Week 8 is officially underway, and it comes with six NFL teams on bye. The tight end position continues to be one of the toughest positions to navigate, and fantasy managers could be looking to add a dependable one to their roster.
With injuries starting to stack up around this time of the year, having consistency in lineups will be key to winning and losing weekly. Here are several tight ends that are must-starts and some sleepers to stash for the long season ahead.
Must Start Tight Ends
Tyler Warren (Colts)
Warren is an easy pick here, as he has been rolling since the season started. The Colts offense has been quite a surprise this year, and Daniel Jones seems to love using his tight end. This week, they are playing a Titans defense that has allowed four touchdowns to tight ends in their past five games. Warren is easily a must-start for this week.
Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)
Ferguson continues to have a consistent fantasy production week in and week out. Dak Prescott and Ferguson have had quite a connection this year, with Ferguson already at 51 receptions through seven games. Denver’s defense got exposed last week by Jaxson Dart, and the Cowboys offense is playing at an elite level. Look for Ferguson to have a potentially big game this week.
George Kittle (49ers)
Kittle’s talent and targets make him a must-start every time he is healthy. The Texans defense has been great this year, but there is still potential for Kittle. He almost always has a mismatch on him, and this will need to be a good week for the Niners to stay competitive.
Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Kelce isn’t what he was in the past few seasons, but the Chiefs also haven’t been healthy until last week. Mahomes still seems to look to Kelce as one of his most reliable options, and Washington has been quite vulnerable in the middle of the field. Kelce could be back to his usual numbers as the Chiefs continue to slowly get back into their groove.
Sleeper Plays
Cade Otton (Buccaneers)
Otton, similarly to last year, has stepped up as the Bucs’ receiving core gets ravaged by injuries. With Mike Evans out for the foreseeable future, Baker Mayfield has been finding Otton quite consistently. He has averaged five targets per game since Week 6, and the Saints have struggled to stop just about anyone this year. Look for Otton to potentially have a big game this week.
Evan Engram (Broncos)
Engram hasn’t had his breakout game this year, but he has had some decent volume. As most teams are on bye this week, this could be a great pick up to play and potentially stash as Engram is slowly getting back to his normal snap count from last season. The Cowboys defense hasn’t been great, so Engram is easily a great add and start this week.
Dalton Schultz (Texans)
Another potential pickup on the waiver wire could be Dalton Schultz. He has seen his snap count slowly increase in the red zone, and with Houston trying to get the ball out of CJ Stroud’s hands quickly, Schultz could be the answer. A tough 49ers pass rush against a poor Texans offensive line should get Schultz plenty of looks for an add and start this week.
Final Thoughts
Tight ends have been one of the hardest positions to navigate this year for fantasy owners. With so much inconsistency in targets and injuries changing games, staying sharp on the waiver wire is a must to win games weekly. From an elite start to streaming for the week, Week 8 is going to be a battle of survival and strategy.
Read More:
Analyst Claims Key Factor That Helped Expose Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier Scandals
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
