What's up, ballers? The season has come and mostly gone, and now we're weeks away from the fantasy football playoffs. Are you ready? As usual, I'll be recommending week 13's best waiver wire pickups at tight end. While tight ends are very unpredictable week to week, and it’s especially difficult to get consistent results from outside the top seven, we're not going to stop trying to find the best tight end waiver wire options for you week for week 13.
All of my waiver wire recommendations will be organized by priority, so those players closer to the top of the article are the more valuable ones to target. To help make it easier, I will clearly indicate levels of waiver pickup importance. With that said, let’s get to it!
Fantasy Football Tight Ends (TE) – Week 13
Niles Paul (TE, WAS) - 28% owned in Fleaflicker
With Jordan Reed still recovering from injury, I am going to recommend Niles Paul as the top waiver option this week. Paul will be facing the Colts, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing TEs. Last week, Washington only targeted Paul twice, his lowest target count during a start all season. I anticipate that his targets will increase back up into the six-to-seven range this week. The key to Paul's value is Jordan Reed's health, and at this time, I don't expect Reed to play.
Recommendation:Waiver wire pickup in 12+ team leagues (standard, PPR)
Travis Kelce (TE, KC) - 68% owned in Fleaflicker
I've recommended Kelce more than once this season. This week, he'll be facing the Broncos, who have given up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing TEs. In Week 2, Kelce had a solid game against Denver, with four catches for 81 yards. I anticipate that Kelce will be shooting for an encore showing. In the last four weeks, the Broncos defense have allowed Antonio Gates, Rob Gronkowski and Mychal Rivera all to score TDs. With Kelce's size and hands, I expect that he'll be getting in the end zone, too. Moving forward, Kelce also has a nice matchup in Week 14 versus Arizona. This makes him a valuable waiver pickup for your playoffs.
Recommendation: Waiver wire pickup in 12+ team leagues (standard, PPR)
Tight End (TE) for Deeper Leagues
Tim Wright (TE, NE) - 20% owned in Fleaflicker
In the last seven games, Tim Wight has become a red zone weapon for the Patriots, scoring six TDs. During that time, Wright has received 21 total targets (three per game). This is evidence of Wright's usage-- a small set of offensive packages primarily in the red zone. During that seven-game span, though, Wright also had two games with no targets at all. If you're in a standard league, Wright is a nice option to consider this week versus the Packers-- this one could be a high-scoring game. Overall, Wright isn't a particularly good PPR option, given the limited opportunities. In two-TE leagues, Wright is someone you should look to add off waivers, though.
Recommendation: Waiver pickup 14+ team or two-TE leagues waiver pickup
Honorable Mentions
Garrett Graham (HOU), Mychal Rivera (OAK), Charles Clay (MIA), Jared Cook (STL), Jacob Tamme (DEN), Jace Amaro (NYJ), Scott Chandler (BUF)
Waiver Wire Tight Ends (TE) for Shallower Leagues
Larry Donnell (NYG), Coby Fleener (IND), Heath Miller (PIT), Kyle Rudolph (MIN)
Recap of Last Week’s Recommendations
Sadly my recommendations were busts once again. I did not expect to see Fleener or Paul underproduce.
- Coby Fleener: 4 targets, 2 catches, 28 yards (4.8 PPR points)
- Niles Paul: 2 targets, 1 catches, 11 yards (2.6 PPR points)
- Zach Ertz: 6 targets, 4 catches, 30 yards (7 PPR points)
- Marcedes Lewis: 3 targets, 1 catches, -5 yards (0.5 PPR points)
- Jacob Tamme: 1 target, 1 catch, -1 yards (0.9 PPR points)
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, hit me up @businesssoxroto. See you all next week, RotoBallers!