In a perfect world, you’re not worried about TE streamers or streamers at any fantasy football position for that matter in Week 1, but we don’t live in a perfect world now do we? In the event that you punted the position (a perfectly viable strategy by the way) and are now looking to lock in your Week 1 lineup, here are my favorite lesser-rostered options at the TE position.
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Top TE Streamers for Week 1
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. MIA)
It’s pretty rare that you can find a player with a regular role that is on the waiver wire ahead of a game in which his team is projected to score north of 25 points. Yet, that is exactly what we have here.
Everett scored in each of his final three games last season and even led the team in receptions and yards in the playoff loss against the Jags. I don’t think he’s likely to lead the team in either of those categories this weekend, but I’m not sure he has to in an offense that is going to air the ball out plenty.
If this game approaches the 51 points that are currently projected, it’s likely that the Chargers have three pass catchers that return value. Given the unclear WR3 role, Everett is that third option for me alongside Keenan Allen and potential league-winner Mike Williams.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (vs. TEN)
All leagues are different, but this man is available in 70% of ESPN leagues and I can’t wrap my head around that. Unacceptable, fantasy football community, unacceptable.
I’ve talked all offseason about Derek Carr’s sneaky ability to stretch the field and efficiency when doing so, a skill that that should mesh just fine with a player who ranked fifth at the position in aDOT a year ago. Johnson was a top-15 option in our PFN Consensus Rankings this summer, and he comes with the upside for even more!
With Alvin Kamara suspended through September, there are targets to be had and routes to be run in this Saints offense (that’s underrated). Last season, most teams had a tight end run 20-plus routes per game. When Johnson hit that mark, he returned 9.7 fantasy points per game, a number that would have ranked him as TE7 for the season. He’s a good get now and he will be moving forward … don’t make me say it again!
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (@ KC)
OK, so we told you all offseason that rookie tight ends are a fantasy nightmare and to not count on them. I stand by it, but it doesn’t mean they can’t have their useful weeks and a game with an expected total north of 50 points is a good place to do just that.
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This Lions offense just doesn’t have a pass catcher I trust alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown. That means LaPorta could work his way into a significant Week 1 role where the over/under is sitting at 52.5 points.
He carries the draft capital that you like to invest in (second-round pick) and will be a part of a game that should be favorable for the passing game. LaPorta cleared 50 catches in each of his final two seasons at Iowa. We’ve seen some of these NFL-ready tight ends get a chance (be it to succeed or fail) right out the gate lately: Kyle Pitts saw eight targets in his debut. That is something I believe is on the table for LaPorta in the season opener.
TE Rankings for Week 1
The rankings below are our PFN Consensus Rankings. They are compiled as an average between myself, Fantasy Football Director Kyle Yates, and my fellow Fantasy Football Analysts Derek Tate and Kyle Soppe.
If you want to ask any of our fantasy analysts about kicker rankings or streamers for Week 1, be sure to sign up for the PFN Discord server, where you will have unlimited access to the team throughout the season.
