1. Travis Kelce
Kelce broke the league last year setting career highs in catches, touchdowns, and even fantasy points, not to mention he broke the record for most yards by a tight end in league history. Kelce really has no downside to him whatsoever, as he is not injury prone, is consistent, and is a major part of the Chiefs offense. He is once again likely to end up as the top tight end in fantasy.
2. George Kittle
George Kittle only played in eight games last year, with many of them being injury-riddled ones. He averaged 15.6 FPPG, which would have put him at the TE3 over a 16-game pace. He is arguably the best tight end in the league, and injuries are the only concern for him. If he stays healthy, he has the upside to be the best fantasy tight end, with a floor of TE3.
3. Darren Waller
After a breakout season in 2019, Darren Waller once again provided fantasy owners a strong season in 2020. He added 60 fantasy points from his total in 2019, and had 11 top 10 fantasy weeks, only trailing Travis Kelce. Waller was the main target in a weird yet competent Raiders team. However, with Nelson Agholor departing, Waller should see an increase in targets. Waller has a floor of TE3, with upside to be the TE1, so he should definitely be in your sights in the 3rd or 4th round.
4. T.J. Hockenson
T.J. Hockenson played in all 16 games last season, and was one of the most consistent and reliable tight ends in fantasy, finishing as the TE5, and was 1.4 points away from a TE3 finish. Although he had no games above 17 fantasy points, he had ten games above 10, showing his consistency and reliability. His workload will only increase this year, as the Lions top three wide receivers from last year -- Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr, and Danny Amendola -- all left in free agency. Much of these vacated targets will go to Hockenson, especially with Jared Goff at quarterback, who has a history of frequently targeting tight ends. On a bad offense, Hockenson doesn't have the upside to finish as a top-2 tight end, but he is almost guaranteed to have a top-5 finish due to his workload and the lack of reliable tight ends outside of the top 3.
5. Kyle Pitts
Outside of Kelce, Kittle, and Waller, Pitts has the most upside out of any other tight end in fantasy. Pitts is filling in as the secondary pass-catcher on the Falcons, in place of Julio Jones, who was recently traded to the Tennessee Titans. Pitts was picked at 4th overall in this year’s draft, and is one of the best tight end prospects in the last 15 years. He is strong, fast, and lengthy, making him a perfect target in the open field or in the endzone. He has massive upside, but also comes with some risk, as rookie tight ends haven’t been reliable, and Hayden Hurst’s presence could play a role in the Falcons game plan. However, with the lack of good fantasy tight ends, Pitts is a great pick for his upside alone, if you can get him in the late 5th or 6th round.
6. Mark Andrews
After a massive 2019 season, Andrews seemed to regress a bit in 2020. He did not have the same touchdown success he had in 2019, but he was still an effective target for the Ravens. Over the past 2 seasons, he’s had the most end zone targets for a tight end, and has had a 25% target share in both 2019 and 2020. This might change with the addition of Rashod Bateman to the Ravens receiving corps, but with 8 top 10 fantasy finishes in a somewhat down year, Lamar’s favorite target is a lock to have another productive year.
7. Dallas Goedert
With the likely departure of Zach Ertz, Goedert has top-4 upside this year, but comes with a low floor. He was 9th among tight ends in FPPG, and had elite-TE1 performances in some of the games without Ertz on the field. One could expect him to receive a lot of targets this year, as Ertz will likely leave; however Goedert struggled with QB Jalen Hurts on the field, who will probably be the Eagles starter this year. They also added 2021 Heisman winner Devonta Smith in the draft this year, and their shift to a run-heavy offense with Hurts leaves Goedert as a boom-or-bust option this year, depending on who Hurts prefers as his number one target.
8. Logan Thomas
Logan Thomas was an unlikely breakout in 2020, as he exploded for almost 700 yards and 6 touchdowns. He finished as the TE3 and had a 19% target share with Alex Smith under center. However, with changes coming to the quarterback room in Washington as well as the addition of Curtis Samuel, Thomas might not have the same effect as last year. But, despite this, the addition of Ryan Fitzpatrick could also lead to more big play abilities and touchdowns for the 29 year old. Thomas is in position for another productive year, and Fitzpatrick gives him upside for another TE1 caliber season.
9. Noah Fant
Noah Fant has been very promising in his first 2 years, as he started off strong in 2019 and made a leap to TE8 in 2020. Fant has been in the top tier of tight ends when it comes to targets, receptions, and yardage, just as a second year player. However, the main thing holding him back is his lack of touchdowns, as he has only had 3 in each of the past 2 seasons. Couple this with the uncertain quarterback room and the already loaded wide receiver corps, and Fant could be once again struggling to find more areas to make him worthwhile. Despite this, Fant’s promising first 2 seasons make him a likeable target in this year’s draft as well. He is a good low-TE1 with the upside to be a top 5 TE in 2021.
10. Mike Gesicki
Gesicki might be one of the closest tight ends to a wide receiver that isn’t a receiver, as he aligned in the slot in 70% of his routes, and 19% outside. This allowed him to achieve a career best in yards and receptions, and finished as the TE7 in PPR leagues. He was also the TE3 in the games played with Tua, showing that this connection could last in the future as well. However, with the addition of Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle, Gesicki’s targets are certainly going to drop. Also, with the uncertainty of Tua as a starting quarterback, Gesicki might not see the same success as last season. Despite this, Gesicki’s role in the offense allows him to provide solid numbers, due to his red zone efficiency and the fact that he is their main end zone target. Keep him in mind if you are planning on drafting a tight end in the mid-late rounds.
11. Irv Smith Jr.
In the last four weeks of the season, with starting tight end Kyle Rudolph out with injury, Irv Smith Jr. was the TE4 in points, averaging 12.8 FPPG over that span. Rudolph signing with the Giants this offseason displays obvious upside for Smith Jr, but that isn’t all. He was extremely efficient with his touches all season, as he was 5th among tight ends in fantasy points per touch(FPPT), at 3.3. This high FPPT indicates top-5 upside, as an increased workload should result in a high fantasy finish. His late round ADP is very enticing, as a low-TE1 to high-TE2 option with high upside.
12. Adam Trautman
Adam Trautman is another late round target with a good amount of upside, due to a likely increased workload with the departure of key pieces from last year. The Saints traded up into the third round in the 2020 draft to get Adam Trautman, which shows their desire to use him significantly in the offense. Jared Cook and Emmanuel Sander left in free agency, and the Saints TE2 from last year, Josh Hill, was cut. This leaves Trautman as the clear TE1 on the team. On 82.5% of his pass snaps last year, he ran a route instead of blocking, which shows that New Orleans wants to use him as a pass catcher. He is also a terrific blocker, which will keep him on the field for a majority of the game. All things point to Trautman having a breakout season, and he is a great investment as one of the last picks in your draft, with a very high ceiling on the Jameis Winston-led offense.
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