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Welcome RotoBallers to our tight ends fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 2 of the 2024 season! Usually it would be a little early to be shopping for a tight end -- unless you drafted Noah Gray to be your only TE, or you are as impatient as George Steinbrenner used to be when he was owner of the New York Yankees. But suddenly tight ends are in high demand for this week's waiver wire.
Both David Njoku (ankle) and Jake Ferguson (knee) sustained injuries on Sunday, while early-round pick Mark Andrews was outplayed by Isaiah Likely. So maybe you need a tight end since yours is nicked up. Or maybe you are ready to demote Travis Kelce or Dalton Kincaid because of their lackluster opening weeks. Whatever the reason you need a tight end for Week 2, you came to the right place.
Without further ado, here are the best tight end waiver wire pickups for Week 2, beginning with the top tight end from Thursday night’s NFL opener – a man who outplayed both Kelce and Mark Andrews.
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Top Tight Ends to Pickup - Week 2 Waiver Wire
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
The first game of the NFL season introduced many to the best tight end fantasy managers will find on the waiver wire all season. We all know Likely has receiver-like skills and has been a fantasy force whenever he has filled in for the aforementioned Andrews in Baltimore.
The hurdle that always dented Likely’s fantasy value was Andrews. If Andrews was healthy, he was commandeering all the snaps and targets. Now, that obstacle does not seem to matter after what we witnessed this past Thursday night.
ISAIAH LIKELY SO GOOD
📺: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wusReXzb9I— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024
Likely beat Andrews 12-2 in the target race and racked up nine receptions for 111 yards and a TD. He will be a vital part of the Ravens passing attack from here on out after this breakout performance.
He may have an occasional clunker on Sundays where the Ravens run more than pass or when Andrews is the TE getting featured more often. But Likely is a must-pickup in all fantasy formats this week.
Other Tight Ends to Consider Adding
Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
Okonkwo was actually able to score a touchdown in Week 1 despite having ball-hogging wideouts Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins sharing the field with him. Tennessee’s top tight end will not litter stat sheets with 10-target games and will have to pick his spots in the passing attack, but he is a solid TE2 with fantasy upside if Will Levis improves his passing in the coming weeks.
Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams
Parkinson was signed since longtime starter Tyler Higbee is recovering from a torn ACL. The long-haired folk hero did a nice job in the Rams’ opening game, catching four out of the five passes thrown to him for 47 yards. Given that Pro Bowl pass-catcher Puka Nacua will time on the IR with his latest knee injury, Parkinson will be elevated in the target pecking order for the Rams.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
While we should take New Orleans’ 47-point outburst with a shaker of salt due to Carolina’s ineptitude, the fact of the matter is the Saints have a very impressive trio at tight end with Johnson, Taysom Hill, and veteran Foster Moreau.
Johnson caught a pair of passes for 26 yards and a score this past Sunday and has always been an above-average player inside the red zone. It remains to be seen if he's the true TE1 given his June foot surgery that slowed his ramp-up. Moreau is also currently in the concussion protocol.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
The multidimensional Hill was held to 35 rushing yards and one catch in Week 1 as he and WR Chris Olave were seemingly the only Saints who did not have huge fantasy days. Do not expect the trend to continue, as Hill has always been a feast-or-famine fantasy player. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is still using him a lot, so that will translate into TDs for Hill throughout the season.
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Otton does not have the physical gifts of a playmaker like Kelce or Likely. He is just a sure-handed safety valve who has a little extra value in PPR leagues where his five-yard grabs mean more. After seeing Baker Mayfield play like he was back in Oklahoma feasting on Kansas’ defenses in Week 1, Otton could be in for some decent weeks once his number is called.
Do Not Forget About…
Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
The new era of the Commanders is well underway, with franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels running the offense, and while fellow rookie Ben Sinnott is the tight end of the future, Ertz will provide a veteran presence early on that Daniels can rely on. He can be a helpful TE2 for a fantasy squad for the first half of the season until Sinnott is weaved into the offense more.
Jordan Akins, Cleveland Browns
If David Njoku’s ankle injury keeps him out of a couple of games, Akins would be the next man up in Cleveland. The former Houston Texan gargantuan had three catches for 27 yards in Week 1 and will keep the seat warm for Njoku until he is ready to return.
Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas Cowboys
With starting tight end Jake Ferguson scheduled for an MRI that could make or break his season, Schoonmaker’s fantasy value could rise from the ashes like a phoenix, depending on the results. Dallas and Dak Prescott always love pass plays geared for their tight ends, so Schoonmaker could quickly become a top-15 fantasy TE if he has to step in for Ferguson.
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Kraft was banged up during the preseason and behind Luke Musgrave on the depth chart entering Week 1, yet he ended up with two grabs for 37 yards against Philadelphia on Friday while Musgrave was held without a catch. How Green Bay’s tight end twosome fares this season bears watching. Unfortunately, fantasy teams may have to wait for Jordan Love's return from a knee injury for this to matter.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
I know Jacoby Brissett is his quarterback. I know he was outgained by tight end teammate Austin Hooper in Week 1. You cannot give up on this veteran playmaker, though. Henry scored six touchdowns in 14 games last year and is on a team with a below-average receiving corps, so do not forget about him.
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