Fantasy Football Week 9 Tight End Waiver Wire Targets: Will Mike Gesicki Continue Scoring Touchdowns?

Mike Gesicki is excelling out of the slot for the Bengals and continues to find the end zone. Which other tight ends should fantasy football managers consider in Week 9?

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) reacts after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

T.J. Hockenson and Brenton Strange remain fantastic waiver-wire options if they’re still available in your fantasy football leagues. However, for managers who don’t have the luxury of adding either of them in Week 9, let’s discuss a few TEs who are rostered in 50% or fewer Yahoo leagues.

If you don’t roster any of the premier TEs in fantasy football, which TEs should you target on the waiver wire in Week 9?

All stats used in this article are from PFF or Sumer Sports unless stated otherwise. Fantasy rankings and fantasy point totals are courtesy of FantasyPros.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Entering Week 9, Mike Gesicki is the TE12 in fantasy points per game (11.0), in large part due to finding the end zone. Against the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, Gesicki hauled in his sixth receiving touchdown, which is the most among all TEs in 2026.

5th straight game with a TD for Mike Gesicki! Bengals retake the lead.

TENvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/XWMIU61Bfn

— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026

Along with Gesicki pacing the TE position in the touchdown department, Gesicki is essentially the slot WR for the Cincinnati Bengals with an 87.2% slot rate. Although Gesicki has to compete with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, his vertical and red-zone role make him a viable starter right now.

Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson (18) scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to Sean McVay, Terrance Ferguson is likely expected to return to practice this week for the Los Angeles Rams. If Ferguson is activated from injured reserve, he immediately becomes a coveted TE in an aerial attack that lacks firepower alongside Puka Nacua.

At the same time, if Ferguson is inactive again in Week 9, then Tyler Higbee becomes a viable short-term option against a Washington Commanders defense that is allowing the second-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to TEs (+10.7).

Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich (85) takes the field to face against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The team that has permitted the most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to TEs (+14.7) is the Detroit Lions. The lucky TE who gets to face the Lions in Week 9 is Greg Dulcich.

Since Week 5, Dulcich is the TE13 in fantasy points per game (10.5), and the Miami Dolphins are expected to play from behind against the Lions. With Hockenson scoring 15.8 fantasy points in Week 8 against Detroit’s defense, the Lions have given up 14-plus fantasy points to six of the first seven starting TEs they’ve faced this season.