As the Jacksonville Jaguars welcome the Houston Texans in Week 3, tight end Evan Engram could look to log his first touchdown of the season. Engram has been productive in fantasy through two weeks, though there’s a likelihood that he could embrace a larger role with one of Jacksonville’s receivers dealing with a recent injury.
We’re breaking down Engram’s matchup to determine whether he’s a fantasy lock for lineups for Week 3.
Fantasy Football analysis: Jaguars TE Evan Engram
Engram has 11 catches through two weeks after averaging 4.3 catches per game last season, and the 29-year-old continues to carve out a rapport with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He’s coming off a strong Week 2 outing in which he caught all five of his targets for 49 yards, upping his average to 53 receiving yards per game.
Start or sit in Week 3 PPR leagues?
Start. Engram is one of the few surefire names at the tight end position in fantasy, so managers would be remiss to keep him on the bench this week. He’s currently tied for third among Jaguars receivers in targets (13), and his 5.5 receptions per game is the second-most on the team. With Zay Jones reportedly dealing with a knee injury, there’s added potential for Engram to get an elevated role in the passing game moving forward.
Unless you happen to have two stud tight ends on your roster, Engram is a lock to start in both smaller leagues of fewer than 10 teams, as well as larger leagues with 12 to 14 players.
Start or sit in Week 3 standard leagues?
Start. It’s a small sample size, but through two weeks of the season, the Texans have been average, at best, against opposing tight ends. Houston is currently giving up 7.2 fantasy PPG to the position, as well as 42 receiving yards per game. If you’re looking for solid fantasy production, Engram should be equipped to take advantage of the advantageous matchup.
Add on the fact that Jones’ injury could take away one less red zone target, and the Jaguars tight end could very well log his first touchdown of the season. In both smaller and larger leagues, Engram is a lock to start.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Evan Engram
Aside from the usual studs such as Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews, Sam LaPorta is an intriguing name to consider. The Detroit Lions are playing at home against the Atlanta Falcons and proved to be a high-octane scoring team when playing at Ford Field. They’re coming off a 31-point outing in Week 2, and LaPorta is averaging a solid 10.2 PPR fantasy points through two weeks, with five receptions per game.