NFL DFS Rookie Tight End Recommendations For Week One
With the success of guys like Rob Gronkowski, more teams have been looking to make use of big, pass-catching tight ends in their offense. They may not make the big plays like wide receivers often do, but as long as they can keep the chains moving, they are worth every penny. That is especially true when it comes to choosing a tight end for your daily fantasy roster. This year there could be several rookie tight ends worth inserting into your lineup as early as Week One.
But who?
It would not be shocking to see the following players making a contribution to daily fantasy owners in Week One:
- T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions: He was the first tight end taken in the draft (No. 8 pick) and will be on an offense that is in desperate need of a playmaker that can move the chains. Matthew Stafford hasn’t had a really good, big target like Hockenson in years.
Since they took him that early, you have to think they plan on getting him involved from Day One.
- Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings: Kyle Rudolph is going to get the bulk of the work in the Vikings offense. But maybe Minnesota is planning on doing more two-tight end sets. That way, they can abuse the underneath routes more while defenses focus on stopping Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
He may not get a ton of work, but he will probably not cost much making him a good value.
- Noah Fant, Denver Broncos: Joe Flacco is no stranger to working with tight ends. During his time with the Baltimore Ravens, he played with several good ones and made the most of their skillset. Since they used a first-round pick on him, the Broncos are probably going to encourage him to make the most of Fant’s skillset.
- Jace Sternberger, Green Bay Packers: It has been years since Aaron Rodgers has had a really good pass-catching tight end to work with (Donald Lee?). He only caught 48 passes in his only year as a starter for Texas A&M, but he did a lot with them (832 yards, ten touchdowns)—and Rodgers is a much, much better quarterback than Kellen Mond.
- Kahale Warring, Houston Texans: He has some guys to beat out for reps. But with Deshaun Watson often running for his life, having a big (6’5’’ and 252 lbs.) target to throw to over the middle could be a lifesaver. However, he considered a pretty raw talent and will need to make the most of training camp/preseason reps to be ready in Week One.
Recommendations?
For the Sunday games in Week One, Hockenson is the obvious choice. For the Thursday night season opener, Sternberger is the best option. While Warring has more upside on Monday night, Fant is much more likely to play a significant role.
START WINNING
YOUR DRAFTKINGS COMPETITIONS
NFL & PGA Lineup Buildeer.
ONE MEMBERSHIP.
Join today and receive instant access to handpicked fantasy players for all NFL & PGA DraftKings Linesups. Start outscoring your competition and learn the strategies to become a daily fantasy guru.
