The bye weeks have started, but at tight end, can you even tell? The position is always thin and seemingly void of high-floor sleepers, so having four idle teams only affects our Week 5 fantasy TE rankings so much.
The first bye week is especially kind to the TE position (see below), as TD-dependent Donald Parham Jr. is the only tight end in the top 20 who will be off. Tight end has also largely avoided the injury bug over the past three weeks, so your usual starter should be available. Now, they just have to produce, something that has been a struggle for all but the very best.
Will that trend continue in Week 5? Let's break down the potential studs, sleepers, and stumblers at this frustrating position.
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Which TEs are on bye in Week 5?
The Chargers (Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr.), Browns (David Njoku), Seahawks (Noah Fant), and Buccaneers (Cade Otton) will be idle this week.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Even though the first bye weeks of the season don't take away any usual starters, they do take away a Chargers' defense that ranked No. 12 in fantasy points allowed to TEs entering Week 4. Overall, though, this is probably the best bye week for TEs that we'll see all season.
WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | D/STs | Kickers
Who are the best fantasy TEs in Week 5?
As usual, Travis Kelce (@ Vikings in Week 5) tops our rankings, and he has an even higher ceiling than usual against a porous Vikings' pass defense. T.J. Hockenson (vs. Chiefs), Sam LaPorta (vs. Panthers), and Evan Engram (vs. Bills) round out the top four.
Mark Andrews (@ Steelers) and George Kittle (vs. Cowboys) are still must-starts, but tough matchups mixed with some uneven early-season results have them a little lower than usual. It might seem odd to say that about Andrews, fresh off an 80-yard, two-TD game, but he had just five targets for the second week in a row. Engram also has a tough matchup, but he entered Week 4 third among all TEs in targets before seeing another eight looks last week, so he has a higher floor, especially in PPR leagues. The same is true for this year's big breakout, LaPorta, but he actually has a decent matchup this week.
WEEK 5 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start 'em, sit 'em
Who are the best fantasy TE sleepers, pickups, & streamers in Week 5?
Favorable/unfavorable matchups are finally starting to become clearer, though we'll fully acknowledge that stats can be skewed by one bad game vs. Travis Kelce or a fluky two-TD game by someone like Parham. Still, the stats mean something, and based on the numbers, there are several widely available TEs with favorable matchups.
Tyler Higbee (vs. Eagles) isn't available in deep leagues, but if he's out there in a shallow league, give him a go against Philadelphia's league-worst TE defense. Hayden Hurst (@ Lions) gets to attack a Lions' defense that entered Week 4 as the second-worst against TEs but was let off the hook last week by Luke Musgrave's early head injury.
If Musgrave (@ Raiders) returns this week, he also has a nice matchup against a soft pass defense. Zach Ertz (vs. Bengals), Dalton Kincaid (vs. Jaguars), Dalton Schultz (@ Falcons), and Logan Thomas (vs. Bears) also face defenses that entered Week 4 in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to TEs.
WEEK 5 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Who are the biggest potential fantasy TE busts in Week 5?
We already mentioned Andrews (@ Steelers) and Kittle (vs. Cowboys) as guys with tough matchups, and you can add Pat Freiermuth (vs. Ravens), Jake Ferguson (@ 49ers), and Hunter Henry (vs. Saints) to the list (though Freiermuth might not play because of a hamstring injury). We were also worried about Dallas Goedert (@ Rams) before the Rams got roasted by Indy's TEs, so he's a little less risky now.
It's tough to bench any of these guys as long as they're active. The targets should be there for all, and we know they have higher ceilings than virtually all TEs ranked below them. We're still a little too early in the season to fully "trust the matchups" and play some of the guys mentioned in the sleepers section over these proven veterans, but we also wouldn't blame you if went for it.
What are the biggest TE injuries in Week 5?
Luke Musgrave looked like he was ready to break out, but a head injury sidelined him early in Week 4 against the Lions. Most players miss at least one game when they enter the concussion protocol, but since Musgrave suffered his injury on a Thursday night, it's possible he'll return to face the Raiders.
Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) and Juwan Johnson (calf) also exited their games early in Week 4. Freiermuth (vs. Ravens) would be replaced by Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward, neither of whom would be on the streamer radar. Ditto for Jimmy Graham or Foster Moreau against New England.
We'll be updating these standard TE rankings throughout the week, so check back for the latest player movement and analysis.
Fantasy TE Rankings Week 5: Who to start, sit at tight end
Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring
Rank Player
1 Travis Kelce, Chiefs @ Vikings
2 T.J. Hockenson, Vikings vs. Chiefs
3 Sam LaPorta, Lions vs. Panthers
4 Evan Engram, Jaguars vs. Bills
5 Mark Andrews, Ravens @ Steelers
6 George Kittle, 49ers vs. Cowboys
7 Dallas Goedert, Eagles @ Rams
8 Tyler Higbee, Rams vs. Eagles
9 Darren Waller, Giants @ Dolphins
10 Kyle Pitts, Falcons vs. Texans
11 Hunter Henry, Patriots vs. Saints
12 Cole Kmet, Bears @ Commanders
13 Luke Musgrave, Packers @ Raiders
14 Zach Ertz, Cardinals vs. Bengals
15 Dalton Kincaid, Bills vs. Jaguars
16 Tyler Conklin, Jets @ Broncos
17 Hayden Hurst, Panthers @ Lions
18 Dalton Schultz, Texans @ Falcons
19 Logan Thomas, Commanders vs. Bears
20 Jake Ferguson, Cowboys @ 49ers
21 Dawson Knox, Bills vs. Jaguars
22 Taysom Hill, Saints @ Patriots
23 Foster Moreau, Saints @ Patriots
24 Kylen Granson, Colts vs. Titans
25 Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans @ Colts
26 Durham Smythe, Dolphins vs. Giants
27 Irv Smith Jr., Bengals @ Cardinals
28 Darnell Washington, Steelers vs. Ravens
29 Mike Gesicki, Patriots vs. Saints
30 Michael Mayer, Raiders vs. Packers
31 Jimmy Graham, Saints @ Patriots
Week 5 TE fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
Draft Sharks projections for the new week will update every Tuesday and be constantly adjusted throughout the week
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