Fantasy football managers are always searching for key lineup upgrades, especially at tight end. This week’s waiver wire includes options who could see increased roles based on recent developments and team circumstances.
Certain players have shown promising usage but remain widely available in fantasy leagues. Consider looking beyond the obvious names — there are intriguing options worth investigating for your next matchup.
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at BUF)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton is still somehow available on waivers in most leagues, despite the team’s decimated receiving corps. With the Buccaneers playing from behind for much of their Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots, Otton was targeted 12 times.
That takes his tally to 26 targets over his last three games, and the strong usage should continue with Chris Godwin still a doubt to return this weekend. Mike Evans remains on IR, and with Godwin also out, Otton is the second or third best receiving weapon on Tampa Bay’s offense.
Rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka should continue to dominate, and Tez Johnson is more of a big-play threat, but Otton is a reliable, high-volume pass catcher. The Buccaneers won’t always be playing from behind, but they face the Buffalo Bills this weekend, with Josh Allen and Co. looking to rebound from a disappointing loss.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (at TEN)
As ridiculous as it sounds, Dalton Schultz might actually benefit from an extra week of Davis Mills, rather than the return of C.J. Stroud. Stroud began the week still in concussion protocol after leaving the team’s Week 9 loss early and missing Week 10 entirely.
Though Stroud is obviously the better quarterback, Schultz was targeted 11 times by Mills in Week 10, his most targets since 2023. He also received his first touchdown of the season, on only his second target inside the 10-yard line this year.
READ MORE: Fantasy Football Streamers Week 11: Top Options Include Joe Flacco, Jacoby Brissett, and Cade Otton
The Texans face the Tennessee Titans this weekend, and there is considerably less likelihood of them playing from behind, especially if Stroud returns. Regardless of the situation, though, Schultz is another reliable tight end who now has three top-seven fantasy weeks in his last four games, with only one touchdown.
Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills (vs. TB)
I resisted what would have been the obvious inclusion of Luke Musgrave in last week’s streamers article, after Tucker Kraft’s injury in Week 9. Unlike Musgrave, though, Dawson Knox has a solid history of receiving usage and is a trusted target for his reigning MVP quarterback.
Before the Bills drafted Dalton Kincaid in 2023, Knox was the TE15 in FPPG in 2022, catching 48 of 65 targets for 517 yards and six touchdowns. It’s unlikely that Knox will inherit all of Kincaid’s work, but he should definitely receive a bump this weekend.
*Sidenote: The Steelers will almost certainly produce a top-12 fantasy tight end this week, so you can play whack-a-mole with those three if you’d like. Additionally, there has been no news (at the time of writing) of a quarterback change for the New York Jets; however, Mason Taylor would be a weekly start if Tyrod Taylor were to replace Justin Fields.
