Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season has come to an end, and it was an exciting week for football fans. With four teams on a bye week in Week 5, fantasy football managers may find themselves looking for a tight end on the waiver wire. In this article, we will identify five key tight ends to watch in Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season. We will provide a brief summary of Week 4 and one paragraph for each of the five fantasy football tight ends to watch in Week 5.

Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season was filled with exciting games and standout performances. The Kansas City Chiefs barely defeated the New York Jets 23-20, despite quarterback Patrick Mahomes struggling. The San Francisco 49ers remained undefeated with a 35-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, thanks in part to quarterback Brock Purdy's 283 passing yards and one touchdown. The Dallas Cowboys also defeated the New England Patriots 38-3, with tight end Jake Ferguson catching seven passes for 77 yards.

Here we will look at our NFL Fantasy Football Tight End rankings entering Week 5 of the 2023 regular season.

Top Picks for Week 5

Travis Kelce, who will be facing the Vikings in Week 5, secures the top spot in our fantasy football rankings. That should not be surprising, especially to the Swifties out there. He's likely to maintain it until his bye week arrives. On the other end of the field will be TJ Hockenson, who follows closely behind Kelce. Sam LaPorta, set to play against the Panthers, and Evan Engram, facing the Bills, are also among our top picks.

It's improbable that you'll bench Mark Andrews, who will be playing against the Steelers, or George Kittle, who'll be up against the Cowboys. However, both of them face formidable opponents and have displayed inconsistency this season. This is particularly true in terms of target volume. Engram also faces a challenging matchup, but he garners more consistent targets. That makes it nearly impossible to sit him in PPR leagues.

Sam LaPorta: An Impressive Rookie

LaPorta's performance in his rookie season is truly remarkable. From a fantasy perspective, LaPorta has finished outside the top 12 tight ends only once in his brief career so far.

As we enter Week 5, some fantasy managers may have questions about Jameson Williams returning to the lineup. However, LaPorta has proven himself worthy of weekly consideration as a top-10 tight end in fantasy football. His connection with Jared Goff is strong, and he should remain a fixture in our starting lineups.

Cole Kmet: Back on Course

Did we witness the Bears' offense finally getting back on track in Week 4? The coaching staff made some necessary changes to Justin Fields' offensive scheme. These resulted in solid production from the dynamic QB and a dominant performance from Cole Kmet.

It's important to note that this performance came against the Broncos' defense. That said, Washington hasn't fared much better this season. This presents a favorable matchup for Kmet, and he should be included in fantasy football starting lineups this week as a high-upside option.

Potential Underperformers

Apart from Andrews and Kittle, Pat Freiermuth, Hunter Henry, and Jake Ferguson also confront unfavorable fantasy football matchups. While they all offer consistent production and are challenging to bench, especially in PPR formats, it's reasonable to consider alternatives depending on your roster. Additionally, Freiermuth's status remains uncertain due to a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Dallas Goedert initially seemed to have a tough matchup in Week 4. However, he has disappointed this season despite receiving a decent number of targets since Week 1. Also, the Rams' defense was recently exploited by the Colts' tight ends. As such, Goedert's outlook is somewhat brighter than initially perceived.

Injury Concerns

The most significant tight end injury to monitor this week is Luke Musgrave. He suffered a concussion early in Week 4's game against the Lions. Typically, players entering the concussion protocol miss at least one game. However, since Musgrave faced his injury during a Thursday night game, there's a better chance he'll be available to play this week against the Raiders.

As we already said, fantasy football managers must monitor Pat Freiermuth, too. In addition, Juwan Johnson (calf) also left his Week 4 game early and is likely to be questionable for Week 5. Their respective replacements (Jimmy Graham or Foster Moreau in New Orleans and Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward in Pittsburgh) are not strong streaming options for this week.

Strategies for Week 5 Tight End Selections

Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season was filled with standout performances, and Week 5 promises to be just as exciting. With four teams on a bye week, fantasy managers may find themselves looking for a tight end on the waiver wire. Jake Ferguson, Dalton Kincaid, Jonnu Smith, LaPorta, and Kmet are five key tight ends to watch in Week 5. Of course, the old reliables like Kelce, Hockenson, Kittle, and Andrews are also up there. Whether you're looking for a top TE streamer or a sleeper pick, these five tight ends have the potential to produce big numbers in Week 5.

Now, let's dive into our NFL Fantasy Football Tight End rankings for Week 4 of the 2023 regular season. Standard rankings are indicated in parentheses.

NFL Fantasy Week 5 TE Rankings

1. Travis Kelce, KC @ MIN (1)
2. TJ Hockenson, MIN vs. KC (2)
3. George Kittle, SF vs. DAL (6)
4. Mark Andrews, BAL @ PIT (5)
5. Sam LaPorta, DET vs. CAR (3)
6. Darren Waller, NYG @ MIA (9)
7. Evan Engram, JAX @ BUF (4)
8. Dallas Goedert, PHI @ LAR (7)
9. Pat Freiermuth, PIT vs. BAL (16)
10. Jake Ferguson, DAL @ SF (19)
11. Dalton Kincaid, BUF vs. JAX (15)
12. Cole Kmet, CHI @ WAS (12)
13. Jonnu Smith, ATL vs. HOU (17)
14. Tyler Higbee, LAR vs. PHI (8)
15. Taysom Hill, NO @ NE (21)