Streaming Tight Ends: Week 17 Targets

Dec 29, 2015

In case you are new to tight end streaming, the idea is to identify a waiver wire tight end with a favorable matchup that is likely to post TE1 caliber fantasy points. The foundation for the matchup research is 4for4’s Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed (aFPA) metric. As the season progresses and more data is available, aFPA gets more and more reliable, using rolling 10-week data. Volume and efficiency metrics are also considered when searching the waivers for tight end streamers.

Zach Miller and Heath Miller both posted TE1 numbers in Week 16, while Will Tye, and the Giants as a whole, struggled without Odell Beckham on the field. After 16 games, tight end streamers are averaging 9 PPR points per game, while optimal picks have put up 13.9 PPR points per game, which equates to the TE7 on the season.

Streaming candidates must be available in at least 40% of Yahoo leagues, in order to ensure the picks are readily available in most leagues. As always, be sure to consider 4for4’s weekly rankings in case a highly ranked player is still available in your league.

Here are the top streaming options for Week 17:

Zach Ertz vs. New York Giants

Although neither of these teams will be fighting for a playoff spot on Sunday, we can’t ignore the tear that Zach Ertz has been on lately. Ertz has three consecutive games of at least 14 PPR points, including 21+ PPR points in each of his last two games. Over that three game stretch, Ertz is averaging over eight catches for 99 yards and 12 targets.

The Eagles tight end will have a great opportunity to continue his hot streak and end the season on a high note against a Giants defense that ranks 26th in tight end aFPA, giving up 15.3 adjusted PPR points per game over the last 10 weeks. Just barely making the streaming cut, Zach Ertz is available in 42 percent of Yahoo leagues.