The story of the tight end position is a tale similar to every sports offseason. There's annual optimism in advance of the season. Yet, optimism turns into reality without fail, and every team isn't playing for a championship. Or, in the case of tight ends, the many mid- and late-round breakout candidates fail to materialize into weekly contributors.
Some gamers understand this reality and pounce on an early-round stud. Others recognize it and intend on streaming out of the chute. Still, others arrive in the streaming group unwittingly after their middle-tier or late-round dart throw flops.
Regardless of how you got here, this is your weekly home for streaming options. Below you'll find three widely available options for Week 11.
Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings
Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 30%
In Week 10, Tyler Conklin set a season-low with only 11 receiving yards. However, fantasy gamers who used him definitely weren't complaining since he scored two touchdowns. The fourth-year tight end has been a consistent source of fantasy utility this year. He has caught multiple passes in every game, and he's surpassed 40 yards or scored a touchdown in five of seven contests.
According to Pro Football Reference, Conklin is third on the Minnesota Vikings in targets (49), receptions per game (3.9), receiving yards per game (39.2), and touchdown receptions (3). Additionally, according to Pro Football Focus, he is inside the top-15 tight ends in routes (250) for the year, across the last three weeks (76), and in Week 10 (31).
This week, he has an average or better matchup against the Green Bay Packers. According to Pro Football Reference, Green Bay is coughing up 5.8 receptions and 54.6 receiving yards per game to tight ends.
Finally, the game has some shootout potential. NFL odds lists the Vikings as modest 2.5-point underdogs in a game with a total of 49.5 points.
Dan Arnold, Jacksonville Jaguars
Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 26%
At this point, I'm not sure what Dan Arnold needs to do to be added in more leagues. He's on far too few rosters, so I'm touting him as my favorite tight end sleeper again this week. Last week, he hauled in five of seven targets for 67 yards, adding a two-point conversion.
Even though he opened the year as a seldom-used option on the Carolina Panthers, he is in the top 15 for routes among tight ends. Further, he's shined with the Jacksonville Jaguars, cracking the top five at the position in routes (99), targets (22), receptions (17), and receiving yards (195) in the previous three weeks. In addition, he leads the Jags in receptions (4.5) and receiving yards (52.5) per game.
Arnold's usage is mouthwatering. It's also worth noting he's moved all over the alignment. Arnold has aligned wide 28 times, inline 46 times, and in the slot 112 times on 187 passing snaps for the Jags. He's firmly in the starting tight end mix in leagues as shallow as 10-team formats from now on.
Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks
Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 20%
I rolled the dice touting Gerald Everett last week, and it panned out. The return of Russell Wilson for the Seattle Seahawks was a boon for Everett's fantasy value. Sure, the Seahawks were shut out. Nevertheless, Everett tied for the team lead in targets (8) while leading in receptions (8) and receiving yards (63). He was also in the top five at tight end in routes (38).
In Everett's last two games played with Wilson starting at quarterback, he's set and then bested his season-high marks for targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Further, in those games (Week 3 and Week 10), Everett is fourth on the Seahawks in routes (64), second in targets (13) and receiving yards (117), and he's first in receptions (13). He also recorded a sterling 1.83 yards per route run in those games.
Finally, I'm encouraged by the Seahawks moving him all over the formation. In Week 3 and Week 10 combined, he played 7 passing snaps wide, 30 in the slot, and 34 inline. He's also being used as a yards-after-the-catch weapon, with an average depth of target of only 2.8 yards and 6.2 yards after the catch per reception in his last two games with Wilson. His shallow usage is a welcome addition to the field-stretching prowess of Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
Like Conklin and the Vikings, Everett and the Seahawks might be in a shootout this week as 2.5-point underdogs at home against the Arizona Cardinals (49.5 total).
Ranking the three tight ends here, I prioritize Arnold, followed by Conklin, and Everett last. Everett is closer to a fringe starter at tight end rather than a firmly established one like Arnold and Conklin. He narrowly edged out another player who I'll include in the seven sleepers piece later this week. So, stay tuned for another forthcoming sleeper at tight end if all three of these players are already on rosters.
Joshua Shepardson is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Joshua Shepardson also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username bchad50. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.