The George Kittle injury is a crippling injury for most fantasy lineups.
A true positional advantage, fantasy football managers were targeting Kittle in the fourth round of drafts because he was primed to stand at the top of Brock Purdy’s target totem pole. The veteran tight end averaged nearly eight more fantasy points per game and saw a spike in targets and yardage without Deebo Samuel, who was dealt to the Commanders during the offseason.
Unfortunately, Kittle was placed on IR after suffering a brutal hamstring injury in Week 1 against the Seahawks. Before being sidelined, the tight end had four catches for 25 yards in a touchdown in the first quarter and was set to put on a TE1 masterclass.
With Kittle out for a minimum of the next four weeks, which tight ends are ready to step up off the waiver wire and fill his spot in your fantasy football lineup? Let’s dive in.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 2 TIGHT END STREAMERS
HAROLD FANNIN JR., CLEVELAND BROWNS
It’s hard to know who the bigger early-season buzzy player is. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been the offseason darling, and his week one performance added kerosene to the campfire. Now that Austin Ekeler done for the year, Bill’s stock is about to explode.
However, the buzz around Fannin has been just as loud, if not louder. And justifiably so. His college production was off the charts. Week 1, Fannin exploded for 7/63/1 on nine 9 targets on 72% of the offensive snaps. But what’s most encouraging is his usage, which looked similar to how he was deployed at Bowling Green. Fannin nearly matched Njoku’s snaps in multiple packages, splitting third downs and working into two- and three-tight-end sets seamlessly. Sure, Njoku still has the edge on early downs, but Cleveland didn’t draft this weapon to watch from the sidelines.
While David Njoku is not going anywhere right now, it appears that Fannin is dialed in as another weapon in the Browns’ ascending attack.
Harold Fannin Jr. is ranked as the TE11 in the Wolf’s Week 2 Rankings, 5 spots ahead of the ECR.
JUWAN JOHNSON, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Johnson churned out a monster week 1, pacing tight ends with 15.6 half-PPR points.
His 8/76 statline led the team in both catches and yards and fell just behind Chris Olave on the target totem pole.
While there’s still plenty of work to do, Spencer Rattler flashed some improvement under the tutelage of Kellen Moore, and slung the rock a career-high 46 times.
In Moore’s fast-paced offense, Johnson is asserting himself as a feature in the pass attack, as evidenced by his 99% snap participation. The Saints may not win many games this season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t provide us with fantasy value. Johnson’s combination of athleticism, target share, and red-zone upside makes him a legit streaming option moving forward.
Juwan Johnson is ranked as the TE15 in the Wolf’s Week 2 Rankings, in lock step with the ECR.
HUNTER HENRY, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The Patriots have another legitimate weapon in an aerial attack that’s primed to explode.
Drake Maye still has some polish to add to his game, but he and Maye showcased a strong connection in Week 1. After leading the Patriots in targets in 2024, Henry picked up where he left off, catching four of his team-leading eight targets for 66 yards. He was a staple of Josh McDaniels’ offense against the Raiders, playing 66 of 71 snaps, compared to TE2 Austin Hooper, who only saw 23 snaps and had one catch.
He has a terrific opportunity ahead of him this week, with the Dolphins just surrendering 76 yards on 7 catches to Tyler Warren.
Hunter Henry is ranked as the TE12 in the Wolf’s Week 2 Rankings, 2 spots behind the ECR.
Others to target: Noah Fant, Jonnu Smith, Michael Mayer
