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Tight ends have had their day and more fantasy football benefits are yet to come
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Tight ends have had their day and more fantasy football benefits are yet to come

Just in case you missed every NFL Week 8 broadcast or highlight reel, this past Sunday was National Tight Ends Day – a “holiday.”

The nickname was first coined by Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018. This came during a win over the Lions after touchdowns by Garrett Celek and George Kittle. According to multiple reports, Kittle remembered the trio shouting loudly on the sidelines when Jimmy G. said, “What’s going on? National Tight End Day?” And so a holiday was born.

Everywhere you looked on Sunday, someone was bringing it up, and almost every game had a tight end celebrating in the end zone at some point. In total, 14 tight ends scored touchdowns – with Kyle Pitts and Cade Otton crashing the plane twice.

For those fantasy managers who had invested heavily in the position, it was euphoric. But is this a sign of things to come or a one-off week that just happens to coincide with a makeshift holiday?

After all, if you drafted one of the top tight ends, you were rewarded. Pitts’ two touchdowns were an act of vindication for many, and Kittle’s 128 receiving yards capped the day in style.

Four of the preseason top five reached the end zone, and while Trey McBride didn’t score, nine catches for 124 yards is a pretty strong stat for a position most fantasy managers prefer to dismiss.

But the real question is how much of this is actually sustainable? Players like Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta and now, after three straight weeks with a touchdown and ultimately leading the Ravens tight ends in snaps, Mark Andrews are automatic starters every week. But where are we at middle-class tight end?

Otton and David Njoku are probably the two best candidates to maintain their current level of play. With no Mike Evans or Chris Godwin, Baker Mayfield needs to find someone with consistency, and Otton certainly fills that vacancy.


TJ Hockenson #87 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns
TJ Hockenson #87 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Getty Images

With Jameis Winston now hurling the ball in Cleveland, Njoku will likely see more quality scoring than in any game before. Both were featured in extremely favorable duels, but a quick look at the upcoming schedule shows that equally weak duels lie ahead. Tucker Kraft and Evan Engram also have sustainability.

But the rest of the position remains matchup-based at best. Mike Gesicki performed well, but only in the absence of Tee Higgins. Adam Trautman wishes he could play Carolina every week, and if you had no idea who Nate Adkins or Brock Wright were before Sunday, don’t bother learning.


Browns tight end David Njoku (85) catches a pass for a touchdown
Browns tight end David Njoku (85) catches a pass for a touchdown. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

But there is additional hope on the horizon. Both TJ Hockenson and Dallas Goedert are expected to return in Week 9. Goedert will face the defensively challenged Jaguars, and Hockenson will face the Colts, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Maybe you can get away with Noah Fant against the Rams.

Add them to the list of tight ends mentioned above and you have a top 12, even if Kittle has a bye. Now start the tight end prayers for everyone else you drafted.


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Howard Bender is head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him weekdays from 6 to 8 p.m. on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the fantasy sports channel SiriusXM. Visit FantasyAlarm.com for all fantasy football news and advice.

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