Fantasy Football: 3 Tight End Streaming Options for Week 2

Tight end has long been the most volatile position in fantasy football. While 2024 offers an exciting crop of tight end options at the top, not every fantasy team has the luxury of rostering an elite option.

Unless you were one of the lucky few to nab a top guy, 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 all hope is lost.

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 2024 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.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.

Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Stream for Week 2

Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Matchup: vs. LV

In addition to being one of the top Week 2 waiver wire targets, Isaiah Likely is undoubtedly the best tight end streaming option going into Week 2.

The third-year tight end had flashed in stints without Mark Andrews the past two seasons, but he proved to be a major part of the Baltimore Ravens' offense even with Andrews healthy in Week 1.

Likely led all Week 1 tight ends in half-PPR fantasy points (21.6), receptions (9), and receiving yards (112.9).

He paced the Ravens in target share (30%) and was second in air yard share (39.3%) despite running a route on only 57.1% of Lamar Jackson's dropbacks.

Still, Likely's 70.3% snap rate was significantly higher than the 22.5% he averaged with Andrews healthy last season.

Granted, Baltimore won't face the Kansas City Chiefs every week -- a team that's consistently held Andrews in check the past few years -- but his route participation and target rate bodes well for his rest of season outlook.

In Week 2, Likely and the Ravens will host a Las Vegas Raiders side that surrendered a league-average target rate to tight ends in 2023 but didn't face much competition from the position in Week 1.

Likely's Week 1 usage was too good to ignore. He's the clear top tight end to pick up if you're looking for a Week 2 starter.

Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams

Matchup: at ARI

Colby Parkinson's final stat line in Week 1 -- 4 receptions for 47 yards -- wasn't especially impressive, but it was good enough to net 6.7 fantasy points and make him the TE7 in an ugly week for the position.

But his utilization was encouraging going forward, even as early as Week 2.

Parkinson operated as the Los Angeles Rams' starting tight end with Tyler Higbee on the PUP, pacing Rams tight ends in snap rate (87.8%) and route rate (80.4%). LA's other tight ends combined for just a single target.

He finished with the fourth-highest target share (10.4%) and third-highest route rate among all Rams pass catchers.

Parkinson could be in for an even bigger role in the wake of Puka Nacua's injury. It remains to be seen what the entire fantasy football fallout of Nacua's injury will be, but it's worth noting that Higbee commanded a 16.4% target share and averaged 6.9 fantasy points in the five games when only one of Puka and Cooper Kupp were active in 2023.

In Week 2, Parkinson and the Rams visit a Arizona Cardinals defense that yielded the second-most fantasy points per target (1.64) to tight ends in 2023. They entered the 2024 season with PFF's 32nd-ranked secondary and numberFire's 31st-ranked schedule-adjusted pass defense.

It doesn't hurt that this game has a tight spread and is tied for the highest over/under of the week. Full Rams-Cardinals odds can be found below and at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders

Matchup: vs. NYG

33-year-old Zach Ertz may still have fantasy relevance after some eye-opening usage in Week 1.

Though Ertz caught only 3 of 4 targets for 28 yards, he was tied for the team lead in target share (16.7%) and was one of just three Washington Commanders pass catchers with an average depth of target (aDOT) greater than 0.

He finished second on the team in route rate (80.8%) and snap rate (69.6%).

In Week 2, Ertz will take on a New York Giants team that is more vulnerable to receivers than tight ends but is one that sported PFF's 31st-ranked secondary entering the 2024 season.

New York gave up the eighth-highest tight end target rate (21.7%) and the third-most yards per route run (1.83) to the position in Week 1.

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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.