Week 6 Tight End Preview: Pat Freiermuth In Play
Top Fantasy TEs for Week 6
Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 6 TE Rankings.
TIP
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1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Bowers has been everything fantasy managers hoped for since returning, catching 8 of 10 targets for 110 yards and a TD in Week 5 to finish as TE2. He leads all TEs with 11.3 targets per game and a 29.8% target share. Bowers is the only TE with 20+ PPR points in three games this year, and he has played only three total games. The Bills have been middle of the pack against TEs, but the Raiders, as 4.5-point underdogs in a high-scoring game, should keep the targets flowing. Bowers is the top TE play this week.
2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
McBride's 11.2 targets per game rank second among TEs. He has caught 7 passes in each game and should remain a high-volume asset as a big road underdog at Los Angeles.
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle endured his least efficient week of the season, catching five of 6 targets for 24 yards on his way to 7.4 PPR points and his first finish outside of TE1 range since Week 1. But the halt in TE1 production won’t last long facing a Commanders defense that’s allowed the third most points to TEs. With WR Deebo Samuel out, Kittle projects as a high-end TE1 in Week 6.
4. Isaiah Likely, New York Giants
Likely exploded in Week 5, catching 11 of 13 targets for 94 yards and 2 TDs to finish as TE1. He has been a focal point of the Giants’ offense, ranking second among TEs with a 29.4% target share. The Saints have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to TEs this season. Likely is a must-start TE1 this week and looks like a top-10 TE option moving forward.
5. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Kraft is receiving similar opportunities to last season, accounting for a 69.5% route share and 21.5% targets per route this season compared to last season’s 73.9% route share and 20.2% targets per route. But his TD rate has fallen from 13.6% to 3.4% this season. Fortunately, facing a Cowboys defense allowing the fifth-most total points, Kraft projects as a TE1 in Week 6.
6. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Warren has caught 5+ balls in four straight games despite his QB working on a career-low 61.4% completion rate. This week’s matchup brings a Titans team ranked seventh-toughest in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs, but that’s primarily because opponents can go to whomever they want against Tennessee. The Titans rank just 31st in pass-defense DVOA and 30th in total DVOA.
7. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Johnson caught 4 of 5 targets for just 16 yards in Week 5, finishing as TE25. The volume has still been strong. His 6.4 targets per game rank sixth among TEs, and the Saints throw the ball on 65.3% of plays, which keeps him involved each week. The Giants have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to TEs. Johnson is a solid TE1 this week.
8. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce is a nice target bet this week with WR Tyquan Thornton out and WR Rashee Rice likely out. The Chargers rank third in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs on the season but will likely be without S Derwin James for the third straight game. TE A.J. Barner caught just 1 ball against the Chargers in Week 4, but TE Evan Engram got them for a 4-55 line last week.
9. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
In Goedert’s first game back from an MCL sprain, he drew a team-high 9 targets and caught 6 passes against the Jaguars. Philly has to go to backup Tanner McKee this week, thanks to a blood clot in Jalen Hurts’ calf. But Goedert’s role should remain similar, especially with injuries affecting DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks.
10. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
Kincaid had a quiet Week 5, catching 1 of 2 targets for 7 yards to finish as TE38. He has averaged just 4.2 targets per game but has made the most of them, scoring 2.5 more PPR points per game than expected. The Raiders have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to TEs, but the Bills’ run-heavy approach keeps Kincaid’s floor low. He still slots in as a low-end TE1 this week.
11. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
The Bears get QB Caleb Williams back this week and are rocking a 26.25-point implied total, tied for sixth-highest on the week. That’s the bull case for Loveland. The bear case is that he’s topped a 12.5% target share in just 1 of 5 games this season, and that game did not come with Williams. Atlanta ranks 12th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs.
12. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Freiermuth caught 5 of 7 targets for 44 yards and 2 TDs in Week 5, finishing as TE4. He has been a steady part of the Steelers’ offense with 5.2 targets per game, and has scored 2.2 more PPR points per game than expected. The Bucs have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to TEs. The low 39.5-point total limits his upside, but Freiermuth is a low-end TE1 this week.
13. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Strange has tallied 7 catches in back-to-back games, but he’ll now face a tough Houston defense that sits 10th-best in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. He settles in as a low-end TE1.
14. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Fannin ranks as the TE12 with 10.3 PPR points per game. His volume has cooled off over the past two weeks, with a 13.8% target share compared to the 22.0% target share that ranked 7th among TEs through the first three weeks of the season. But his usage is expected to tick back up with Browns target leader KC Concepcion likely out. Fannin projects as a fringe TE1 in Week 6.
15. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Andrews is commanding a 22.6% target share that ranks 4th among TEs, while his 8.7 PPR points per game ranks as the TE21. His efficiency woes are set to continue with backup QB Tyler Huntley at the helm for a consecutive week. Last week, his 19.4% target share, which ranked 12th among TEs, resulted in just 28 yards, ranking 22nd. Andrews projects as a TE2 in a Week 6 matchup with the Browns.
16. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
Higbee has posted lines of 8-62, 5-67, and 5-83 over the past three weeks. With Terrance Ferguson still on IR and the Rams implied for a week-high 32 points, Higbee will remain a streaming option.
17. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Pitts posted season highs last week with 6 targets and 5 catches, while his 72.5% route rate was his highest mark since the opener. That doesn’t erase the quiet start to his season, though. And he gets a Bears defense on Sunday that’s been tougher on TEs than any other position. Chicago ranks second in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs.
18. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Drake Maye's two-game hot streak has turned up lines of 5-62 and 3-44-1 from Henry. Now he gets a Jets TE defense that’s fourth-toughest in adjusted fantasy points allowed. Even if A.J. Brown remains out, you’re best off using Henry as a TE2.
19. Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers
Waller sits just 31st among TEs in target share for the season, though he’s up to 20th over his past two games. Waller likely benefited from Jalen Coker leaving the first game early and then sitting out the second. Coker’s back, lowering both the floor and ceiling for this veteran.
20. Chigoziem Okonkwo, Washington Commanders
Okonkwo is coming off season highs of 10.0 PPR points and a 69.2% route share. He’s the third receiving option on the Commanders offense, commanding a 14.8% target share and trailing WRs Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin. But with Diggs likely to miss a consecutive week, Okonkwo is set up to repeat that season-high route share and projects as a fringe TE2 in Week 6.
21. Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
Mayer caught his lone target for 2 yards in Week 5, finishing as TE58. He has averaged 5 targets per game and has continued being used by the Raiders even after Brock Bowers returned. Last week was a down week, but Mayer could find more targets if the Raiders get down early to the Bills. The Bills have been an average matchup for TEs. Mayer is a TE2 best left on the bench.
22. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Last week’s game-ending INT came on a pass from QB Dak Prescott that hit off Ferguson’s helmet. We’ll see if that affects their connection moving forward, but Ferguson has already been the fourth receiving option on this offense with an 11.3% target share. Ferguson projects as a fringe TE2 facing a Packers defense that’s allowed the second fewest points to TEs.
23. Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets
Sadiq (concussion) practiced fully on Friday, putting him in line to start vs. New England. He’s still just a shaky TE2 option in this tough matchup. The Pats have allowed only 1 TE score on the season (Brock Bowers).
24. AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks
Played Thursday night.
25. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Schultz managed just a 56% route rate in Week 5, his lowest mark of the season. A tough Jacksonville matchup makes him an easy fade from your starting lineup.
