In this weeks Dynasty League Dive Rizzla takes a look at five tight ends who have seen their fantasy values change over the past few weeks.
One of my least favorite topics to discuss is the tight end position. In years past projecting which tight ends would have the most value in a particular season came a lot easier than it has in 2018. Every year we see one or two new names emerge but this year it seems like an onslaught of unfamiliar names to the casual fantasy owner have found themselves as TE1’s once or more this season. As someone who always waits on tight ends outside of 14+ team leagues I am always looking out for the tight ends who are just an opportunity away from becoming TE1 mainstays.
In this column we will examine which tight ends have seen their dynasty league value rise or fall over the past couple of weeks and project them out going forward.
OJ Howard continues to impress despite playing less than 60 percent of the offensive snaps for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A top three tight end based on talent, Howard needs to be freed, but remains a top five fantasy tight end who is finally showing the consistency that could vault him into the top three conversation before long. Cameron Brate is becoming a luxury for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and it may not be long before the two parts ways which could be a huge boost for Brate’s fantasy value. Brate is already a borderline TE1 while seeing only 40 percent of the snaps and if he lands in the right, non platoon situation he could emerge as a weekly TE1 option.
Jeff Heuerman could be in line for a big second half of the season. With Case Keenum sporting an unhealthy affection for hs big tight end, Heuerman may become a household fantasy name before long. In fact Heuerman, despite playing only 80 percent of the offensive snaps, paces all tight ends with a 31.7 red zone target percentage and is second in targets inside the ten with seven. Heuerman’s long term outlook is a little more murky as whatever quarterback is starting for the Broncos in 2019 may not have such an affinity for the 4.86 40 tight end. Compared favorably to Zach Miller by our friends over at playerprofiler Heuerman does have a chance to carve out a solid career and is a solid end of the bench stash in deeper dynasty formats.
Jack Doyle instantly proved Eric Ebron truthers wrong in week nine, showing the fantasy world that he will remain Andrew Luck’s top tight end target when healthy. Eric Ebron is arguably the better talent here and blessed his fantasy owners with a solid eight week run as a TE1 but is now solidified back in his upside TE2 role for both redraft and dynasty. Unless the Colts show a commitment to running 12 personnel or run a maddening Howard-Brate type of split, Ebron takes a significant hit with Doyle remaining the top target. Doyle however sees a big spike in value as there was some trepidation that the more talented, yet inconsistent Ebron would Wally Pipp the number one role.
George Kittle is beginning to look QB proof. I am not sure that this is a sentence I have ever written about a tight end and I am reasonably certain that this will be the last. Desite a literal QB carousel, Kittle has dominated his way to the forefront of a weak tight end position and is emerging as one of the elite week to week options at the position. The number four overall tight end in fantasy points per game Kittle leads all tight ends with 494 yards after the catch and 16.9 yards per reception, while also placing in the top five in yards per target (11.3), receptions (41), receiving yards (692) and target share (22.1%).
