The waiver wire is where fantasy football championships are won and lost, separating the truly committed managers from casual competitors. While your draft may have set the foundation, it’s the shrewd pickups and strategic streaming decisions that often determine playoff positioning.
This week’s tight end landscape offers several intriguing options that could provide the edge you need. From breakout candidates to volume-driven plays, these under-rostered targets represent genuine opportunities to upgrade your lineup without spending significant FAAB or priority claims.
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Rostered: 22%
Brenton Strange stepped into the starting role following Evan Engram’s departure and appears positioned for consistent targets in Jacksonville’s passing attack. The third-year tight end from Penn State has shown flashes when given opportunities and should benefit from being the clear top option at the position. His route-running ability and red zone size make him an intriguing streaming candidate.
Strange caught all 4 of his targets for 59 yards in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ victory over the Carolina Panthers. The volume wasn’t quite there, but Trevor Lawrence only threw for 178 yards with the Jaguars leading throughout.
This is not a good defense. When the Jaguars face tougher opponents, we can expect to see a higher volume of passing. Strange looks to be a key facet of this passing attack and should be a stable high-end TE2 going forward.
Aggressiveness Rating: 3.0
Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered: 31%
Jonnu Smith caught five passes for 15 yards and a touchdown in his Pittsburgh debut, working alongside Pat Freiermuth in two tight end sets. The veteran tight end brings receiving upside to an offense that has historically utilized the position effectively. His familiarity with coordinator Arthur Smith’s system, developed during their time in Atlanta, could lead to increased involvement.
Smith’s arrival in Pittsburgh creates an interesting dynamic with Freiermuth, as both players offer different skill sets. The Steelers’ commitment to running more two-tight end packages could benefit both players, though it may limit individual target volume. Smith’s athletic profile and red zone ability make him a viable streaming option when facing favorable matchups, particularly given the thin nature of the tight end position.
Jonnu Smith takes the jet touch pass for a @Steelers TD
PITvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/NKk2ReODKB
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
This one is only for deep leaguers, as Smith would have been quite unhelpful had he not scored. While he was the TE1, this was a three-man rotation with both Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Smith ran the same number of routes as Muth and only 10 more than Washington. He is not someone fantasy managers should add.
Aggressiveness Rating: 0.0
MORE:Â Fantasy Waiver Wire Targets Week 2
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Rostered: 1%
The New Orleans Saints are going to be a very bad team. They are going to see a ton of negative game script this season. That means a whole lot of passing volume.
Juwan Johnson caught 8 of 11 targets for 76 yards. He certainly benefited from Chris Olave being in and out of the game. However, it’s abundantly clear that this is no longer any sort of rotation. This is Johnson’s job. He is absolutely worth a dart throw for tight end-needy fantasy managers.
Aggressiveness Rating: 4.0
