Fantasy Football: 3 Tight End Streamer Options for Week 9

Tight end, as the kids say, is a wasteland.

Of all the positions in fantasy football, tight end has consistently been the most volatile. It's gotten to the point where we're lucky to have even a handful of tight ends we can rely on week to week.

This year is no different. Unless you were one of the lucky few to nab a top option at the position, you'll likely be scouring the waiver wire in search of a diamond in the rough.

However, just because you punted on the tight end position doesn't mean you've punted on your team as a whole.

Streaming tight end is a real, and effective, strategy -- you just have to know where to look.

That's where I come in, giving you three tight end streamers to target each and every week of the 2023 NFL season. All of these guys should be available in the majority of 12-team leagues and at the very least possess value for the upcoming week.

Projections and rankings via numberFire.

Week 9 Tight End Streamers

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Trey McBride is an easy streamer for Week 9 after he finished as the TE2 (20.5 points) in half-PPR last week.

That monster fantasy day came via 10 receptions (on 14 targets), 95 yards, and a touchdown.

McBride's career day was hardly a fluke, either. Sunday's effort was his first as a full-time starter and his utilization profile suggests he could continue producing TE1 value as long as Zach Ertz remains on injured reserve.

The 2022 second-round pick ran a route on a season-high 89.7% of the Arizona Cardinals' dropbacks. He commanded a staggering 38.9% target share and saw 40.5% of Arizona's air yards.

On top of that, it was encouraging to see McBride used more downfield and around the goal line. He saw six downfield (10-plus yards) targets, had an average depth of target of 7.9, and drew three red zone targets.

Next week's matchup is brutal on paper as McBride and the Cardinals travel east to take on the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has allowed the fewest raw fantasy points per game (3.7) to tight ends, but tight ends have only seen 23 total targets against the Browns. On a per-target basis, the Browns have given up the ninth-most fantasy points (1.13) to the position.

Considering how heavily McBride was involved against a stout Baltimore Ravens defense, fantasy managers should feel confident plugging him into their Week 9 lineups. He's one of the top waiver wire targets of the week, regardless of position.

Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints

I never feel great about chasing the yearly Taysom Hill blow-up game, but with three TE1s on bye, we've gotta do what we've gotta do.

The TE-eligible Swiss Army knife exploded for 22 fantasy points in Week 9. He did so on a classic Taysom Hill line of one reception (on one target), 14 receiving yards, 63 rushing yards, and a pair of rushing touchdowns.

That performance marked the third consecutive week Hill has finished inside the top 10 at the position.

Hill had actually been used more as a traditional tight end prior to Week 8. With Juwan Johnson sidelined from Weeks 4-7, Hill saw a 52% snap share and ran a route on 57% of drop backs. His snap share dipped to 43.9% and his route participation went to 40% this past week, but he still turned in his best fantasy performance since Week 5 of last season.

Looking ahead, Hill gets another juicy matchup in Week 9 when the Saints host the Chicago Bears. Chicago has the seventh-worst defense in the league, according to numberFire's nERD-based metrics. They've given up the fifth-most points (27.3) and the seventh-most red zone touchdowns per game (2.3).

Hill is far from a safe play, but he's got as good of a chance as anyone to score, and it's clear the Saints have a role for him. He's a solid streamer in Week 9.

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cade Otton has been pretty quiet this season. He scored just 6.7 fantasy points last week, hasn't finished inside as a TE1 in any given week, and slots in as the TE24 (5.2 points per game) for the season.

Yet, if you're looking for a one-game fill-in, Otton fits the mold in Week 9.

Otton has played at least 90% of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' snaps in every game this season. He's run a route on 89.8% of their drop backs over the last three weeks and has seen 14.6% and 15.4% target shares in their last two.

Granted, that's translated to more than seven fantasy points just twice, but he's provided a steady floor in recent games and has one of the best tight end matchups you could as for in Week 9: the Houston Texans.

Per Pro Football Reference, Houston has surrendered the most receptions (7.0) and targets (8.9) per game to opposing tight ends. On top of that, they've given up the third-most yards per game (64.9).

Otton isn't likely someone who has a ton of long-term upside, but his steady playing time and growing route participation make him a worthy streamer against a suspect Houston defense.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.