From record-breaking rookies to aging stars, and even a surprise at #1, let’s take an early look at the top 12 dynasty Tight End Rankings for 2024.
The 2023 fantasy football season has just concluded, and it’s now time to turn our eyes to the future. More specifically, the future of the tight end position and all of the wonders TE rankings beholds. Before free agency and rookie fever overtake our sanity, this article will take an early look into the top 12 dynasty Tight Ends for the 2024 season.
12) Jake Ferguson – Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas TE position was filled with uncertainty heading into the 2023 season after Dalton Schultz elected to sign with the Houston Texans. Jake Ferguson was given the start and eventually emerged as Dak Prescott’s second-favorite target. He finished the season second on the team in targets (102), receptions (71), and yards (761). Surprisingly, he led all TEs with 23 red zone targets and he managed to convert five of those targets into touchdowns. He will likely fly under the radar and will be a sneaky trade target.
11) Cole Kmet – Chicago Bears
The top TE taken in the 2020 NFL Draft and easily the most productive, Kmet has been one of the top targets for Justin Fields. He led the team in 2022 in all major receiving stats, which is more telling of how bad Chicago’s receiving group was before DJ Moore arrived. Kmet has thrived despite poor coaching and inconsistent QB play. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding who will be Kmet’s QB next season, capping his ceiling for now.
10) Evan Engram – Jacksonville Jaguars
Engram has enjoyed his best seasons since joining the Jaguars in 2022. He led all TEs in both receptions (114) and targets (143) but only managed four touchdowns in 2023. So why is he only ranked 10th? He recorded double-digit receptions in four games, three of those games were after Christian Kirk was on IR. Kirk will be back next season. The Jaguars will also be looking to improve the WR group which could cost Engram some targets. He will be 30, but he is a high-volume, short-term solution in dynasty.
9) David Njoku – Cleveland Browns
Njoku has shown flashes that he can be a top receiving option in the past. It took a year in which the Browns started five different QBs for him to have a breakout season. He posted career highs in all the major receiving categories. He also led the team in receptions (81) and receiving touchdowns with six. His 11 dropped passes are not ideal but it’s something that can be improved on. There is some QB controversy that could muddy up his production in the future, but his ceiling is currently on the rise.
8) George Kittle – San Francisco 49eres
There were 28 players that registered over 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 and the only tight end to do so was George Kittle. Was anyone else surprised? Kittle may have had one of the quietest 1,000 seasons in recent memory. Maybe it’s because he plays on the West Coast or maybe it’s because he failed to record over 20 receiving yards in four games, but I found it surprising he led all TEs in yardage. Anyway, he is still one of the best TEs in the league, but age factors against him for dynasty.
7) Kyle Pitts – Atlanta Falcons
Arthur Smith has been fired! Those words alone almost shot Pitts into the top three, but his future seriously just became brighter. Pitts is a great athlete, but we don’t yet know who his next coach will be and we don’t know who will be throwing him the ball. In his short career, the only starting caliber QB he has shared the field with was an old Matt Ryan in 2021. That was also his rookie season in which he topped 1,000 receiving yards. We were treated with a career-high three touchdowns by Pitts in 2023, so it wasn’t all bad.
Despite being a disappointment thus far in his career, Pitts still deserves to be on the list for the top 12 dynasty Tight Ends.
6) Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs
Old man Kelce isn’t hanging up the cleats just yet and is adamant that he still has plenty of football left in him. Look, he has been great on the field and for fantasy, but his time as the top dynasty TE is over. Kelce just had a “down” year with 93 catches, 984 yards, and five touchdowns. Those are still great numbers for any TE, but he will be 35 next season and without doing research (because I’m lazy) the only TEs I can think of that were productive at that age were maybe Tony Gonzalez and Shannon Sharpe.
When it comes down to redraft, Kelce is still #1, but there are plenty of young guys ready to carry the torch in dynasty.
5) Dalton Kincaid – Buffalo Bills
Kincaid was viewed as the top TE in the 2023 NFL Draft and the Bills drafted him as such. This move clouded both his future as well as the future of Dawson Knox. Kincaid emerged as a great underneath target for Josh Allen and finished his rookie season with 73 receptions, 673 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. With him being athletically capable as a downfield target, and the fact that he will be playing with Allen for the foreseeable future, Kincaid will be in the top tier of TE for years to come.
4) Mark Andrews – Baltimore Ravens
Andrews had his season cut short by an ankle but has still been one of the elite TEs over the last five years. He is still Lamar Jackson’s favorite target when healthy, and the two share an undeniable chemistry on the field. Andrews is still a great player, and his age (28) isn’t a huge concern after watching Kittle and Kelce perform well in their 30s. Expect Andrews to rank near the top of TEs for the next 4-6 seasons.
3) Trey McBride – Arizona Cardinals
Zach Ertz held off McBride for the first seven games before a quad injury opened the doors for the second-year TE to make his mark. McBride blew up with 81 receptions, 825 yards, and three touchdowns, and left everyone wondering why he was not starting sooner. Starting from Week 8, the only TE to score more fantasy points than McBride was David Njoku.
Sure, the Cardinals will look to add some receiving talent through the draft and/or free agency, but McBride is the future in Arizona and possibly the future #1 TE in fantasy.
2) Sam LaPorta – Detroit Lions
I have zero doubt that LaPorta will be the top TE in 95% of dynasty rankings out there. I get it, he was phenomenal as a rookie. His 86 receptions are the most ever by a rookie, and his 10 touchdowns tie Rob Gronkowski for second behind only Mike Ditka. He also put up a very respectable 889 receiving yards.
Maybe the scars are still fresh from Kyle Pitts being labeled the #1 dynasty TE after an excellent rookie season. Maybe it’s the concern of how the offense will operate if (when) Ben Johnson leaves. Or I just don’t trust Jared Goff enough to crown LaPorta as the king of TEs just yet. He does look the part and I do expect him to be one of the best TEs for seasons to come, but I also need to see him repeat his success.
1) TJ Hockenson – Minnesota Vikings
And now for our third and final Iowa Hawkeye Alumni on this list, Mr. TJ Hockenson. Hockenson was putting together his best season to date with the likes of Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Jaren Hall, and Nick Mullens before tearing multiple ligaments in his right knee. The knee injury may slow him down in the near future, but his long-term value is still high.
Even after being traded mid-season in 2022, he never let up as a high-volume catching machine. Production has been there regardless of which team he is on or who is throwing him the ball.
Thank you for reading my article on the top 12 dynasty Tight Ends for 2024. You can find me on Twitter @shawn8386. Be sure to check out all of the amazing writers here @IDPGuys and consider becoming a subscriber today.
