Given how scarce the tight end position is in fantasy football, not having three starter-caliber players is a big blow to the position as a whole. Darren Waller's, Pat Freiermuth's, and Dalton Schultz's names are likely going to pop up on their respective team's injury reports come Wednesday, and it's worthwhile to check to see if things are trending in the right direction for the coming week, especially with Tyler Higbee, Dallas Goedert, and Dawson Knox already out of the TE rankings because of bye weeks.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these TEs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 7 fantasy landscape. For injury updates on RBs Jonathan Taylor, Damien Harris, and D'Andre Swift, click here; for the latest on banged-up QBs Dak Prescott, Tua Tagovailoa, and Carson Wentz, click here; for news on hurting WRs Keenan Allen, Jahan Dotson, and Rashod Bateman, go here.
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WEEK 7 FANTASY: Top waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Trade advice
Darren Waller injury update, Week 7 fantasy outlook
Waller (hamstring) exited Las Vegas' Week 5 matchup against the Chiefs early in the first half and failed to return. Waller also dealt with a hamstring issue during the offseason, which isn't the best news for one of the game's premier tight ends.
On the bright side, Waller will have had close to two weeks to heal with Las Vegas coming off its bye week. We'll get a better feel for his Week 7 prospects once the Raiders drop their official injury report on Wednesday. Fellow TE Foster Moreau (knee) was inactive in Week 5, but if he's back and Waller is out, Moreau would be a good streamer. No other TEs on the Raiders are worth stashing should Waller miss this week's matchup against the Texans.
WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Pat Freiermuth injury update, Week 7 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Freiermuth is expected to clear the concussion protocol ahead of Pittsburgh's Sunday night game in Miami.
Freiermuth (concussion) failed to clear concussion protocol ahead of Pittsburgh's 20-18 upset win over Tampa Bay but was a limited participant all week in practice.
If Freiermuth can clear concussion protocol ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 7 road matchup in Miami, the second-year TE sits as a low-end TE1 with Mitchell Trubisky likely back under center. Freiermuth owns the 10th-highest target share among TEs (18.1 percent) along with the most deep targets (7) from the TE position, and in a week like this, that makes him a must-start. If he can't go, Zach Gentry would once again fill in but be off the fantasy radar.
WEEK 7 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Dalton Schultz injury update, Week 7 fantasy outlook
Schultz (knee) was a bit of a surprise inactive for Sunday Night Football against the Eagles, as he landed on Dallas' inactive list after practicing in full to end the week.
In his place, TEs Jake Ferguson (51 percent) and Peyton Hendershot (61 percent) played in over half the team's offensive snaps. Ferguson had a bigger impact in the receiving game, hauling in four passes for 40 yards and a TD. Hendershot secured two passes for 22 yards. If Schultz were to miss Dallas' Week 7 matchup against Detroit, Ferguson would be the preferred fantasy option, but either way, Dallas' starting TE will be on the start-sit bubble because of the favorable matchup and return of QB Dak Prescott (thumb).
