If you are desperate for TE production and don't have a consensus top-12 Week 7 fantasy tight end, here are three highly unconventional, solid-upside bargains. Also, if you're planning to start one of those previously referenced top-12 fantasy TEs, these three are riskier than usual.
I hit five of six last week, including seemingly insane warnings about Trey McBride, Dalton Kincaid, and Harold Fannin Jr., none of whom finished top 12. I also pushed Colston Loveland (TE15) and Kyle Pitts (TE21), and both finished in the top four. Let's see how it goes this week. As always, we'll use FantasyPros' Week 7 composite rankings as our guide.
Start - Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders (Ranked 21st)
Chasing points? Maybe. But it's hard to avoid betting on
a tight end with Michael Mayer's clear ceiling, especially in a relatively thin passing attack.
Start - Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (Ranked 23rd)
Jake Ferguson might be getting phased out, or he might be a squeaky wheel that's about to get attention. I like betting on talented, underutilized skill players when their team is on a losing streak. The Cowboys will need to execute better in Philadelphia. I expect Ferguson to be part of the game plan.
Start - Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (Ranked 16th)
Romeo Doubs's loss puts more pressure on guys like Hunter Henry, especially in a tough road matchup against the high-scoring Bears. Henry has 10+ points in three straight games and remains Drake Maye's favored target.
Sit - Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (Ranked 7th)
As always, recommending sitting a top-12 TE is a tough business. But I'll embrace it once again. Travis Kelce seems a bit overvalued, even if Rashee Rice remains out. The future Hall of Fame tight end is a good bet for 7+ points but not a great bet for 12+.
Sit - Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (Ranked 5th)
The opposing Packers are giving up the sixth-fewest TE fantasy points per game. Sam LaPorta is on a roll. But Jared Goff is averaging 38.2 pass attempts per game, and that kind of volume can feed a lot of receivers. Against Green Bay, I expect Goff to throw 30 or fewer times, limiting LaPorta to TD-or-bust production.
Sit - Juwan Johnston, New Orleans Saints (Ranked 10th)
Juwan Johnson's mini-slump isn't surprising. The question is whether the 30-year-old can snap out of it. Rarely a big-yardage tight end, Johnson usually needs to score to crack the top 10. There are safer options out there.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 7: TE Edition
