Week 9 at New Orleans Saints
Cameron Brate continued his strong season by leading the Bucs in receiving yards (64) last week. He now has 60+ yards in five straight games, which is incredible consistency, especially from the TE position. He'll get a decent matchup this week against the Saints, and should continue to be viewed as a TE1 play.
He's scored in more than half his games this season and is one of a few tight ends to put up reliable numbers every week.
Week 8 vs. Carolina Panthers
Cameron Brate was out-performed by O.J. Howard last week, but it's not all bad news for the tight end. Brate finished with 9 targets, which was second on the team. He turned those targets into s6x receptions for 60 yards, although his four-game TD streak ended.
Fantasy owners should feel comfortable knowing Brate saw 9 targets, even if Howard had the bigger game. Brate is still very much involved in the offense and continues to be a red zone favorite for Jameis Winston. He should be viewed as a low-end TE1 this week against Carolina.
Week 7 at Buffalo Bills
Cameron Brate once again proved his worth last week, leading the team in targets (8) and finishing with 76 yards on 6 catches. He's also now scored a touchdown in four straight games (out of five), making him one of the most valuable players at his position.
He gets a tough matchup this week against the Bills, who haven't allowed a touchdown to the TE position all season long. But things can change. Brate has been one of the most reliable tight ends this season, and that's why he's still a low-end TE1 option this week, even in a difficult matchup.
Week 6 at Arizona Cardinals
Cameron Brate has definitely emerged as the Bucs tight end to own in fantasy. He had another standout game last week, finishing with 68 yards and a touchdown on 5 catches. He led the team with 9 targets and has now scored in three straight games.
With a decent matchup this week against Arizona, Brate should continue to be used as a TE1. The Bucs offense has been rolling with Jameis Winston throwing for 300+ yards almost every week, and everyone will benefit as a result.
Week 5 vs. New England Patriots
Cameron Brate now has back-to-back games with a touchdown. He had a pretty solid performance last week catching 4 passes for 80 yards with the score. He's proven he can co-exist with O.J. Howard, who also had a touchdown last week.
Brate has a chance for another big game in a favorable matchup against the Patriots this week. Brate's 13 targets prove he's a big enough factor in this offense to be relevant in fantasy. He should be viewed as a TE1 this week in a good matchup.
Week 4 vs. New York Giants
Cameron Brate scored a touchdown last week and finished with 33 yards on 4 receptions. The score was nice, but other than that, he wasn't much of a factor in Tampa Bay. Brate is a talented tight end, but his playing time is limited with first-round rookie tight end O.J. Howard also playing. Neither is very trustworthy as a fantasy option moving forward.
Week 3 at Minnesota Vikings
Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard combined for 3 receptions and 41 yards last week. Neither one played a big role, despite both being talented options at the tight end position. We expect them to cancel each other out as the season moves forward, making neither reliable fantasy options at the moment.
Week 2 vs. Chicago Bears
Cameron Brate is coming off of a strong 2016 season, but he'll be sharing time with first-round rookie O.J. Howard at tight end. We'll have to wait and see how each player gets used in the offense before trusting them in fantasy. For now, we expect them to cancel each other out, making them both bad starts in most leagues.
Week 16 vs. New Orleans
Cameron Brate has been the surprise tight end of the fantasy season. He took a while to get going, but he's found his rhythm in recent weeks finishing with at least 40 yards in six of his last seven games. He's also steadily caught touchdown receptions in the second half of the season.
Brate will get a favorable matchup this week against the Saints, and should be viewed as a strong TE1 option.
Week 15 vs. Dallas
Cameron Brate is second in the team in receptions (51), targets (71), receiving yards (575) and receiving touchdowns (six). He's been a nice surprise in fantasy with his consistent play in Tampa Bay.
Brate will get a decent matchup this week against Dallas, which will make him a low-end TE1 option. He may not get 100 yards (something he hasn't done all season), but he has a strong chance to score and has a solid floor.
