As the 2024 season approaches, fantasy football is right around the corner, and one position that is gaining some considerable excitement is tight end. This year promises a dynamic mix of veterans and emerging young stars, each in a position to make an impact on fantasy rosters. Tight ends are set to be game-changers in fantasy football more than ever before, and in this article we rank the Top-10 fantasy tight ends, offering insights into their projected performances and why they should be on your radar this season.
10. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Creator: Wesley Hitt | Credit: Getty Images
Ferguson squeaked his way into the Top-10 after a solid 100+ target season in 2023. Going with the trend of being high on players with lots of upside, Ferguson is a part of a strong Dallas Cowboys offense where the ceiling is only getting higher for the young tight end out of Wisconsin.
9. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle is an interesting player to rank heading into this year, after he posted a sneaky TE2 campaign last season. Kyle Shanahan’s play calling allows Kittle to be a deep threat in open space for the 49ers, which has allowed him to stay extremely efficient season after season. Ranking him at 9 feels wrong, but he has to show signs of regression at some point, right?
8. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
Njoku had a career year and finished as the TE5 in 2023 and is a very strong mid-round tight end sleeper heading into this year. He saw an uptick in his targets and nearly eclipsed 900 receiving yards, with 6 touchdowns to go along with it. We will have to see what the addition of Jerry Jeudy does to the target spread, but regardless Njoku has proven himself as a solid pick-up at his ADP.
7. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Creator: Alex Slitz | Credit: Alex Slitz/Atlanta Falcons
Going down the Kyle Pitts rabbit hole for yet another season, there is optimism in the arrival of Kirk Cousins. Kyle Pitts showed signs of revival during last season, posting 53 receptions and 667 yards. He has proven that he has 1000+ receiving yard potential, he just needs to get into the painted area, a feat he has only accomplished 6 times in his three seasons. Will this be the year that he ascends into TE5 territory?
6. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming off a stellar Pro Bowl season, Engram finished as the TE6 in 2023 and notched the most targets and receptions among all tight ends. He had 20 more receptions than the next closest tight end (TJ Hockenson), but failed to find the endzone more than just four times, leaving his final fantasy output lower than other players. With that being said, the volume is definitely there and will continue to be there heading into this year.
5. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Andrews finds himself in the middle of the pack heading into his 7th season. A bumpy, injury-riddled 2023 campaign left a lot to be desired for the tight end out of Oklahoma, and he will be looking to rekindle the fantasy production that he had back in 2021 where he posted 100+ receptions and nearly 1,400 yards.
4. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
Creator: Timothy T Ludwig | Credit: Getty Images
With the departure of star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Kincaid is poised for an upsurge in production heading into his sophomore season. With Josh Allen at the helm and not many other weapons on the Bills offense, Kincaid will be relied on heavily throughout the season. Allen seems to trust him, and he could easily lead the team in targets and receptions this year, especially if he can find the endzone more than two times.
3. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
McBride had a breakout sophomore season that really only covered the span of the last 12 games of the year. He showed true TE1 potential with the volume that he was seeing on what was a rather lackluster Cardinals offense. The return of Kyler Murray did not seem to affect his production either, which shows that we can expect to see similar numbers heading into this season. The arrival of Marvin Harrison Jr. certainly raises questions about McBride’s ceiling, but he should be in for a very heavy workload nonetheless.
2. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Creator: Chris Graythen | Credit: Getty Images
Following a very impressive rookie campaign where LaPorta found himself finishing as the TE1 in fantasy, there is no reason to believe the same output can’t be replicated. LaPorta is the clear second option in the high-octane Lions offense (21% target share), and Jared Goff will be looking his way plenty this season. He is a young player with plenty of room still ahead of him to improve on his game, and we are very excited to see what he can do.
1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
The back to back Super Bowl champion is entering his 12th NFL season and has yet to show any signs of slowing down. Kelce has proven himself year in and year out, giving him the highest floor amongst tight ends in fantasy. With the addition of Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, the target spread could see a slight change, but it won’t affect Kelce’s production enough to be noticeable. Patrick Mahomes trusts Kelce and will continue to rely on him throughout the 2024 season.