DFS NFL TE Coach: Week 4

Last week on the Fantasy Alarm live chat we received a ton of questions leading up to kickoff regarding how to replace Delanie Walker and Antonio Gates after they were ruled inactive. In both of those cases, their replacements on their own teams both turned out to be solid punt plays. Neither got in the end zone or lit the world on fire, but they were good enough given their price tags. I don’t usually love replacing an injured tight end with his backup in seasonal leagues, but it can be an excellent strategy in DFS. Keep that in mind if there are any surprise inactives Sunday, and also don’t forgot to send along your DFS questions as well as seasonal ones for the live chat. Last season the live chats during the London games were the best, and I expect Sunday to be no different.

Premium Options

Jordan Reed

Sooner or later somebody in charge of play calling in Washington is going to realize the cure for the Redskins’ red zone woes wears number 86. Reed is fourth in the NFL in receptions and third in yards through three games, and the touchdowns will come. Perhaps most importantly, Reed is the only truly safe option to stack with Kirk Cousins, especially if Josh Doctson is active.

Value Options

Dennis Pitta

Dennis Pitta’s numbers are remarkably similar to Jordan Reed’s through three games. Like Reed, Pitta has a nice matchup against a terrible defense that has been poor both against the pass and in allowing fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Unlike Reed, I am not convinced Pitta is very likely to score a touchdown. Also unlike Reed, Pitta is priced low enough that you probably don’t need him to score to justify his price, except maybe on FantasyAces. This may be your last chance to use Pitta before his price catches up to his production.

Kyle Rudolph

I was skeptical of Kyle Rudolph at the start of the season, but that is no longer the case. Rudolph and Stefon Diggs are the only viable targets in Minnesota’s passing game, and only six teams have allowed more passing yards than the Giants through three games. Rudolph has more targets per game than every tight end outside of Greg Olsen, but 15 tight ends cost more than Rudolph this week.

Bargain Options

Zach Miller ($5,000) on FanDuel

I don’t understand why Zach Miller is so cheap. I think he is pretty obviously a top-10 tight end facing a weak Detroit pass defense at home, but 22 tight ends cost more on FanDuel. That just seems silly. 

Hunter Henry

Henry and Miller make for an interesting contrast, especially because they cost the same on DraftKings and nearly the same on FantasyAces. Before we go too far, I need to mention Henry’s fantasy value is almost entire contingent on Antonio Gates’s health. It may be tempting to play Henry even if Gates is healthy, considering how awful the Saints’ defense has looked, but there is a decent chance Henry goes back to being an afterthought when Gates is active. Henry would be risky with Gates active, and I’m not sure he has any more upside than somebody like Zach Miller.

If Gates is inactive, Henry will almost certainly be a popular DFS play. Even in this scenario I think I give a slight edge to Miller, since he is a more proven commodity and likely a less popular play, but I would certainly target Henry on FanDuel where he would be the best minimum-priced play by far.

Jace Amaro

I feel like last season the bargain guys were all very close to costing the minimum, while now the minimum players all get fewer than two targets per game. If Delanie Walker sits, Jace Amaro is the one tight end who is dirt-cheap across the board and would be usable for DFS. Amaro caught three passes for 59 yards last week against the Raiders with Walker out, and while that match-up was probably more favorable than this week’s against the Texans, I’m not scared of that defense with J.J. Watt out. I like the idea of punting tight end when I can, and Amaro would give you that opportunity if Walker is out.