Week 6 DFS: Tight End Report
The tight end position was an area of strength for fantasy teams in Week 5. Six players scored more than 19.00 fantasy points (George Kittle – 3/67/3, Dallas Goedert – 8/117/1, Travis Kelce – 10/67/1, Logan Thomas – 9/77/1, Sam LaPorta – 3/47/2, and Dalton Schultz – 7/65/1). All outcomes propelled each player to the top 13 in tight end scoring. Here’s a look at the five scoring tight ends after five games in PPR formats:
- Sam LaPorta (71.90)
- Travis Kelce (67.20)
- T.J. Hockenson (66.40)
- Cole Kmet (64.20)
- Mark Andrews (60.50)
Also, here are the top plays this week via the Week 6 DFS: Tight End Report. Also, check out the Week 6 DFS: QB Report.
Top Tier Options
T.J. Hockenson, MIN (DK – $6,600/FD – $6,700)
Over the past two weeks, Hockenson only had seven catches for 75 yards with 11 targets. His last score came in his best game (7/66/2) in Week 2. He continues to gain short yards per catch (8.6) over his 15 games with the Vikings. Last year, Hockenson only had one catch for 16 yards on one target vs. the Bears.
Chicago ranks 24th in tight end fantasy defense (34/282/2 on 40 targets), with Kansas City (8/78/1) and Washington (12/105/1) having the best success. Surprisingly, the Bears had the best defense against tight ends (56/596/8 on 82 targets) in 2022.
In his career, Hockenson has 29 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns on 43 targets vs. the Bears. The loss of Justin Jefferson invites more chances and increased defensive attention. He doesn’t project well in Week 6 for his salary. A high-scoring game invites more chances, keeping in the mix at the top end of the tight end pool.
Sam LaPorta, DET (DK – $5,600/FD – $6,800)
LaPorta has been the best tight end in the league over the first five weeks, highlighted by his success in two games (8/84/1 and 3/47/3). He’s caught 80.6% of his targets while receiving 6.2 chances per start. The Lions averaged 33 rushes so far this season, restricting the upside in passing chances.
Tampa Bay has yet to allow an impact game to a tight end (11/67, 4/38, 6/47, and 1/7) while facing T.J. Hockenson, Cole Kmet, Dallas Goedert, and Jimmy Graham. The Bucs gave up 17 points a game over the first four weeks on six touchdowns and eight field goals.
A chaser game would invite double-digit targets for LaPorta. Last week, Detroit played without Amon-Ra St. Brown. However, they scored six touchdowns. The Lions need all top-skill players in the starting lineup to create winning chances for their receiving options against Tampa.
Injury Update: Lions tight end Sam LaPorta returned to practice on Friday, a day after he was sidelined by a calf strain. He’s officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay. Coach Dan Campbell said the rookie’s status will hinge on how he feels coming out of the session, but LaPorta sounded confident in the locker room post-practice. He moved well without wearing a wrap on his calf.
Mid-Tier Options
George Kittle, SF (DK – $5,000/FD – $5,900)
Over his five starts, Kittle played well in two games (7/90 and 3/67/3) while lacking a fantasy pulse in his other three matches (3/19, 3/30, and 1/9). He’s averaging only 4.6 targets, compared to 5.7 in 2022. Last year, Kittle scored seven of his 11 touches over his final four games (4/93/2, 6/120/2, 4/23/1, and 4/29/2) of the season.
Cleveland allowed minimal production to tight ends over the first three weeks (CIN – 3/17, PIT – 1/2, and TEN – 3/7) on 10 combined targets. The Ravens succeeded with Mark Andrews (5/80/2 on five targets) in Week 4. Their defense held offenses to no touchdowns in two matchups, while Pittsburgh and Baltimore scored a combined 54 points. Also, the Browns’ offense won the time of possession battle in all four of their games.
The 49ers have an excellent offense, with stars at four offensive skill positions. Game flow is key to the ceiling and playability in the DFS market from week to week. Based on his current salary level, his scoring upside keeps in the mix for many weeks.
Cole Kmet, CHI (DK – $4,600/FD – $6,100)
The Bears played much better offensively over the past two games, leading to Kmet climbing up the tight end ranks (7/85/2 and 5/42/1) while receiving 14 combined targets. His opportunity (15 targets) over the first three games (5/44, 4/38, and 2/22) led to no fantasy value in the DFS market. Last season, Kmet had eight catches for 102 yards and one touchdown on nine targets in two games against the Vikings.
Minnesota struggled vs. tight ends in Week 3 (LAC – 8/34/2) and Week 5 (KC – 12/88/1) while playing well in their other three games (2/19, 6/22, and 1/7). The best coverage came defending Dallas Goedert (6/22) in Week 2.
Kmet is the second option in the passing game for Justin Fields, pointing to upside if the game is played at a fast pace. His bump in salary requires 19.00 fantasy points to pay off.
Low-Value Options
Zach Ertz, ARI (DK – $3,600/FD – $5,200)
Last week, Ertz scored an early touchdown, but the Cardinals only looked his way four times despite a chaser game against the Bengals. Arizona had him on the field for 75% of their plays, in line with playing time in the previous matchup (76%). Ertz has six catches in three of his five starts while gaining only 6.6 yards per catch.
The Rams struggled with tight ends over the past two weeks (IND – 6/107/1 and PHI – 9/121/1). They played much better vs. Seattle (3/25), San Francisco (3/30), and Cincinnati (5/47) over the first three weeks. Overall, Los Angeles allows 6.6 yards per pass attempt, with only passing touchdowns given up.
Joshua Dobbs didn’t play well vs. the Bengals (166/2 with a 46.9% completion rate), something that needs to be corrected in Week 6 for Ertz to succeed. His salary remains low, making him a salary savor in the DFS market.
Jake Ferguson, DAL (DK – $3,900/FD – $5,100)
Heading into Week 5, Ferguson was a hype play in the season-long contests. Unfortunately, the 49ers dominated Dallas, leading to only three catches for 28 yards on three targets. His game was trending up in Week 3 (5/48) and Week 4 (7/77) on 14 targets. The Cowboys had him on the field for 69% of their plays last week.
First, he Chargers are about league average vs. tight ends (18/172/1 on 27 targets). They played three games (MIA – 3/44, TEN – 4/35, and LV – 1/11) vs. below-par tight ends. In Week 3, Minnesota completed 10 of their 13 targets to their tight ends with a touchdown.
Secondly, Dallas needs a bounce-back game for their offense. Los Angeles struggled to defend the passing over the first three weeks (466/3, 258/2, and 367/3), with wide receivers having a high level of success (21/375/3, 11/190/1, and 15/242/2). Finally, Ferguson has opportunity on his side but still needs a touchdown to fill his salary bucket.
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