Week 10 delivered a slate of games where star tight ends had stepped up to the plate and proven how top-heavy of a position it is. Week 11 followed up with a week where those star tight ends disappeared and it was a slate of tight ends who are not household names who came through. These last two weeks are why this position is the toughest to dissect. One week, you’re star tight end would carry you to a win while the next week, they could single handily cost you a game. That’s why having options is of the utmost importance.
Top Three Tight End Pickups for Week 12
Chargers TE Will Dissly
The one fair observation from the Chargers’ big win over Cincinnati on Sunday Night Football was that while the Chargers want to throw it with their superstar quarterback, he still doesn’t have that go-to target with this brand-new pass-catching core. The reason why that is a hopeful takeaway is that the starting tight end Will Dissly is available in a ton of leagues.
Dissly saw 6 targets on Sunday Night, including a big touchdown catch early in the game. Herbert trusts the tight end in big moments, which will help him move forward. Dissly was mainly known as a blocking tight end but as the season has continued, he has looked like a much-improved pass catcher. If Dissly is somehow available in your league, go and snatch him up.
Saints TE Juwan Johnson
The Saints have won two in a row but they are decimated at the receiver position. That led to a big week 11 for gadget player Taysom Hill. But what Hill did on Sunday has not been consistent or sustainable for a long period. This dominant Taysom Hill performance should excite the prospect of Johnson being involved.
These injured pass catchers aren’t coming back anytime soon and it’s only a matter of time until Johnson has that big game himself. Derek Carr is still the quarterback which should help Johnson have a big enough part of the offense. Until Carr is not the quarterback, this is a great pickup while looking at the big picture since they are on their bye.
Bengals TE Tanner Hudson
It seemed like Mike Gesicki had grabbed full control of the target share of the tight end room for the struggling Bengals. But over the last couple of weeks, it has been Hudson who is now getting the majority of the targets and production from Bengals tight ends. Hudson had a nice game in the Thursday Night loss to Baltimore and led tight ends in targets for Cincy.
The Bengals almost entirely throw the ball, which makes having a reliable pass catcher on the team very valuable. Joe Burrow has been sensational this season and the passing attack has been one of the best in football. The increased workload for Hudson is encouraging enough to take a shot and pick him up. Despite their bye week this week, this is a good stash to have for the following week.
Conclusion
Heading into the final weeks of regular season fantasy football, it seems clear that no matter even in a playoff week, fantasy owners need to be in the market for tight ends. That doesn’t mean picking one up every week but researching trends for teams and players and taking advantage of that. It’s great to have a reliable one but there aren’t enough of those to count on one finger. So with that being said, it’s always important to look for other premium positions but consistently following tight ends could win you a fantasy championship.
