points to tight ends. On a short week, playing Thursday night, I expect both teams to simplify the offense and run plays that work. Plays to the tight end have been one of the bright spots for the Jets recently.
Even with adding Davante Adams to go along with Garrett Wilson, the duo of Conklin and Jeremy Ruckertt saw seven targets in Week 8. When you have a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers there is always a chance that any pass-catching weapon can have a career day. Even with the tough matchup, Rodgers has the experience to get around it. The game projects as a shootout so passing should be in the cards on both sides of the ball.
Adam Trautman – Denver Broncos
I’ve been pounding the table for the Denver Broncos offense and rookie quarterback Bo Nix. The offense is clicking despite lacking top names at the pass-catching positions. While the Broncos have been spreading the ball around, tight end Adam Trautman has slowly become a name to watch. He has had sporadic games with over 50% snap share. He now has back-to-back games with three or more targets and just caught his first touchdown of the year.
The matchup is why I like Trautman as a tight end sleeper this week. The Broncos travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. The Ravens are giving up the third most fantasy points to tight ends. They got torched by Cade Otton of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 and then followed that up by not being able to stop David Njoku in Week 8. The trend should continue in Week 9 with Adam Trautman.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!