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🔥 Top-12 Fantasy Tight Ends 2024

🔥 Top-12 Fantasy Tight Ends 2024

Win your draft with the best at the position

Joe Holka
July 22, 2024

Top-12 Tight Ends in Fantasy Football 2024

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Today in 5 minutes or less, you’ll learn:

The best tight ends in 2024 fantasy football 💪
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It may be the most frustrating position in fantasy football, but drafting the right tight end can give your team a MASSIVE advantage. Read on to learn more about the top-12 tight ends in fantasy.

Travis Kelce (KC), ADP 23.0, TE1:

The internet may be ready to crown a new top TE, but I’m sticking with Travis Kelce as my top pick. You have to go back to 2015 to find a season where Kelce didn’t finish as TE1 or TE2 in points per game — he’s been first in 5 of the last 6 seasons.

Kelce finished with his lowest production in points per game in 7 years in 2023. But, he still ranked 3rd in target share, 3rd in deep targets, and 2nd in end zone targets. He also had a monster playoff run. The Chiefs’ WR room looks uncertain with newcomers and possible looming suspensions. So, Kelce should remain a focal point of the offense. I wouldn’t spend a first rounder on him, but you can grab the best TE of a generation in the 3rd or 4th round this year.

Sam LaPorta (DET), ADP 27.5, TE2:

Rookie tight ends don’t often become elite fantasy contributors, but Sam LaPorta did just that last season. He finished as the top-scoring fantasy tight end. I have him at number 2 for this year’s draft, and honestly, he’s toe-to-toe with Kelce for the top spot.

LaPorta was a consistent fixutre on an offense that remains largely unchanged thos year. He ranked 6th in target share, 6th in air yards share, 4th in red zone targets, and 6th in yards per route run. He had only 2 weeks outside the top-20 tight ends compared to 8 weeks inside the top 5. But, his 10 touchdown catches inflated the fantasy numbers a bit. It's uncertain whether he can keep up that pace. The Lions were top-3 in total yardage per game though, and at just 23 years old, LaPorta has plenty of room to grow. So, you'll get no hate from me if you rank him ahead of Kelce this season. He’s an elite choice no matter how you slice it.

Trey McBride (ARI), ADP 53.8, TE3:

If you rostered McBride in 2023, it was most likely off the waiver wire since he started as Zach Ertz’s backup. But, once Ertz got injured, it was takeoff time for McBride. He finished as PPR TE13 or better in 8 of his last 10 games, averaging 8.5 targets per game over that span. He ranked at the top of the league in targets per route run. By the end of the year he was Arizona’s top pass catcher.

Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. shouldn’t eat into McBride’s opportunity too much. That shouldn't reduce McBride's opportunity too much in 2024. Kyler Murray will need to look to him often, giving him huge upside as a top tight end. As a bonus, the Cardinals have one of the easiest schedules for the position this season. So, McBride's current mid-4th round ADP is a fair price. He'll return plenty of production out of that spot.

Mark Andrews (BAL), ADP 42.5, TE4:

Andrews is an elite talent who hasn’t finished outside the top-5 in fantasy points per game since his rookie season in 2018—an impressive run. His efficiency numbers are unquestionable. He tied with Kelce for 3rd in yards per route run, ranked 2nd in touchdowns with 6, and led in fantasy points per route run. His 22% target share tied for 4th at the position.

But, there are durability questions at this stage of his career. He only appeared in 10 games last season, finishing with a career-low 544 yards. Still, the Ravens have a talented combination of offensive players. League MVP Lamar Jackson finished with the most passing yards of his career. So, Andrews has the best shot in this tier to outperform expectations and elevate himself into the top 3. You can draft him for a 5th round pick at the moment.

George Kittle (SF), ADP 60.9, TE5:

Kittle caught for over 1,000 yards last season and maintained a strong 21% target share despite the fierce touch competition in San Francisco. His downfield skills are the best part of his game and a valuable fantasy asset. He led the position in deep targets with 11, yards per route run with 2.3, and was 2nd in ADOT at 9.5. His 6 touchdowns also tied for 2nd.

But, his weekly consistency is always going to be an issue. He finished as TE6 in fantasy points per game, which was his worst in that metric since 2017. He had 6 weeks where he fell outside the top 25 scorers at the position, including duds of 1.1 and 1.9 PPR points. A lot of the inconsistency is a direct result of the talent around him. So, if Brandon Aiyuk is granted a trade by the team, Kittle’s value will skyrocket.

Dalton Kincaid (BUF), ADP 62.5, TE6:

Kincaid was promising as a rookie catching 73 passes, which was 7th in the league. His 9.4 fantasy points per game was 14th. He made his impact despite a Bills roster filled with established players who had already built a rapport with Josh Allen. Now, with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis moving on, those targets are up for grabs.

But, Dawson Knox remains on the roster and is a direct rival for playing time. Knox has some talent of his own, but won't hurt Kincaid's prospects too much. Kincaid outperformed him in many key metrics, including targets per route run and air yards share. Knox also missed time in 2023, and during that period, Kincaid excelled. He had 6-straight top-12 weekly finishes. So, he should be the Bills' top TE this season and can also be yours for a 5th-round pick.

Evan Engram (JAX), ADP 65.3, TE7:

Engram may have finally realized his full potential in Jacksonville. In 2023, he set career highs with 114 receptions and 963 receiving yards. He was 4th in fantasy points per game at 13.5 and earned the 2nd-highest target share at the position. Trevor Lawrence looked to him at a consistent rate. He had 8 or more targets in 10 separate games last season, a rate expected to continue. Engram ranked 3rd in deep targets and 5th in yards after the catch with 528.

There is some concern due to past injury history. But, he's played 2 straight healthy seasons and built solid career momentum. So, Engram’s current 7th round ADP could turn out to be a massive value in drafts.

Jake Ferguson (DAL), ADP 98.6, TE8:

Ferguson is 8th because of his pivotal role in an explosive offense. Dak Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes last season. That's the good news for Ferguson. He earned 102 targets with a league-leading 25 coming in the red zone. He was also 6th in yards after the catch with 425. His role looks promising for fantasy.

But, CeeDee Lamb will continue to dominate the targets. Brandin Cooks will make his own contributions. So, Ferguson may not have a clear road to improving on his 2023 target share. He was 2nd on the team behind Lamb, though. So, there's a chance that his early 8th-round ADP could end up being a draft day steal.

Kyle Pitts (ATL), ADP 72.9, TE9:

Pitts is a perfect example of a big-time talent who hasn't lived up to his statistical expectations. That has frustrated fantasy managers for 3 years. I’m still keeping him in my top 10, but with cautuon. Pitts had 5 weeks as PPR TE12 or better and 4 more within the top 20 in '23. His opportunity numbers weren’t half bad, despite the narrative that Arthur Smith wouldn't get the ball to his best players. Over the season, Pitts was TE1 in air yard share at 23.3%, total air yards with 1,012, ADOT at 11.4, and deep targets with 11.

But, poor accuracy from the Atlanta quarterbacks led to 479 unrealized air yards for Pitts. It was the most in the NFL. So, a bit more accuracy from new Falcon Kirk Cousins could solve a lot of the team’s offensive woes. That should also help Pitts find his mojo as an athletic freak of nature. His draft price is a late 5th-rounder, which is a bit steep but could pay off for those of us who like to chase the upside.

Brock Bowers (LV), ADP 114.8, TE10:

I’m feeling optimistic about Las Vegas rookie Brock Bowers in his first professional season. It's enough for me to put him 10th. The kid was an absolute beast at Georgia, never having fewer than 56 receptions in a season over his 3 years. He racked up 2,537 career yards with 26 touchdowns. If you’ve seen his highlights, you know he can break tackles and create extra yardage with his toughness.

But, there are some risks. Bowers will play in an offense with Davante Adams, who just led the league in target percentage, as well as veteran Jakobi Meyers. Second-year tight end Michael Mayer is also on the Raiders’ depth chart, ready to compete for more work. Not to mention the Raiders’ questionable quarterback situation. So, while Bowers is a top talent at the position—enough that the Raiders drafted him in the first round—there's uncertainty about his immediate impact. He’s carrying an 8th-round draft price in traditional leagues. And, he should end up being a great long-term investment in dynasty formats.

David Njoku (CLE), ADP 87.1, TE11:

Njoku had a career year in 2023. He was TE6 overall and TE7 in points per game. For a guy in his 7th season, it was an impressive spike. Njoku's impressive highlights showed off his athletic ability and led to good production. He only had one week outside the top 13 PPR TEs after Week 7.

But, a lot of his best work came playing with Joe Flacco, who has moved on from Cleveland. And the numbers dipped a bit when Deshaun Watson was under center, so drafting him with expectations for a repeat might be risky. No matter who plays quarterback, Njoku is still one of the more athletic players at the position. He led the league in yards after the catch and had the 7th-most yards per route run. So, he could provide pretty good value for your team as a 9th round draft pick.

Dallas Goedert (PHI), ADP 123.7, TE12:

Goedert is a consistent fantasy contributor who hasn’t been outside the top 12 in fantasy points per game since 2017. Last year, he enjoyed the 12th-best target share and had 10 red zone targets, providing decent opportunity.

But, there are significant risk factors to trusting Goedert as a fantasy starter. The Eagles are a run-heavy team, which should continue with the addition of Saquon Barkley and the rushing tendencies of Jalen Hurts. When they do pass, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith tend to dominate the targets, leaving Goedert scrapping for his share. Some of Goedert’s efficiency numbers also declined in 2023. He was 19th in yards per route run and 28th in target separation. So, if you do decide to go with Goedert, you may want to have a backup plan ready. I'm not sure if he will continue to turn in starting-worthy production.