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Craig's tight end (TE) fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 3 of 2025. His top TE fantasy football pickups, free agents to add, tight end streamers.
Welcome back to our fantasy football tight ends waiver wire pickups for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. Let’s enjoy these no bye weeks while we still can, fantasy footballers!
Everyone is playing again this week, except for the injured and the benched. That means there are plenty of prospects to pick up on fantasy waiver wires this week, especially since it is so early in the season.
Fantasy managers need some choices at tight end because San Francisco’s George Kittle is going to miss another three games, and someone has to step in and step up for him on millions of fantasy rosters. Here are the top candidates at tight end to pick up on fantasy waiver wires heading into Week 3, starting with the veteran tight end who headlined last week’s column.
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Top Tight Ends to Pick Up - Week 3 Waiver Wire
Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
Father Time is having trouble tackling Zach Ertz. He followed his three-catch, one-TD opening effort by grabbing six Jayden Daniels passes for 64 yards and another score in Week 2. The fantasy pundits who believed the acquisition of Deebo Samuel Sr. would hurt Ertz’s fantasy value were dead wrong.
Zach Ertz touchdown!
It's a one-possession game 👀
WASvsGB on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/bsB1ywqGjb— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2025
Ertz should be the top tight-end pickup of the week, as his fantasy train should keep on rolling this week when Washington hosts Las Vegas, a team with a questionable secondary coming off a short week. Just keep an eye out for Daniels news this week, as he is day-to-day with a knee injury.
Other Tight Ends to Consider Adding
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans’ top tight end is getting a Brock Bowers-like amount of targets in the early going. Juwan Johnson has been targeted 20 times in two weeks and has 13 receptions for 125 yards and a TD to show for it. That touchdown was one of the most spectacular catches of the weekend.
JUWAN JOHNSON, WHAT A CATCH! 🔥
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/RZ828fjZs8
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 14, 2025
Note for fantasy managers out there. Normally, a rule of thumb is that when there is a mediocre or below-average quarterback helming an offense, they tend to aim at their tight ends more often because they are afraid to throw downfield. Spencer Rattler has found success throwing short to Johnson, so do not expect it to change in the near future.
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Brenton Strange did not do much in Week 2 (three catches for 17 yards), but that does not mean we should give up on him like a steak with a hair on it. He is the undisputed TE1 on a Jaguars offense that is throwing the ball to any eligible receiver on the field. Strange is due to have his turn in the sun sooner rather than later.
I know Trevor Lawrence is spreading the ball around in Jacksonville so much that wonderful wideouts Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter have not racked up much for fantasy managers. Strange’s target total should be more consistent every week, though, since no other tight end on the roster will be challenging him for snaps. Keep Strange on your radar and watch what he does in Week 3 if you do not pick him up this week.
Do Not Forget About…
Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Harold Fannin Jr. keeps living up to the hype he generated during the preseason. He did more with his five targets (5-48) than David Njoku did with his (4-40) this past Sunday. I had listed Njoku as one of the most overrated tight ends in fantasy value heading into the season, and got plenty of blowback from his supporters. I am beginning to look like a genius now.
Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jonnu Smith is winning the fantasy battle for top tight end in Pittsburgh with incumbent Pat Freiermuth, although their numbers are close, except that Smith scored a TD and Freiermuth has not. I worry about how these two will cut into the other’s playing time and touches, though. I also worry about Aaron Rodgers staying healthy and playing well for an entire season.
Noah Fant, Cincinnati Bengals
I thought Mike Gesicki’s fantasy value would nosedive like an Olympic diver once Noah Fant signed during training camp. It did not make sense to bring Fant in to just play 10 percent of the snaps. Fant has now outperformed Gesicki in each of Cincinnati’s two victories and has virtually forced Gesicki to be dropped in many fantasy leagues.
Ja'Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers
Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan are not Steve Smith Sr. and Muhsin Muhammad, at least not yet. That means Ja'Tavion Sanders will see his fair share of Bryce Young wounded ducks for the foreseeable future. Sanders caught a career-high seven passes for 54 yards on Sunday against Arizona, but a lot of that came in the second half when the Panthers were throwing on every down while behind.
Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
New franchise quarterback Cam Ward is working out the kinks and learning the NFL, but he is aiming at Chig Okonkwo on a consistent basis (10 targets in two games). When Ward starts improving, it will only mean positive things for Okonkwo’s fantasy value later in the season.
Davis Allen, Los Angeles Rams
Two games, two catches, two touchdowns. Is Davis Allen the new Cris Carter? All he catches is touchdowns, at least in the early going. Tyler Higbee is still the starter in L.A., but Allen’s red-zone prowess should not be totally ignored.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Dalton Schultz will be facing a Jacksonville defense next week that he found room when he ran his routes last season. He had eight catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in two contests against his division rival. Do not be surprised to see Schultz have another solid outing versus it in Week 3, especially since the Texans receiving corps will likely be missing Christian Kirk again.
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Isaiah Likely has not suited up yet due to a broken bone in his foot that he suffered during training camp. That does not mean you should sleep on him, though. You could pick him up and stash him at the bottom of your roster and wait for his triumphant return. Remember how well Likely played at times in 2024, usually putting up better numbers than stalwart Mark Andrews on many occasions.
Jake Tonges, San Francisco 49ers
Jake Tonges and veteran Luke Farrell have been filling in for the injured Kittle, and Tonges has shown he can provide solid play at the position. He has hauled in seven balls on his eight targets and converted them into 46 yards and a touchdown. Kittle’s spot is safe, but Tonges is a serviceable short-term option while Kittle is on the shelf.
Tyler Conklin, Los Angeles Chargers
I dubbed Tyler Conklin “The King of the 40-Yard Game” last season when he made this column on numerous occasions. During his stops with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets, Conklin was just good enough to make the column as a pickup candidate, but was not good enough to get picked up by more than half the fantasy GMs out there. Conklin had 50 yards in Week 1 and is a better pass-catcher than tight-end teammate Will Dissly, so keep an eye on him if you are desperate for a tight end.
Who Should I Pick Up Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pick Up" tool here:
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pick Up
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2025 for Zach Ertz, Juwan Johnson, Brenton Strange, and Harold Fannin Jr.:
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