Fantasy football Week 7 TE preview: Don't run away from Pat Freiermuth and Tyler Higbee

Target shares, red-zone roles and injuries in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles create prime bounce-back spots for both pass-catchers

Oct 20, 2026 at 5:30 pm ET • 2 min read

The tight end position is looking better than ever. Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and Isaiah Likely are producing like WR1s. Sam LaPorta and George Kittle are averaging 15 Fantasy points per game. And there have been a ton of flashes from other guys, most recently Kyle Pitts and Colston Loveland. But one thing I have also noted is that many of those big games by tight ends outside the top five have been followed by duds. Most recently, that happened to Pat Freiermuth and Tyler Higbee. I am not quite ready to run away from either.

Freiermuth was added to the injury report late last week with a calf injury and may not have been 100%. That does not change how excellent this environment is for him. Aaron Rodgers is throwing nearly 40 passes per game, and the Steelers have two healthy wide receivers that Rodgers trusts. Freiermuth has proven to be one of Rodgers' favorite red zone targets and I would not be surprised if Freiermuth bounces back in Week 7 against the Saints.

Higbee was a harder sell early in the Rams most recent game. It was Colby Parkinson week, and many speculated that you couldn't trust any tight end on this team. But the injury to Davante Adams may change that. Higbee has been very good when used this year and Matthew Stafford needs someone he trusts opposite Puka Nacua. Eventually, I would expect that to be Terrance Ferguson, he should be added if he's available, but for Week 7 either Higbee or Parkinson could be a top 12 tight end and I favor Higbee.

Here's everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 5:

Week 7 TE Preview

TE Preview

Numbers to Know

• 8.5 -- Tyler Higbee is averaging 8.5 yards per target. That's double Colby Parkinson's average.
• 183 -- Pat Freiermuth has run 183 routes this year, which ranks sixth amongst receivers. 
• 16% -- Harold Fannin is down to a 16% target per route run rate. It's impossible to have any faith in him in this role.
• 31.7% -- George Kittle has a 31.7% target share with Mike Evans off the field. He could take things to another level.
• 29 -- Kyle Pitts has run 29 routes each of the past two weeks. He only ran 28 routes the two weeks before. Hopefully he's here to stay.
• 0.65 -- Jake Ferguson is averaging 0.65 yards per route run. That ranks dead last amongst tight ends with 20 targets this season.

TE Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 7 Streamers (TE Preview)

NE New England • #85 Age: 31 • Experience: 11 year Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ CHI CHI -3 O/U 50.5 OPP VS TE 8th TE RNK 9th ROSTERED 53% YTD Stats REC 19 TAR 24 REYDS 225 TD 2 FPTS/G 8.9 Henry has three straight games with at least 11 PPR Fantasy points. I am not entirely sold that he is safe, due to the fact that he's getting five targets per game, but Drake Maye is on fire and this Thursday night game with the Bears should be a high-scoring affair.

MIN Minnesota • #87 Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs IND MIN -6.5 O/U 41.5 OPP VS TE 19th TE RNK NR ROSTERED 37% YTD Stats REC 23 TAR 27 REYDS 202 TD 1 FPTS/G 9.8 Hockenson hasn't cleared the concussion protocol as of Tuesday evening but he had the bye week so there is certainly a chance he will soon. He has a 20% target share this season and already has two double-digit games out of four. This should be a good matchup against the Colts and if he establishes himself as Kyler Murray's second favorite target he could be a top 12 guy rest of season.

LAR L.A. Rams • #18 Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ LV LAR -4.5 O/U 47.5 OPP VS TE 26th TE RNK NR ROSTERED 14% YTD Stats REC 7 TAR 12 REYDS 63 TD 1 FPTS/G 6.4 Ferguson isn't going to play in Week 7 but he is easily our favorite stash at the tight end position. He should be the second target behind Puka Nacua and has enormous weekly upside in a Rams offense that should be amongst the league's best. We already saw him score 17 points in a game this year when Nacua was out.

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DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Projections powered by Sportsline

DET Detroit • #87
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP vs GB DET -3 O/U 53.5	OPP VS TE 6th	PROJ PTS 13.3	TE RNK 5th

YTD Stats
REC 27	TAR 37	REYDS 316	TD 3	FPTS/G 15.3

The Lions and Packers are projected to play the highest scoring game of the weekend. LaPorta has been one of the best tight ends in Fantasy, but his price doesn't fully reflect that. He is significantly cheaper than Brock Bowers and Trey McBride but has a better matchup than both. This is how you get elite upside without the extreme price tag.

Contrarian DFS Play

Projections powered by Sportsline

LAR L.A. Rams • #89
Age: 33 • Experience: 11 year

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ LV LAR -4.5 O/U 47.5	OPP VS TE 26th	PROJ PTS 9.6	TE RNK 14th

YTD Stats
REC 24	TAR 29	REYDS 246	TD 1	FPTS/G 8.4

Coming off a down game, Higbee should have a very low roster rate. I think there is a 50/50 chance that he is the No. 2 target for Matthew Stafford behind Puka Nacua. The Raiders have given up 17.4 PPR FPPG to tight ends this season, the sixth highest mark in the league.

TE Preview

Heath's Projections

My full set of Week 7 Fantasy football projections for every position is now available here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 7. Projected stats for all starting tight ends are updated throughout the week, so check back before you set your lineup for the latest information.