This is the first season in a long time where the tight end position is deep. It used to be you either had to grab one of the top-tier guys early or wait much later in the draft and hope the one you got was decent. For this list, we stayed clear of the top tier and the top half of the second tier. Let’s look at some tight end you must leave your fantasy football drafts with.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Must-Have Tight Ends
T.J. Hockenson (TE – MIN)
T.J. Hockenson was a top-tier tight end going into 2023 and finished as the TE3, so why is he the consensus TE16 going into this season? One main reason experts cite is the loss of Kirk Cousins as his quarterback, but even back in 2022, he was the preseason consensus TE7 with an unproven Jared Goff and the Lions.
He should see the benefits of having a rookie quarterback. They typically like to rely on their tight ends as security blankets, and being one of the more reliable tight ends in terms of lack of drops, he will see plenty of opportunities.
Evan Engram (TE – JAX)
It’s time to forget the years of injuries and inconsistencies for Evan Engram with the Giants. Since coming to Jacksonville, he’s been on the field and has been one of the more valuable tight ends in the league with back-to-back top-five finishes.
The start of the year was a little slow, specifically because he didn’t find the end zone for the first 11 games, but he still had three top-seven finishes and five games with 10+ PPR points. In Week 13, when he finally scored, he surged. Four top-three finishes, including No. 1 twice, and he was the TE1 from that point.
He’s become Trevor Lawrence‘s favorite target, which won’t change.
Taysom Hill (TE – NO)
Taysom Hill will always be one of those guys to take a shot on purely because he plays different positions. If Derek Carr remains healthy, he will get almost all of the snaps under center. Don’t worry because the Saints will always have plays specifically for Hill’s skillset.
He takes snaps and runs but is also a threat to pass and will still get plenty of chances as a tight end. We could add one more skill, as he was taking snaps at fullback during organized team activities (OTAs). If he starts getting carries, that makes him more valuable.
Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF)
Sam LaPorta got all the attention amongst rookie tight ends, but Dalton Kincaid also made a name for himself in his first season.
Right after the bye week, he got it going. He had five or more catches in eight of the final 11 games and top-eight performances in eight.
The receiving core has been changed, which could allow Kincaid and rookie Keon Coleman to be the two top options in this offense.
Ja’Tavion Sanders (TE – CAR)
The Panthers needed to make upgrades on offense, and they gave Bryce Young some weapons. One of them is Ja’Tavion Sanders out of Texas. He was considered the second-best tight end prospect behind Brock Bowers, and that’s why experts believe this was a great value by getting him in the fourth round.
Sanders was a dependable tight end, finishing with zero drops on 67 targets. He can get downfield and has 15.2 yards per reception, which was second in the 2024 tight end draft class. He’s not a great blocker, so he will be running routes when he’s on the field.
He’s someone to take a late-round flier on.
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John is a graduate of Quinnipiac University with Masters in Sports Journalism. He has worked in the sports media for over a decade with stints at ESPN and NBC Sports covering fantasy sports and sports betting.
