If there’s ever been a position in Fantasy Football that causes you to start sifting through random, generally underwhelming names, it’s tight end. Yet, with Darren Waller, Eric Ebron, Trey Burton, and the blossoming Dawson Knox all coming into Week 6 on bye, there’s a decent chance that enough people have been out there doing just that; searching through the desert that is the TE waiver wire looking for a stopgap solution this weekend. You’re a smart person, though. You know that the best way to look for a replacement tight end is to simply attack spots with high touchdown probability. That brings your attention to this Sunday’s clash between the Texans and the Chiefs — a contest sporting a slate-high 55.5 game total on the DraftKings Sportsbook. Obviously Travis Kelce is out of the question, but could there be an option waiting with Houston?

The trouble with trusting Jordan Akins is that it’s honestly difficult to separate his role from Darren Fells. Akins might be third on the team in overall targets with 15 — ranking significantly behind the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller — but it’s Fells who’s translated all three of his red zone looks into touchdowns and it’s Fells who’s played at least 50% of the Texans’ offensive snaps the first five weeks. However, don’t let that last point fool you into thinking Akins rarely sees the field. Despite the fact that it feels like Houston hasn’t had a productive TE in years, the squad actually led the NFL in 12 personnel usage in 2018, and that tendency has carried over into this season. Akins and Fells will be on the field plenty, its just a matter of how involved they’ll be in the passing game.

Fantasy Football Analysis, Houston Texans TE Jordan Akins

Entering Week 6, no team in football has surrendered more targets to the tight end position than Kansas City (54). That trend only amplifies when opponents of the Chiefs get into the red zone, where they’ve then directed a whopping 48% of their passing attempts toward the position. I really do expect a Texans TE to catch a touchdown in this prime matchup, and though its impossible to know if it’ll be Akins or Fells, there are next to no other options out there if you’re looking for a Waller fill-in. Might as well take a chance in a high-scoring script.

Start/Sit Recommendation

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