Finding a stable tight end for your fantasy football lineup can be challenging, especially if you don’t have top-tier players like Travis Kelce or TJ Hockenson. The position is notoriously difficult to predict, but we’ve identified a waiver wire pickup who’s been performing on par with these high-end options and is still available in 45% of ESPN leagues.
Below, we’ll take a look at that player along with three other TE pickups for Week 12.
Fantasy football waiver wire: TE pickups for Week 12
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders
Rostership: 57.4%
In leagues with 10 or fewer teams, Thomas could still be available on the fantasy waiver wire, but he’s likely rostered in leagues bigger than that. After all, the Commanders’ TE has seen five or more targets in five consecutive outings while averaging a steady 10.08 fantasy points per game (PPR scoring) over that span.
There’s a good chance Thomas will continue to see a fair amount of targets as the Commanders will likely air it out against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
Rostership: 55%
Hill is in the same boat as Thomas, where there’s a good chance somebody has claimed him in leagues with 12 or more teams. However, it’s still worth checking, as I was surprised that Hill’s rostership is only at 55%. Maybe some fantasy enthusiasts dropped him due to the Week 11 bye?
Serving his “super-utility” role for the Saints, Hill has scored 20-plus fantasy points (PPR scoring) in two of his last three games. He checks in as the fourth-ranked TE between Week 6-to-11 while averaging 15.3 fantasy points over that span, only trailing Travis Kelce, TJ Hockenson, and George Kittle. A nice Week 12 matchup at the forgiving Atlanta Falcons defense awaits.
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rostership: 26.8%
Otton had a fantastic Week 9 performance against the Houston Texans, catching 6-of-9 targets for 70 yards and two touchdowns. However, he flopped with only two receptions for 10 yards in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans before posting four catches for 49 yards at the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday. In summary: he’s a boom-or-bust fantasy tight end.
Still, it’s nice that Otton has some fantasy upside in his back pocket. Otton is averaging 10.8 fantasy points per game (PPR scoring) over his last five. He has a strong Week 12 matchup at the Indianapolis Colts, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Rostership: 0.9%
You could argue that Likely is one of the best options on this list. Mark Andrews’ season-ending ankle injury paves the way for Likely to step into a crucial role, and you could argue that he’s one of the best options on this list. The Ravens like getting the tight end position involved, so Likely should get plenty of chances to make a fantasy impact.
Despite receiving just one target after Andrews’ departure from Thursday’s game, Likely still managed to run the second-highest number of routes among the team’s pass-catchers, a positive sign for his fantasy outlook. Likely has the potential to rank as a top-10 fantasy tight end for the rest of the season, offering a promising option for those searching for stability at the position.