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Week 13 will not be unlucky for fantasy footballers when it comes to using their top tight ends. The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers are the two teams on bye this week, and neither boasts a healthy tight end worth rostering in a fantasy league.
The later the season goes, the fewer amount of playable tight ends are available on fantasy waiver wires across the world. There are still some guys out there who can be plugged in for a short-term spot start, though, if your fantasy team is a playoff contender in desperate need of a TE this week.
Without further ado, here are the best tight end waiver wire pickups for Week 13, starting with a familiar name from earlier this year!
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Top Tight Ends to Pickup - Week 13 Waiver Wire
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
Conklin was a fantasy favorite in this column during the first half of the season, but he was probably dropped in most leagues once scattershot Zach Wilson started running the Jets' offense and ran all his receivers' and tight ends' fantasy values into the ground. Conklin had three catches for 22 meaningless yards in the two clunkers leading up to his past weekend’s slate where he had a trio of receptions for 50 yards versus the Chicago Bears.
There are three reasons to love, love, LOVE Conklin in Week 13! One is that Wilson is no longer his quarterback. Mike White is and can get Conklin the ball. The second reason is Conklin’s next game is against a Minnesota Vikings defense that is ranked dead last against the pass. The third reason is that Minnesota is Conklin’s old team, so this will be a revenge game for him, so he will have extra motivation to show the Vikings they messed up for not re-signing him. No doubt Conklin is my best bet on the waiver wire at the tight end position this week.
Other Tight Ends to Consider Adding
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Johnson’s string of good fantasy games came to a crashing and crushing halt against San Francisco on Sunday when he was shut out. The 49ers have been making many pass-catchers look lost in recent weeks, though, so do not take Johnson off your radar just because of one poor outing. The guy had five touchdowns in five games coming into Sunday’s debacle, so he remains one of the top tight ends on waiver wires in most fantasy leagues.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Henry hauled in one touchdown and was robbed by the refs of another on Thanksgiving night. His 63 receiving yards against Minnesota were also his highest output of the season. Henry should continue the trend against a Buffalo Bills defense on Thursday who has allowed two of its past three opposing quarterbacks to throw for over 300 yards against them – and one of them was Jacoby Brissett.
Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals
Another week, another mention. Hurst set season-highs across the board against the Tennessee Titans with six receptions on nine targets for 57 yards. Joe Burrow has been looking for his tight end more than ever with Ja’Marr Chase sidelined. Hurst should have another solid game this weekend against a very beatable Kansas City Chiefs secondary.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans’ scrambling pseudo quarterback caught a pass, threw a pass, and rushed six times against San Francisco on Sunday, but all it got him was 20 measly yards. Hill is a touchdown-dependent option. The problem is he faces Tampa Bay next Monday night, and he has never rushed for a touchdown against the Bucs in eight career contests against them.
Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Waller remains on the injured list with a hamstring as cranky as a sleep-deprived three-year-old. Moreau might not be as dynamic as Waller, but at least he plays. Moreau has now caught touchdown tosses from Derek Carr in two of his past three games and has posted at least 30 receiving yards in five straight contests.
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks
Fant now has a foothold in Seattle’s passing attack. He has caught 11 passes for 164 yards over his past three games and now faces a reeling Los Angeles Rams defense that has allowed tight end touchdowns in four of its last five contests.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
It would have been nice of Engram to give fantasy managers more than four yards on a day when Trevor Lawrence threw for 321, but not matter. The reason to think about picking up and playing Engram this week is that he is slated to go against a Detroit defense that is ranked 29th against the pass and makes every offense look like the 2007 New England Patriots.
Do Not Forget About…
Austin Hooper, Tennessee Titans
I am kicking myself that I did not take the over of 20.5 receiving yards for Hooper this past Sunday. But enough of my betting mistakes. Hooper has now topped the 30-yard plateau in four consecutive games and has two touchdowns over that span. He is a sneaky start as long as Ryan Tannehill can limp around on his balky ankle and keep throwing to him.
Jordan Akins, Houston Texans
Akins did something this past Sunday that no other tight end can say – he scored one touchdown, and helped his opponents score one as well (thanks to a fumble). His 5-61-1 line worked wonders for the one percent of fantasy managers who used him, and he may keep getting a decent amount of targets in Houston’s blowout losses from here on out.
Josh Oliver, Baltimore Ravens
The bloom is off Isaiah Likely’s rose after Oliver stepped in for the injured rookie and had a career day against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Baltimore’s No. 3 TE had four catches for 76 yards and a TD and might be in line for more targets and opportunities if Likely cannot suit up the next game or two.
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos
I know Russell Wilson is terrible. I know the Broncos' offense is terrible. And I know Dulcich only has 51 yards over his last three games. But he will be trying to get open this Sunday against a Baltimore defensive backfield (27th vs. the pass) with more holes in it than a Dunkin’ Donuts, and he should have no trouble catching a few passes.
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Ferguson’s fantasy value has a low ceiling since Cowboys top tight end Dalton Schultz is healthy and catching every Dak Prescott red-zone pass, but he is coming off a career-high 57-yard game and is seeing more passes every week because Dallas has a dearth of wide receivers.
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