With the fantasy football season just around the corner, fantasy managers are starting to turn their attention to how they’re going to draft tight ends. The threats at the tight end position provide deep, wide array of options. Players have to work through a lot of very difficult roadblocks in the process. Stars such as George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews will rule a wide swath of conversations. At the same time, crowd pleasers like Bowers and McBride are stealing the show.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers Kittle’s last season was phenomenal, scoring 15.8 PPG. His output is so steady that he is among the most coveted players in fantasy drafts. The tight end landscape is changing, and multiple elements are driving tight end value heading into a new campaign.
Evaluating Established Stars
Though Kittle is still an elite option, he’s not the only proven stud with a strong change of scenery that could alter their fantasy value. Travis Kelce, now 35, hasn’t seen a drop in quality or quantity for targets as a worry, but he’s now older and has more competition. Further, Mark Andrews saw a big target decline last year, leaving doubts about his future consistency.
David Njoku is another worry as he contends with quarterback questions. For fantasy managers, identifying a player’s trend line will be key. They need to be honest with themselves about the player’s situation and their long term prospects entering a new season.
“The bottom line: When it comes to your fantasy football draft, know your league settings, have a good set of rankings/tiers, be aware of ADP and don’t pass on obvious values.” – Mike Clay
Emerging Talents and Trade Movements
It’s why fantasy managers should keep an eye on emerging talents like Dalton Kincaid and Kyle Pitts. Yet these players all must meet the burden of expectation that comes with being a first-round draft pick. To make things even more complicated, Evan Engram’s surprise relocation to Denver throws a wrench into these TE rankings.
Jonnu Smith’s trade to Pittsburgh wouldn’t help his value too, given the fact that the team already has Pat Freiermuth. Dallas Goedert has been the center of trade rumors this past week. His durability issues will give managers second thoughts about him on Draft Day early in drafts.
The tight end depth chart just a month ago looks to be changing quickly. Rookies Tucker Kraft, Colston Loveland, and Tyler Warren are all having good camps. Their performances in training camp and preseason games will be crucial in determining their impact on the fantasy landscape.
Analyzing Top Performers
Looking ahead to next season, the top two scoring tight ends from 2024—Bowers and McBride—demonstrated their skills against top wide receivers, showcasing their potential as elite options. Bowers finished ninth in overall points and McBride twelfth when you combine both tight ends and wide receivers.
With a bottomlessly deep position full of widely available potential contributors, fantasy players are never more upset than they are as the season wears on. That being said, it’s smart to focus on taking elite tight ends such as Bowers, McBride, Kittle early in drafts.
“Takeaway: This is the year to prioritize landing an elite tight end. If you miss out on the top tier or two, it’s a lot of the same, so there’s not much sense in drafting one until the middle-to-late rounds.” – Mike Clay
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