2TD7AE0 DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 16: Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta (87) running after a catch during the game between Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions on December 16, 2023 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/CSM)
• Sam LaPorta leads all tight ends: The Detroit Lions tight end put together an all-time great rookie season and seems to be the future of the position.
• Tight end is deeper this year than last: LaPorta, Trey McBride and Dalton Kincaid‘s emergence have led to more tight ends with high upside than recent seasons.
• Get a head start on fantasy football: Use PFF’s fantasy football mock draft simulator to create real live mock draft simulations to get ready for your live draft!
These are my top 50 tight end rankings for redraft leagues in 2024. The list can be found immediately below this while some details about each tier can be found at the bottom of the chart.
Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce are in a tier of their own. Kelce has consistently finished first or second in fantasy points per game by a tight end since 2016, making him the safer option, but his 14.6 fantasy points per game last season was his worst since 2016. He’s 34 years old, so it wouldn’t be surprising if his production decreases again, but that’s still good enough for TE2. LaPorta, on the other hand, led the league in fantasy points for a tight end, which is unheard of by a rookie. There is a chance he will hit a sophomore slump, but there is also plenty of room for improvement.
The second tier is much larger than in recent seasons. Mark Andrews and George Kittle have ranked in the top six in fantasy points per game each of the last five seasons and should again. Trey McBride and Dalton Kincaid both finished in the top 12 in their first seasons as starters and were high draft picks who should improve. Evan Engram has ranked in the top five in fantasy points each of the last two seasons, and Kyle Pitts is expected to have a larger role in Zac Robinson’s offense compared to the last two years.
This tier is for those who are expected to be starters in normal 12-team leagues. David Njoku and Dallas Goedert have finished as top-12 tight ends in two of the last three seasons. Jake Ferguson ranked ninth last season in his first year as a starter. He doesn’t have the same perceived upside as other tight ends in Tier 2. Brock Bowers is the best tight end prospect in a long time but could be limited by the Las Vegas Raiders offense. T.J. Hockenson would usually be in Tier 2, but he tore his ACL and MCL late last season and is expected to miss the start of the season.
There is a large gap between tiers 3 and 4, making it important to grab at least one of the top-12, or two if you’re picking Hockenson. The three tight ends in this tier stand out because of their talent. Of the top-15 highest-graded tight ends in receiving the past two years, 10 are in the first three tiers, Darren Waller, who retired, Gerald Everett, who is now a backup, and the other three are in this tier. Two gained more competition for touches. Dalton Schultz and the Houston Texans added Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon while Cole Kmet and the Chicago Bears added Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift and Gerald Everett. Pat Freiermuth now has Arthur Smith as his offensive coordinator, and he utilizes a large rotation at tight end.
This tier is mostly tight ends who we can be somewhat confident will start, giving them a chance to put up fantasy points. None of them are in the top 15 highest-graded tight ends, and while some have had a good season in fantasy production, none have been consistent. Taysom Hill is the closest thing to a consistent fantasy tight end on this list after finishing in the top 12 in fantasy points each of the last two seasons, but he’s 34 years old and with a new offensive coordinator for the first time in his career. He’s unlikely to keep the same role he’s had in the offense.
The tight ends in this tier are either fighting for starting jobs, the backup tight ends with the most upside or starting tight ends that are part of a committee, making it unlikely they can consistently put up fantasy points.
This tier consists of the most interesting backups that are not in Tier 6. Ideally, you don’t need to consider any of these players in most leagues, but if your league is deep enough, these are the remaining players to target.
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