Fantasy Sports

Juwan Johnson Tops List of Week 17 Fantasy Football Tight End Streamers

Here are four under-the-radar tight ends poised to deliver in Week 17 of fantasy football.
Michael Rovetto|
Sep 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (83) runs after making a catch against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Sep 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (83) runs after making a catch against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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New Orleans SaintsChicago BearsMiami DolphinsJacksonville Jaguars

The tight end position has long been one of the most unpredictable lineup slots in fantasy football. 

Outside of the few elite names, week-to-week production can be inconsistent, leaving managers frustrated and often scrambling for answers. That makes streaming — a tactic that utilizes the waiver wire to start players based on favorable matchups each week — a viable and sometimes necessary strategy.

By targeting matchups, opportunity and red-zone usage, streaming tight ends can help managers squeeze value out of a position that rarely offers much beyond the top tier. Instead of being locked into a low-ceiling option, streaming opens the door to finding upside plays who can deliver at the right time.

Week 17 of the NFL season presents a fresh slate and several opportunities for managers seeking to optimize their lineups. Here are streaming options that could pay off for fantasy football managers. 

*Percentage denotes player’s roster rate on ESPN and Yahoo*

Juwan Johnson (Saints) @ Titans (ESPN: 55% Yahoo: 69%)

Many have Johnson as a top 12 tight end this week. However, I would consider him a near top-five play at the position. Johnson has been one of the most consistent options since Week 7 and has been even more effective since Tyler Shough became the Saints’ full-time starter. He’s coming off a season-high 89 receiving yards on eight catches, where he posted a 19% target share. With Devaughn Vele on IR, Johnson is the clear-cut number two option behind Chris Olave in the Saints offense and a top eight tight end this week. The best part is that he’s available in over 40% of ESPN leagues. 

Colston Loveland (Bears) @ 49ers (ESPN: 44% Yahoo: 43%)

Outside of a 29.8 point outburst in Week 9, Loveland’s numbers haven’t been eye-popping. Still, they’ve been relatively solid since that breakout game against the Bengals. The rookie is coming off a three-catch, 30-yard performance at home, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Loveland logged a season-high 82 percent route participation rate in Week 16. Chicago has also played in frigid temperatures over the past three weeks, which has partially contributed to a decline in efficiency from Caleb Williams and the Bears’ pass game. In Week 17, the Bears travel to San Francisco. With Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III banged up and cold weather no longer a factor, Loveland is a top streamer against a depleted 49ers defense that just surrendered 277 yards through the air to a 44-year-old Philip Rivers. 

Darren Waller (Dolphins) vs. Buccaneers (ESPN: 30% Yahoo: 52%)

Waller was poised for a big game last week against the Bengals, but recorded just seven fantasy points on a three-catch, 40-yard performance despite rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers throwing for 260 yards in his first NFL start. The good news is that Ewers looked better than his stats suggest, providing optimism heading into Week 17 against the Buccaneers. Waller has nearly a third of the Dolphins' end zone targets this season, yet he’s played just eight games. Tampa Bay allows the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends and is tied for allowing the second-most receiving touchdowns to the position with 10. Waller has high touchdown upside this week. 

Brenton Strange (Jaguars) @ Colts (ESPN: 29% Yahoo: 60%)

Strange was one of my tight end streamers last week despite facing a tough matchup against the Broncos. He made me look like a genius by catching 5-of-7 targets for 39 yards and scoring a touchdown. Strange has scored 13.5 or more fantasy points in three of five games since returning from injury. The former Nittany Lion also ranks seventh among tight ends in receiving yards since Week 12. The matchup against the Colts in Week 17 is also exploitable. Indianapolis has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game and the second-most yards overall to tight ends this season. Trevor Lawrence is on a heater, and although the Jaguars offense has a plethora of playmakers, Strange has carved out an important role as a big, athletic target in the short and intermediate middle of the field. 

Check out our Week 17 tight end must-starts, weekly tight end rankings and tight end waiver wire pickups. 

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Michael Rovetto
MICHAEL ROVETTO

Michael Rovetto previously served as the staff writer for University of Maryland Athletics for nearly two years. There, he wrote, edited and managed all editorial content for all 20 of Maryland's varsity sports on umterps.com. Rovetto is recognized as a College Sports Communicators district award-winning writer. Many of his stories have also appeared on NCAA.org, garnering national attention. Before graduating from Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2023, Rovetto wrote for PressBox and Terrapin Sports Central, covering Maryland men's basketball and football. He also has experience in broadcasting, previously working as an analyst and camera operator for Big State Sports, and communication, interning for Shell Shock TBT as its Director of Communication & Content Development.

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