Fantasy: Reviewing the TE landscape post draft
Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.
It's important to remember these primers are not intended to be tiers for drafting. You can view our complete tight end rankings here.
2018 Fantasy Primers
- Quarterbacks
- Running Backs
- Wide Receivers
- Tight Ends
Still the one
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - His football future beyond 2018 is hard to gauge, but as long as he's healthy, there's no better tight end in real life or fantasy. Don't hesitate to use a top-30 pick to acquire him in your draft.
Not far behind
Travis Kelce, Chiefs - With two straight 1,000-yard campaigns, Kelce is only rivaled by Gronk when it comes to being a fantasy difference-maker at the position.
Zach Ertz, Eagles - After struggling to find the end zone in his first four years in the league, Ertz crossed the goal line eight times during the Eagles' Super Bowl season. There's no turning back now.
Relocated
Jimmy Graham, Packers - Graham is past his prime, but he proved last year he's still an elite touchdown scorer. Aaron Rodgers will love him.
Trey Burton, Bears - Burton turned a couple quality starts as a fill-in for Ertz into a big free-agent deal with the Bears. New head coach Matt Nagy will hope he can use Burton similarly to the way he deployed Kelce in Kansas City, giving him a major role in the passing game. The hype around Burton is warranted heading into 2018.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jaguars - After an up-and-down season for the Jets, ASJ will try to make good on his once-immense potential while catching passes from Blake Bortles. It's best to look elsewhere for fantasy stats.
Ben Watson, Saints - The 37-year-old will likely supplant Coby Fleener as the Saints' starter. That might say more about Fleener than it does about Watson.
Luke Willson, Lions - Willson's always seemed to be on the verge of making the leap, but he never did in Seattle. The 28-year-old gets his chance to break out in Detroit, where the cupboard is awfully bare at tight end.
Injury ward
Greg Olsen, Panthers - Olsen was limited to seven games due to a fractured foot and wasn't the same when he returned to the lineup. After a full offseason to heal, Olsen should be back as a high-end TE1, but it's worth noting that the Panthers drafted rookie Ian Thomas in the fourth round.
Jordan Reed, Redskins - Reed played in six games last season, allowing Vernon Davis to once again step up as a waiver-wire star. At his best, Reed rivals Gronk as an elite pass-catching tight end, but he's almost impossible to rely on now.
Tyler Eifert, Bengals - Eifert's appeared in just 10 games over the last two years, and missed the majority of last season due to a back injury. When healthy, he's an excellent red-zone threat capable of posting double-digit touchdowns.
Cleared for takeoff
Hunter Henry, Chargers - Antonio Gates is gone, giving Henry an open runway toward fantasy greatness.
Evan Engram, Giants - When injuries plagued the Giants' receiving corps, Engram did what few rookie tight ends can: produced a notable fantasy season. With everyone back, it will be hard for Engram to match his TE5 result from 2017, but he remains a top-10 option.
George Kittle, 49ers - Kittle flashed his upside multiple times during his rookie season, ending the year with a four-catch, 100-yard performance. Catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo in a Kyle Shanahan offense sets him up nicely for a breakout.
Reliable vets
Delanie Walker, Titans - Second-year man Jonnu Smith is coming for the starting job, but with at least 800 yards in each of the last four seasons, Walker isn't going anywhere yet.
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings - With back-to-back top-six fantasy finishes and the arrival of Kirk Cousins, Rudolph is set up for another solid campaign.
Oozing upside
David Njoku, Browns - In an alternate universe, Njoku is the lead option in a team's passing game. In our reality, he's the third or fourth option in Cleveland. Tyrod Taylor does like targeting his tight ends, which offers a glimmer of hope.
Gerald Everett, Rams - No one is talking about Everett, but he's a skilled receiving tight end primed for a breakout in one of the league's best offenses.
Ricky Seals-Jones, Cardinals - Jermaine Gresham suffered a torn Achilles in Week 17, putting his availability in doubt and opening the door for a massive dose of RSJ.
Vance McDonald, Steelers - Injuries prevented the Steelers from unleashing McDonald in his first year with the team, but he broke 50 yards in two of his final three games and should be the full-time starter moving forward.
A little crowded
Jack Doyle/Eric Ebron, Colts - If Andrew Luck is healthy, it's possible Doyle and Ebron will both produce, especially since the Colts lack a real second option behind T.Y. Hilton in the passing game.
Cameron Brate/O.J. Howard, Buccaneers - Howard was an obvious breakout candidate before the Bucs decided to bring back Brate on a surprisingly rich deal. Now the duo will continue to vulture each other's fantasy worth, making them TE2s who will be tough to project on a weekly basis.
Ryan Griffin/Stephen Anderson, Texans - With Deshaun Watson at quarterback, the Texans' offense is worth buying into. Griffin is the favorite to start, but Anderson and even rookie Jordan Akins could be streamer-worthy if they get starts.
Hard to trust
Jared Cook, Raiders - Cook's big games are enticing, but rare. The 31-year-old does just enough to keep you coming back, but more often than not, he'll let you down if he's in your lineup.
Charles Clay, Bills - A healthy Clay was a sneaky fantasy starter while catching passes from Tyrod Taylor. With some combination of Josh Allen and AJ McCarron under center this year, the Bills' passing offense might be the worst in the league.
Austin Hooper, Falcons - During a season where everything was set up to help Hooper emerge in the Falcons' offense, he failed to establish himself as a consistent weapon. There's no reason to think he'll do it in 2018.
Welcome to the club
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins - The physical freak landed in a spot where he should start from Day 1. Rookie tight ends don't normally produce for fantasy owners, but Gesicki has a chance to be an exception given his situation.
Hayden Hurst/Mark Andrews, Ravens - Baltimore loves incorporating tight ends into the passing attack, and both Hurst and Andrews are quality receivers. Hurst, who was taken in the first round, is the better bet to lead this tandem in their debut campaign.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles - The rookie will settle into the Burton role from 2017, but needs an Ertz injury to become fantasy relevant.
Long shots
Nick Vannett, Seahawks - Seattle's depth chart at tight end will look a lot different in 2018, with Vannett, veteran Ed Dickson, and rookie Will Dissly competing for snaps.
Jake Butt, Broncos - Butt missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear at the end of his college career. He returns to a Broncos lineup lacking a true starter at the position, creating an easy path to targets.
Rico Gathers, Cowboys - The Cowboys need a Jason Witten replacement and are generally searching for playmakers in the passing game. Gathers is an athletic tight end who would bring a new dynamic to the offense if he wins the job.
2018 Fantasy Primers
- Quarterbacks
- Running Backs
- Wide Receivers
- Tight Ends