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There is a reason most hotel elevators do not have a 13th floor. Sometimes fantasy football owners end up wishing there was not a 13th week of the NFL season, too.
With Tennessee’s Delanie Walker and Cleveland’s Gary Barnidge on bye this upcoming week, and with arguably the two top tight ends in football (New England’s Rob Gronkowski and Washington’s Jordan Reed) banged-up, many fantasy owners are probably in need of a tight end during this unluckiest week of the season.
Here are three tight ends to consider on the waiver wire this week:
Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 13 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS
Week 13 Waiver Wire – Tight Ends (TE)
Lance Kendricks, St. Louis Rams
I keep banging the drum for Kendricks every week, but maybe people would listen more if Neil Peart was the one banging it.
I noted that Kendricks’ fantasy worth could see an uptick because of rookie Jared Goff taking over at quarterback for the Rams, and sure enough it did this past Sunday as Kendricks caught four passes for 51 yards and scored a touchdown. Goff has already proven in two games that he is a severe upgrade from Case Keenum and that Kendricks and Los Angeles’ wide receivers could all have their fantasy values improve from here on out.
If you dismiss a one-catch clunker Kendricks had against the New York Jets a couple weeks ago, he has produced 27 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns in his five other games over the last half-dozen weeks. And the best may be yet to come with Goff rapidly learning how to quarterback in the NFL. Pick up Kendricks now or do not cry that someone else in your league signed him up.
Ladarius Green, Pittsburgh Steelers
Green has been far from a focal point of Pittsburgh’s passing attack as he has only been targeted nine times in his first three games since returning from his ankle injury. But while fantasy wunderkind Antonio Brown monopolizes the targets, Green is still someone for fantasy owners to keep an eye on.
Green has physical tools most tight ends do not possess. He has the speed to break away from coverage and make plays downfield where most tight ends are lucky to average 10 yards per catch. And Green has the size to be a red zone matchup nightmare, which is something Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers will use to their advantage in the coming weeks.
Green had catches of 32 and 35 yards in his most recent game and faces the New York Giants’ 23rd-ranked pass defense in his next contest, so the signs are there for him to be a fantasy factor. Watch for Green to get more looks and scoring opportunities as he gets healthier and more comfortable with Roethlisberger and the Steelers system as well.
Hunter Henry, San Diego Chargers
San Diego’s tight end tandem is harder to put a finger on than Odell Beckham is when he is running free in the open field. One week Henry is the one catching the passes and scoring the touchdowns. The next week veteran Antonio Gates brushes the gray hair out of his eyes and he gets all of the attention from Philip Rivers.
Henry has scored five touchdowns over the last seven games he has suited up for (he missed a couple in between due to a concussion). In San Diego’s last game, Henry caught a touchdown toss while Gates was not even targeted. So has the pendulum swung back toward Henry in this tight end tug-of-war?
Henry will vying for targets with Gates this weekend against a Tampa Bay secondary that was giving up passing yards in bunches earlier in the season but has settled down a little in recent weeks. While neither scored, Seattle’s Jimmy Graham and Kansas City’s Travis Kelce did combine for 13 receptions and 175 yards over the last weeks against the Buccaneers, though, so Henry should find room to roam.
Other Options
Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins
The NFL’s best No. 2 tight end on a team has had 50-plus yards in five of his last six outings and could be in line for even more work and yardage this week if Jordan Reed’s bum shoulder keeps him off the field.
Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo is running out of receivers the same way I run out of potato chips at 4:00 on a football Sunday. And while the Oakland Raiders are having a superb season, their pass defense in among the league’s worst. Clay could catch four passes and help a fantasy squad in need this weekend.
Dion Sims, Miami Dolphins
Miami’s offense now revolves around terrific tailback Jay Ajayi and rightly so, but now the Dolphins are getting Sims more involved the scheme as well. Sims had four receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown this past weekend.
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