Fantasy Football: 3 Tight End Streaming Options for Week 3

The tight end wasteland was a little less wasteful in Week 2.

After only 4 tight ends eclipsed 8.0 half-PPR points in Week 1, a whopping 12 did so in Week 2.

A return to action for the sports' top-2 tight ends helped, but scoring as a whole was up in Week 2 which directly benefitted arguably the most touchdown-dependent fantasy position.

Still, going into Week 3, there are only a select handful of tight ends managers can truly feel good about on a week-to-week basis.

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 3 Tight End Streamers

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

We've touched on Jake Ferguson for three weeks now, but this may be your last chance to get your hands on a piece of the pie.

Ferguson finished as the TE11 with 8.6 fantasy points last week. While that marked a noticeable improvement on his Week 1 effort (2.1 points), his usage actually dropped in Week 2.

In addition to a smaller target share in Week 2, he saw his snap share drop from 74.5% to 57.8%. He saved his fantasy day with an early touchdown but managed just 11 yards for the second consecutive week.

However.

Ferguson tied for third on the Dallas Cowboys in both targets (4) and target share (10.8%) after leading the team with a 28.0% target share in Week 1. While Dallas has made it clear they want to funnel a majority of their touches toward Tony Pollard and CeeDee Lamb, Ferguson has already proven himself to be one of Dak Prescott's favorite secondary options.

In Week 3, Ferguson and the Cowboys take on the Arizona Cardinals -- a dream matchup for any tight end. After allowing the second-most points per game to opposing tight ends in 2022 (13.7), the Cardinals again look like they'll be friendly to the position in 2023. They gave up 4 receptions and 43 yards to Logan Thomas in Week 1 before Darren Waller cooked them for 6 receptions and 76 yards last week.

Even with his touchdown last week, Jake Ferguson is likely still floating around on your league's waiver wire. Given the tight end landscape, he makes for a strong play. That's not just in Week 3 but going forward as Dallas' No. 3 option in the passing game.

Durham Smythe, Miami Dolphins

What if I told you that the pass catcher who led the Miami Dolphins in both snap share (96.7%) and route participation (93.5%) last week was available in your fantasy football league?

You'd probably say: "Who in their right mind dropped Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle?"

No one did, but neither of those two stars saw that much playing time. That usage belongs to tight end Durham Smythe who ran 29 routes on 59 snaps (compared to Hill's 28 routes on 52 snaps) and is sitting on the waiver wire in essentially every fantasy football league.

So what's the catch?

Well, Smythe turned all that playing time into just 3 receptions (on 3 targets) and 23 yards. He only recorded 3 receptions (on 7 targets) in Week 1 as well, but it's only a matter of time before he starts cashing in on all that opportunity.

What better time than in Week 3 when the Dolphins host the Denver Broncos?

With the third-highest opening total (48.5) of the week, points should be plentiful in Miami. That could bode well for Smythe considering how often he's on the field and how vulnerable Denver has been to opposing tight ends.

Denver had given up 22 yards and a touchdown to Logan Thomas last week before he was knocked out of the game at the end of the first half.

That came after the Broncos had allowed the sixth-most points per game to opposing tight ends in 2022 (11.5).

Smythe, who now ranks third on the team with a 13.7% target share for the season, has an excellent opportunity to score in Week 3, which puts him firmly on the streaming radar.

Adam Trautman, Denver Broncos

With Greg Dulcich placed on IR ahead of Week 2, the hope was Adam Trautman would be able to cement himself as a weekly fantasy option.

It wasn't a farfetched thought. Trautman dominated the work in Week 1 even with Dulcich available, tying for second on the team with a 15.6% target share while playing 70.7% of the snaps. He caught all five of his targets in Week, and though that only led to 34 receiving yards, he was a notable standout in an opening week short on impressive tight ends.

However, in Week 2, Trautman disappointed. He failed to haul in his only target and finished with 0 fantasy points.

That said, a deeper look into Trautman's usage still has me hopeful he'll be a viable fantasy option as early as Week 3.

For starters, Trautman's snap share jumped to 82.0% with Dulcich out -- second on the team. His 28 routes ranked third among Denver pass-catchers and with a softer matchup in Week 3, Trautman is a sneaky steamer.

That's largely because Trautman's Broncos travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins. With a total set at 48.5 points and the Broncos opening as 6.5-point underdogs, it's not difficult to imagine a game script that favors the passing attack. That could directly benefit Trautman who, despite last week's dud, displayed strong chemistry with Russell Wilson in Week 1.

Most appealing about Trautman's Week 3 prospects is Miami's defense. The Dolphins allowed the third-most points per game (12.6) to opposing tight ends in 2022, and they've gotten off to a rough start in that department this season. They gave up 5 receptions, 43 yards, and a score to the Los Angeles Chargers' two tight ends in Week 1 before Hunter Henry cooked them for 6 catches, 52 yards, and a score on Sunday Night Football.

You're taking a risk banking on Trautman to rebound from a rough Week 2, but he's got as much touchdown upside as anyone on the waiver wire and is guranteed to see plenty of time on the field in Week 3.

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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.