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The Bengals had a nice offensive gameplan going into Sunday's matchup with the Ravens. It involved a heavy dose of tight end Tyler Eifert, who emerged early in training camp as a go-to target for Andy Dalton, but was slowed by a shoulder injury in the preseason. He looked primed to become a significant fantasy football TE, but that was derailed quickly.
Dalton looked for him early and often Sunday, targeting him three times in Cincinnati's first three possessions. Eifert went down with a dislocated elbow on Cincinnati's second play of their third drive after hauling in a 14-yard pass. He finished the game with three catches for 47 yards, despite being used on very few snaps.
Tyler Eifert targeted three times on just six routes. Do not cut him if you have the roster space to stash. His role is growing.
— Michael Beller (@MBeller) September 9, 2014
Once he went out of the game, Jermaine Gresham caught two passes for 16 yards the rest of the way. Though his production was minimal, it could grow significantly going forward.
The last two seasons in which Gresham was the Bengals' No. 1 TE came in 2011 and 2012. Those years saw Gresham average 10.8 and 10.5 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues, per FFToday. He also finished 7th in the NFL in TE receptions and 8th in receiving yards in 2012.
Gresham will be a quality TE option for the next few weeks while he recovers from his dislocated elbow. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported that the Bengals are placing Eifert on IR Designated to Return. That means he's out until at least Week 11 vs. the New Orleans Saints.
In 2013, Atlanta allowed the 9th-most fantasy points to TEs, while Tennessee allowed the 6th-most. If Eifert misses Week 5 vs. the Patriots, they gave up the 14th-most points to TEs.
If you're in need of a TE in fantasy football, Gresham is likely the best one available on the waiver wire. If you're in a PPR league, Gresham is a must add.