Fantasy Sports

Week 12 Fantasy Football Tight End Streamers: Noah Fant Rises with Ja'Marr Chase Suspended

Here are three under-the-radar tight ends poised to deliver in Week 12 of fantasy football.
Michael Rovetto|
Nov 2, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (86) reacts after catching a 23-yard touchdown pass thrown by Joe Flacco (not pictured) against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (86) reacts after catching a 23-yard touchdown pass thrown by Joe Flacco (not pictured) against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

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Cincinnati BengalsChicago BearsSeattle Seahawks

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

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

Colston Loveland (Bears) vs. Steelers (ESPN: 36% Yahoo: 44%)

Loveland has struggled to replicate his success in Week 9 vs. the Bengals, but he’s seemingly become more involved in the offense since. The rookie has seen back-to-back games with four targets since. However, he could be in line for many more in Week 12. Loveland logged a season-high 75.3% snap rate last week against the Vikings. He recorded three receptions for 40 yards, but the Bears play the Steelers this week. Pittsburgh has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to the tight ends and has surrendered the most passing yards per game (261.7). 

AJ Barner (Seahawks) @ Titans (ESPN: 15% Yahoo: 16%)

Barner has been a touchdown-dependent streamer for the majority of the season. However, he posted career-highs of catches (10) and targets (11) in the Seahawks’ 21-19 loss to the Rams last week. The rookie generated 70 yards and 17.1 fantasy points, which was good for a TE4 finish on the week. The Titans have been surprisingly solid against tight ends, but Barner could see many red zone opportunities in this contest. In addition to the pass game, the Seahawks also use Barner in short-yardage scenarios, where they mimic the Eagles' “tush push” play. He has eight carries and a touchdown on the season, giving him a high chance of finding the end zone this weekend.   

Noah Fant (Bengals) vs. Patriots (ESPN: 4% Yahoo: 4%)

Fant is a deep streamer with Ja'Marr Chase suspended. He will see more opportunities in the pass game for that reason, and also because the Bengals’ game script should have them dropping back and playing from behind. Despite Cincinnati being the worst defense against opposing tight ends from a fantasy perspective, it’s New England that leads the NFL in receptions allowed to tight ends (69). Fant is also coming off a season-high six targets. He’s scored a touchdown in two of the last four games and could be in line for a big day vs. the Patriots in Week 12.

Check out our Week 12 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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