Noah Fant lands with the Cincinnati Bengals and wastes no time, catching Joe Burrow’s first TD of the season as he slides into an Erick All Jr.-style hybrid role that blends blocking with a real passing threat. His arrival quickens the Bengals’ TE usage, but snaps will still be matchup-based and flexible with Gesicki on the sideline in some sets.

Brenton Strange leads the Week 2 TE starts slate with a favorable Bengals matchup, while Dalton Kincaid and Hunter Henry offer solid top-10 upside in strong spots. Kyle Pitts and Noah Fant carry breakout potential through patience, and Travis Kelce remains a premier must-start despite a difficult Eagles defense. Juwan Johnson, Chig Okonkwo, and Harold Fannin Jr. present riskier streams. The week emphasizes matchup-driven patience and smart streaming at tight end.

George Kittle's hamstring injury opens a window for tight ends on the waiver wire. Week 1’s top pickup is Juwan Johnson, who posted 11 targets, 8 catches, and 76 yards, signaling a high-volume, week-to-week floor while Kittle is out. Harold Fannin Jr. offered a bold Week 1 breakout, drawing 9 targets and finishing TE6, while Noah Fant posted a strong target rate (22.7%) despite sparse rostered exposure. Hunter Henry and Zach Ertz logged meaningful target shares, and Chig Okonkwo plus Dallas Goedert remain viable upside plays as the season unfolds, with the market slowly filling in the weeks ahead.

In the short term, rostering Johnson (and potentially Fannin) provides stability and upside in the event usage holds. Fant and Ertz profile as flexible streaming options in PPR formats, especially in leagues with active waiver budgets. Henry and Goedert offer veteran-floor appeal where rostered shares already reflect their roles, while Okonkwo’s emerging role provides a speculative but noteworthy path to weekly value if Titans refine their usage.