Fantasy football: Four must-start NFL tight ends for Week 5

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is a must-start fantasy football option in Week 5. File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Oct. 6 (UPI) — Tyler Conklin is among my four must-start fantasy football tight ends for Week 5. Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert tops my weekly Top 20 rankings for the position. Tyler Hockenson, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts join Goedert in the Top 5 of my weekly Top 20 rankings, which are listed below. Advertisement
All of my must-start options are within the Top 14 of my rankings, which means they should be started in leagues with at least 14 teams that require starting tight ends.
Goedert should be in lineups most weeks, regardless of league format. I love him this week because of his placement in the Eagles’ prolific offense and a great Week 5 matchup.
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Dallas Goedert
Goedert is a Top 6 tight end this season, in terms of fantasy points per game. He totaled at least three catches in each of his four starts this season, including five catches in Week 2 and five more in Week 4. He has reached the end zone just once.
Goedert will get a great matchup against the Arizona Cardinals this weekend. The Cardinals allowed the second-most catches, yards and fantasy points to tight ends through four weeks. They also allowed touchdowns to the position in two of their four games.
Goedert totaled at least 60 yards in three of his four starts. I expect the Eagles star to haul in at least eight catches for 80 yards and a score this week.
T.J. Hockenson
Hockenson turned in the best fantasy football performance among tight ends in Week 4, with 179 yards and two scores on eight catches in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
He also scored in Week 3 and received at least seven targets in three of his four starts this season. This week, the Lions will battle the New England Patriots.
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The Patriots allowed a league-high five touchdown catches to tight ends through four weeks. Tight ends also scored against the Patriots in each of their last three games. I expect that streak to continue this week with Hockenson, who is a near-lock for at least 10 targets, eight catches and 60 yards. He also should find the end one for his fourth score of the season.
Keep Hockenson in your starting lineup, regardless of league format.
Tyler Conklin
Conklin is my No. 7 option for Week 5. The New York Jets tight end ranks second on the team with 29 targets, trailing only wide receiver Garrett Wilson (39). He should get more looks this week when the Jets host the Miami Dolphins, who tied for allowing the fourth-most targets to the position through four games.
The Dolphins also allowed the fifth-most yards and eighth-most fantasy points to the position. The Dolphins allowed tight ends to score touchdowns in two of their last three games. I also expect the Dolphins to concentrate on the Jets’ outside passing attack, which should lead to increased targets for Conklin.
He is a touchdown-or-bust play who should be in starting lineups for leagues that require starting tight ends.
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Taysom Hill
Hill is a fringe TE1 play this week in leagues that require starting the position. The New Orleans Saints playmaker was the No. 14 fantasy option last week and also comes in at No. 14 in my Week 5 rankings.
Hill is the No. 13 option this season on a fantasy points per game basis. He scored in two of his three appearances this season and is being used mostly as a runner, but I like his odds of production again in Week 5 when the Saints host the Seahawks.
The Seahawks allowed the most fantasy points and yards to the position through four weeks. They also allowed Hockenson’s huge performance in Week 4 and touchdowns to Kyle Pitts and Ross Dwelley in Week 3 and Week 2, respectively.
I expect the Saints to score several touchdowns in this matchup, with Hill finding the end zone. He is a great dart-throw option if you need help at the position.
Week 5 fantasy football tight end rankings
1. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles at ARI
2. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions at NE
3. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LV
4. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. CIN
5. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons at TB
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6. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders at KC
7. Tyler Conklin, New York Jets vs. MIA
8. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams vs. DAL
9. Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals vs. PHI
10. Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers at CLE
11. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns vs. LAC
12. Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers vs. NYG
13. Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders vs. TEN
14. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints vs. SEA
15. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers at CAR
16. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. ATL
17. Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals at BAL
18. Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks at NO
19. Dalton Schultz, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT
20. Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins at NYJ
This week in the National Football League