Tight End Highlights from Last Week

Last week turned out to be quite a highlight for tight ends in the league, as several players found the end zone multiple times. Theo Johnson, Jake Ferguson, and AJ Varner each managed to score two touchdowns! It’s interesting to note that Varner had been somewhat overlooked earlier in the season; he had minimal targets but still managed to rack up two touchdowns. In Week 5, however, his target count shot up to seven, from a previous high of just three this season. This definitely suggests that both Varner and Johnson are on the upswing.

The tight end position saw a total of 18 touchdowns, set against the backdrop of four teams forfeiting their games. Unfortunately, key players Brock Bowers and Greg Kittle are currently sidelined with injuries, which adds a layer of challenge to the position. This might be the highest touchdown output we’ve seen from tight ends this year.

Looking at the teams in play, the Minnesota Vikings and the Houston Texans have their own dynamics at work. TJ Hockenson and Dalton Schultz are featured prominently in the tight end conversation.

As for Kittle, there’s a chance he could make his return this week. If not, it seems he’ll likely be back by Week 7. The 49ers certainly need him, both for his blocking and receiving skills. There’s also the possibility of Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings rejoining the lineup this week. If that happens, it might be tricky to figure out which of them would see significant playtime in fantasy leagues.

On the other hand, Bowers has been recovering from a knee injury that kept him out last week. He hasn’t really been the same since his injury, so the priority is to get him close to 100% before he’s back on the field. If he does return, he might not immediately offer his typical performance.

Meanwhile, Strange was on track to becoming a noteworthy fantasy player, but an injury during Monday night’s game has set him back. He’s currently on injured reserve due to a hip issue, which means he’ll miss at least four games. In his absence, Hunter Long will take over the lead role, and he could be an intriguing option as a TE2.

Upcoming Games

Looking ahead, there are some interesting matchups this week:

• Lions vs. Chiefs (52.5)
• Bears at Commanders (49.5)
• Cowboys at Panthers (49.5)
• Bills at Falcons (48.5)

Other games include:

• Browns vs. Steelers (38.5)
• Eagles vs. Giants (40.5)
• Titans vs. Raiders (41.5)

Maximum Implied Individual Team Total

• Packers (29)
• Chiefs (27.5)
• Commanders (27)
• Colts (27)
• Cowboys (26.5)

Minimum Implied Individual Team Total

• Bengals (14.5)
• Giants (16.5)
• Browns (16.5)
• Titans (18)
• Jets (18.3)
• Ravens (18.5)

Upcoming games to note include Bengals vs. Packers (14.5), Eagles (-7.5) vs. Giants, Patriots vs. Bills (-8.5), and Raiders at Colts (-6.5).