Strange target avalanche continues in Week 5 win

Strange was Trevor Lawrence’s primary target against a Bengals defense that has struggled against tight ends. Many of his targets were middle-of-the-field intermediate passes as he tallied 95 total receiving yards on the day. The Jaguars offense has a variety of pass-catchers that can find success based on defensive matchup. The game environment aligned perfectly for Strange, who rarely came off the field with 53 total snaps. The Eagles are a tougher matchup for tight ends, but Strange is a good streamer option in the high-end TE2 territory for a Week 5 matchup in London.

Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers dominated looks from Trevor Lawrence on a low-volume day for the Jacksonville offense. Strange played his usual role as a check down option for Lawrence, rumbling for yards after the catch on two of his three grabs. Strange, with seven catches on the year, could be a streaming play in Week 4 against the Bengals if the game turns into a shootout.

Strange ran a pass route on 30 of the team’s 36 drop backs but was invisible for most of the game. For now Strange can be treated as a desperation streamer in 12-team formats ahead of the Jags’ Week 3 matchup against the Patriots. He should remain on waiver wires in 10-team leagues.

Strange operated as the Jaguars’ primary receiving tight end, seeing three targets on the day. In a loaded passing attack, he still found opportunity in what was a very fantasy-friendly offense. Strange caught a 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter and was mostly quiet in a second half where the Jaguars were already up by four scores. The Jaguars wide receivers will take much of Lawrence’s targets but Strange has a role over the middle of the field; he profiles as TE2 for Week 2 against the Broncos.

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the deal is worth “up to” $48 million. A chunk of that figure is presumably based on incentives. The contract includes $25 million guaranteed. Strange posted a minor breakout in 2024 with 411 yards on 40 grabs. He upped the ante in 2025 to 46 catches for 540 yards despite missing five games. Strange was heading into the final year of his rookie deal before this extension and the team spent multiple draft picks on tight ends, making it look like they were considering letting him walk next offseason. Instead, Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol will primarily see the field for heavy offensive looks, something the team talked about after the draft. Strange will sit on the TE1/2 border in early fantasy drafts.

Shipley said the Jaguars drafting Texas A&M TE Nate Boerkircher and Houston TE Tanner Koziol in the 2026 draft does not mean the Jaguars coaching staff has a smaller role planned for Strange, who last season 46 catches, 540 yards, and three touchdowns as the team’s TE1. Shipley expected Strange’s pass game involvement to grow as the Jaguars deploy more tight end-heavy offensive sets. The Jaguars, Shipley said, are “clearly hoping that injecting the [tight end] room with talent should allow Strange to produce at an even higher level than before.” Last season Strange was targeted on 21 percent of his routes, which ranked 25th out of 58 qualifying tight ends. Though he’ll likely be the team’s third or fourth option in the passing game, Strange should be a viable fantasy option in 12 and 14-team leagues this season.

It was pointed out by John Shipley a few days ago that Wan’Dale Robinson’s free agent contract might be a starting point for the Washington extension. Walker is entering his final season under his rookie contract’s fifth-year option. Strange and Washington are both on the final year of their rookie contracts. The Jaguars have been uncharacteristically (and probably smartly, given their success last year) quiet in free agency, so perhaps they’re just focusing on locking up their core.

Shipley refers to Jaguars starting TE Brenton Strange as “maybe the most underrated tight end in the entire NFL” and says the team knows “just how important he is to everything they do.” Sounds like Strange’s role is safe. Shipley believes TE Quintin Morris could have true TE2 potential, but Morris caught just 6-of-7 targets for 55 yards and one touchdown after signing with the Jaguars in free agency last year. His position on the depth chart sounds less secure. Strange can be viewed as a low-end TE1 candidate at this time.

A hip injury early in the year suppressed Strange’s numbers in what would have easily been a breakout season for the third-year tight end. He was placed on injured reserve and missed five games. Despite that, Strange’s 46 catches, 540 yards, and three touchdowns were all career-highs. He finished the year as a mid-range TE2 on a per-game basis. The Jags run four deep at receiver when everyone is healthy. Liam Coen dials up designed targets for his running backs a few times a week. That makes it hard for Strange to be a consistent target-earner, but he is a solid streaming option when bye weeks roll in. He will be stuck in the TE2 range in 2026 drafts.

Strange looks great in open space, generating 37 yards after the catch on just his three targets. But the Jaguars didn’t really take advantage of it often, and he’s not a featured red zone weapon just yet. Strange will be a borderline TE1 play against the Titans in Week 18.