RADIO
Week 10 is not a week for faint-of-heart fantasy football players.
A half-dozen teams are on bye this week. In fact, it is the only week during the NFL regular season that six squads are off, and it comes when the fantasy season is in its most crucial stage. Fantasy players will have to live without Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz and Houston’s Darren Fells, although luckily the rest of the tight ends missing this week do not have much relevance fantasy-wise these days. But if you are an Ertz or Fells owner who needs a replacement this week, or someone looking for a low-cost option for DFS contests, keep reading.
Without further ado, here are my tight end waiver wire picks for Week 10!
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TE Waiver Wire Options for Week 10
Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins – 19% owned
Gesicki is finally getting the hang of how to be a tight end in the NFL. The second-year man has caught 15 passes for 197 yards over his past four games and has the raw ability to end up being one of the top-two options in Miami’s passing attack real soon, partly because of his skillset and partly because of Miami’s lack of above-average wide receivers on its roster.
You know what I like most about Gesicki? His schedule. Between Week 12 and Week 16, the most crucial five-week stretch in fantasy football, he faces Cleveland, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and both New York football squads. All of those pass defenses have had their fair share of difficulties this season, and Gesicki’s next opponent, Indianapolis, is a middle-of-the-pack pass defense itself. Gesicki is getting better while the defenses he is matched up against are getting worse. Now that three of Gesicki’s past four games have been solid, it is safe to say he is not a fluke and can be a fantasy factor from here on out.
Noah Fant, Denver Broncos – 32% owned
I know Fant is on a bye this week. That does not mean you simply ignore him, especially if you have fantasy playoff aspirations this year or want to build a dynasty in your dynasty league for years to come.
Now that Joe Flacco has been sidelined for the season, Fant has a new lease on life with Brandon Allen as his partner-in-passing. Fant played like a runaway train in Allen’s first NFL start, grabbing three passes for 115 yards including a 75-yard touchdown that showed off his speed and strength. There is a reason Fant was drafted in the first round this past April. That touchdown should show you why. Pick him up now before he has another great game and someone else beats you to him.
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams – 52% owned
Sometimes fantasy owners quickly forget about players who were just on a bye week. That may happen with Everett, who has averaged 50-plus yards per week over his past five games and should have an expanded role in the Rams passing attack if concussed Brandin Cooks cannot suit up. It is worth remembering that Everett’s amazing 136-yard game earlier this season against Seattle happened in a game where Cooks had left in the first quarter with a different concussion.
Everett will battle a Pittsburgh pass defense that allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Hoyer to combine for five touchdown passes against it the past two weeks. He should be well-rested coming off his bye and should be featured early and often, for as long as Cooks remains in concussion protocol.
Other Options to Consider
Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans – 31% owned
Smith’s shine got dulled a bit thanks to a fantasy clunker against Carolina’s staunch pass defense, but you cannot overlook that he has a dozen receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown over his last three contests. If Delanie Walker misses another game this week, Smith could certainly bounce back against a beatable Kansas City secondary.
Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts – 35% owned
Indy’s No. 2 tight end could be your No. 1 choice on the waiver wire considering he will be “covered” by Miami’s incompetent defensive backfield in Week 10. Doyle has been on the field more often in recent games than his fellow tight end Eric Ebron. Add in that top wideout T.Y. Hilton should miss another game or two due to injury, meaning Doyle’s target total could be higher than normal this Sunday. One issue is that backup-to-the-stars Brian Hoyer could be Doyle’s signal-caller this week, which brings Doyle’s fantasy value down a notch.
Ryan Griffin, New York Jets – 9% owned
I have lost faith in thinking Chris Herndon is ever coming back in a full capacity this season. There is no reason to rush him back now that Griffin thinks he is the next Mickey Shuler! Griffin has 10 catches for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns in New York’s last two losses and will face a New York Giants pass defense that has been ranked near the bottom of the league all season long. You could do worse for one week.
Don’t Forget About…
Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks – 3% owned
It is hard to put a lot of fantasy stock in an undrafted third-year player who entered the 2019 campaign with a not-so-grand total of eight receptions. Hollister did catch two touchdown tosses from Russell Wilson this past weekend, however, and Wilson loves throwing to his tight ends in the red zone as much as Marie Kondo loves to organize. Keep an eye on him but do not expect much from him next Monday against San Francisco’s powerful pass defense.
Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings – 20% owned
Smith Jr. cannot be counted upon to provide any fantasy punch this season, but he is stashable in dynasty leagues because his fantasy future is rosier than his fantasy present. Smith Jr. is averaging 37.5 yards per game over his past four outings and has seen more targets in the wake of Adam Thielen’s hamstring injury, but his fantasy value will only take flight if Minnesota moves on from Kyle Rudolph this offseason.
