Tight end is typically frustrating for fantasy football managers. However, this season, it has been even worse than usual.
Reliable, every-week starters at the position are scarce, and there are a number of TEs who have disappointed. This week, there are six teams on bye — the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, and Washington Commanders — so let’s examine several tight-end streaming options for Week 14.
Week 14 Tight End Streaming Options
First of all, let’s start by pointing out that this is a pretty rough week when it comes to finding a streaming tight end. This season, Patriots tight end Hunter Henry and Commanders tight end Zach Ertz have been our go-to streamers, but they are both on bye. That leaves us with several boom-or-bust tight ends who are bit tougher to trust.
Will Dissly, Chargers (at KC) | 38% Rostered
Entering Week 13, Dissly had posted at least eight PPR points in three straight games (and five of six games), giving streamers a consistent fall-back option with the hope that he’d provide value the rest of the way as this offense opens up.
The thought process was sound, but after earning just a single target on 20 routes against the Atlanta Falcons over the weekend, it’s clear that Dissly remains more of a week-to-week band-aid than a locked-and-loaded option that we can bank on routinely.
With that said, this week could be a big bounce-back game for Dissly since the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled against tight ends all year.
Against tight ends, the Chiefs allow the most receptions per game (6.6) and by far the most receiving yards per game (78.5). As a result, tight ends are averaging 9.0 fantasy points per game against Kansas City, the fifth-most in the NFL.
Is it terrifying to insert Dissly into your starting lineup in Week 14 after he just posted a big fat zero last week? Yes!
Is Dissly still an attractive streaming option given his terrific matchup and the connection he’s developed with Justin Herbert lately? Yes!
Juwan Johnson, Saints (at NYG) | 7% Rostered
Taysom Hill suffered a season-ending ACL tear last week, which clears the way for Juwan Johnson to start for the New Orleans Saints going forward.
Johnson finished Week 13 with a season-high seven targets, and it’s very possible he will sustain that level of involvement with Hill, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed all sidelined.
We’ve seen a few splash plays from New Orleans’ offense, but don’t let that fool you — this is a very cautious offense that is plenty capable of funneling looks in volume to a chain-mover like Johnson.
Over the Saints’ past three games, Derek Carr has a 5.0-yard average depth of throw when not targeting Marquez Valdes-Scantling. This is a top-10 offense in rush rate over expectation, and that’s holding back my pass-attempt projection this week.
However, expecting 7-10 PPR points from Johnson is plenty reasonable. In an ugly week for tight ends, that should be enough to keep you competitive and give you some decent production from the position.
Noah Gray, Chiefs (vs LAC) | 18% Rostered
Over the last three weeks, Noah Gray has scored the fourth-most fantasy points among tight ends (50.7). Gray has now scored at least 9.8 fantasy points in three straight games.
He has recorded four receptions in three consecutive games and ran at least 24 routes in six straight games.
Be mindful of the fact that this is still the Chiefs we’re dealing with. They rotate pass-catchers like no other team. One week, Gray could be a focal point. The next, he could see two targets.
Also, the Chargers are admittedly a tough matchup, as they allow the third-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends (4.5). However, the Buffalo Bills were a pretty difficult matchup as well, and Gray managed to score two touchdowns against them.
Gray is a boom-or-bust option, to be sure. But if you’re in desperate need of a tight end, you can do worse than a guy catching passes from Patrick Mahomes.