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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.
| PTS | OPP | OPP | OPP PASS | ||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Team | H/A | Opp | G | Snaps | TAR% | TAR/G | REC/G | CATCH% | REYDS | RETDS | YPC | ALLOWED | PASS RK | DEF RK | YDS/GM | O/U | TOTAL | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Rob Gronkowski | NE | H | BUF | 1 | 14 | 1.2% | 1 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 11 | 15 | 179.0 | 0 | $7,400 | $6,500 | $5,700 | |
| Jordan Reed | WAS | H | CLE | 3 | 172 | 20.5% | 8.3 | 5.3 | 64.0% | 190 | 0 | 11.9 | 11.8 | 18 | 26 | 243.0 | 47 | -360 | $7,500 | $6,300 | $5,000 |
| Greg Olsen | CAR | A | ATL | 3 | 226 | 25.5% | 9 | 6 | 66.7% | 259 | 1 | 14.4 | 16.7 | 31 | 32 | 323.3 | 50 | 145 | $7,900 | $6,000 | $5,300 |
| Delanie Walker | TEN | A | HOU | 2 | 106 | 10.3% | 5.5 | 4.5 | 81.8% | 125 | 1 | 13.9 | 3.8 | 7 | 10 | 231.7 | 41 | -220 | $6,700 | $5,000 | $4,700 |
| Travis Kelce | KC | A | PIT | 3 | 175 | 18.3% | 7 | 5.7 | 81.0% | 197 | 1 | 11.6 | 10.1 | 24 | 23 | 272.0 | 48 | -220 | $6,500 | $4,800 | $4,850 |
| Antonio Gates | SD | H | NO | 2 | 84 | 9.2% | 4.5 | 3 | 66.7% | 35 | 1 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 27 | 31 | 354.0 | 54 | -200 | $5,800 | $4,600 | $4,000 |
| Jason Witten | DAL | A | SF | 3 | 214 | 20.6% | 6.7 | 4.7 | 70.0% | 142 | 0 | 10.1 | 14.3 | 9 | 12 | 177.3 | 45 | 110 | $6,000 | $4,500 | $4,450 |
| Tyler Eifert | CIN | H | MIA | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 11.4 | 15 | 21 | 270.3 | 45 | -350 | $6,200 | $4,500 | $4,500 |
| Julius Thomas | JAC | H | IND | 3 | 175 | 13.5% | 5.7 | 3.7 | 64.7% | 148 | 1 | 13.5 | 9.6 | 29 | 29 | 304.3 | 49 | 120 | $6,000 | $4,400 | $4,400 |
| Jimmy Graham | SEA | A | NYJ | 3 | 119 | 13.2% | 4.7 | 3.3 | 71.4% | 153 | 1 | 15.3 | 11.5 | 30 | 19 | 250.3 | 40 | 120 | $6,400 | $4,000 | $4,800 |
| Dennis Pitta | BAL | H | OAK | 3 | 150 | 20.5% | 8 | 6 | 75.0% | 183 | 0 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 28 | 27 | 289.0 | 47 | -170 | $5,400 | $3,900 | $4,750 |
| Dwayne Allen | IND | A | JAC | 3 | 171 | 12.6% | 5 | 3 | 60.0% | 113 | 1 | 12.6 | 6.7 | 12 | 14 | 281.0 | 49 | 120 | $5,900 | $3,800 | $3,950 |
| Eric Ebron | DET | A | CHI | 3 | 189 | 17.2% | 6.7 | 4.7 | 70.0% | 168 | 1 | 12.0 | 8.2 | 26 | 28 | 256.0 | 48 | 125 | $5,800 | $3,700 | $4,500 |
| Gary Barnidge | CLE | A | WAS | 3 | 194 | 13.4% | 4.3 | 3 | 69.2% | 103 | 0 | 11.4 | 7.2 | 16 | 25 | 340.0 | 47 | -360 | $5,900 | $3,600 | $4,400 |
| Martellus Bennett | NE | H | BUF | 3 | 210 | 16.1% | 4.7 | 3.3 | 71.4% | 138 | 1 | 13.8 | 3.1 | 11 | 15 | 179.0 | 0 | $6,300 | $3,500 | $4,300 | |
| Kyle Rudolph | MIN | H | NYG | 3 | 167 | 28.3% | 8.7 | 4.7 | 53.8% | 166 | 2 | 11.9 | 8.4 | 22 | 17 | 308.3 | 43 | -240 | $5,600 | $3,400 | $4,550 |
| Jacob Tamme | ATL | H | CAR | 3 | 140 | 19.6% | 6.7 | 4.7 | 70.0% | 154 | 1 | 11.0 | 13.1 | 10 | 7 | 270.7 | 50 | 145 | $5,500 | $3,400 | $4,200 |
| Coby Fleener | NO | A | SD | 3 | 165 | 16.8% | 7.7 | 3.3 | 43.5% | 144 | 1 | 14.4 | 15.2 | 14 | 24 | 263.0 | 54 | -200 | $5,400 | $3,200 | $4,200 |
| Jesse James | PIT | H | KC | 3 | 132 | 13.6% | 5.3 | 3.3 | 62.5% | 70 | 1 | 7.0 | 3.4 | 1 | 2 | 262.0 | 48 | -220 | $4,500 | $3,100 | $4,150 |
| Virgil Green | DEN | A | TB | 2 | 82 | 8.5% | 4 | 3.5 | 87.5% | 74 | 0 | 10.6 | 5.0 | 25 | 18 | 309.7 | 43 | 140 | $4,900 | $3,000 | $4,200 |
| Austin Seferian-Jenkins | NYJ | H | SEA | 2 | 52 | 2.2% | 1.5 | 1.5 | 100.0% | 44 | 1 | 14.7 | 5.0 | 2 | 1 | 273.3 | 40 | 120 | $4,500 | $2,900 | $4,100 |
| Cameron Brate | TB | H | DEN | 3 | 128 | 12.1% | 5.7 | 3.7 | 64.7% | 92 | 2 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 6 | 5 | 252.0 | 43 | 140 | $5,300 | $2,800 | $4,100 |
| Zach Miller | CHI | H | DET | 3 | 150 | 17.7% | 6 | 5 | 83.3% | 125 | 2 | 8.3 | 20.4 | 32 | 30 | 328.3 | 48 | 125 | $5,000 | $2,700 | $4,000 |
| Clive Walford | OAK | A | BAL | 3 | 129 | 12.8% | 5 | 3.7 | 73.3% | 102 | 1 | 9.3 | 5.5 | 8 | 3 | 258.0 | 47 | -170 | $4,900 | $2,700 | $3,900 |
| Hunter Henry | SD | H | NO | 3 | 89 | 7.1% | 2.3 | 2 | 85.7% | 92 | 0 | 15.3 | 4.9 | 27 | 31 | 354.0 | 54 | -200 | $4,500 | $2,700 | $3,950 |
| Vance McDonald | SF | H | DAL | 3 | 99 | 7.3% | 2.3 | 1.7 | 71.4% | 93 | 2 | 18.6 | 18.0 | 23 | 20 | 255.7 | 45 | 110 | $4,700 | $2,700 | $3,650 |
| Ryan Griffin | HOU | H | TEN | 3 | 109 | 13.0% | 4.7 | 3.7 | 78.6% | 74 | 0 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 17 | 22 | 241.0 | 41 | -220 | $4,500 | $2,600 | $3,000 |
| Lance Kendricks | LA | A | ARI | 3 | 177 | 14.4% | 4.3 | 2 | 46.2% | 76 | 0 | 12.7 | 3.1 | 5 | 4 | 291.0 | 43 | -400 | $4,500 | $2,600 | $3,000 |
| Charles Clay | BUF | A | NE | 3 | 149 | 15.6% | 4 | 2.3 | 58.3% | 67 | 0 | 9.6 | 10.4 | 20 | 16 | 230.3 | 0 | $5,100 | $2,600 | $3,900 | |
| Jace Amaro | TEN | A | HOU | 1 | 28 | 3.7% | 4 | 3 | 75.0% | 59 | 0 | 19.7 | 3.8 | 7 | 10 | 231.7 | 41 | -220 | $4,600 | $2,600 | $3,000 |
| Larry Donnell | NYG | A | MIN | 3 | 115 | 10.3% | 3.7 | 2.7 | 72.7% | 50 | 1 | 6.3 | 8.8 | 4 | 6 | 231.0 | 43 | -240 | $5,100 | $2,600 | $3,600 |
| Will Tye | NYG | A | MIN | 3 | 92 | 10.3% | 3.7 | 2.7 | 72.7% | 40 | 0 | 5.0 | 8.8 | 4 | 6 | 231.0 | 43 | -240 | $4,700 | $2,600 | $3,500 |
| Jack Doyle | IND | A | JAC | 3 | 138 | 12.6% | 5 | 4.3 | 86.7% | 137 | 2 | 10.5 | 6.7 | 12 | 14 | 281.0 | 49 | 120 | $4,800 | $2,500 | $4,000 |
| Garrett Celek | SF | H | DAL | 3 | 116 | 10.4% | 3.3 | 1.7 | 50.0% | 52 | 0 | 10.4 | 18.0 | 23 | 20 | 255.7 | 45 | 110 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| Marcedes Lewis | JAC | H | IND | 3 | 95 | 6.4% | 2.7 | 2.3 | 87.5% | 85 | 1 | 12.1 | 9.6 | 29 | 29 | 304.3 | 49 | 120 | $4,600 | $2,500 | $3,300 |
| Luke Willson | SEA | A | NYJ | 3 | 127 | 7.6% | 2.7 | 1.7 | 62.5% | 41 | 0 | 8.2 | 11.5 | 30 | 19 | 250.3 | 40 | 120 | $4,500 | $2,500 | $3,700 |
Premium Options
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Jordan ReedSooner 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’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.
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.
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.
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.
Player News
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers are “counting on” a 2025 jump for WR Roman Wilson.
Wilson, per Fowler, “looks like a different player than from his injury riddled rookie campaign.” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in February that the team has “a lot of confidence” in Wilson, the 84th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft who played just five offensive snaps as a rookie after suffering a serious hamstring injury in October. Wilson, entering his age-24 season, had 789 yards and 12 touchdowns on 49 catches in his final season at Michigan. He was 19th among all college wideouts in yards per route run in 2023. An injury-free offseason could position Wilson as the clear No. 2 receiver behind DK Metcalf in 2025.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers “remain in contact with Aaron Rodgers and are hopeful that he’ll be a Steeler.”
Things have been quiet on the Rodgers front since the NFL Draft, though he remains a factor for the QB-needy Steelers, who on Wednesday traded George Pickens to Dallas in exchange for draft picks. That leaves DK Metcalf and perhaps Roman Wilson as the Steelers’ top two receivers. Metcalf’s fantasy fortunes would get a bit of a bump if Rodgers lands with the Steelers. The team’s commitment to a massively run-heavy approach should limit Metcalf’s upside, however. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested Rodgers is waiting to sign with Pittsburgh until after the NFL’s schedule release “so that the league can’t saddle the Steelers with extra prime-time and/or short-week games.” We’ll continue to monitor the never-ending Rodgers saga.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Cowboys’ plan is for George Pickens “to play out his rookie deal.”
It looks like we won’t see any sort of long-term contract struck between Pickens and the Cowboys after the mercurial wideout was traded from the Steelers to Dallas in exchange for a 2026 third round draft pick and a 2027 fifth rounder. Dallas coaches and Jerry Jones likely want to see how Pickens, 24, acclimates to his new team after alienating coaches and teammates in Pittsburgh last season. Pickens, who has 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over three NFL seasons, will immediately become the team’s No. 2 option behind CeeDee Lamb and a much-needed deep ball target for Dak Prescott.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reports TE Dallas Goedert will remain with the Eagles in 2025.
Goedert agreed to a $4 million salary cut for the upcoming season, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. He will make $10 million in 2025 and be a free agent next offseason. It’s quite the turnabout after Eagles coaches and front office officials strongly implied for months that Goedert had played his last snap with the team. Goedert, 30, has missed 15 games over the past three seasons and was widely expected to be dealt during the NFL Draft. Goedert will be a solid top-12 fantasy option, well behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith in the team’s target pecking order. He averaged 4.2 catches and 49.6 receiving yards per game in 2024 and had the ninth highest EPA per target among tight ends.
Titans re-signed DT James Lynch.
Lynch, 26, a former fourth round selection by the Vikings, will return for a second season with the Titans after starting all 17 games in 2024. He had 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack for the Titans last season. Pro Football Focus graded the Titans as last year’s fourth worst pass rush and ninth best run-defending unit.
Jaguars released WR Gabe Davis.
Davis, who secured $24 million in guarantees when he signed with Jacksonville last year, managed 20 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns over ten games in his only year with the Jags. The Davis signing is yet another in a string of disastrous decisions by the former Jacksonville front office. With Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter in the fold, the Jaguars ended their experiment with Davis, 26. He should see interest from wideout-needy teams in the coming weeks, including perhaps the Lions. Davis will be locked into a strictly downfield role wherever he lands this spring or summer.