FantasyPros Staff | Mon, Oct 27th 2025, 4:02am EDT

Top 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight Ends (Week 9)

We will have you covered throughout the fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential fantasy football waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top fantasy football waiver wire tight ends to target for the week below. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for the week.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Tight Ends

Tight Ends

Written by Derek Brown

Colston Loveland (TE – CHI): 22% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CIN, NYG, @MIN
True Value: $3
Desperate Need: $5
Budget-Minded: $2

Analysis: Colston Loveland assumed an every-down role for Chicago in Week 8 with Cole Kmet sidelined with a back injury. After Kmet missed the entire week of practice last week, I will be shocked if he is back for Week 9, so it looks like we’ll get another nice streamable week for Loveland and a wonderful matchup incoming. Loveland played 80.9% of the snaps with a 78% route share and 11.7% target share, per Pro Football Focus (PFF) in Week 8. He turned that into only three receptions and 38 receiving yards, but I think he could boost those numbers this week. Cincinnati has allowed the most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, per Fantasy Points Data. Stream Loveland this week.

Harold Fannin Jr. (TE – CLE): 46% Rostered

Next Opponents: BYE, @NYJ, BAL
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Harold Fannin Jr. entered Week 8 with a 67.5% route share, an 18.4% target share, 43.3 receiving yards per game, 1.65 yards per route run and a 20% first-read share in games with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, per Fantasy Points Data. In those three games, he had one weekly finish in TE1 range (TE7). Against the Patriots, Fannin had a 22.8% target share that he turned into six receptions, 62 receiving yards and a score. It was a strong outing for the rookie. After his bye, hopefully Fannin can keep the train rolling against the Jets and Ravens, who, respectively, rank 16th and 13th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game allowed to tight ends, per Fantasy Points Data. At the very least, he’ll be a decent streaming option in those weeks.

Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ): 29% Rostered

Next Opponents: BYE, CLE, @NE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Mason Taylor has had some standout moments this season, and Week 8 was another one. He had a 24.2% target share with five receptions and 34 receiving yards. He led the team in targets against the Bengals, who were an amazing matchup for Taylor, so I don’t expect that weekly, especially when Garrett Wilson returns. I do expect Taylor to have a strong streaming appeal in Week 11 against the Patriots, who have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points per game and the 11th-most yards per reception to tight ends.

AJ Barner (TE – SEA): 7% Rostered

Next Opponents: @WSH, ARI, @LAR
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: AJ Barner has three TE1 weekly finishes this season. He also has a 61.2% route share with a 10.2% target share, 1.66 yards per route run and a 9.6% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Barner has five red-zone targets and two deep targets. He is a solid streaming option at tight end over the next two weeks. Washington is 17th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game, while Arizona has allowed the fifth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Jonnu Smith (TE – PIT): 20% Rostered

Next Opponents: IND, @LAC, CIN
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: In Weeks 6 & 7 (yes … six … seven), Jonnu Smith had a 74.2% route share with a 15.6% target share, 23 receiving yards per game, 0.94 yards per route run and an 11.4% first-read share. In those two games, he had two red-zone targets and one deep target. Smith turned in a sleepy stat line against the Packers with only three targets, two receptions, 17 receiving yards and a botched two-point conversion attempt. While his usage will remain volatile week to week, Smith is a low-end streaming option at tight end in two of the next three weeks. Indy and Cincy have, respectively, allowed the fourth-most and the most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends, per Fantasy Points Data.

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