Who Should I Start? Hunter Henry or Robert Tonyan Jr.

Friday, November 22, 10:30 AM

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry has formed a strong rapport with rookie quarterback Drake Maye, which bodes well for the veteran pass-catcher heading into Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins. Henry is averaging five catches, 51.8 receiving yards, 0.2 touchdowns, and 11.2 fantasy points (half-PPR) through Maye's six games as the Patriots starter. He has been the overall TE12 during that six-week stretch, leading the team in catches. This week, Henry faces the Dolphins, who rank near the middle of the league in terms of production allowed to opposing tight ends. However, that number is likely skewed from the four-game stretch for which Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined; during that span, opponents adopted a run-heavy approach against the Dolphins and did not have to develop an overly aggressive passing attack. Looking at recent context, this Miami defense allowed a record-breaking game from Brock Bowers last week; the rookie tallied 13 catches, 126 yards, and one touchdown. Henry isn't necessarily on the same level as Bowers, but the bottom line is that the Dolphins have shown they aren't going to shut down every tight end they face. Henry should be deployed as a low-end TE1 in leagues with 10-plus teams.

Tuesday, August 27, 5:57 PM

The Minnesota Vikings released tight end Robert Tonyan on Tuesday. The Vikings have plenty of tight end depth, with superstar T.J. Hockenson (knee) on the PUP list and Josh Oliver, one of the best backups in the NFL. The 29-year-old spent the first five seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers before playing with the Chicago Bears in 2023. In 2020 he had by far the best season of his career, with 586 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Tonyan, who has only ever played for NFC North teams, has put together a couple of productive seasons and shown that he has plenty of talent. Tonyan will look to latch onto another team but is off the fantasy radar for now in 2024.