RADIO
Fantasy football’s top tight ends should all be playing this week. Hooray! Four teams are on bye this upcoming week, although none possess tight ends that have been dominant or even arguably helpful this year.
Fantasy owners are not going to miss Buffalo’s Charles Clay or Oakland’s Clive Walford, that’s for sure. Only fantasy owners who recently picked up Detroit’s Eric Ebron or Indianapolis’ Jack Doyle will be hurt by the bye, and there are replacements aplenty on the waiver wire.
Here are a few Week 10 waiver wire tight end pickups to consider adding to your fantasy football teams this week.
Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 10 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS
Week 10 Waiver Wire – Tight Ends (TE)
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
I told you last column that Ertz should be picked up, and while some of you probably listened, many probably did not judging by how many leagues he is owned in across the major fantasy websites. So now is your chance to right your wrong, especially if you need a tight end.
Ertz converted all eight of his targets against the New York Giants for 97 yards, easily his best game of the season. His rib injury is behind him, and it definitely seems that Carson Wentz and he are finally on the same page after several weeks of Wentz not finding Ertz as often as he should have been.
Ertz and his Eagles are playing Atlanta this week, and while the first-place Falcons can rush the passer, they could no cover a queen-size bed. Atlanta ranks 31st in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 290 passing yards per game. Now that Ertz is healthy and meshing with his rookie quarterback, look for him to rank right up with No. 1 wideout Jordan Matthews for most targets on the Eagles in the coming weeks.
Lance Kendricks, Los Angeles Rams
Many fantasy owners will see the season-high 12 targets and 90 yards Kendricks racked up when they check the Rams boxscore from this past Sunday and think that he was awesome, but if they did not watch the game they will not realize he could have done even better. Kendricks dropped a sure touchdown pass that almost implanted itself into Kendricks’ barrel chest.
Case Keenum is eyeing his tight end more and more every week. Kendricks has been targeted by his quarterback eight, nine and now a dozen times over his past three outings. And while Keenum is on the verge of losing his starting signal caller spot and is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, give him credit for helping turn Kendricks into a player worthy of a look in fantasy leagues.
Kendricks faces a New York Jets defense that was allowing 289 yards per game through the air until holding Miami’s Ryan Tannehill to 149 passing yards in their most recent game. Look for Keenum to keep looking Kendricks’ way and for the tight end to have many opportunities to post decent numbers.
Vance McDonald, San Francisco 49ers
McDonald can only do so much when Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert are his quarterbacks. That terrible twosome has never been known for improving the fantasy values of their pass catchers. But McDonald is doing the best he can to prosper these days when the erratic Kaepernick is throwing him the ball and not kneeling during national anthems.
McDonald showed sprinter speed when he scored a shocking 65-yard touchdown against New Orleans. And that was only his second-longest score this season. He had a 75-yard touchdown against Carolina earlier in the year. McDonald is now averaging 20.5 yards per catch, which is crazy for a tight end.
Besides inconsistent quarterback play, McDonald’s other issues are that tight end teammate Garrett Celek is stealing some of his targets and receptions (Celek had four catches for 76 yards of his own last week) and that he faces an Arizona defense this week that smothers tight ends. The Cardinals held Carolina’s Greg Olsen and Seattle’s Jimmy Graham to six receptions for 64 yards combined over their last two contests. So while McDonald is one of the better options available on free agent lists, he probably is not the best.
Other Options
Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons
Hooper filled in for veteran Jacob Tamme last Thursday as well as Jay Leno used to fill in for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. Hooper had 46 yards and a touchdown reception and will be a solid play this week against Philadelphia’s slumping secondary as long as Tamme remains sidelined with his sore shoulder.
Richard Rodgers, Green Bay
Green Bay’s second-best Rodgers has not been a fantasy factor all season, but thanks to Green Bay’s myriad of injuries to running backs and receivers he caught six passes for 64 yards and was targeted 10 times in his last contest. Rodgers could post similar numbers this week against a Tennessee Titans defense that allows over 260 passing yards per game.
Dominique Jones, Miami Dolphins
Jones only had a half-dozen career catches coming into last weekend, so his three receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets caught fantasy owners totally by surprise. With Miami’s top two tight ends concussed, Jones and his bulky 270-pound frame could do something versus San Diego’s leaky secondary.
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!
