The NFL has reached quite the impasse as the league attempts to trudge forward as a result of the 2020 regular season. With the season just barely a quarter of the way through its typical 17-game schedule (well, sort of) fantasy football owners have already been impacted in a big way with Week 5 now rapidly approaching.
Although fantasy football is certainly not the most important topic currently at-hand with player safety of course topping such a list, playing the ever-popular game from one's couch on a weekly basis does provide some light in the seemingly never-ending darkness. With that being said, fantasy football owners will still have plenty of options out there at just about every position in Week 5—whether they will be navigating the waters of more than a few positive COVID-19 tests or not.
With the tight end position always having some often forgotten about value as quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers typically encounter the most attention, a big performance from your tight end could go a very long way. However, a poor performance from your tight end could ultimately be the difference between a win and a loss.
Tread lightly in Week 5 as there are some great options and some not-so-great options at tight end.
Tight Ends to Start in Week 5
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Even with quarterback Lamar Jackson a bit banged up this week, there is still no doubt who his favorite target is. With the Ravens still only really employing one legitimate threat at the wide receiver position in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, tight end Mark Andrews has quickly become the top option for the aforementioned Jackson.
There is no reason for such a notion to change in Week 5 as Andrews will surely see a ton of targets against the rival Cincinnati Bengals. It is also worth noting that if Jackson is trying to avoid further injury come Sunday against the Bengals, there is all the more reason to simply dump the ball down to Andrews in addition to targeting the veteran tight end in the red zone per usual.
Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
The Washington Football Team is absolutely atrocious while the Rams offense is certainly due for a bounce-back effort after stringing together quite the stinker in Week 4 against the lowly New York Giants.
One can expect the Rams to put up some points this time around, something that would require a stellar performance from tight end Tyler Higbee, who has already impressed early on in 2020. While the Rams do have a slew of different options for quarterback Jared Goff to choose from, Higbee is starting to become pretty reliable, something that signal callers always love from their tight ends. With Washington simply no match for the Rams, expect more than one Los Angeles player to have big games in Week 5—Higbee likely included.
Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers continue to roll on after initially losing to the rival New Orleans Saints in Week 1. Rattling off three straight wins since such a defeat, although it hasn't always been pretty, it is safe to say that quarterback Tom Brady will have this team ready to take down the middling Chicago Bears in Week 5. With Brady just starting to ramp it up on offense, it is only a matter of time before the longtime New England Patriots signal caller gets tight end Rob Gronkowski involved in a big way.
With “Gronk” slated to breakout sooner rather than later and the Buccaneers currently adjusting to the loss of fellow tight end O.J. Howard, who will miss the rest of the season due to injury, fantasy football owners can potentially expect a heavy dose of Gronkowski against the Bears.
Tight Ends to Sit in Week 5
There is really no other way to put it at the moment, but the Titans are an absolute mess. With the team being responsible for the league's first true COVID-19 outbreak with more than 20 members of the organization contracting the coronavirus as it stands today, the team's next scheduled matchup against the Buffalo Bills may not even happen. With the Titans rescheduling the team's Week 4 clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee has not been able to practice in over a week and has not played a regulation game since Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings.
With that in mind, even if the Titans somehow manage to play the Bills this Sunday afternoon, tight end Jonnu Smith should remain on the bench as there is no telling how fresh his legs would be for the AFC showdown. It is much better to just play it safe when it comes to the Titans at the moment—outside of Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry, of course, as he remains a must-start if healthy.
Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
Because tight end Darren Waller serves as the most legitimate threat to opposing defenses, there is no doubt that the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will be keying on the Raiders standout in Week 5. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is no dummy as his team's defensive gameplan will no doubt be centered around preventing Waller from beating them. Because this is the case, the Raiders will need others to step up to help the team potentially overcome the surging Chiefs. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is also quite crafty and will surely understand that he and quarterback Derek Carr won't be able to rely solely on Waller.
Waller is get his targets but his production shouldn't be as tremendous as usual against the undefeated Chiefs.
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are fresh off the team's first win of the 2020 regular season, though this is still not a good football team. With Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz still struggling mightily, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is surely set to have a field day in Week 5. Because the Eagles are absolutely decimated at the wide receiver position in addition to the fact that back-up tight end Dallas Goedert remains injured, starting tight end Zach Ertz will be a key focus for the always dangerous Steelers defense.
Even with Ertz serving as the top passing game option for the aforementioned Wentz, there is just no way that head coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers let the standout tight end beat them. The Steelers will force the Eagles to look to some less reliable options in order to win the looming matchup.
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