Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings & Tiers
By Jason Lisk
Tight End often produces opportunities for mid and late-round values, and I think that this year that will certainly be true. I went back and took stock of my fantasy drafts in the last decade and one area where I had some failures was taking tight ends early, while I had numerous successes in waiting and taking my first tight end after the first 8 were off the board. I would advise that strategy his year, unless the Tier 1 guys somehow drop to value.
TIER 1
Gronkowski and Kelce have been the class at tight end in recent years and that should continue. The only question is just how early you should pull the trigger if you really want one of them.
TIER 1B
I’m putting Zach Ertz as a 1b guy, because I think he’s closer to the top two than many want to think. I’d feel more comfortable waiting a few rounds and grabbing Ertz.
TIER 2
Kyle Rudolph
Delanie Walker
Jimmy Graham
This tier is for some veteran guys who are likely going to come with a relatively expensive price. I rank Rudolph first because of age and likely continued role as a red zone target. Walker is getting up there in years but hasn’t slowed down yet in Tennessee, while Graham gets to play with Aaron Rodgers (but that will be baked into his price).
TIER 3
Greg Olsen
David Njoku
OJ Howard
Evan Engram
George Kittle
Jack Doyle
Trey Burton
Jordan Reed
I’ve got Greg Olsen down in this tier. I know he’s going off the board earlier according to some ADP data, but you have a 33-year-old TE coming off a down year and a foot injury. I’d rather invest elsewhere. Similarly, I’m not saying I wouldn’t take Jordan Reed at the right price, but he’s only played in 14 games once in his career, is getting older, and his production wasn’t even great a year ago when he was able to play. Evan Engram had a top 5 finish a year ago, but Odell Beckham is back and the team added Saquon Barkley. His target share should go down, which is why I have him down a bit.
Meanwhile, I profiled my breakout candidates and David Njoku, OJ Howard, and George Kittle all look like strong candidates, and Trey Burton as well moving to a starting role. Taking a chance on upside with at least one of these guys is a decent strategy if you want to go Tight End committee.
TIER 4
Mike Gesicki
Jared Cook
Austin Hooper
Charles Clay
Tyler Eifert
Cameron Brate
Eric Ebron
Mike Gesicki is in a favorable situation to put up good numbers as a rookie. Jared Cook should still be a solid option in Oakland, and Austin Hooper is entering his third year in Atlanta. Charles Clay is one of the few reliable passing options in Buffalo. Brate and Ebron can still be productive in systems that utilize two tight ends.
TIER 5
Ricky Seals-Jones
Hayden Hurst
Austin Sefarian-Jenkins
Jake Butt
Blake Jarwin
Virgil Green
Luke Willson
Ben Watson
This final group features some young guys like Seals-Jones, Butt, Hurst and Jarwin, and some veterans in new places (Willson in Detroit and Sefarian-Jenkins in Jacksonville). Jarwin and Green look to be taking over on teams that have had great tight end production in recent years, but now have uncertainty.