Tight ends have been frustrating this year mainly because we haven’t done a great job predicting who, at this point would be the every week studs and who would be the sleepers. Since everyone seems to be in the same boat, looking for any sign of hope if you can find that edge you set yourself up to get some needed wins. Here are Week 6’s tight end streamers and sleepers.
Tight End Sleepers and Streamers
Streamers
Evan Engram- Jacksonville Jaguars
Everyone was hoping that last year TE2 would come back in Week 5 and save the world of fantasy tight ends. It wasn’t meant to be as he was a late scratch as he is still dealing with the hamstring issue that he suffered before the Week 2 matchup. In his time away rookie Benton Strange has shined but Engram looks poised to come back Week 6. Engram comes back into the lineup and faces the Chicago Bears who are middle of the road in terms of giving up fantasy points to the tight end position. Engram is a tier above Strange as a player and with Strange averaging 4.5 targets I like what Engram can produce in Week 6. With Trevor Lawrence finding more solid footing with rookie Brian Thomas Jr it opens up the middle of the field for Engram.
Cade Otton- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The thought that the tight end position is so bad this year really isn’t true. The difference this year is the names we thought would be at the top are not but some of the names in the middle of the pack are exactly what they thought they were. Cade Otton has been just that. After finishing as TE20 last season he is currently TE19. He is always in the mix each week as a tight end streamer. In Week 6 is more of the same.
As the third or fourth receiving option for quarterback Baker Mayfield, Otton has had games where he has seen well over five targets and game where he barely sees any. The Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints isn’t the best but also not the toughest matchup for Otton. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin still on the field, Otton needs to step up with injuries to Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer. Otton should be able to beat out eight-year veteran Sterling Shepard for targets. The issue might be game script. Can the Saints get back to scoring points and keep the game competitive so the Bucs need to continue to throw the ball versus running the ball with Bucky Irving and Rashaad White?
Jake Ferguson- Dallas Cowboys
We all know we want a tight end who is or can be the number two target-getter on their team. We want the potential volume and opportunity that brings. We potentially have that with Jake Ferguson on the Dallas Cowboys. We know that CeeDee Lamb is going to be the top dog. With Brandin Cooks now on the IR dealing with a knee issue it opens up room for others to step up. What we saw in Week 5 was Ferguson and wide receiver KaVonte Turpin fill that void. I think Ferguson has the stronger pathway to consistently being that man over Turpin.
Week 6 is a matchup against the Detroit Lions. A team that is middle of the road in giving up fantasy points to the tight end position. Its not the greatest matchup for Ferguson to exploit but the volume should be there. With how bad the tight end landscape is right now you have to bet on opportunity, matchup and history. Ferguson saw over 100 targets last season and finished as the TE9. He is currently on pace to demolish that number this year.
Check out all of our Week 6 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex
Sleepers
Chig Okonkwo- Tennessee Titans
I love a player coming off the bye week. That’s what you get in Chig Okonkwo of the Tennessee Titans. While he has only been seeing two or three targets a week, I believe the bye week has allowed the Titans to scheme ways of getting him the ball. The passing game has been hit or miss with Will Levis so Week 6 might be the remedy for what has been missing. With a trio of solid receivers, Chig at tight end, and two capable pass-catching running backs the Titans have the weapons. They just need to bring it all together.
The Titans go up against the Indianapolis Colts. A team that is giving up the second most fantasy points to the tight end position. Okonkwo lands on the tight-end sleeper list due to the lack of volume but the matchup is too good to ignore. If the Titans can start to click in the passing game then Chig could end up surprising people not only in Week 6 but the rest of the NFL season.
Adam Trautman- Denver Broncos
This might be the most risky play I ever recommend. Adam Trautman of the Denver Broncos has been almost non-existent so far this year. He only has three targets on the season and never more than one a game. It’s been bad, BUT I like the potential. Things might be starting to change in the Mile High City.
First I think the opportunities are there. Greg Dulcich was inactive for Week 5. Not because he was injured. Just because he wasn’t producing to head coach Sean Payton’s standards. That opens up more snaps for Trautman and Lucas Krull. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix had his best game in Week 5 completing 19 of his 27 attempts and throwing two touchdowns. It’s not three touchdowns over the past two weeks. There is a clear void for second fiddler in targets on this team behind wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Trautman can step up into that role
The second reason I like Trautman as a Week 6 tight end sleeper is the matchup. It’s a divisional game at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Bolts are bottom third in giving up fantasy points to the tight end this season. It’s a matchup that I expect Payton to plan to exploit. If the Broncos want to continue to develop Nix as a passer they need to scheme some easy throws to build on his confidence and get him in rhythm each game. This week that should be Trautman’s job.
Theo Johnson- New York Giants
If you read this every week you are probably sick of me talking about certain markers I look for in tight ends. Targets, sure-handedness, and a high snap percentage. The last is what you get with rookie Theo Johnson right now. After Darren Waller retired before the season there were questions of whether it was Johnson or Daniel Bellinger. Through five weeks it has been Johnson. He has played on at least 70% of the Giants snaps every week. Just being on the field is enough for someone to be a tight end sleeper in the landscape of fantasy tight ends. Johnsons is still a raw talent learning to play the game at the NFL level but he continues to grow and see more opportunities.
Week 5 was a big step in that development. Johnson saw five targets, catching all of them for 48 yards. He benefited from fellow rookie, Malik Nabors missing the game with a concussion. Everyone hopes Nabers can return for the week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals but even if he does I still like Johnson. The Bengals have been repeatedly torched by the tight end position. Seeing how the trio of Ravens tight ends compiled ten catches on their twelve targets for 132 yards and THREE touchdowns, I like Johnson’s chances of getting enough work to be a solid option in Week 6.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!