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 tight end 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 70%) tight ends in the best situations for that particular week.
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Tight End Waiver Wire Options for Week 17
Rostered Percentages based on Yahoo! Leagues as of the time of writing.
Darren Waller (NYG) vs. Los Angeles Rams: 66% Rostered
It seems quite odd to be recommending Waller as a waiver-wire add, but here we are. Due to inconsistent play from the New York Giants offense and an injury that kept him out for five weeks, Waller has come up far short of the expectations many had for him back in fantasy draft season. That disappointment has led, however, to the possibility of the veteran tight end being available for desperate managers at this late juncture.
Waller has been back on the field for each of the past two weeks, playing 42% and 63% of the snaps respectively. In that span, he has caught 6-of-11 targets for 72 yards, including a couple of plays of 20 or more yards. This Sunday, Waller will face a Rams defense that has surrendered three touchdowns to the tight end position over their past four games.
Gerald Everett (LAC) at Denver Broncos: 42% Rostered
The Los Angeles Chargers might have dropped yet another game this past Saturday, but Everett maintained his volume in the offense, seeing eight targets for the third consecutive week. This time, he hauled in a season-best seven passes for 42 yards.
Everett has a limited ceiling yardage-wise, as he has finished between 39 and 44 receiving yards each of the last five weeks. He’s nothing if not consistent. A matchup with the Denver defense provides a real opportunity for him to maybe bust out a bit. The Broncos have given up the second-most yards to opposing tight ends this season and are the only team to allow double-digit touchdowns (10) to the position.
Chigoziem Okonkwo (TEN) at Houston Texans: 32% Rostered
He waited all the way until Week 16, but Okonkwo finally scored his first touchdown of the season this past Sunday in Seattle.
DERRICK HENRY TD PASS
?: #SEAvsTEN on CBS
?: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/UIg1XAk0MB pic.twitter.com/FM0dZ4GZjo— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2023
Okonkwo caught that 12-yard touchdown pass from running back Derrick Henry via a nifty play design in the red zone. However, Okonkwo also secured all five of his targets from quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was making his first start in more than two months, for an additional 51 yards.
After setting new season highs with six receptions and 63 yards, Okonkwo will have a great shot at another strong output on the road in Houston this week. The Texans are tied for the most receptions allowed to opposing tight ends this season and have given up the fifth-most yards to the position. Okonkwo has now caught at least three passes in five consecutive weeks, finishing with 45 or more yards in four of them. He will look to keep the momentum going toward a solid finish to his second NFL campaign.
Nate Miller is a featured writer at FantasyPros and a 9-year veteran of the fantasy sports industry. For more from Nate, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @Miller_RotoDad.
