The tight-end position matters greatly in fantasy football. They are not as flashy as their blazing-fast, route-running counterparts at wide receiver. They also do not get the same volume of touches as fantasy-relevant running backs. That can sometimes lead to them being overlooked or treated as an afterthought. Do not make that mistake.
The tight-end pool is the shallowest of them all in terms of fantasy. Finding production there on a weekly basis can be incredibly challenging, especially for those who did not invest in one of the top TE options during their drafts.
How might one find success at the position? Well, one way can be by carefully playing the waiver wire week-to-week. The goal of this weekly article is to help fantasy managers do just that by finding low-rostered (under 75%) TEs in the best situations for that particular week.
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Tight End Waiver Wire Options for Week 7
Rostered Percentages based on Yahoo! Leagues as of Oct. 17
Luke Musgrave (GB) at Denver Broncos: 19% Rostered
Coming off a bye week, the Packers’ passing game has had two weeks to prepare for the 30th-ranked Broncos’ secondary (268.0 passing yards per game). After struggling mightily in a Week 5 loss to the Raiders, the Packers’ offense will be looking to rebound. Luke Musgrave led the team with six receptions in Week 5, marking the second time in three games the rookie has caught that many passes from QB Jordan Love. Musgrave is a playmaker, and he should get the opportunity to make several on Sunday.
Jonnu Smith (ATL) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 19% Rostered
Apparently, most folks are still doubting if Jonnu Smith and fellow Falcons’ TE Kyle Pitts can put up fantasy points at the same time. Well, they have done it two weeks in a row now. Second-year QB Desmond Ridder found both Smith and Pitts with touchdown passes this past Sunday.
That was Smith’s first time finding the end zone this season, but he has at least four receptions and five targets in each of the last five games.
Michael Mayer (OAK) at Chicago Bears: 5% Rostered
The Raiders finally made a serious effort to get Michael Mayer involved in the offense in a Week 6 win over the Patriots. The rookie TE was on the field for 57 of 70 offensive in the victory, hauling in five of his six targets for 75 yards. The receptions and targets set new highs for the second-rounder from Notre Dame. This Sunday, Mayer will take on a Bears’ defense that is one of only two in the league that has allowed 40 or more receptions to opposing tight ends.
Trey McBride (ARI) at Seattle Seahawks: 1% Rostered
Like Mayer, Trey McBride recorded new season-highs in targets and receptions in Week 6. Also like Mayer, McBride was a second-round selection for whom many around the fantasy world have had high hopes. The second-year TE displayed his solid potential this past Sunday, hauling in four of five targets for 62 yards in a loss to the Rams. Also of note, McBride topped his veteran teammate Zach Ertz in snaps (44-35) for the first time in Week 6. That could mark the start of a trend toward the younger talent. If so, McBride has another shot at a nice performance against Seattle’s 28th-ranked pass defense in Week 7.
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Nate Miller is a featured writer at FantasyPros and a nine-year veteran of the fantasy sports industry. For more from Nate, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @Miller_RotoDad.