Week 9 in fantasy football was the week of the streamer tight end’s massive success. Seven of the top ten tight ends in half-PPR scoring heading into Monday Night Football are under 40% rostered in Yahoo leagues. Only Brock Bowers, Jake Ferguson, and Trey McBride (who had a rushing touchdown!) could compete with the likes of Mike Gisecki, Josh Oliver, and Theo Johnson.

For fantasy managers struggling to find consistency at the tight end position, matchups now play a key role in picking up players who might succeed weekly. Each of this week’s recommendations are rostered below 50% and have outstanding matchups ahead for Week 10.

This weekly column helps identify tight ends that are strong streaming options for the week ahead. Whether it’s due to bye weeks, injuries or overall lack of production, these tight ends are often widely available on the waiver wire (all are fewer than 50% rostered in Yahoo! leagues) and have matchups worth exploiting for fantasy football rosters.

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Fantasy Football Tight End Streamers & Waiver Wire Pickups

Taysom Hill (TE/QB – NOS) vs. Atlanta Falcons | 37% Rostered

Our old fantasy friend/nemesis Taysom Hill is back in our lives after rushing for 19 yards and a touchdown while also catching four balls for 41 yards on Sunday. With all of Rashid Shaheed, Jamaal Williams, Bub Means, and Chris Olave missing all or most of this game, Taysom Hill was deployed early and often. With Olave likely to miss a significant amount of time with multiple concussions, Hill may be fantasy-relevant for some time.

Nothing’s Impossible for Taysom Hill ???? pic.twitter.com/DkMTQdtaNS

– Saints Happy Hour Podcast (@SaintsHappyHour) November 3, 2024

The Saints might lean heavily on his versatility at quarterback, tight end, and running back with stodgy Dennis Allen now fired and out of New Orleans. Look for Klint Kubiak to start trying to push the pace and the creativity on offense, using Hill all over the field. Next up, the Saints face divisional rival Atlanta, who allows the 11th most fantasy points to tight ends this season, including just allowing Jake Ferguson to catch seven of 10 targets for 71 yards in the Falcons’ Week 9 victory over the Cowboys.

The last time Hill faced the Atlanta Falcons back in Week 4, he scored two rushing touchdowns and had one of his best fantasy games of the year.

Mike Gesicki (TE – CIN) vs. Baltimore Ravens | 13% Rostered

Mike Gesicki is the current TE1 on the week, almost lapping the field with 24.5 half-PPR points compared to just 14.5 points for the week’s current TE2. No Tee Higgins for the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday meant Gisecki saw massive opportunity and usage against the hapless Las Vegas Raiders. Despite playing just under 40% of his team’s snaps, Gesicki caught five balls for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He was second only to Ja’Marr Chase in targets and looks to have secured a massive role going forward.

“The griddy’s never feel smooth… but they do feel good” – @mikegesicki ????

Performance of The Game | #GuinnessUS pic.twitter.com/Yb8SHiHcFR

– Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 4, 2024

Even if Tee Higgins returns as soon as Week 10, Gesicki is locked into a strong target share in this offense. Rookie tight end Erick All, who played more than 20% of snaps on Sunday, tore his ACL, and Gesicki could consume his role. The matchup is also another thing working in his favor this week. The Bengals are back visiting the Ravens in Week 10, and Baltimore allows the fifth-most points to the tight end position. In Week 5, the game between these two teams ended with 79 total points and five touchdown passes for quarterback Joe Burrow (he also threw five in Week 9). If your team is tight end desperate heading into Week 10, it’s time to open up the FAAB wallet for Gesicki before this high-scoring divisional matchup rolls around.

Jonnu Smith (TE – MIA) vs. Los Angeles Rams | 9% Rostered

The beginning of the 2024 season started out painfully slow for tight end Jonnu Smith in his first season with Miami. Through the first four weeks, Smith had just 13 total targets and nine catches for 78 yards. But around the time of the Dolphins’ bye week in Week 6, things began to change, and it’s clear that there is a concerted effort to get Smith the ball so he can make moves in space. Over his last four games, he has 27 targets, 21 receptions, 224 yards, and a touchdown, blowing away what he did in his first four games.

Against Buffalo on Sunday, even with the team back at full strength on offense, Smith finished with five catches on six targets for 46 yards. His next matchup is his best one of the season as the Dolphins travel to the Los Angeles Rams to play a team that allows the third-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. Noah Fant unfortunately missed the Week 9 game against the Rams, but Los Angeles allowed Josh Oliver to get over 30 yards and a touchdown in Week 8. I have a feeling there will be some schemed plays for Jonnu Smith this week as the Dolphins – desperate to win a game – seek to exploit one of the Rams’ most glaring weaknesses.

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