This article gets harder and harder to write every week. As bad as the tight end position has been this year for fantasy managers it has started to separate. The top guys are there and the bottom guys are so far behind that it makes you not even want to start them. Finding tight end streamers and sleepers each week is harder but also more necessary. Finding that diamond in the rough can be the difference between a win or a loss. The difference between cashing or not in your DFS slate. So here we are. Week 13 tight end streamers and sleepers.
Must start- TJ Hockenson, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, George Kittle, Tucker Kraft, Trey McBride, Cade Otton, Brock Bowers, Dallas Goedert, David Njoku
Week 13 Tight End Streamers
Kyle Pitts – Atlanta Falcons
For most of his career, Kyle Pitts has been a letdown for fantasy managers. The talent and athleticism are there but he has rarely strung together enough good weeks for you to feel comfortable starting him in fantasy even though you drafted him as your starter. The past three games have been stinkers for Pitts. He didn’t surpass double-digit fantasy points unless you play in a tight end premium league. So why can you trust him in Week 13?
First, the Falcons are coming off their bye. It gave them a chance to rest and heal up. After 11 games everyone is dealing with something. Secondly, it allowed them extra time to game plan for their opponents the Los Angeles Chargers. They have been able to find their weaknesses and implement plays to get their playmakers, like Pitts into good situations. The Chargers have been very good against tight ends this season, only giving up the fourth fewest points to the position. While that seems like bad news for Pitts it really isn’t. Pitts has only played 38% of his snaps as an inline tight end. The typical tight end position. He has been splitting out wide and in the slot more than most. That makes him more of a wide receiver. The Chargers are giving up the 14th most points to wide receivers. I like that way better for Pitts and his chances to put up solid fantasy points this week.
Pat Freiermuth – Pittsburgh Steeler
The Pittsburgh Steelers are rolling. I was wary of them coming into this stretch of four divisional games but so far they have held up. A small part of that so far has been tight end, Pat Freiermuth. While he hasn’t been a stud, he has put up respectable numbers. Week 13 could be another week where he can give you a bump in your fantasy production at the tight end position.
The Steelers will be facing the Cincinnati Bengals. A team that is giving up the 13th most fantasy points to tight ends. With the Bengals being able to score points I expect the Steelers to be in a pass-friendly game script giving Freiermuth even more opportunities. The Bengals will have to contend with George Pickens deep and a solid running game. This should open up the middle of the field for Freiemuth.
Juwan Johnson – New Orleans Saints
First, let me say this. Taysom Hill needs to be started. I don’t think he should be considered a tight end. He’s more of a running back. So to me, the starting tight end for the Saints is Juwan Johnson. The Saints are coming off their bye week so I expect them to get him involved. The fact that they have been relying on Marquez Valdes-Scantling to be their top receiver is not sustainable. The Saints need to find another playmaker and Johnson has been and can be that in this offense.
The matchup for Johnson is very juicy. They are playing the Los Angeles Rams who are giving up the sixth most fantasy points to tight ends. It’s a matchup set for a tight end to shine. The Rams have a good secondary so the wideouts might be held in check. I expect the game plan to focus on the running backs and tight ends which will include Johnson. Johnson has been playing on only 60% of the team’s snaps lately but I think coming off the bye and the matchup we can see him get back to the 80% mark which we saw earlier in the season. He only has two games with double-digit points and those were games where he has scored so I’m not expecting massive numbers but he should be consistent and get you above five fantasy points. If he does score he will be a pleasant surprise for your fantasy lineup.
Tight end Sleepers
Noah Gray – Kansas City Cheifs
Are we chasing points here? Partly. It doesn’t hurt that Noah Gray has scored two touchdowns in each of the past two games. But there is more to like about the Chiefs’ second tight end than just his abnormal scoring trend. If you look at the snap share what we have seen is a slow increase. The first three weeks of the season Gray was only playing on 55% of the team’s snaps. In the past three weeks, he has been playing on 70% or more. That increase also lines up for his targets as well. Along with that is the Chiefs’ overall scoring.
Week 13 brings a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s a home game after spending the last two weeks on the road. The Raiders are giving up the second most points to tight ends. We have seen that both Gray and Travis Kelce can be successful in this offense. What has helped the fourth-year tight end is that he has caught all but three of his targets this year. Drops have been an issue for the Chiefs in the past. They are starting to tune up for the playoffs and building confidence in all of their players is a big part of what has made them back-to-back champions and on pace to win their third in a row. I’m willing to chase the points that Gray has put up. The likelihood of him scoring twice again seems low but the snaps and targets combined with the matchup make him a great tight end sleeper for Week 13.
Tommy Tremble – Carolina Panthers
It was a scary sight seeing rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders have to get stretchered off the field in Week 12. We all hope he is okay and can come back to the game soon. While injuries are never fun they do open up opportunities for others, in this case Tommy Tremble. While Tremble has been a letdown, if he can take even half of the role Sanders had or was going to have in the offense he is a tight end sleeper. The Panthers seemed to have fixed what was wrong with Bryce Young. He is playing happier and more carefree. It’s reflected in his fantasy production. Tremble can play his part in that.
The Panthers get a home-field advantage against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A team that is giving up the fifth most points to tight ends. It’s a matchup that Tremble and Young can exploit as they look to build on the recent success. Will Tremble be a star? Probably not but he should be able to not completely disappoint you in Week 13.
Cade Stover – Houston Texans
Much like Noah Gray we are going with the second tight end on a team. This time we go to the Houston Texans and rookie Cade Stover. The former Ohio State tight end has been coming on lately and finding a role in the offense. Despite being behind Dalton Schultz Stover has been playing on 45% of the team’s snaps and has seen a handful of targets each game. Week 12 was a big game for him as he scored his first touchdown of his career on one of his three receptions.
I wish the targets or snap share was larger but he is still learning the tight end position in the NFL and the Texans’ passing game has been lackluster recently. I do love the matchup this week. Going against the Jacksonville Jaguars provides the right environment to see a breakout. The Jaguars are giving up the eighth most points to tight ends. When it comes to tight end sleepers I want a good matchup and this is one of the better ones. Cade Stover should see a handful of targets and become more involved in the offense.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!