Let’s look at the reasons why you should – or shouldn’t – play these guys…

Jacksonville Jaguars at Chicago Bears

Cole Kmet, Bears

Kmet continues to be well ahead of Gerald Everett in terms of routes and destinations. However, aside from the big week three, he has yet to finish as a top-12 fantasy TE. The Jags are a mid-pack unit compared to the position.

Evan Engram, Jaguars

Engram is expected to return from a hamstring injury that lasted several weeks. He has a Bears defense that is allowing just 162 yards to TEs in five games, but note the soft schedule: Titans, Texans, Colts, Rams, Panthers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

Cade Otton, privateer

Otton has 21 targets and 16 catches over the last three weeks – both top-five marks among TEs. He’s a serviceable starter in Week 6 against a Saints defense that ranks 22nd in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs.

Juwan Johnson, Saint

After splitting time with TE Foster Moreau the first three weeks of the season, Johnson has led the way with 69% and 71% route rates over the last two games. However, he totaled just seven catches on eight targets and 44 scoreless yards in those two games. And with QB Spencer Rattler making his first career start on Sunday against the Bucs, Johnson shouldn’t be in the fantasy lineup.

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Goedert, Eagles

Goedert benefited from the team’s top two WRs missing time in the last two games, posting a 28% target share. In the first two weeks it was only 14%. It is more likely that it will move closer to the first number in the future. Goedert ranked 11th among TEs in target share (adjusted for games missed) last season. This is a good level to set your expectations for the future. There are some benefits to the Cleveland secondary potentially missing its top three safeties. Juan Thornhill has been on IR for more than a month. Grant Delpit (concussion) and Ronnie Hickman (ankle) are unlikely to play this week.

Jordan Akins, Browns

There’s another chance for Akins. We’re just not sure there’s an uptrend. He has yet to rush for 30 yards in a game this season. Part of that is limited 32-year-old talent. And a lot of it involves a QB playing as poorly as anyone in the league so far.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers

Trey McBride, Cardinals

McBride caught six passes for 53 yards and led the team with nine targets last week. He dropped a TD pass and has yet to find the end zone. Murray uses McBride as a check-down option and the TDs will come with his red zone look. He’s a high-end TE1 this week.

Tucker Kraft, Packers

Kraft exploded last week, catching four of five targets for 88 yards and two touchdowns. His 66-yard TD was a miracle as he raced through the defense. Jordan Love seems to trust Kraft and he’s proving to be a solid TE1 again this week.

Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots

Dalton Schultz, Texan

Schultz has fallen victim to the abundance of options in the Texans’ passing game, but could absorb some of Nico Collins’ targets. He had six last week and any increase would make him attractive, especially if they get into the red zone. Consider him a high-end TE2 in a good matchup this week.

Hunter Henry, Patriots

Henry failed to follow up his 109-yard performance in Week 2 with anything meaningful. The arrival of Drake Maye could lead to some check downs against Henry, but he needs to score a TD to be relevant. He’s a mid-range TE2 this week.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans

Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans

Okonkwo has yet to catch more than three passes in a game this season and is leading with 16 yards. He’ll need a TD this week to even be a worthwhile TE2, but the Colts defense is vulnerable through the air. He is a low-end TE2.

Washington Commander for the Baltimore Ravens

Zach Ertz, commander

The Ravens had a difficult lineup to contend with with TEs – Kansas City, Vegas, Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati – but didn’t allow a touchdown at the position all season. Ertz passed season lows in catches (2) and yards (10).

Isaiah Probably, Ravens

Last week’s shootout against Cincinnati probably only achieved a target percentage of 8%. However, he ran a route on 72% of Lamar Jackson’s dropbacks, a season high. He continues to appear to be Baltimore’s best starting TE, but a run-first offense lowers the floor.

Mark Andrews, Ravens

Andrews delivered an OK line for fantasy managers in Week 5: 4 catches for 55 yards on 5 targets. But when you look under the hood, you see that its underlying usage has not been promoted. He only achieved a distance percentage of 47% – the second lowest total of the season. Andrews remains a risky fantasy option.

Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers

Kyle Pitts, Falcons

It took a 58-attempt, 509-yard game from QB Kirk Cousins ​​for Pitts to post a 7-88-0 line last week. He still only scored 13.6% of Atlanta’s goals in this game, right in line with his 12.9% percentage this season. Pitts remains a low-level TE1 in Sunday’s game against Carolina’s 19th-ranked TE defense.

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys

Sam LaPorta, Lions

LaPorta’s modest start to the season wasn’t helped by two injuries: a hamstring strain in August that caused the Lions to limit his use early, and then an ankle sprain that knocked him out of Week 3 early. However, in his last game, LaPorta got full playing time again and should be even better off after the bye week. HC Dan Campbell has spoken about plans to get the star TE going. A groundbreaking game is probably coming soon.

Jake Ferguson, Cowboys

Ferguson has caught 6+ passes in three straight games. Now comes a Detroit defense that has encouraged opponents to pass. The Lions have recorded the league’s second-highest passing rate compared to expectations so far this season.

Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers

In terms of goals per distance run (13%) and goal share (12%), Freiermuth performed worst of the season. Still, he scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 5 and has now finished every game as a TE15 or better. He remains a streaming option in a plus-point matchup against Vegas.

Brock Bowers, Raiders

Bowers had a big hit in Week 5. The underlying numbers were excellent as he set season highs in targets per route run (36%) and target percentage (34%). We’ll see what the impact of bringing Aidan O’Connell into center is, but Bowers’ talent and ability make him a fixture in the lineup.

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants

Theo Johnson, Giants

Johnson scored a season-high 5 goals last week. But his playing time has been strong since Week 1. The rookie has played more than 70% of the offensive snaps in every game and has exceeded the 80% mark twice. We haven’t seen enough to put him anywhere near fantasy starter territory yet. But if you need it, there are upsides: WR Malik Nabers misses a second straight game – leaving his huge target share open.

Mike Gesicki, Bengals

Gesicki has played fewer than 50% of the Bengals’ snaps in four of five games. His role could be further challenged this week with a hamstring injury limiting his participation in training.

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

Dalton Kincaid, Bills

Kincaid has been a disappointment this year, catching just two of his six scores for 34 yards last week. But his route rates and target shares were fine. The breakthrough is coming, so keep introducing him as a TE1 this week.

Tyler Conklin, Jets

Conklin had nine targets last week and has two straight TE1 appearances. Aaron Rodgers trusts Conklin and he has been read first several times in the last two weeks. He has scored at least six goals in three consecutive games. Conklin is a safe low-end TE1 option this week.

Jared Smola,
Senior Analyst

Jared has been with the Draft Sharks since 2007. He is now a lead analyst, leading the preseason and weekly forecasts that power your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks first among 133 analysts in draft ranking accuracy.