Tight end is, of course, a wildly variable position in DFS. Salaries are often slow to catch up to on-field performance, leaving us with a handful of intriguing low-cost names each week. Share with us your top Week 5 value play at TE, and explain why he's a better call than Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, or Zach Ertz.
James Brimacombe: I am on Hunter Henry this week as my value play at tight end. It is a scary thought to lock in Henry with Antonio Gates also in the mix, along with Henry's duds in Weeks 1 and 3 where he was not targeted at all. Henry may seem like a risk in this spot because of his up-and-down production, but the matchup against the Giants is just too good to pass up on. The Giants give up the most fantasy points to opposing teams’ tight ends as they are averaging 7 receptions, 77 yards and 1.3 touchdowns to the position. In fact, in every week at least one tight end has recorded 4 for 42 and a touchdown. I like Henry's chances of putting up a solid game in one that could be a high-scoring, back-and-forth type of matchup.
Justin Bonnema: What James said. Henry is a risky boom/bust play that could pay off against a soft Giants defense that can't cover tight ends. But I'm also tempted by punting completely and going with Gates instead. They are splitting snaps 50/50 but Gates has out-targeted Henry 10-3 over the last two games, with more receptions, more yards, and the same number of red-zone looks. Henry scored last week on a phenomenal catch in the back of the end zone and he's definitely the future of this team, but I'll lock up one more time with Gates and hope for a score. He's priced like a kicker on FanDuel ($600 less than Henry), and near site-minimum on DraftKings ($3,300).
David Dodds: Charles Clay continues to be well underpriced in DFS. He has 227 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns over his 4 contests while leading all Buffalo pass catchers with 25 targets. I have Clay ranked in the top five of the position and he comes at a significant discount to guys like Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, and Zach Ertz.
Dan Hindery: I agree with David that Clay is the best bargain (especially on FanDuel). While the Bengals have been solid against the tight end early this season, they were atrocious defending the position last year. The Bengals ranked 30th in the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, with an average of 7 catches for 73 yards and 0.4 touchdowns.
Clay is also one of the safest bets to see heavy volume. With Jordan Matthews out, the Bills wide receiver depth chart is a mess. Zay Jones is the top option and the rookie has caught just 4 of 17 targets this season. The Bengals’ above-average cornerbacks should mostly eliminate the wide receivers and force Tyrod Taylor to lean on Clay and LeSean McCoy in the passing game.
Jason Wood: If we're looking for a high upside play, why not give Tyler Kroft a shot? He is coming off a six-catch, two-touchdown breakout and while it may seem like chasing touchdowns, Kroft has a legitimate pedigree. He was a 3rd round pick out of Rutgers in 2015 and dealt with an injury not to mention being buried behind Tyler Eifert. With Eifert hurt AGAIN, and the Bengals’ slow start, they can't afford to wait around for Eifert to get healthy. Kroft is going to get the chance to prove Week 4’s 7 targets were not a fluke. Kroft has good size, is aggressive at the point of attack, and is finally healthy.
Justin Howe: There’s nothing wrong with taking the leap on Henry. He’s gifted and suited to big plays, and his matchup is cherry, as the others have pointed out. I also like the pivot to Gates, who comes cheaper and boasts the same volume ceiling and touchdown outlook. I’m also looking at Jared Cook, who faces a great matchup of his own. Baltimore has allowed the fifth-most points to tight ends, and while that’s inflated by Marcedes Lewis’ four-touchdown explosion, there’s been plenty of success elsewhere. Jesse James, Seth DeValve, and David Njoku produced a handful of downfield catches against the Ravens’ athletically-challenged interior pass defense.
Follow @JustinBonnema Follow @JamesBrimacombe Follow @FBG_Dodds Follow @Hindery Follow @JustinHoweFF Follow @FBGWood
