Fantasy Phenom's TE Start 'Em/Sit 'Em Week 5

[Fantasy Phenom]

Start 'Em

 

Greg Olsen – Olsen has turned into Cam Newton’s second favorite target behind Steve Smith so far this year, and typically it seems rookie quarterbacks love relying on their Tight Ends. Something else that makes Olsen stand out this week is that Carolina’s other, TE Jeremy Shockey, is banged up with a finger injury as well as a possible concussion from last week. With a Week 5 matchup against the Saints secondary, I look for Olsen to have another good game.

 

Brandon Pettigrew – He was one defensive holding penalty away in week 4 from putting together 2 very solid weeks in a row for the Lions. Assuming he would have caught the TD, that would have given him 175+ yards and a TD over the last two weeks. Stafford seems to be looking his way more and more with 13 targets in week 3 and 9 targets in week 4. With the 26th ranked passing defense of the Bears coming to Motown for MNF, I would give Pettigrew a serious look.

 

Jermaine Gresham – TE Jimmy Graham lit up the Jaguars last week with 132 of Drew Brees’ 326 yards, plus a TD. Is Jimmy Graham a better TE? Sure. Is Brees a better QB than Dalton? Obviously. But coming off of a 70 yard-1 TD performance against the Bills in Week 4, it seems Dalton is turning to his TE more and more, especially in the Redzone. And if Benson does wind up being suspended and has to miss this game, the Bengals may have to lean on the Dalton-Gresham combo a little more.

 

Sit 'Em

 

Dallas Clark – Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter who lines up under center for the Colts if it isn’t #18. Unfortunately that has completely crushed Clark’s fantasy value. Painter brought the no huddle offense back into the game plan, but he also targeted Clark less than Collins had the previous three weeks. We don’t know who starts Week 5 at QB for the Colts, but either way I’d pass over Dallas Clark, whose still without a TD reception this season.

 

Scott Chandler – Chandler was one of the sexiest free agents available during the first few weeks of the season. Everyone has since added him to their rosters, and inserted him into their starting lineups. However, I would be a careful moving forward with him, at least this week. Averaging only 3.5 targets a game, he hasn’t proven to have much value unless the Bills are in the Redzone. The Bengals D made their passing game look bad and I expect another top 10 passing defense (Philly – whose playing in what I consider a must win game) to do the same to the Bills.

 

Visanthe Shiancoe – Everything points to Shiancoe having a solid Week 5 against the Cardinals. Last year he had 80 yards and 2 TDs against them, or you could look at his 8 targets for 6 receptions and 58 yards in Week 4 against the Chiefs. Heck you could even say the fact that TE Jake Ballard of the NYG scored against the Cardinals last week is a good reason to start Shiancoe. But I’m not quite ready to give him the start on my fantasy team just yet, especially after finding a pattern in his number of targets (Week One-1, Week Two-7, Week Three-2, Week Four-8). Looks like he’s in for a low target week, haha just kidding. But seriously, maybe with a strong week 5, I will give him my blessing facing the 26th and 28th ranked passing defenses in week 6 & 7, but not yet.

[sweet16]

Gresham is a starter every week.

[MJAlltheWay24]

Gresham is a starter every week.

 

Really? He definitely has the potential, but I don't think he's been consistent enough for me to want to start him every week. Guess it would depend who else I had on my squad.

[NamecipS]

Gresham is a starter every week.

 

Really? He definitely has the potential, but I don't think he's been consistent enough for me to want to start him every week. Guess it would depend who else I had on my squad.

 

He's getting to that level, but not quite there yet. I think as the season goes on you'll see him become even more of a target for Dalton.

[MJAlltheWay24]

He's getting to that level, but not quite there yet. I think as the season goes on you'll see him become even more of a target for Dalton.

 

I completely agree with that. He looked pretty good against the Bills.

[MJAlltheWay24]

I guess Christopher Harris of ESPN agrees with you on Dallas Clark at least...

 

"What I will laugh at is anyone outside a 16-team league who's still putting Dallas Clark in their starting lineup. The guy has 13 grabs in four games. He's got 23 targets so far; in the four games before he got hurt in '10, he had 53 targets. There's just no way he can be in lineups right now."

[5wide]

Gresham is currently 12th among fantasy TE's in per game scoring. That 10-15 is about where I'd expect him to finish.

 

Scott Chandler and Fred Davis are directly above him. I'd rather have Gresham. Vernon Davis and Brandon Pettigrew are below him. I'd rather have those guys. Ed Dickson is another guy rated below Gresham that I think could give you similar production.

 

I think it depends on who you have. I'm guessing many people picked Gresham as their second TE, so I think there's a good chance they have better options. Or, at the least, a decision to make based on matchups.

[sweet16]

Really? He definitely has the potential, but I don't think he's been consistent enough for me to want to start him every week. Guess it would depend who else I had on my squad.

 

Made a mistake, was thinking Graham

[HammerTime]

^ I think they both are. So either way you are right.

[uk#1fan]

I usually start Witten but this week I had to pick up Olsen.

[Big Slick]

pick up olsen?

[Fantasy Phenom]

Gresham is a starter every week.

 

Made a mistake, was thinking Graham

 

Great example of the rookie mistakes that are made week to week on here.

[Fantasy Phenom]

He's getting to that level, but not quite there yet. I think as the season goes on you'll see him become even more of a target for Dalton.

 

I think the run game becomes a little better with the return of Bobbie Williams and that will free up Gresham. If Dalton spreads it around enough, Gresham should get some good downfield gains and TD's.

[Fantasy Phenom]

Gresham is currently 12th among fantasy TE's in per game scoring. That 10-15 is about where I'd expect him to finish.

 

Scott Chandler and Fred Davis are directly above him. I'd rather have Gresham. Vernon Davis and Brandon Pettigrew are below him. I'd rather have those guys. Ed Dickson is another guy rated below Gresham that I think could give you similar production.

 

I think it depends on who you have. I'm guessing many people picked Gresham as their second TE, so I think there's a good chance they have better options. Or, at the least, a decision to make based on matchups.

 

I'm a big fan of Dickson. He's not going to have top tier stats this year, but he will be a serviceable TE for those who missed out on the elite guys.

 

Saw a really dumb move by one of the BGP league guys, has Gates who's not playing and he dropped Dickson. What was he thinking?

[Fantasy Phenom]

I usually start Witten but this week I had to pick up Olsen.

 

Olsen could end up having a really good year. If the defenses have to worry about Newton/Smith connection and the run game(which is pathetic right now), that would open up the TE to get some very good yardage.