Fantasy Football Tight End Streaming: Week 9 Edition

First off, I want to give a shout out to Sam Hauss for filling in for me last week on the tight end and defensive streaming articles. If you haven’t been reading his work, or following him on twitter, you’re missing out.

Week 8 was a tough one. Following publication of Sam’s article, Owen Daniels was ruled out after having his knee scoped, while Charles Clay caught just one pass for one yard on three targets. Despite finding the end zone, Scott Chandler finished as the 20th tight end in PPR scoring, due largely to the fact he only received two targets.

Fantasy football is a fickle enterprise, and no one knows that better than fantasy football writers. Finding value in low-owned players is especially tricky, and misses will be more common than hits most weeks.

But with all that said, I will do my best to make contact this week, and find some waiver wire options for bye-week needy teams.

Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants

Owned - ESPN: 49.8%, Yahoo: 68%
Week 9 numberFire Rank: 14th

I’m including Larry Donnell on this list well aware that he may be owned in your local league. But I’m banking on some owners being scared off by his two-fumble game in Week 7, enough to potentially send him packing.

Even with his two lost fumbles, Donnell finished as the 10th-best tight end for Week 7, converting all 7 of his targets into a 7-catch, 90-yard line. He played 90% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in Week 7, and is averaging almost six targets per game.

Donnell’s efficiency has dropped off from earlier in the season – currently 18th in Reception Net Expected Points (NEP) among 22 tight ends with at least 20 catches – but his target share is decent, and he’s not losing snaps.

This week, Donnell faces Indianapolis who just got torched by Ben Roethlisberger last week. Fresh off their bye week, playing in a game with a high over/under (51), Donnell and the Giants look to be in a good spot.

Tim Wright, New England Patriots

Owned - ESPN: 3.6%, Yahoo: 21%
Week 9 numberFire Rank: 31st

Tom Brady has emerged from his early-season funk which had many questioning his season-long fantasy viability and after hanging 51 points on Chicago last week, the Patriots’ offense is rolling.

Attaching ourselves to a red-hot offense is always a good idea, which brings us to Tim Wright.

Wright has caught a touchdown in the last three games he’s played, totaling 13 catches on 13 targets for 147 yards. His total snap count percentage for the season is still concerning – just 21% - but with New England clicking on offense right now, he’s a good bet to produce despite limited opportunity.

New England plays Denver this week, and it’s safe to expect fireworks – 55 point over/under. While Rob Gronkowski will no doubt get fed with targets as he usually does, don’t be surprised if Wright makes it four-straight games with a touchdown.

Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts

Owned - ESPN: 13.2%, Yahoo: 30%
Week 9 numberFire Rank: 13th

Keeping with the “attach ourselves to a red-hot offense” theme, we would be wise to look at the Colts’ offense for streaming purposes. Indy ranks first in total yardage per game (452.2), passing yardage per game (336.5), and second in scoring (31.2 per game).

The stats above tell us that there is a lot of fantasy production to go around.

While Dwayne Allen is getting love for his recent performances, as he should, Coby Fleener has been quietly seeing an increase in snaps over the past three weeks – 51%, 59%, and 76% in Week 8, which topped Allens’ 70%.

Fleener currently ranks fourth in Reception NEP among 15 tight ends with 15 to 25 catches this season, showing his plus efficiency.

The Colts get the Giants on Monday Night in a game that figures to be high scoring. Assuming Fleener sees the four to five targets he’s been getting recently, he could find the end zone, and pay off as a streaming option.

Deeper Streamers

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (vs. Cleveland Browns), Crockett Gillmore (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers), Clay Harbor (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)