Every week, new opportunities emerge for fantasy football managers looking to gain an edge. Tight end production continues to be a difference-maker, with several under-the-radar options stepping into bigger roles.
If you’re searching for potential breakout contributors, this slate of matchups offers plenty of intrigue for your lineup decisions. Don’t miss out on hidden fantasy football talent that could help you surge in the standings this week.
Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (vs. NYG)
I’ve been pushing Colston Loveland as a stash for weeks, and he even made this article last week before his explosive breakout game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Loveland stepped up in the wild Week 9 shootout, catching six of his seven targets for 1118 yards and two touchdowns.
The 6’6” pass catcher is a beast over the middle of the field, as shown by his broken tackle on his game-winning 58-yard touchdown. A highly drafted rookie playmaker is always a good bet in the second half of the season, and Loveland looks like a star in the making.
Unfortunately, due to his eruption on Sunday, he will cost you considerable FAAB budget this week, but given his long-term outlook, he is worth being aggressive for. This week, he faces a New York Giants defense that has allowed 232.1 passing yards per game, ninth-most in the NFL, and 15 passing touchdowns, tied for eighth-most.
Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns (at NYJ)
Harold Fannin Jr. is available on waivers after his Week 9 bye. The Cleveland Browns’ offense has been tame all season, ranking 32nd in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, but Fannin’s usage has been great for fantasy.
The rookie ranks 13th among all tight ends in fantasy points per game and is seventh at the position in targets (51) and receptions (38). This weekend, he faces a Jets defense that just lost its two best players, Gardner and Quinnen Williams, at the trade deadline.
Fresh off a bye, and with the Jets having waved the white flag on their season, the young Browns offense could be in for a great day. Fannin was targeted eight times in his last game, and is a high-ceiling volume play this weekend and beyond.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)
Backing Davis Mills to support the second or third target on the Houston Texans offense this weekend might be scary, but Dalton Schultz has been busy in recent weeks. Either side of Houston’s defensive domination of the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8, Schultz caught 15 of 18 targets for 175 yards in Weeks 7 and 9 combined.
He faces the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend, who just gave up four touchdown passes to Geno Smith in Week 9. Schultz is a solid volume option against a team that has given up 19.2 fantasy points per game to the tight end position, the second most in the NFL.
Theo Johnson, New York Giants (at CHI)
Elsewhere, Theo Johnson has been more touchdown-dependent this season, but fortunately, he has scored five times in his last six games. Johnson doesn’t get the target volume that Fannin and Schultz do, but he is tied for 15th in the NFL in red-zone targets, with 9.
This week, the Giants take on the Chicago Bears, who, despite winning their epic Week 9 battle with Cincinnati, gave up 42 points in that game. Jaxson Dart has proved himself capable of running an NFL offense, and the Bears should be able to score on the Giants, making this a high-potential game for fantasy points.