Finding the right fantasy football TE sleepers can make a huge impact in Week 2, especially for managers dealing with injuries, difficult matchups or tough start-sit decisions. Aside from the obvious weekly starters, several tight end sleepers could be positioned for increased opportunities this week.
Each week, we highlight five tight ends who have a path to outperform expectations because of their role, matchup, recent usage or opportunities in their offense. These picks can help season-long fantasy football managers looking for a sleeper or FLEX option, while DraftKings salaries are included for players who are also in good spots to provide DFS value.
Best Fantasy Football TE Sleepers for Week 2
Here are five fantasy football TE sleepers to consider for Week 2. Quick analysis for each tight end is below.
- T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings ($3,500)
- Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans ($3,200)
- Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers ($3,100)
- David Njoku, Los Angeles Chargers ($3,000)
- John Bates, Washington Commanders ($2,700)
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings ($3,500)
Why he’s a Week 2 fantasy football sleeper: Hockenson caught four of his five targets in Week 1 for 36 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings’ 39-22 win over the Packers. The veteran looked healthy and ready to make an impact after last year’s delayed start, and he seemed to gel well with Carson Wentz ($4,600), who will need to dial up the offense even more aggressively against the Bears in Week 2.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans ($3,200)
Why he’s a Week 2 fantasy football sleeper: The Texans will be without Nico Collins (hamstring) to lead the pass catchers, and even with Collins in Week 1, Schultz ranked second on the team with four catches on eight targets for 35 yards. Schultz is a great PPR play against the Bengals with plenty of short-pass volume even though he isn’t typically used down the field for big gains.
Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers ($3,100)
Why he’s a Week 2 fantasy football sleeper: Waller split time with Tommy Tremble ($2,600) and Mitchell Evans ($2,500), but he got enough work to be a TE Sleeper again in this Week 2 matchup against the Falcons. He had two catches on two targets for 28 yards, but he also had a touchdown early in the game that was called back due to a penalty.
David Njoku, Los Angeles Chargers ($3,000)
Why he’s a Week 2 fantasy football sleeper: Njoku is also in a timeshare, but he served as the Chargers’ primary pass-catching tight end in Week 1, converting all five of his targets to catches for 58 yards and 10.8 FPTS. Njoku and Charlie Kolar ($2,700) each played 30 snaps while Oronde Gadsden II ($3,500) only played 10 snaps. Kolar is mostly used for blocking with Njoku getting enough volume in the passing game to be worth playing at just $3,000.
John Bates, Washington Commanders ($2,700)
Why he’s a Week 2 fantasy football sleeper: Bates is typically a blocker, but he’ll have to step up as the Commanders TE1 with Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) out. The Cowboys gave up the second-most TE fantasy points in Week 1, and Bates caught two of three targets for 13 yards in Week 1. Jayden Daniels ($6,300) usually uses his tight end extensively, and Bates and Ben Sinnott ($2,900) both have potential upside with more work available.
Last Week’s Fantasy Football TE Sleeper Results
Here’s how our five fantasy football TE sleeper picks performed last week:
- T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings: 13.6 FPTS
- Gunnar Helm, Tennessee Titans: 6.8 FPTS
- Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers: 4.8 FPTS
- Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders: 9.2 FPTS
- Charlie Kolar, Los Angeles Chargers: 0.0 FPTS
Fantasy Football TE Sleepers FAQ
Who are the best fantasy football TE sleepers for Week 2?
T.J. Hockenson, Dalton Schultz, Darren Waller, David Njoku and John Bates are five tight ends to consider as fantasy football sleepers for Week 2.
What is a fantasy football TE sleeper?
A fantasy football TE sleeper is a tight end outside the most obvious weekly starters who has an opportunity to outperform expectations because of factors such as an expanded role, increased targets, injuries, recent usage or a favorable matchup.
Can these TE sleepers also be used in DraftKings DFS lineups?
Some fantasy football TE sleepers can also provide DFS value when their DraftKings salary does not fully reflect their projected role or upside. DraftKings salaries are included above to help identify players who may be useful in both season-long fantasy football and DFS contests.
