Week 7 Tight End Preview: It's Tucker Kraft Breakout Week
Top Fantasy TEs for Week 7
Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 7 TE Rankings.
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1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Even in last week’s down game against the Bills, Brock Bowers drew 8 targets on a 19.5% target share. Expect plenty of work against a Rams team that enters as a favorite and is also dealing with injuries on defense.
2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
Trey McBride's production has dipped slightly from last year's 18.6 PPR points per game, but his current 17.2 average still ranks third among TEs behind only Brock Bowers and Isaiah Likely. Even with a challenging matchup against Denver, McBride's consistent production keeps him firmly in the elite TE tier.
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle may have entered the year with significant health questions, but he has become one of the team’s most reliable pass catchers. Kittle has five straight games of 4+ receptions with TDs in four of those five. The latest physical issue for WR Mike Evans -- on top of Deebo Samuel already being out -- only makes Kittle easier to lean on against a middling Falcons D.
4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Sam LaPorta ranks fourth among TEs in both fantasy points per game and targets per game (7.4). He’s been efficient after the catch, too, with 5.3 YAC per reception (sixth). Green Bay has allowed the 12th-fewest points to TEs. LaPorta’s volume in a high-scoring game keeps him a locked-in TE1.
5. Isaiah Likely, New York Giants
QB J.J. McCarthy targeted Isaiah Likely on just 3 of his 21 passes (14%) last week, although they connected on 2 of them for 44 yards and a TD. McCarthy adds volatility to the Giants’ passing game, but Likely remains a good volume bet with the Giants 10.5-point underdogs to the Texans this weekend.
6. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Tucker Kraft caught 5 of 8 targets for 37 yards last week, finishing as TE20. He ranks sixth among TEs in targets per game (6.2) and third in YAC per reception (6.3). This is a dream matchup. Detroit has allowed the most fantasy points to TEs this season at 30.6 per game, making Kraft a strong TE1 play.
7. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
Played Thursday night.
8. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce is commanding the 10th-highest target share among TEs for an offense that’s passing for the ninth-most yards this season. He’s produced 9.2 PPR points per game playing alongside WR Rashee Rice since the start of last season, but that jumps to 12.0 without him. With Rice expected out again, Kelce projects as a TE1 against a Seahawks defense allowing the third-fewest points to TEs.
9. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Since returning from his knee injury in Week 5, Dallas Goedert has commanded a 21.0% target share, the sixth-highest among TEs over that span. While he’s no longer attached to a QB Jalen Hurts-led offense, he finished as the TE14 with 12.1 PPR points in QB Tanner McKee’s first start of the season. Goedert projects as a back-end TE1 against the Cowboys in Week 7.
10. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Mark Andrews ranked 18th among TEs in PPR points per game over the first four weeks but sits TE46 through QB Tyler Huntley's two starts. He still holds the seventh-highest target share among TEs, but the offense dipped to 183 passing yards per game since Huntley took over. With QB Lamar Jackson returning, he projects as a fringe TE1 against a Bengals defense allowing the eighth-most points to TEs.
11. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Juwan Johnson put up a goose egg in Week 6, failing to catch either of his 2 targets. The bigger concern is Johnson’s declining snap count over the last two weeks, including a season-low 58% in Week 6. He ranks TE9 in fantasy points per game and outscores his expected points by 1.1 per game, helped by 5.2 yards after the catch per reception (seventh among TEs). The Steelers are a neutral matchup for TEs. Johnson is a low-end TE1 who should bounce back if his snaps rebound.
12. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
There’s volatility in the Rams’ target distribution and fantasy production at TE. But Tyler Higbee leads the group in route share since Terrance Ferguson went down and ranks 12th at the position over that span. His target share sits lower (28th) but still leads Colby Parkinson.
13. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Kyle Pitts has rebounded from three straight single-digit target shares to open the season, posting 15%, 17%, and 21% over the past three weeks. That has still meant limited volume in an offense throwing the league’s second-fewest passes. Pitts could get a boost similar to last week if the 49ers jump out to a first-half lead like the Bears did, but that kind of game script is difficult to project with San Francisco arriving as a mere 2.5-point favorite.
14. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
Don’t expect more 13-target games for Hockenson with WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison healthy. But he remains a clear top-3 target in this passing game and gets a plus matchup on Sunday against the Colts’ 22nd-ranked TE defense. The Vikings’ 24-point implied total is tied for the ninth-highest on the week, boosting Hockenson’s TD chances.
15. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Played Thursday night.
16. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Freiermuth finished as TE34 last week on just 2 catches. He still ranks TE10 in fantasy points per game and gets used downfield more than most TEs, with an 8.4-yard aDOT that ranks fifth at the position. This is a great matchup, as the Saints have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to TEs. Freiermuth is a high-end TE2 who could finish inside the top 12.
17. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Harold Fannin drew his two smallest target shares the past two weeks, falling short of 12% each time. We’ll need to see that rebound before trusting him inside the position’s top 12, and this week is a weak bet for it. Tennessee has faced the ninth-fewest pass attempts vs. the second-most rushing attempts.
18. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Otton managed just 1 catch for 4 yards last week, finishing as TE45. He ranks TE34 in fantasy points per game and is falling 1.4 points per game short of expectations. The matchup helps, as Carolina allows the ninth-most fantasy points to TEs, but Otton is still a mid-range TE2 who needs a TD.
19. Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
Try not to overrate Mayer’s 7-catch Week 6. The Bills figured out how to limit Brock Bowers by using their top corner. The Rams probably don’t have a similar option, especially with lead CB Trent McDuffie hurt. Mayer would otherwise need elevated passing volume, which could come if the Rams jump out to a lead.
20. AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks
Barner is averaging 5.8 PPR points per game to rank as the TE34. His highest-scoring output came in Week 3 when he finished as the TE14 with 11.9 PPR points against a Commanders defense that’s allowed the second-most points to TEs. Barner gets a Chiefs defense this weekend allowing the third-most points to the position.
21. Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams
Parkinson beat Higbee in targets, catches, yards, and fantasy points last week. But he trails Higbee in route and target share over the three games since Terrance Ferguson went down. You might still be able to steal value from him in a game that adds injury questions for Puka Nacua. But Parkinson remains our second Rams TE play behind Higbee.
22. Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers
Waller was shut out last week on 2 targets (TE53). He’s used downfield with an 8.8-yard aDOT (fourth among TEs), but he’s only getting 4.2 targets per game. Tampa Bay has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to TEs, but Tommy Tremble’s 2-TD game could cut into Waller’s role. He’s a low-end TE2.
23. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Just one week after the game-ending turnover bounced off Ferguson’s helmet, he turned in season lows in route share and target share. His 53.8% snap share still led Cowboys TEs, but his 5.6% target share trailed fellow TE Brevyn Spann-Ford. Ferguson projects as a fringe TE2 against an Eagles defense reducing TE points by 1.9% as the walls continue closing in.
24. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals
Gesicki has scored 0.8 TDs per game, the third-highest mark among TEs, helping him hold a TE1 ranking with 10.4 PPR points per game despite commanding a 9.1% target share that ranks 37th. But facing a Ravens defense that’s allowing the third-fewest pass TDs, Gesicki is left with a fringe TE2 projection in Week 7.
25. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Schultz has registered season-low route rates in each of the last 2 weeks, 54% and then 50%. That knocks down the floor on a guy who never had much of a ceiling.
