Fantasy Sports

Darren Waller Tops List of Week 16 Fantasy Football Tight End Streamers

Here are four under-the-radar tight ends poised to deliver in Week 16 of fantasy football.
Michael Rovetto|
Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83) reacts after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83) reacts after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Miami DolphinsHouston TexansLos Angeles RamsJacksonville Jaguars

The tight end position has long been one of the most unpredictable lineup slots in fantasy football. 

Outside of the few elite names, week-to-week production can be inconsistent, leaving managers frustrated and often scrambling for answers. That makes streaming — a tactic that utilizes the waiver wire to start players based on favorable matchups each week — a viable and sometimes necessary strategy.

By targeting matchups, opportunity and red-zone usage, streaming tight ends can help managers squeeze value out of a position that rarely offers much beyond the top tier. Instead of being locked into a low-ceiling option, streaming opens the door to finding upside plays who can deliver at the right time.

Week 16 of the NFL season presents a fresh slate and several opportunities for managers seeking to optimize their lineups. Here are three streaming options that could pay off for fantasy football managers. 

*Percentage denotes player’s roster rate on ESPN and Yahoo*

Dalton Schultz (Texans) vs. Raiders (ESPN: 57% Yahoo: 52%)

Schultz has the highest roster rate of any player on this list. However, he’s still available in many leagues. He’s coming off his best game this season, scoring 21.6 fantasy points on an 8-76-1 receiving line. His touchdown was just his second of the season, yet he’s still been a productive tight end. The Raiders have been solid in guarding tight ends this season, but the Texans will dominate time of possession in this Week 16 matchup, leading to many opportunities for Schultz, especially in the red zone. Schultz belongs on every roster throughout the fantasy football playoffs. 

Brenton Strange (Jaguars) @ Broncos (ESPN: 29% Yahoo: 56%)

After two back-to-back performances under six fantasy points and a tough matchup on paper in Week 16, Strange might not appear as an appealing option. However, Strange is matchup-proof in a game like this. The Broncos will look to limit big plays by the Jaguars' offense, opening up the short- to intermediate field for Strange to operate in. Strange has five or more targets in five of eight full games this season. Although he has one touchdown this season, he has significant touchdown upside against the Broncos. 

Darren Waller (Dolphins) vs. Bengals (ESPN: 30% Yahoo: 52%)

Despite Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins' offense stinking it up on Monday night, Waller posted a dominant fantasy outing. He caught 7-of-8 targets for 66 yards and two scores. His performance netted him a season-high 25.6 fantasy points, and now he draws the absolute worst defense against tight ends. The Bengals surrendered an NFL-leading 22.66 fantasy points to tight ends, including 99 receptions, 1,276 yards and 15 touchdowns to the position. Quinn Ewers will make his first NFL start for the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa has struggled mightily recently, so Ewers might even be able to push the ball further down the field to Waller. 

Colby Parkinson (Rams) @ Seahawks (ESPN: 22% Yahoo: 24%)

Parkinson is TE4 in fantasy football over the last six weeks. During that stretch, he scored 12 or more fantasy points four times while scoring six touchdowns. The veteran is coming off the best performance of his career. He caught 5-of-7 targets for 75 yards and two touchdowns, netting 24.5 fantasy points. Davante Adams is likely to miss Week 16 with a hamstring injury, which only elevates Parkinson. He will command a high volume of red zone targets, especially with Seattle allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends per game. 

Check out our Week 16 tight end must-starts, weekly tight end rankings and tight end waiver wire pickups. 

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Michael Rovetto
MICHAEL ROVETTO

Michael Rovetto previously served as the staff writer for University of Maryland Athletics for nearly two years. There, he wrote, edited and managed all editorial content for all 20 of Maryland's varsity sports on umterps.com. Rovetto is recognized as a College Sports Communicators district award-winning writer. Many of his stories have also appeared on NCAA.org, garnering national attention. Before graduating from Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2023, Rovetto wrote for PressBox and Terrapin Sports Central, covering Maryland men's basketball and football. He also has experience in broadcasting, previously working as an analyst and camera operator for Big State Sports, and communication, interning for Shell Shock TBT as its Director of Communication & Content Development.

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