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It is too early to panic if you are a fantasy football manager, but if you are a worry wart and think you need a new tight end, this is the column for you.
The tight end crop on most fantasy league waiver wires is filled to the brim with talent. If you are sick and tired of George Kittle’s groin problems or T.J. Hockenson’s mediocre 30-yard outputs, there is a potpourri of tight ends you can pick up this week that could immediately help.
There is one tight end who stands out from the pack of available players at the position in many leagues. Without further ado, here are the best tight end waiver wire pickups for Week 3!
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Top Tight Ends to Pickup - Week 3 Waiver Wire
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers
I think it is safe that Everett has finally found a home with the Chargers. If you liked his 54 yards and a TD in Week 1, you were probably happy with the six receptions for 71 yards he put up this past Thursday. Everett is no longer in a situation where he is sharing targets with a tight end teammate or mired in an offense where the tight end is ignored as often as the fifth-string wide receiver is.
The good news is Everett is the Chargers’ No. 3 option in its high-powered passing attack and moved up to No. 2 last week when top target Keenan Allen missed the game due to injury. The bad news is that Justin Herbert’s status is up in the air due to his rib cartilage issues, and if he does not play, that severely limits Everett’s fantasy value. Everett’s upcoming schedule is fantasy friendly as well as his next three games come against Jacksonville, Houston, and Cleveland.
Other Tight Ends to Consider Adding
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders
Thomas appears to be 100 percent after being questionable for the start of the season after his 2021 torn ACL. He has posted back-to-back three-catch games and scored his first touchdown of the season this past Sunday. Carson Wentz is one of the hottest quarterbacks in fantasy right now, so you might as well pick up Thomas and ride him until Wentz experiences his eventual downturn where he cannot hit the broad side of a barn for a month.
Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals
Hurst has to be happier than Rex Ryan watching a foot fetish video that he is no longer in Atlanta being stuck with Kyle Pitts’ scraps. He is now Cincinnati’s top tight end and has enjoyed consecutive five-reception games and has been targeted 15 times over the first two games. It appears that franchise quarterback Joe Burrow trusts him and will keep throwing his way. Now we just need Burrow to throw to him inside the red zone and inside the end zone.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
Before you go believing that multimillionaire Christian Kirk is Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target after the speedy wideout’s two-TD game, remember that Engram was the pass catcher who led the team in targets and receptions in Week 2. The change of scenery is doing Engram’s fantasy value good.
O.J. Howard, Houston Texans
Howard did not score multiple touchdowns for the second game in a row. In fact, he only caught one pass and was looked at just that one time. We knew he was not going to have a 16-TD season, but he is still someone to have on your radar during these early weeks, especially when he has an advantageous matchup.
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
Conklin has 10 receptions and a touchdown through two games, while C.J. Uzomah has zero catches. There is no question which high-priced (maybe overpriced) tight end is the focus of the tight end targets with the Jets. The only issue now for Conklin is finding enough targets and scoring opportunities because New York’s top-three receivers all look great and are deserving of all the targets heading their way.
Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers –
Tonyan has yet to have a breakout game this year as he works his way back from his torn ACL, but he is waiting in the wings to become Aaron Rodgers’ No. 1 red-zone threat. Green Bay’s receiving corps played better against Chicago on Sunday night, but I do not buy for a second that any of those WRs will emerge as a target hog that will freeze Tonyan out of scoring chances.
Do Not Forget About…
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
Are you in a league where Hill qualifies as a tight end even though he still lines up under center and causes havoc on multiple running plays per game? If so, sneaking him on your fantasy squad from the waiver wire is not the worst idea. Hill will always get three-to-six touches per game, with some inside the red zone. That’s a better situation than many fantasy tight ends have these days.
Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings
Smith Jr. posted zeroes across the board in Week 1 while watching teammates like C.J. Ham, Ben Ellefson, and Johnny Mundt catch Kirk Cousins passes. Luckily he did not repeat the feat in Week 2 as he supplied five receptions for 36 yards and his first touchdown of 2022 this past Monday night. Smith Jr. should be a solid TE2 and a possible TE1 if he somehow stays healthy (which is hard for him) and remains Minnesota's third-best option for pass plays behind Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore’s rookie tight end has been targeted nine times in the first two weeks, but you cannot expect much from him if Mark Andrews is alive on getting double-digit targets. Keep an eye on Likely to see if he is getting featured more as the season wears on, and if Andrews suffers an untimely injury, then pounce on Likely quicker than a vegetarian would pounce on a Caesar salad.
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