FantasyPros Staff | Mon, Oct 20th 2025, 4:56am EDT

Top 6 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight Ends (Week 8)

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 Week 8.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Tight Ends

Tight Ends

Written by Derek Brown

Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ): 39% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CIN, BYE, CLE
True Value: $3
Desperate Need: $5
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Well, the Jets squandered another plus matchup for Mason Taylor in Week 7. Taylor finished with only a 14.7% target share, three receptions and 31 receiving yards, as quarterback Justin Fields played poorly enough to be benched. If Tyrod Taylor is the starting quarterback moving forward, the Mason Taylor train might get back on track. In Weeks 4-5, Taylor was the TE11 and TE8, respectively, in weekly scoring. In Weeks 4-6, Taylor had a 22.2% target share, 44.7 receiving yards per game (1.41 yards per route run) and a 22.4% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Taylor could return to the TE1 realm this week against a Cincy defense that has surrendered the third-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Oronde Gadsden II (TE – LAC): 3% Rostered

Next Opponents: MIN, @TEN, PIT
True Value: $3
Desperate Need: $5
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: In Week 6, Oronde Gadsden II became the Chargers’ full-time tight end with a 69.2% route share, a 21.1% target share, 68 receiving yards (2.52 yards per route run) and a 31.6% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. He even saw an end-zone target. He was the TE12 for the week. Gadsden made that look like a weak-sauce box score in Week 7. He destroyed the Colts in comeback mode with a 77% route share, a 16.3% target share, 164 receiving yards and a score. I’m not expecting these types of numbers weekly from him, but Gadsden could easily be a TE1 again this week. Minnesota has allowed the 10th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Juwan Johnson (TE – NO): 30% Rostered

Next Opponents: TB, @LAR, @CAR
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: In Weeks 4-6, Juwan Johnson saw his role in the offense shrink. While his route share stayed steady, his target and first-read shares slipped. Johnson reversed the trend in Week 7. Against the Bears, he had a 71.4% snap share, an 83.7% route share and a 22.5% target share, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), which he turned into 79 receiving yards. Johnson could keep the good vibes rolling in Week 8 against a Buccaneers pass defense that has allowed the ninth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Colston Loveland (TE – CHI): 22% Rostered

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

Analysis: Cole Kmet left last week’s game with a back injury. Assuming Cole Kmet is out this week, Loveland could easily return TE1 value in a full-time role against Baltimore. Entering Week 7, Loveland had turned his 38.6% route share into a 16% target per route run rate, 0.96 yards per route run and a 9.8% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Against the Saints, he had a 62.9% route share, a 17.3% target share and 24 receiving yards, per PFF. The Ravens have allowed the 12th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Jonnu Smith (TE – PIT): 19% Rostered

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

Analysis: Across his last two games, Jonnu Smith has had a 74.2% route share, a 15.6% target share, 23 receiving yards per game and an 11.4% first-read share. Last week, he had 28 receiving yards and a score in a nice matchup against the Bengals. He could produce similar numbers this week in a plus-matchup against Green Bay. The Packers have allowed the fifth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Cade Otton (TE – TB): 42% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NO, BYE, NE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Entering Week 7’s game against the Lions, Cade Otton has re-emerged in the Tampa Bay offense across his last two games, with 12.1 and 10.1 PPR points as the TE13 and TE17, respectively, in weekly scoring. Over his last two games, Otton has had a 19.6% target share, 66 receiving yards per game (3.07 yards per route run) and an 11.1% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Fast-forwarding to Week 8, Otton offers decent streaming appeal at tight end against a Saints secondary that has allowed the 14th-most receiving yards to tight ends.

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