Week 5 Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football (Weekend Update!)

The tight end position this season is a strange and scary one, folks. And looking at the Week 5 tight end rankings, it’s tough to make heads or tails of it outside the top-eight options. However, a few tight ends could surprise this week — ones that could make solid replacements for an underwhelming starter or for Sam LaPorta or Dallas Goedert, who are on the bye-week shelf. With that in mind, let’s get to the Week 5 tight end rankings and notes.

Tight Ends on Byes in Week 5

Sam LaPorta, Hayden Hurst, Dallas Goedert, Chigoziem Okonkwo

Injury Notes for Week 5

• George Kittle is day-to-day with a rib injury. He picked up the injury last week but played through it. A Week 5 start is likely, but pay attention to updates throughout the week. UPDATE: Kittle returned to practice on Friday and is questionable for Week 5.
• Trey McBride remains in the league’s concussion protocol. Keep tabs on his progress this week. UPDATE: McBride is good to go for Week 5.
• Evan Engram missed the last three weeks recovering from a hamstring injury and is considered day-to-day heading into Week 5. If he suits up this week, Engram gets a tasty matchup against a Colts team allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. UPDATE: Engram was a limited participant in practice this week and is questionable for Sunday.
• Taysom Hill is questionable for Week 5 with fractured ribs. If he’s cleared to play, this could be a boom week for the Saints’ Swiss Army knife. The Chiefs allow the most fantasy points and receiving yards to the position this season. If Hill is unable to suit up, Juwan Johnson could make some noise. Both are appealing streaming options in Week 5. UPDATE: Hill hasn’t practiced this week and is doubtful for Monday Night Football. Juwan Johnson is a sneaky TE2 with upside.
• David Njoku has been sidelined with a high-ankle sprain since Week 1. He should practice this week, making a Week 5 return possible. UPDATE: Njoku was a limited participant in practice this week and is listed as questionable for Week 5. He’s top-tier TE2 with upside if he suits up.

Tight End Notes

Bye Weeks: DET, LAC, PHI, TEN

• Tyler Conklin saw a season-high eight targets last week. While it only amounted to 17 yards, the Jets’ tight end is shaping up to be a favorite target for Aaron Rodgers. Conklin’s 14 targets in the last two weeks are tied for fifth-most at the position, and he hauled in nine of them for a combined 110 receiving yards. Rodgers should continue to look Conklin’s way this week. The Jets face a leaky Vikings defense surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points and sixth-most receptions to tight ends. I like Conklin as a lower-tier TE1 in Week 5.
• Cade Otton moves up in the Week 5 tight end rankings. He has at least eight targets in back-to-back games to go with a 22.3% target share — a significant boost from the 9% target share he averaged in the first two weeks. Otton is also getting volume, playing at least 91% of snaps and 82% of routes in that stretch. This week, Otton faces a middle-of-the-road Falcons defense that has allowed the ninth-most receptions to tight ends this season. While the matchup isn’t a cakewalk, Otton should be on the field and get looks. Otton is a top-tier TE2 with upside in Week 5.
• Colby Parkinson could help you out in Week 5. While he hasn’t put up world-beating stat lines, he has at least five targets in all but one game this season. Up next is a matchup against a Packers unit ceding the seventh-most fantasy points and receptions to the position this season. They’ve also allowed tight ends Nick Vannett and Josh Oliver to find paydirt in the last two weeks. The Rams could be playing catch-up in this one, making Parkinson a solid TE2 in the Week 5 tight end rankings.
• The tight end situation in Baltimore is one to avoid. Mark Andrews has put up goose eggs in receptions over the last two weeks. Further, he and Isaiah Likely have combined for only two receptions on five targets for 30 receiving yards during that stretch. Unfortunately, things don’t look like they’re going to get any better in Week 5. The Ravens get a stingy matchup against a Bengals defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends. Also, Cincinnati has ceded only 115 receiving yards to the position, the ninth-fewest through four weeks. Until either tight end can string together a couple of good weeks, they’ll remain outside the top-15 in my weekly tight end rankings.

Check out all of our Week 5 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex

Week 5 Tight End Rankings

Note: Ranks based on half-PPR scoring

Make sure to check out all of our Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!