NFL

3 Fantasy Football Tight End Streaming Options for Week 5

Tyler Eifert is facing the Cardinals this week, who are getting torched by tight ends this season. Does this make Eifert a viable streaming option this week?

The tight end position in 2019 features distinct tiers. It's headlined by the elite trio of Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Zach Ertz. Behind them is a young trio of promising options who many gamers drafted expecting them to take a leap forward this year in the form of O.J. Howard. Evan Engram, and Hunter Henry.

Things haven't gone according to plan with Howard and Henry, but Darren Waller and Mark Andrews have helped add some talent to the position. Still, tight end continues to leave something to be desired. Whether you entered the year planning to stream or have been disappointed by the option you drafted, I've got you covered. Below, there are three widely available options for streamers for Week 5.

Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts

Yahoo Ownership: 20%

Jack Doyle's back again. He delivered as a streaming option in Week 4 largely due to scoring a touchdown. Having said that, his co-team high 8 targets on a T.Y. Hilton-less Indianapolis Colts were eye-catching, even though they resulted in a modest 4 receptions for 22 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.

The expected game script got sideways for the Colts after they fell behind 14-0 before the 8:00-minute mark in the first quarter. The negative game script prompted the team to lean on Jacoby Brissett airing it out a whopping 46 times. The Colts will likely once again be in a negative game script in Week 5. They're 11-point underdogs on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Hilton's availability is a total question mark this early in the week. He didn't practice last week and was labeled doubtful before ultimately being inactive and out on Sunday. If he's out again, that would free up targets for all pass-catchers, including Doyle. Although, Hilton playing would be a positive for the offense as a whole, and increasing their scoring probability would be a plus for a big target like Doyle.

For the season, Doyle's 3 targets in the red zone on Brissett's 23 passes in that area of the field are tied for the second-most on the team. He hauled in one of those targets for his first touchdown of the year against the Raiders last week. Even as sizable dogs, the Colts have a decent implied total of 23.0 points, and he once again has a good matchup this week.

The Chiefs have faced the most targets (45) to tight ends, and they're tied for the most receptions (32) ceded to them and fourth-most receiving yards (284) coughed up, per Pro-Football-Reference. They don't immediately jump off the page as a favorable fantasy matchup when looking at fantasy points allowed to tight ends because they've allowed only one touchdown, but the matchup looks favorable after looking over the overall numbers.

Eric Ebron and Doyle continue to eat into one another's production and value, but Doyle is the clear top tight end on the team even if he's not as dynamic of a receiving option. Ebron played 35 percent of the offensive snaps for the Colts in Week 4, and Doyle played 73 percent of them, per Pro-Football-Reference. Even with the two tight ends cannibalizing opportunities, Doyle's worth a look as a streamer.

Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals

Yahoo Ownership: 15%

The Arizona Cardinals are getting pantsed by tight ends on a weekly basis. Last week was no exception. Will Dissly led the Seattle Seahawks in targets (8), receptions (7), receiving yards (57), and caught a touchdown pass. Adding salt to the wound was street free-agent Luke Willson hauling in both of his targets for 26 yards as well after the Seahawks brought him back during the week after trading Nick Vannett. Their ineptitude defending tight ends is illustrated by the fact they're tied for the most receptions (32) allowed to the position while sitting alone in the basement with 431 receiving yards and 6 touchdown receptions coughed up to them.

The Cincinnati Bengals host the Cardinals in Week 5, putting Tyler Eifert in a position to be the next tight end to victimize them. The oft-injured Eifert hasn't been particularly dynamic this year, but the most important thing to say about him in 2019 is that he's healthy.

Additionally, he's tied to an offense that passes frequently with first-year head coach Zac Taylor. I specifically discussed their new pass-happy ways in a write-up for Andy Dalton as part of the 10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 5 piece from Monday.

Eifert should also benefit from a speedy tempo in Week 5. The Bengals entered Week 4 ranked sixth in pace and 13th in situation neutral pace while the Cardinals ranked first in both overall pace and situation neutral pace, according to Football Outsiders. Also, the Bengals are 4-point favorites with an implied team total of 28.0 points, which is yet another check in the pros column for using Eifert. He's my favorite streaming option at the position this week.

Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills

Yahoo Ownership: 14%

Dawson Knox is another repeat visitor to this space. The rookie followed up a breakout Week 3 showing by hauling in all three of his targets for 58 receiving yards. In Week 3, he had a thoroughly impressive run-after-catch play. Last week, he made a highlight-reel grab demonstrating good body control while tracking the ball and fending off Patrick Chung.

In all, he had 3 receptions on 3 targets for 58 receiving yards against the Patriots. He's caught exactly three passes in back-to-back games while surpassing 55 receiving yards in both contests. His low volume of targets (he's hit four targets twice as his season-high mark in a game through four contests) creates a low weekly floor for him, but he's showcasing play-making skills and has played more than 50 percent of Buffalo's offensive snaps while setting a new single-game high of 65 percent of the offensive snaps played against the Patriots.

Knox's opponent this week, the Titans, just won comfortably in Atlanta, but they did prove susceptible to allowing production to tight ends. Austin Hooper ripped the Titans for 9 receptions for 130 receiving yards on 11 targets. They held Hooper out of the end zone, thus, snapping a three-game streak to open the year yielding a touchdown to tight ends. They coughed one up to David Njoku in Week 1, one to Ebron in Week 2, and one to James O'Shaughnessy in Week 3.

All three touchdowns scored by tight ends against the Titans came in the red zone, and Njoku, Ebron, and O'Shaugnessy combined to reel in all three of their red-zone targets for 13 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. Knox scored his Week 3 touchdown corralling a 1-yard reception. The Buffalo Bills would be wise to use Knox in the red zone in this matchup.

For those concerned about Knox's potential with Josh Allen in the concussion protocol and Matt Barkley as the next man up if Allen doesn't get cleared for this week, Barkley threw 2 of his 16 passes Knox's way and completed both for 37 receiving yards. Regardless of who plays quarterback for the Bills this week, Knox is a viable streamer.