Chris Sweet – Senior Fantasy Analyst
Tight End can often be overlooked when drafting your fantasy team but getting consistent points out of your Tight End position can be the key to taking home the trophy at the end of the year. The Tight Ends will be ranked in tiers for this installment of you Sweet Fantasy.
Tier 1
1. Travis Kelce – Chiefs
2. Rob Gronkowski – Patriots
That’s the first tier at least for this year. I prefer Kelce due to Gronkowski’s injury issues over the years. If you draft either of these guys it is the equivalent of starting a WR1 or WR2 at your Tight End spot every week. It can be a huge advantage.
Tier 2
3. Zach Ertz – Eagles
I’m putting Ertz on his own tier. He is just outside the top 2 guys and better than everyone else. With 3 straight years of better than 70 receptions and 800 yards, you can count on steady production every week.
Tier 3
4. Evan Engram – Giants
5. Kyle Rudolph – Vikings
6. Greg Olson – Panthers
7. Delanie Walker – Titans
8. Jimmy Graham – Packers
9. Jordan Reed – Redskins
This tier is full of familiar Top 5 fantasy Tight Ends of seasons past. I like Engram to continue to rise even with fewer targets. Jimmy Graham has the most upside of this group with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball although Rodgers has not produced a ton of great Tight End seasons. My favorite out of this group might be Kyle Rudolph. I expect Kirk Cousins to lean on his big Tight End especially in the red zone.
Tier 4
10. Trey Burton – Bears
11. George Kittle – 49ers
12. Jack Doyle – Colts
13. Charles Clay – Bills
14. David Njoku – Browns
15. Cameron Brate – Buccaneers
16. Tyler Eifert – Bengals
17. Austin Sefarian-Jenkins – Jaguars
18. Eric Ebron – Colts
19. Benjamin Watson – Saints
This tier is full of sleepers and guys that will do fine as a streaming option during bye weeks. It’s also a tier full of wild cards. Any guy in this tier could finish as a Top 10 Tight End or be left on the waiver wire after Week 3. Trey Burton has been getting rave reviews in Matt Nagy’s offense. Tyler Eifert may have the highest ceiling if he can stay healthy which has never been easy for him.
Tier 5
20. Jared Cook – Raiders
21. Mike Gesicki – Dolphins
22. Vance McDonald – Steelers
23. Austin Hooper – Falcons
24. O.J. Howard – Buccaneers
25. Ricky Seals-Jones – Cardinals
26. Jake Butt – Broncos
27. Hayden Hurst – Ravens
28. Ryan Griffin – Texans
29. Vernon Davis – Redskins
30. Gerald Everett- Rams
This tier should start the season in the waiver wire in most leagues and is filled with rookies and former sleepers that failed to break out. One name to watch out of this group is Jake Butt of the Broncos who missed his rookie year with an injury.
That’s it for Tight Ends. Stay tuned for more previews like this to prepare you for your drafts.