X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 5 Tight Ends: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

What’s up Rotoballers? Welcome to my Week 5 tight end waiver wire pickups piece.  In this article you will continue to find plenty of Tight End waiver surprises throughout the year so make sure you check back weekly.  This week we saw Travis Kelce & Larry Donnell bust into the fantasy scene and hopefully you beat everyone to the punch because you read last weeks article right?

To help accommodate your needs in various leagues and formats, I’ll also be looking at deeper sleepers (way off the radar) to make this article a little more unique compared to others. All of my waiver wire recommendations will be organized by priority, so those players closer to the top of the article are more valuable to target. The goal is to recommend both short term tight end options (i.e. matchup plays, injury fill-ins), and also longer term tight end considerations (i.e. emerging rookies). With that said lets get to it!

 

Fantasy Football Tight Ends (TE) – Week 5

Larry Donnell - New York Giants, 45% owned in Fleaflicker  

At this point I don't know why Larry Donnell is available in over half of the leagues out there.  On the season Donnell is a top 5 TE fantasy option by points with 25 catches, 236 yards, & 4 TDs  (avg. 6 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD a game).  Eli Manning has always relied on his tight ends, and last year's distinct absence of a pass catching tight end contributed to Eli's putrid year. As we've seen so far on the season Donnell has become his security blanket on the short routes that Eli has relied on for success the past couple weeks.  If you are looking for a TE1 at a bargain price, open up the FAAB budget for Donnell - he is a no brainer pickup.

Recommendation: Waiver wire pickup in 10+ team leagues (standard, PPR)

 

Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs, 51% owned in Fleaflicker

Travis Kelce has been another player I've been tooting my horn on for quite some time and in week 4 you saw what I was referring to (9 targets, 8 catches, 93 yards, TD).  Kelce was able to showcase his abilities for the world to see on Monday night. If you happened to miss the game let me spare you the details and say that he's going to be a BEAST!  As we all know the Chiefs offense lacks offensive weapons outside of Jamaal Charles and Kelce will become that second weapon for them. Their offense looked infinitely more potent with Kelce playing.  If you are seeking TE waiver option with a ton of upside, look Kelce's way.  He's not far behind Donnell at all as far as potential value for the rest of the season.

Recommendation: Waiver wire pickup in 10+ team leagues (standard, PPR)

 

Heath Miller – Pittsburgh Steelers, 43% owned in Fleaflicker

Ben Roethlisberger is reacquainting himself with the reliability of his tight end Heath Miller. On Sunday in week 4, he targeted Miller 11 times, same as #1 wide receiver Antonio Brown.  In 2012 Miller was heavily used in the Steelers offense and ended the year with 71 catches, 816 yards, & 8 TDs, which had him as solid TE1.  In 2013 Miller was injured and not playing at full strength, which led to a down year and many people forgetting about his reliability going into 2014. Miller is having a bounce back season and at his current pace would be staring at 84 catches, 788 yards, and 4 TDs.  These numbers make Miller a nice startable TE in 12+ team leagues and a bye week fill-in or injury replacement in shallower leagues.  If you were an owner of Pitta, Rudolph, or Reed....Miller would be an ideal solution to your TE woes.

Recommendation: Waiver wire pickup in 12+ team leagues (standard, PPR)

 

Clay Harbor - Jacksonville Jaguars, 0% owned in Fleaflicker

With my last choice this week I'm going to recommend a player that's such a deep sleeper he is 0% owned.  I may be crazy but I feel pretty good about this recommendation.  When the Jacksonville Jaguars lost starting TE Mercedes Lewis to a high ankle sprain (scheduled to return week 11)  the Jaguars needed someone to step up while Lewis was out.  It looks like the Jaguars have found that option in Clay Harbor.  Last week new starting quarterback Blake Bortles showed chemistry with Harbor and frequently targeted him (8 times).  The amount of targets may have been inflated due to the score but the chemistry with Bortles was real.  At this time I'd continue monitoring this situation and see how next week goes, but it's quite possible Harbor could become a nice sneaky PPR pickup.

Recommendation: Continue monitoring 10-14 team PPR leagues

 

More Higher Owned Tight End Waiver Options

45% owned or more in Fleaflicker

Jordan Reed (WAS), Jordan Cameron (CLE), Owen Daniels (BAL), Dwayne Allen (IND)

 

Super Deep Tight End Waiver Options

Less than 20% owned in Fleaflicker

Eric Ebron (DET), Garrett Graham (HOU), Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Logan Paulsen (WAS), Chase Ford (MIN)

 

Recap of Last Week’s Recommendations

I did quite well in week 4 and would have done fantastic if Paul did not get injured.

  • Niles Paul: 4 targets, 3 catches, 60 yards (9.0 PPR points) [did not play full game due to concussion]
  • Larry Donnell: 8 targets, 7 catches, 54 yards, 3 TDs (30.4 PPR points)
  • Travis Kelce: 9 targets, 8 catches, 93 yards, TD (23.3 PPR points)
  • Jared Cook: BYE WEEK

I hope these guys help you in your matchup next week and going forward for the season. If anyone has any specific questions or is looking for any assistance, please feel free to comment on the article directly or send me a message to my twitter account at @businesssoxroto. See you all next week RotoBallers!

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF