As someone who has played fantasy football for what seems like ages, you’d think by this point I would’ve started to value the tight end position a little more. Not the case. Here I am, Week 8 of the NFL season, without a legitimate option at the position. Again. But fear not, the bye week hellscape of Week 7 is behind us, and it even shed some light on streaming options at tight end for this week and potentially into the future.
ROBERT TONYAN (51% ROSTERED)
The biggest news following the conclusion of Sunday’s slate was Packers’ All-Pro WR Davante Adams winding up on the reserve/COVID-19 list, jeopardizing his availability for Green Bay’s TNF tilt with Arizona. (If you are in dire need of a replacement for Adams, check out this WR streamer list.) With all signs pointing to Adams’ absence, Robert Tonyan should be in line for a healthy night.
In games without Adams, Tonyan has doubled his PPR scoring, mostly making his presence felt in the red zone. With Adams sidelined with a concussion during Week 4 last season, Tonyan had six receptions for 98 yards and three tuddies. That game put Tonyan on the map, eventually leading to the overall TE3 designation at the end of the season. Entering the 2021 fantasy season, he was TE5 or TE6 on most draft boards, so to see him only 50 percent rostered is a crime (or just a testament to the target hog Davante Adams really is.) Look for Tonyan on your waiver wire this week and buckle up for an interesting 48 hours before kickoff on Thursday.
CJ UZOMAH (19% ROSTERED)
Cincinnati tight ends have a wild history of being just good enough to have a spot on fantasy rosters and just volatile enough to make you sweat week in and week out. (Looking at you Tyler Kroft, Tyler Eifert, and Jermaine Gresham) Why not add another name to that list? CJ Uzomah only has one week with over five targets but has three 10-plus point outings in PPR leagues and two 24-plus point explosions.
Two things stand out to me. Firstly, Uzomah has caught 17 of his 19 receptions. When he’s targeted, he’s more than likely gonna reel it in. Secondly, he is a legit red zone target for Cincy. The vast majority of his fantasy scoring comes from touchdown receptions, but he does have five scores over his last four games, tying him with Dawson Knox for tops in the league.
After seven seasons in the NFL, Uzomah seems to be finding his groove alongside the youthful Bengals, who now sit atop the AFC North. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and co. turned it on in October and they look like one of the league’s top offenses.
"Joe's a monster…To me he's the smartest player on the field at all times."@Bengals TE CJ Uzomah tells us what it means having Joe Burrow as their QB
⬇️LISTEN⬇️ #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/zcAm06FGgn
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) October 25, 2021
Uzomah may seem like just a streaming option for all my brethren without a tight end right now, but with all the success the Bengals have had this season, he fits the mold of a low-end TE1 moving forward. Touchdown dependent, but reliable enough to salvage the position from here on out.
