The tight end position matters greatly in fantasy football. Tight ends are not as flashy as their route-running counterparts at wide receiver. Most of them do not normally get the same volume of touches as fantasy-relevant running backs. That can sometimes lead to them being overlooked or treated as an afterthought. Do not make that mistake.
The tight end pool is the shallowest of them all in terms of fantasy. Finding production there weekly can be incredibly challenging, especially for those who did not invest in one of the top options during draft season.
One way to find success at the position is by carefully playing the waiver wire week-to-week. The goal of this weekly article is to help fantasy managers do just that by finding low-rostered tight ends in the best situations for that particular week.
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Week 9 Fantasy Football Tight End Streamers & Waiver Wire Pickups
The following tight ends are rostered in fewer than 75% of Yahoo! leagues.
Theo Johnson (TE – NYG) vs. SF | 24% Rostered
Considering byes and matchups, it’s slim pickings on the tight-end market this week. With that in mind, Theo Johnson is first up, particularly for his red-zone potential.
JAXSON DART'S SECOND TD PASS OF THE FIRST HALF ????
NYGvsNO on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/niBlTC0C5q
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Only five tight ends in the league have as many as nine targets in the red zone this season, with Johnson among them. He has hit paydirt on three of those targets and scored four times overall on the campaign. Given the unfortunate injury to running back Cam Skattebo on Sunday, Johnson should be looked to even more frequently.
The 49ers are not the easiest matchup, but they rank just 22nd against the pass (229.3 yards per game). Johnson has put up double-digit points in PPR formats in three of the last five weeks, with the exceptions being two games against the Eagles. Johnson should find at least a few openings this week.
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI) @ CIN | 22% Rostered
A seriously hyped rookie coming into the season, Colston Loveland has begun to show some of his immense potential recently. The former Michigan star has hauled in multiple passes in three straight games, totaling eight receptions during that stretch. He set a new personal high with 38 receiving yards at Baltimore this past Sunday, securing three of his five targets in the process.
Bears veteran Cole Kmet did miss the game against the Ravens, but the tight end targets were already beginning to trend Loveland’s way. A matchup with the Bengals’ porous defense is a prime opportunity for a true breakout performance for Loveland. Cincinnati’s 30th-ranked pass defense has allowed a whopping 10 touchdowns to opposing tight ends to this point.
AJ Barner (TE – SEA) @ WSH | 7% Rostered
Like the aforementioned Theo Johnson, AJ Barner is a potent weapon in the red zone. The 2024 fourth-round pick has caught all five of his looks inside the 20-yard line this season, scoring on four of them.
AJ Barner breaks the tackle, walks into the end zone, and scores his 2nd TD of the game
TBvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/TmbDLe6vjr
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Barner did disappoint in Week 7 before the Seahawks’ bye, while rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo had his best receiving game to date. Still, Barner out-snapped Arroyo 62 (86%) to 27 (38%).
Barner has a great shot at rebounding on Sunday night. The Commanders’ defensive unit just surrendered 122 yards and a touchdown to Kansas City tight ends on Monday night. Granted, Barner is not Travis Kelce, but he has shown plenty of big-play ability in his sophomore season.
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