The tight end position has drastically changed over the last few years. And I'm not talking about the league's shift to more tight-end-heavy sets. I'm talking about the player pool, which has been injected with an influx of young, talented players into what was a very shallow position. In just the last few years, Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, Tucker Kraft, Sam LaPorta, Harold Fannin Jr., Dalton Kincaid, and more immediately came into the league and provided fantasy-relevant production. And while those young players have made quick impacts, aging veterans are still producing, adding unusual depth to the position. Other tight ends have found success in new situations, and there is suddenly a huge swath of fantasy tight ends on the fantasy radar.
However, hitting on the guy who separates himself from the bunch is a tenet of value-based drafting, and can give you a massive edge over your leaguemates. You might have to pay up for that guy this year, or you could get lucky and find him later.
For the sake of this article and the Average Draft Positions (ADPs) I reference, assume this is a single-quarterback half-PPR league with two running back slots, two wide receivers, a tight end, and a flex. For rankings more specific to your league, check out our Rankings, which allow league syncing and create customized rankings for every league you're in.
Let's start with a guy who has completely delineated himself from the pack and could provide a massive edge over the rest of the position.
Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings and Tiers
Brock Bowers
Bowers is the first player to separate himself into a tier of his own atop all other positional players. Still just 23, he's on a record-breaking trajectory and entering the best situation of his career. His sophomore campaign was marred by injuries, but he still provided elite usage and efficiency metrics. Head coach Klint Kubiak has a history of hyper-targeting his top receiver in areas where he can catch the ball deep downfield and create after the catch, Bowers' exact strengths. Bowers should provide elite WR1 production this year, and his designation as a tight end could make him one of fantasy's most valuable players. You'll have to pay up for Bowers in Round 2, but if he captures his high-end range of outcomes, no selection will look too high in hindsight.
- TE1 - Brock Bowers - A "football robot from heaven," according to his head coach, Bowers should continue his ascension as one of the league's best young talents.
Pretty Close To Brock Bowers
If this tier didn't exist, there'd be a legitimate conversation about taking Bowers as early as fifth overall in drafts. The main way things could go sideways for Bowers is if a lesser-drafted player provides similar production, nerfing his positional advantage over the field. McBride did it just last year, finishing as a league-winning TE1, but the Cardinals' offense is due for obvious regression. Loveland showed unbelievable upside over the second half of his rookie season and should build on that going into Year 2. Warren was the TE2 in scoring before Daniel Jones went down with an injury, and should also develop going into his second year. While these players aren't quite as safe as Bowers and might not offer as high of a ceiling, they are great consolation prizes for those who miss out early while allowing for a bit more roster flexibility. While I find myself struggling to pay up for McBride (Round 3) and Loveland (Round 4), Warren's depreciated cost makes him one of this year's most alluring targets with a good blend of cost and upside.
- TE2 - Trey McBride - McBride was a fantasy cheat code over the second half of the season, but the Cardinals' expected regression will make it difficult to replicate those results.
- TE3 - Colston Loveland - Loveland had a strong finish to his rookie year after preseason and midseason injuries, and a clean bill of health going into Year 2 sets up a monstrous ceiling.
- TE4 - Tyler Warren - Dominant right out of the gate, Warren's rookie-season production cooled off after Daniel Jones' injury, but he'll have a chance to lead the Colts in targets in Year 2.
Back-End High Performers
This is the last tier where you can find a plug-and-play starter that you feel good about. Of course, late-round surprises pop up every year. But this tier provides somewhat of a floor, which you won't often see at the tight end position. Kraft's injury makes him the riskiest of the bunch, but he's trending in the right direction. In years past, this would have been the tight end dead zone, where impatient managers paid up for unworthy tight ends in the middle rounds to fill out their roster. But the changing landscape of the position has added legitimate firepower up top, and these guys still possess that. Question marks make them solid draft values, regularly falling into Rounds 6 through 8.
- TE5 - Kyle Pitts Sr. - Quietly the TE2 last year, Pitts' 2022 knee injury finally seems to be in the rearview, setting him up to achieve his pre-draft expectations.
- TE6 - Tucker Kraft - Kraft was the top-scoring tight end before a season-ending injury and will have every chance to return to form as the Packers' primary offensive weapon.
- TE7 - Sam LaPorta - A dip in production and season-ending back surgery has caused the market to sour on LaPorta, but he's in a prime position to bounce back in a new offensive system.
