November 15, 2016

Craig Rondinone 2016 fantasy football tiered rankings for Week 11 tight ends (TE) - waiver wire pickups, adds & sleepers for PPR and non-PPR. These are NFL TEs to target.

This is probably not the week you need a tight end for your fantasy squad.

San Diego’s Antonio Gates is the only valuable fantasy tight end with the week off, while three teams that have gotten very little from their tight ends this year (Atlanta, Denver and the New York Jets) are all on bye.  So fantasy football’s heaviest hitters at tight end will all be raring to go this week.  That does not mean there aren’t people who could still use a better tight end on their fantasy roster, though.

Here are a few Week 11 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 11 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Week 11 Waiver Wire – Tight Ends (TE)

Ladarius Green, Pittsburgh Steelers

Well, well, well!  Look who showed up to finally live up to his $20 million contract and remind fantasy owners why he was paid such an exorbitant sum! Green missed Pittsburgh’s opening eight games with an ankle injury that was as mysterious as any Murder She Wrote plot line.  He made his long-awaited return against Dallas this past weekend and did not look too rusty.

While Green only caught three passes for 30 yards during a shootout in which Ben Roethlisberger threw for 408 yards, if you watched the game you noticed a few encouraging signs.  First was that they tried to get the ball to Green on a two-point conversion attempt.  Second was that Roethlisberger looked for Green inside the red zone, something that could be a precursor to how Green is used in future weeks.

Backup tight end Jesse James caught four passes of his own against the Cowboys and still figures to play a prominent role in the passing attack since he did so well in Green’s absence.  But Green has a skill set and body type that makes him a touchdown target once Pittsburgh gets into scoring range.  He should only do better as he plays more and gets more comfortable with the offense and with “Big Ben.”

Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins

Most fantasy owners who picked up Davis when Jordan Reed was concussed probably turned around and dumped Davis as soon as Reed got back on the field.  But if you thought Reed’s reappearance would mean a reduction in fantasy value for Davis, you were more wrong than all the polls and prognosticators that had Hillary Clinton winning the Presidential election.

Davis has eight receptions for 159 yards and a score in the two games since Reed returned.  That is not a typo.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins has not forgotten or ignored Davis even though his favorite tight end target is back in the fold.  And since Davis and Reed are working so well as a tight end tandem there should be no reason to think Davis’ numbers should not stay along the same lines.

Did you see Tennessee’s Delanie Walker rack up nine receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay’s struggling secondary this past Sunday?  Me too.  All signs point to Davis continuing his nice comeback season this Sunday night.

C.J. Fiedorowicz, Houston Texans

With rookie receiver Will Fuller battling injuries and dropitis, Fiedorowicz is now looking like Houston’s second-best option in the passing game behind top target DeAndre Hopkins.  And while quarterback Brock Osweiler makes Mark Sanchez look accurate, he connects with Fiedorowicz more successfully than he does with his other main pass catchers.

Fiedorowicz has totaled 272 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions over his past half-dozen outings.  Those numbers may not get fantasy owners excited, but compared to the majority of the tight ends languishing on your league’s waiver wire, Fiedorowicz stands out like a giant

Fiedorowicz will try to find openings in an Oakland defensive backfield that allows 283 passing yards per game and is ranked 28^th in the NFL in pass defense.  The question will not be if he can get open, it will be if Osweiler can throws passes at his hands and not his feet.  If Osweiler’s aim is okay, then Fiedorowicz could have 50 yards and a touchdown next Monday night. 

Other Options

Vance McDonald, San Francisco 49ers

McDonald was able to squeak out four receptions for 50 yards this past weekend versus the Arizona Cardinals, arguably the best at defending tight ends in 2016.  It would be amazing if he could duplicate that feat this week against New England, another team adept at shutting down decent tight ends.  His matchup is tough, but McDonald is still one of the better gets available at the position on most waiver wires.

Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Don’t look now, but Rodgers has 10 receptions over his last two games after catching just nine passes over his first seven contests.  Aaron Rodgers must be mistaking him for Randall Cobb.  With the Packers slated to play a Washington team that allowed 14 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns to starting tight ends during its past two games, picking up Rodgers for a one-off this week isn’t the worst idea.

Will Tye, New York Giants

It seems that New York is using Tye a little more and veteran Larry Donnell a little less these days.  If that is indeed the case, Tye’s matchup against the lowly Chicago Bears this week is intriguing after seeing how their defense allowed Tampa Bay’s Cameron Brate free reign to ravage their secondary for 84 yards and a TD in their most recent game.