The 2022 NFL Draft has come and gone, and that means it’s time for dynasty rookie and startup drafts to really take off. We’ll have you covered throughout the draft season. You can find our full dynasty startup, dynasty rookie, and dynasty superflex rookie rankings that will be updated through draft season.
Below, we take a look at the order of the top tight ends in our staff consensus dynasty rookie draft rankings.
1) Trey McBride (ARI – TE)
The Arizona Cardinals selected prolific Trey McBride in the second round with the 55th overall pick.
The Colorado State Ram compiled 1,125 receiving yards, which comprised 37% of the team’s total passing yardage production in 2021. His sheer dominance and command for the football – second-highest target rate per route run (30%) – elevated him to a 94.7 PFF overall grade – the best among tight ends in the nation – and the John Mackey Award.
He even possesses under-the-radar upside because he can win downfield. McBride finished third in catches and fourth in yards on targets of 20-plus air yards. With Kyler Murray‘s big arm – watch out.
McBride looks the part of a high-floor inline tight end who can contribute from Day 1 with his well-rounded skill set. However, he will have to wait his turn with Zach Ertz entrenched as the starter in Arizona.
Unless Ertz sustains an injury – possible at age 31 – McBride won’t have much fantasy appeal in a heavily crowded Cardinals Air Raid offense.
2) Jelani Woods (IND – TE)
Woods had arguably the best pre-draft process of any prospect and certainly at the tight end position. Before the combine, he projected as a mid-Day 3 pick. However, after posting a perfect 10 RAS score, Woods was the second tight end drafted. He was the ninth pick in the third round, 73rd overall by the Colts. More importantly, Woods enters a terrific situation for his fantasy value.
The Colts re-signed Mo Alie-Cox this offseason to be their starting tight end. However, Indianapolis can get out of his contract after the 2022 season. Furthermore, former co-starter Jack Doyle retired this offseason, opening meaningful snaps for Woods as a rookie in Indianapolis. Not only should Woods see the field early in his career, but he has a quarterback that favors throwing to his tight ends in Matt Ryan. Furthermore, Woods is only starting to scratch the surface of his potential. Don’t be surprised when Woods is the best fantasy tight end from this draft class in three years.
3) Greg Dulcich (DEN – TE)
Tight end Greg Dulcich helps fill the void left by Noah Fant. The offense should feature plenty of 12 personnel based on Nathaniel Hackett’s coaching history.
4) Jeremy Ruckert (TE – NYJ)
I’ve been a Jeremy Ruckert champion during the pre-NFL Draft process. Ruckert has underrated athleticism and receiving chops. Outside of the draft capital, this is a wretched landing spot. The Jets signed C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin this offseason to deals that neither will hit free agency until 2025. Ruckert has the talent to come out of this pile of tight ends on top, but the two could remain thorns in his side as, at best, the third option in a Zach Wilson-led offense.
5) Daniel Bellinger (NYG – TE)
Daniel Bellinger‘s collegiate 1.19 yards per route run won’t blow you away, but he did show promise in his final season, increasing it to 1.66 (per PFF). Bellinger walks into a situation where he’ll face off against journeymen Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins for immediate playing time. He surprised many, including me, at the combine with his 4.63 40-yard dash (86th percentile) and 82nd percentile burst score. As a former linebacker recruit that transitioned to tight end upon arriving at San Diego State, he’s still finding his way at the position. The athleticism, draft capital, and lack of an entrenched starter should allow him to stake a claim as the team’s short (and maybe long-term) answer at the position should he perform well.
2022 Dynasty Rookie Rankings
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