Tag: Tyler Conklin

Fantasy football start ’em, sit’ em: Week 5

Check out these starts and sits for fantasy football in Week 5.

In the blink of an eye, we’re already in Week 5 of the season. As we get into the heart of the fantasy football campaign, this is when managers truly find ways to separate themselves.

As if making start/sit decisions wasn’t difficult enough, this is the first week introducing byes into the mix. Teams on a bye in Week 5 include the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

Feel free to ask any specific start/sit questions via X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11) or check out our player projections for Week 5:

Tight ends ‘feasted’ in practice Sunday, C.J. Uzomah believes group can exploit defenses

The tight end group could sneak up on overlookers this season.

All the focus this offseason for the Jets has been on the quarterback and some of the new weapons on the outside. But Sunday was a reminder that the tight end group is one not to be overlooked.

By many accounts, the tight ends as a whole had a great day Sunday. They “feasted” as C.J. Uzomah put it.

The top three tight ends for the Jets — Tyler Conklin, Uzomah and Jeremy Ruckert — all look like they’re going to have a role on offense this season.

“All three of us can do anything,” Uzomah said Sunday. “Ware all sneaky fast. The playbook is wide open for all of us and we can really exploit defenses.”

Uzomah also believes all three tight ends are on the same page. If they can get all three involved, especially second-year tight end Ruckert, that only raises the ceiling of what this offense can do.

Conklin was second on the team in catches (58), yards (552) and touchdowns (3) last season. Uzomah added a pair of touchdowns. The Jets are high on Ruckert as well, who has been having a strong offseason and worked hard to come back from his injuries last season.

Defenses are going to be stressed trying to cover the wide group of targets the Jets will have this season. We know about the group outside. Don’t forget about the group inside.

Tyler Conklin loving the ‘tight-end friendly’ offense of Jets

Tyler Conklin loving the ‘tight-end friendly’ offense of Jets

The focus of the 2023 Jets leading into training camp has been the new faces on offense, namely quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receivers Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb. However, the Jets aren’t going to forget about the returning players on offense. In fact, if early talks are any indication, the Jets could even feature the tight ends more in 2023.

Tyler Conklin, in particular, is one that is very excited about the potential of this offense and how the tight ends could be involved.

“I love it,” Conklin said about the offense, via John Pullano of the Jets’ website. “I love the way they are teaching this offense. It is really tight-end friendly, and the room loves that. We love this offense from a pass and run game standpoint.”

The Jets have a stocked room of tight ends including Conklin, C.J. Uzomah, Jeremy Ruckert, Kenny Yeboah and rookie Zack Kuntz. Last year, Conklin was second on the team in receptions (58), yards (552) and touchdowns (3).

Rodgers and new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett have helped tight ends in the past have breakout seasons. In 2020 with the Packers, Robert Tonyan broke through with 11 receiving touchdowns. In 2019, 33-year-old Jimmy Graham was second on the Packers in catches (49), tied for second in touchdowns (3) and third in yards (474).

With all the ways the Jets can attack now, there could room to work for the tight ends and Conklin could be a very nice red-zone weapon this season for Rodgers.

Jets restructure contracts of Tomlinson, Reed and Conklin, creating $15.2 million in space

Jets restructure contracts of Tomlinson, Reed and Conklin

The Jets continued creating cap space as free agency — and the pursuit of a certain quarterback — loom on the horizon.

Per Field Yates of ESPN, the Jets restructured the contracts of guard Laken Tomlinson, cornerback D.J. Reed and tight end Tyler Conklin. The moves created $15.2 million in cap space.

All are under contract through 2024, making them easy restructure candidates. There are still some decisions to make, including the $15 million owed to Carl Lawson and the $10.5 owed to Corey Davis. Lawson and Jordan Whitehead could also be candidates for a restructured contract.

The Jets are under the salary cap now after these moves, roughly $20 million under, with potential for more. And as a quick reminder, the cap hit for Aaron Rodgers in 2023 would be just under $16 million for the Jets.

Fantasy football sleepers to play in Week 18

Here are some fantasy football sleepers for Week 18.

While the majority of fantasy football leagues have concluded, there are still some leagues that partake in a Week 18 championship, and we’re still here to help those who need it.

And, even though the vast majority of fantasy managers are no longer competing, we can use these sleepers for prop betting and DFS plays.

We will be using The Huddle’s weekly PPR projections and rankings as a reference to find some potential boom games this week.

Here’s a look at some sleepers to play in fantasy football for Week 18:

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 18 free-agent forecast

Check out the top waiver wire targets for Week 18 of fantasy football.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 17 championships

Check out these starts and sits for Week 17 of fantasy football.

The championship week in fantasy football has finally arrived, and managers will likely be stressing all weekend trying to figure out their optimal lineups in Week 17.

While there are fantasy managers on the outside looking in, we still can use these start/sits as a way to find an edge in DFS or prop betting during a week where the majority of championships are taking place.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

You also can check out our start and sit bench list for Week 17:

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 9

Check out these start/sit decisions in Week 9 of fantasy football.

In what will be one of the most difficult weeks for fantasy football managers, the lineup decisions could make or break a matchup.

There’s a lot of fantasy firepower sitting on the bench this week with six teams on a bye, including the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and San Francisco 49ers.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

You also can check out our start and sit bench list for Week 9.

Fantasy Football: 11 utilization stats to know from Week 8

The most important utilization stats to know from Week 8 action.

With eight weeks of NFL action in the books, several intriguing players are starting to show signs of life as well as create developing trends.

Week 9 brings “bye-mageddon” with six squads on vacation, and gamers will be digging deep to fill key roles in their lineups. That means we’ll be forced to gamble a little more, and assessing some recent utilization data can help mine the waiver wire for a few unconventional plays.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Tua Tagovailoa  382-19 3
 Kyler Murray 326-36 3
 Jalen Hurts 285-10 4
 Dak Prescott 250-34 3
 Marcus Mariota 253-43 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Derrick Henry 33-219
1-9		 2
Alvin Kamara 18-62
9-96		 3
Tony Pollard 14-131
1-16		 3
Christian McCaffrey 18-94
8-55		 3
D’Onta Foreman  26-118 3
Wide Receivers Yards TD
A.J. Brown 6-156 3
Jaylen Waddle 8-106 2
DeAndre Hopkins 12-159 1
D.J. Moore 6-152 1
Tyreek Hill 12-188 0
Tight Ends Yards TD
Tyler Conklin 6-79 2
Kyle Pitts 5-80 1
Isaiah Likely 6-77 1
Evan Engram 4-55 1
George Kittle 3-39 1
Placekickers XP FG
Nick Folk 1 5
Younghoe Koo 4 3
Chase McLaughlin 1 3
Jason Meyers 3 2
Mike Badgley 3 2
Defense Sack – TO TD
Seahawks 5-2 0
Cowboys 4-1 1
Eagles 6-2 0
Vikings 4-3 0
Falcons 1-1 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

RB Mark Ingram (NO) – Knee
WR Christian Watson (GB) – Concussion
WR Cooper Kupp (LAR) – Ankle
WR DeVante Parker (NE) – Knee
WR Richie James (NYG) – Concussion
TE Irv Smith (MIN) – Ankle
TE Tyler Higbee (LAR) – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

After 26 years of writing this article every Monday, I honestly cannot recall a Sunday with so few notable injuries. That’s a wonderful thing to say.

WR Cooper Kupp (LAR) – Twisted his right ankle and left the loss to the 49ers.  According to Kupp, the ankle feels “pretty good.” and the hope is that he avoided any serious injury. The next few days will be key with how he responds to treatment. The Rams already had their bye in Week 7, and three of the next four games are on the road. If he misses any time, it increases the targets for Allen Robinson, Van Johnson, and Ben Skowronek.

RB Mark Ingram (NO) – Ingram injured his knee in the win over the Raiders after just one reception. There was no immediate word as to how badly is was hurt, though he was ruled out of the game. Dwayne Washington filled in but Alvin Kamara needed no help on Sunday.

WR DeVante Parker (NE) – Left after the first offensive play with a knee injury that was initially termed “questionable” to return and then he was ruled out. His status will be known when the Patriots have to issue injury reports on Wednesday.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Van Jefferson (LAR) – Was finally taken off injured reserve after he  healed his knee. He was active in the loss to the  49ers and listed as a starting wide receiver. Jefferson was slated to have “a normal workload” but was never thrown a pass. With Cooper Kupp banged up, he needs to show up this week in Tampa Bay. If Kupp is injured with any severity, it sparks the chance that the Rams would trade for another receiver like Brandon Cooks.

TE Isaiah Likely (BAL) – Back on Thursday, Mark Andrews left with a shoulder injury and Isiah Likely filled in with six catches for 77 yards and a score to lead the Ravens. HC John Harbaugh said that the shoulder injury for Andrews wasn’t serious but practice this week will confirm it. And Andrews has from last Thursday until this Monday to heal. But Likely is already impressive as a rookie and ends up as a great handcuff for the Andrews owner. And worth stealing if you have a dead roster spot.

Tight Ends are not dead – The position experiences a major difference between Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce, as compared to all other NFL tight ends. This week had six tight ends not named Andrews or Kelce lead their team in receiving – Isaiah Likely, Greg Dulcich, Evan Engram, Kyle Pitts, T.J. Hockenson, and Pat Freiermuth. The position typically gets weaker as receivers as the season progresses. But this may well be yet another way this season is just different.

RB Travis Etienne (JAC) – James Robinson did not play in Week 7 and was traded away. And for two weeks, Etienne is on fire with his larger workload. He rushed for 114 yards and one score on 14 runs versus the Giants and  Sunday, he gained 156 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in London. He added three catches for six yards. Etienne keeps improving as a runner which played into letting Robinson go to the Jets.

RB D’Onta Foreman (CAR) – He ran for 118 yards on 15 carries in Week 7 after Christian McCaffrey left. On Sunday, he again rushed for exactly 118 yards only on 26 carries. And he scored three times. McCaffrey only totaled three scores over his first six games this season. Foreman was a capable replacement for Derrick Henry last year and gained over 100 yards in three games when he took over in the second half of the season in Tennessee.

RB Tyler Allgeier – Caleb Huntley (ATL) – This is a free agent idea for Week 9 with six NFL teams on bye. The Falcons like to run the ball. Maybe it is because they don’t pass that well, but they prefer to run. Against the Panthers, Tyler Allgeier ran for 39 yards on 14 carries and caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Huntley gained 91 yards on 16 carries. It will remain a committee approach, but consider their next opponents and where they rank against running backs – Chargers (28), Panthers (23) again, and Bears (31).

RB Tony Pollard (DAL) – With Ezekiel Elliott out, Tony Pollard took over as the primary back with spectacular results. He ran for 131 yards and three scores that included a 54-yard touchdown as the final score in the game. And that was with the Cowboys giving Malik Davis eight carries and two receptions in his NFL debut. Jerry Jones quickly mentioned that Ezekiel Elliott remains the primary rusher when he is healthy. Pollard’s fine performance happened at home against the No. 31 defense versus running backs, but it was still thoroughly impressive.

TE Dalton Schultz (DAL) – Even though he’s been playing injured for the last two weeks, reuniting with Dak Prescott resulted in 11 catches for 123 yards over those two games and he didn’t even finish Week 7. There is at least one fantasy owner in your league who was not a fan of Cooper Rush.

RB D’Andre Swift (DET) – After missing five games, Swift returned against the Dolphins. He only ran for six yards on five carries, and caught five passes for 27 yards and one fantasy-salvaging touchdown. Jamaal Williams gained 53 yards and two scores on his ten runs and added three catches for 23 yards. By this point, Williams is not the handcuff for Swift. It is Swift being just a throw-in for the Williams’ owner.

WR Rondale Moore (ARI) – Marquise Brown has been gone for two games, and Robbie Anderson was acquired but has yet to catch a Kyler Murray pass despite four targets. DeAndre Hopkins has been back for two weeks and topped 100 yards in each as an instant upgrade for the passing attack. But Moore has stepped up too and benefits from the defensive focus on Hopkins. He caught seven passes for 92 yards and a score in the loss to the Vikings and even gained 12 yards on two rushes.

RB Alvin Kamara (NO) – He’s gained around 100 total yards per week, but hadn’t scored for 2021. He fixed that against the Raiders when he rushed in one touchdown (18-62, TD) and scored twice as a receiver (9-96, 2 TD) which is how it was always supposed to be. It’s good to see the Saints turning to Kamara as the primary receiver since Jarvis Landry and Michael Thomas cannot stay healthy.

QB Zach Wilson (NYJ) – This changes everything.  At least it did on Sunday. The Jets’ first game without Breece Hall did not go nearly as well as hoped. Instead of a guaranteed 100 yards and a touchdown, the Jets backfield sputtered between Michael Carter (7-26) and James Robinson (5-17) but that forced Wilson to pass for 355 yards and two scores – but three interceptions. And that let Garrett Wilson finally come back to life with  six catches for 115 yards. Wilson was held to around 25 yards per game while Wilson was just handing off to Hall. And Tyler Conklin had been held to nearly no catches for the last month. He gained 79 yards and scored twice on his six receptions. The Jets team fell back a step with the loss of Hall, but at least it is perking the fantasy values of Wilson and Conklin back up.

QB Malik Willis (TEN) – Ryan Tannehill is likely to return this week, but Willis had his debut as the guy that gives the ball to Derrick Henry (32-219, 2 TD). Willis only completed 6-of-10 for 55 yards and one interception. He ran for 12 yards on five rushes as well. It was Henry’s day, as it always is when they face the Texans. Willis gets a mulligan on that start.

QB Sam Ehlinger (IND) –  His debut included  201 passing yards and no scores. To his credit, the top three receivers were all wideouts so he didn’t just check down to a running back or tight end.  He even ran for 15 yards on six rushes. The Colts lost to the Commanders, but only in the final seconds. Ehlinger played far better than a rookie (see above, Malik Willis).

RB Ronnie Rivers (LA) – The Rams backfield ranks No. 32 in the NFL for fantasy points and adding Rivers only mixed up the mediocrity with eight rushes for 21 yards. Darrell Henderson (4-16) and Malcolm Brown (5-10) also spent time not helping. Kyren Williams wasn’t taken off injured reserve, but they still have a couple of weeks to make that decision. He fell in the draft as being too small (5-9, 194 pounds) and slow (4.65) but was highly productive as the two-year starter in Notre Dame. The Rams say that they may welcome Cam Akers back when he discovers that no other team wants him. It’s all a mess and only getting worse.

Huddle player of the week

Alvin Kamara –On a day that saw several monster games – Christian McCaffrey, A.J. Brown, Derrick Henry, etc., Kamara stands on top. He had not scored a touchdown this season, but when he faced the visiting Raiders (or whatever that was in silver and black on the field), Kamara ran for 62 yards and caught nine passes for 96 yards along with three total touchdowns. He looked like the same Kamara that wrecked opponents back when Drew Brees played.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Taylor Heinicke 308 2 QB Derek Carr 100 0
RB D’Onta Foreman 118 3 RB Brian Robinson 20 0
RB Nyheim Hines 49 1 RB Josh Jacobs 53 0
WR Damiere Byrd 67 1 WR Davante Adams 2 0
WR Zach Pascal 57 1 WR Courtland Sutton 13 0
WR Devin Duvernay 64 1 WR DeVonta Smith 23 0
TE Isaiah Likely 77 1 TE Mark Andrews 33 0
PK Nick Folk  1 XP   5 FG PK Daniel Carlson nope
Huddle Fantasy Points = 130 Huddle Fantasy Points = 18

Now get back to work… and keep your helmet on…