Best available tight ends on the Week 2 waiver wire

There are some tight ends widely available that either have good matchups heading into Week 2 or had successful Week 1 performances under a new offense. With that in mind, here are five TEs with under 50% ownership at traditional fantasy football leagues that managers can consider picking up in their leagues.

Jimmy Graham, Chicago Bears (5 percent)

The Bears’ obsession with tight ends this past offseason was strange, but it appears like they were able to contain their ridiculous depth at the position. Jimmy Graham holds the top spot. While he only notched three receptions for 25 yards in the season opener he was targeted seven times and managed to find the end zone. If Graham can consistently get this many targets and becomes a reliable red zone threat, he could be a quality tight end without logging a ton of receptions.

O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17 percent)

Everyone jumped on the Rob Gronkowski hype train when he joined the Buccaneers, but Howard was easily the more productive player in Week 1. He hauled in four of his six targets for 36 yards and a score while Gronkowski had a measly two receptions for 11 yards. Tom Brady loves his tight ends, and Howard’s early involvement indicates that neither of the two will be completely phased out of the offense.

Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team (2 percent)

Thomas was led Washington in targets with 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1. While he only caught four of those for 37 yards and a score, it appears like he has little competition at the tight end position and has earned plenty of trust. I wouldn’t bank on him being a top performer every week, but having him to plug in when your regular starter has a bye or gets injured would be smart.

Greg Olsen, Seattle Seahawks (26 percent)

The Seahawks’ offense is looking as dynamic as ever, and Olsen could be in for a resurgence in his first season in Seattle. He caught four of the 31 passes Russell Wilson completed and recorded 24 receiving yards with a score. Not every team has a secondary like the Atlanta Falcons, but it’s safe to say the Seahawks are likely to put up a ton of points. Wilson’s accuracy could make Olsen a quality red zone weapon throughout the year.

C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals (1 percent)

Joe Burrow is bound to throw to A.J. Green more than any other player, but he’s still searching for a No. 2 target. Uzomah is free to thrive now that Tyler Eifert is gone, and he racked up four receptions on five targets in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers’ elite defense. Only Green had more receptions and receiving yards than Uzomah, so the tight end could become one of Burrow’s favorite escape outlets early in the season.