Tight ends are back in business in fantasy football! After a downright disappointing Week 1, tight ends have bounced back the last two weeks for fantasy owners, even with perennial top tight end Rob Gronkowski still not being a fantasy factor as of yet.

But there are still some fantasy owners who will need a tight end this week, especially with this being the first week of teams being on their bye.

Below are three tight ends to consider on the Week 4 waiver wire.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about more Week 4 waiver wire recommendations, for all other positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB

 

Week 4 Waiver Wire – Tight Ends (TE)

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota’s offense has gone through turmoil and transformations the last several weeks, hasn’t it?  Adrian Peterson and Teddy Bridgewater are out, Jerick McKinnon and Sam Bradford are in, and Stefon Diggs is catching everything from footballs to lutefisk thrown his way. The only thing the Vikings can do to change even more is run the wishbone.

Minnesota will probably be switching from a run-heavy offense built around Peterson to more of a balanced attack now that Peterson is out indefinitely and Bradford is under center. That can only mean better box score stats for Vikings pass-catchers like Rudolph, who has now become more of a focus in the offense than ever before.

Rudolph has been targeted at least eight times in each of his three games and has 166 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the season. Peterson’s injury and Bradford starting have already translated into more targets and fantasy points for Rudolph. He should easily break the 500-yard barrier for the first time in his career this year.

Zach Miller, Chicago Bears

Being Brian Hoyer’s favorite target is probably equivalent to being the Cleveland Browns’ favorite kicker in terms of fantasy value. That said, Miller had seven receptions for 47 yards over the first two weeks with Jay Cutler primarily as his quarterback, but he had eight catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns with Hoyer under center this past Sunday night against Dallas.

Miller had his fantasy moments in 2015. He scored five touchdowns in a six-week span and made Chicago feel like Martellus Bennett was expendable. Even though he has been around a while and is in his 30s, Miller is not a slow tight end who cannot average more than nine yards per catch. He can make plays downfield as well as by the end zone.

Miller has two humongous factors going in his favor. First, his Bears are bad.  That means they should be trailing in many games, especially with Cutler sidelined, so Miller can rack up garbage time receptions and touchdowns late in games when Chicago is throwing on every down. Second is that Chicago’s next three opponents are Detroit, Indianapolis and Jacksonville, three teams that have not been playing stellar pass defense during the first month of the season. Miller should keep posting solid fantasy numbers for the foreseeable future with all of these stars aligning for him.

Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Austin Seferian-Jenkins might be someone you want to pick up in your TMZ fantasy league after his infamous DUI arrest video that is making the rounds, but his fantasy football value has dried up to zilch now that Tampa Bay has released him. Conversely, Brate’s fantasy value has now skyrocketed.

Brate is undoubtedly Tampa Bay’s No. 1 tight end and does not have to worry about A.S.J. stealing his spot, snaps or touchdowns. Brate took full advantage of the Bucs being Seferian-Jenkins-less by catching five passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns against Los Angeles. He was targeted by Jameis Winston 10 times and has now appeared to gain his signal caller’s full confidence.

As Winston keeps improving in his second season, look for Brate’s fantasy worth to keep improving, too.  The Harvard product will be given every opportunity to be Tampa’s top tight end for the rest of the season and could provide fantasy owners with a lot more than anyone would have guessed back in August.

 

Other Options

Hunter Henry, San Diego Chargers

Who knows when Antonio Gates will return? His 36-year-old body has been beaten up more than John Cena’s over the past decade-plus. Henry caught five passes for 76 yards in Gates’ absence this past weekend and should see passes whether Gates returns or not. Extra-added bonus: San Diego hosts defensively-challenged New Orleans this week.

Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts

Doyle is proving that he is no one-hit wonder like Right Said Fred. He snagged all the passes thrown to him by Andrew Luck this past Sunday and accounted for 62 yards. Doyle should continue to be targeted at least five or six times per game with No. 2 receiver Donte Moncrief out of action.

Garrett Celek, San Francisco 49ers

Celek has not exactly been ripping up secondaries (five catches for 52 yards in three weeks), but San Fran starter Vance McDonald left this past week’s game with an injury, and Celek’s 49ers are scheduled to play a Dallas squad that just allowed the aforementioned Zach Miller to haul in two touchdowns.
 

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