Fantasy Football Absurdity Check: Why You Should Start Hunter Henry over Austin Seferian-Jenkins

This week my co-worker, Jeff Krisko, suggested that starting Austin Seferian-Jenkins is the smart fantasy football play.  He feels so strongly about ASJ that he broke out into song.  And one can hardly blame the man.  I think Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a strong play this week also.  But in week five, I think the stronger play is the start Hunter Henry.

As Jeff mentioned, Austin Seferian-Jenkins is playing the Browns this week.  And as I have mentioned repeatedly in my Absurdity Checks, I have a giant man-crush on each and every tight end who is matched up against the Cleveland Browns.  But the saavy reader may have noticed that both Jeff and I are really high on ASJ.  He might not even be available in strong, competitive leagues.  (i.e., leagues we are both in.)

Fear not my Football Absurdity faithful, for I have a solution.  By now, you may have noticed a trend in your fantasy football leagues where your league mates are disposing of Hunter Henry like the trash he has been.  At this point in the season, Hunter Henry has been a huge disappointment.  But one mans trash is another mans treasure and even the trashiest tight end looks like diamonds against the New York Giants defense.  Just look at the below numbers for the tight ends who have faced them this season.

Jason Witten — 7 catches, 59 yards, 1 touchdown

Eric Ebron — 5 catches, 42 yards, 1 touchdown

Zach Ertz — 8 catches, 55 yards, 1 touchdown

Cameron Brate — 4 catches, 80 yards, 1 touchdown

O.J. Howard — 2 catches, 63 yards, 1 touchdown

Through four weeks this season, the New York Giants defense has given up 40+ plus and 1 touchdown to five different tight ends.  In week four, they gave up a combined 6 receptions, 143 yards and 2 touchdowns to the tight end position.  Those numbers are Browns-esque.

So if you decide to start Austin Seferian-Jenkins, I can’t blame you.  I cannot state enough how important it is to start every and all tight ends against the Cleveland Browns.  But if ASJ isn’t available, perhaps you should look at another alternative.  The New York Giants have given up the most points to the tight end position in standard scoring leagues through four weeks of the fantasy football season.  You should absolutely start Hunter Henry against the Brownsy defense of the New York Giants.