Getty Gallery: 5/5
Top DraftKings Week 6 Tight End Value Plays
– Austin Hooper ($3,500) vs. Buccaneers
– Cameron Brate ($3,700) vs. Falcons
– David Njoku ($3,800) vs. Chargers
– Niles Paul ($2,600) vs. Cowboys
– Geoff Swaim ($2,900) vs. Jaguars
If you're going to shoot your shot with a value tight end in fantasy football, you need to know the risk involved. Sometimes it can pay off handsomely, but other times it can result in a zero-catch performance that leaves you pulling your hair out.
Fortunately, there are a few intriguing options to consider this week and they're all below $3,800. Going this low at tight end can open up a lot for the rest of your roster, and if the play lives up to expectations, you'll find yourself sitting pretty.
Let's start off with Austin Hooper, who's on a Falcons team playing in a matchup I've raved about multiples to this point. I know this is a big surprise, but while the Buccaneers struggle against quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers, they're also horrible against tight ends.
On the season, they've given up 27 receptions for 415 yards and two touchdowns to the position. It's worth noting that those rough numbers come over the span of just four games as well when many other teams have played five. The real concern with Hooper is whether or not he'll get targets. Last week, the young tight end caught 9-of-12 targets for 77 yards, but the game before that saw just two targets. I'm a big fan of the spot and will be taking the risk on Hooper.
The Cameron Brate spot kind of plays into the whole argument that the Buccaneers vs. Falcons game should feature a ton of points. If O.J. Howard (MCL sprain) is sidelined, then this is a great spot for Brate, who's found the end zone in each of the past two games. The Falcons haven't been terrible against tight ends, but Jameis Winston looks toward the athletic tight end often in the red zone.
Don't look now, but the Browns turning the starting quarterback job over to Baker Mayfield may have just made David Njoku fantasy relevant. Njoku led the team in targets last week against the Baltimore Ravens and over the past two games has seen 18 targets (11 catches) and racked up 121 yards.
The only downside here is that Njoku faces a Chargers team who's allowed just 19 receptions and one touchdown to tight ends this season. But with Rob Gronkowski, Zach Ertz and Travis Kelce not on the main DraftKings slate, I have no issue targeting Njoku heavily. The man has to find the end zone at some point also, right?
Tier Two of Value of Tight Ends
With Jaguars former starting tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins heading to injured reserve, it opens the door for Niles Paul to hold down the fort. Many forget that Paul was actually in the mix to be the Washington Redskins' starting tight end a few years back. He had a solid 2014 season in which he caught 39 passes for 507 yards, but injuries set him back and the job eventually was held down by Jordan Reed.
Now with the Jaguars, Paul is getting another opportunity to showcase his talent. The 29-year-old did just that in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, hauling in 7-of-9 targets for 65 yards. His price didn't move after that game, and he now faces a Cowboys team who's given up 30 receptions to tight ends. At $2,600, I love the idea of using Paul as it won't take much for him to hit value.
On the opposite side of this matchup, Cowboys tight end Geoff Swaim isn't quite on Jason Witten's level yet, but it's obvious Dak Prescott likes him. With the Jaguars boasting an exceptional defense and the Cowboys wide receivers doing virtually nothing this season, we could see Swaim targeted often.
Over the past three games, Swaim has seen 15 targets, catching 11 of them for 141 yards and one touchdown. His upside won't be exceptional until he begins seeing more targets, but I expect that to happen sooner than later and possibly even this week.
*All stats for defense vs. position courtesy of ESPN.
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