NFL

3 Fantasy Football Tight End Streamer Options for Week 2

Which tight ends had a better workload than expected in their opener?

The tight end position isn't overflowing with depth. Instead, it's still top-heavy. So, those of you who kicked the can down the road at the position instead of investing in an elite tight end might dabble in the streamer waters. Some of you came out of drafts with the intention of streaming.

No matter the path to this point, those who need help identifying widely available tight ends to help their fantasy squad each week have found the correct spot. This is your weekly home for streaming options. Here are three choices for this week.

Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars

Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 25%

Evan Engram's line of four receptions on four targets for 28 scoreless yards didn't jump off the page. Nonetheless, it was a promising opener in his debut for the Jacksonville Jaguars. First, the Jaguars attempted 42 passes and ran the ball only 16 times. Second, according to Pro Football Reference, Engram played 71% of Jacksonville's offensive snaps versus only a 16 percent snap share for fellow pass-catching tight end Dan Arnold.

In addition, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Engram ran 35 routes, and Arnold ran only four routes. Thus, Engram was clearly the team's top pass-catching tight end. He also has a potentially excellent matchup in Week 2.

Tight ends torched the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. Namely, O.J. Howard, who the Buffalo Bills cut, caught both his targets for 38 yards and two touchdowns, despite his limited time in the Houston Texans' offense. Brevin Jordan and Pharaoh Brown also chipped in two receptions on three targets for 22 yards.

Obviously, putting too much stock in a one-week sample is unwise. Still, according to Pro Football Reference, the Colts allowed the third-most receptions (102), seventh-most receiving yards (1,027), and tied for the sixth-most receiving touchdowns (eight) in 2021. So, last week might not be a blip on the radar.

Engram is an excellent streamer in Week 2.

Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals

Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 10%

Again, a one-week sample is tiny. Still, Hayden Hurst ran the most routes (51) among tight ends in Week 1. Further, he aligned wide 10 times, in the slot 18 times, and inline 30 times.

Yes, Tee Higgins had to leave early after landing in the concussion protocol, but Hurst's varied alignment usage and massive route total were more than his most ardent supporters could have hoped for. Additionally, a surprising negative game script for most of Sunday's upset loss for the Cincinnati Bengals was integral for Hurst's usage.

Regardless, Hurst's 8 targets, 5 receptions, and 46 scoreless yards weren't too shabby.

He could get a pace pick-me-up, looking ahead to this week. According to Football Outsiders, the Dallas Cowboys were the NFL's fastest-paced team in neutral situations last season. Finally, Hurst has touchdown potential in a rebound spot for the Bengals.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Bengals are -6.5-point favorites, and the game's total is 43.5 points, leaving them with an implied total of 25.0 points.

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 0%

It's not often a tight end who's on zero percent of Yahoo! rosters are exciting. However, Juwan Johnson is genuinely intriguing. The Taysom Hill wildcat touchdown run has garnered the most attention for tight-end eligible players on the New Orleans Saints, but Johnson's underlying numbers were eye-catching.

According to PFF, Johnson's 32 routes on 34 passing snaps were tied for the eighth-most among tight ends in Week 1. He also ran only one less route than Michael Thomas and Chris Olave, tying for the third-most on the Saints with Jarvis Landry. So, that's an excellent starting point, and there were more promising numbers in his profile.

He was also used vertically, sporting a 12.4-yard average depth of target (aDoT), per PFF. He was also comfortably ahead of Adam Trautman's 4 routes on 10 passing snaps.

Further, Johnson's five targets were the third most for the Saints, trailing the identical eight targets for Thomas and Landry. So, he had more targets than Olave (three) and Alvin Kamara (four). It's unlikely he maintains his spot in the pecking order for targets, but it was an encouraging start for 2022.

Additionally, Johnson has the athleticism to make the most of his vertical usage and capped targets in a crowded passing attack.

His team draws the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are 2.5-point favorites. They could certainly impose a fast pace on the Saints after ranking second in situation-neutral pace in 2021 and fourth in 2020.



Joshua Shepardson is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Joshua Shepardson also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username bchad50. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.