No position in fantasy football is as frustrating and difficult to predict as the tight end position. Year after year, we build ourselves up believing that this year, mediocre players could break out when, in reality, very few can do so.
This is the last of a four-part series examining consistency across fantasy-relevant positions.
- Consistency Series: QB | RB | WR
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
Tight End Consistency (2023 Fantasy Football)
Top-End Tight End Performers
Nobody else comes close to Travis Kelce’s consistency at the tight end position over the last few years, with Kelce finishing as the TE1 or TE2 every season dating back to 2016. Over the last five seasons, Kelce has averaged over 16.5 PPR points in each of them and has been above 18 in three of those years.
Kelce’s targets per game haven’t dropped below 8.1 since 2016, and he’s averaged over 70 yards per game in each of the last five seasons. Simply put, he’s a difference-maker and worth paying up for until we see otherwise.
Mark Andrews…
has the HIGHEST Target Share for a Third, Fourth, and Fifth Year Tight End EVER
joins Travis Kelce as the ONLY Tight Ends with a 20+ PPG Season in the Past Two Years
and could be a part of the MOST Pass Heavy Offense of his Career
it’s to the MOON in 2023 ??
— DynastyIM (@dynasty_im) August 23, 2023
In the 37 games Mark Andrews has played with Lamar Jackson over the last three years, he’s averaged 7.3 targets per game, 59.6 receiving yards and a touchdown at 0.49 per game. This isn’t to be sniffed at when talking about tight ends.
Questions will remain about Jackson’s ability to stay healthy, but we’ve seen Andrews perform without Jackson. He was the leader in target share among tight ends with 28.2% last year, second only to Kelce’s 9.1 targets with 7.5. In addition, he had the second-most deep targets at the position. Andrews is deserving of the TE2 ranking.
Consistent Target Earners
Over the past three seasons, only five tight ends have averaged six or more targets per game for multiple seasons. For reference, there were 45 different wide receivers to average more than that in 2022 alone.
| Travis Kelce | 3 |
| Zach Ertz | 3 |
| Mark Andrews | 3 |
| Darren Waller | 2 |
| George Kittle | 2 |
| TJ Hockenson | 1 |
| Rob Gronkowski | 1 |
| Evan Engram | 1 |
| Logan Thomas | 1 |
| Mike Gesicki | 1 |
| Kyle Pitts | 1 |
| Hunter Henry | 1 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 1 |
| Dalton Schultz | 1 |
| Tyler Higbee | 1 |
| Noah Fant | 1 |
| Eric Ebron | 1 |
2022 Consistent Points Scorers
We know that the tight end position fluctuates massively from year to year, but sometimes, success will carry over from one season to the next. In 2022, there were 77 different tight performances from tight ends who scored 15.0 or more PPR points in an individual week.
Here are the ones who did it more than once:
| Travis Kelce | 12 |
| George Kittle | 5 |
| Mark Andrews | 5 |
| TJ Hockenson | 4 |
| Dalton Schultz | 3 |
| Evan Engram | 3 |
| Juwan Johnson | 3 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 3 |
| Tyler Higbee | 3 |
| Zach Ertz | 3 |
| Cole Kmet | 2 |
| Dallas Goedert | 2 |
| Darren Waller | 2 |
| David Njoku | 2 |
| Hunter Henry | 2 |
| Jelani Woods | 2 |
| Tyler Conklin | 2 |
2022 Consistent Yardage Accumulators
Sixty yards give a floor of 6.0 PPR points. The reception bonuses, typically bring in double-digit points total. This is the kind of floor we should be looking for from a tight end. Anything under 10 points means you’ve had a bad week from your selection.
There were 98 individual tight end performances over 60 yards in 2022. Here are the players who managed it more than twice:
| Travis Kelce | 10 |
| Dallas Goedert | 7 |
| Mark Andrews | 6 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 6 |
| Evan Engram | 5 |
| George Kittle | 5 |
| TJ Hockenson | 5 |
| Tyler Higbee | 5 |
| David Njoku | 4 |
| Gerald Everett | 4 |
| Dalton Schultz | 3 |
| Hunter Henry | 3 |
| Jordan Akins | 3 |
| Tyler Conklin | 3 |
Takeaways & Targets
Travis Kelce (TE – KC)
It might be obvious to say, but Kelce is a true difference-maker and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. Draft with confidence.
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
Another easy selection, but what Andrews offers is as close to Kelce as any tight end in the league. With a more pass-happy Ravens offense, we could see him have another TE1 overall season.
Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)
He may lack the ceiling outcomes of those above him, but Pat Freiermuth consistently earns targets and turns them into yardage. With the Steelers’ offense expected to take a step, he stands to benefit from more offensive touchdowns. As long as the Steelers don’t take him off the field for Darnell Washington, who is a more adept pass-blocker, Freiermuth will provide consistency at the position.
Perfectly placed ball from Kenny Pickett to Pat Freiermuth pic.twitter.com/H0L2zve2xg
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) August 19, 2023
Juwan Johnson (TE – NO)
The Saints weren’t a pretty team in 2022, but Johnson managed to score the third most touchdowns among all tight ends. With Derek Carr at quarterback, Johnson stands to take another step forward. He has double-digit points upside on any given week.
More Fantasy Football Strategy Guides
- Salary Cap Draft Guide (Premium)
- Guide to TE Premium Drafts (Premium)
- Guide to Superflex Drafts | More Superflex Draft Strategy & Advice
- Guide to Streaming Quarterbacks | Bye Week Strategy Guide & Targets
- Guide to Drafting Kickers (Why to Consider Not Drafting A Kicker)
- Guide to Drafting D/STs
- How To Use Vegas Odds for Fantasy Football
- Hero RB Strategy & Targets
- Robust RB Strategy & Targets
- Zero RB Strategy & Targets | Was Zero RB Effective Last Season? | More Targets
- Late-Round QB Strategy & Targets | Was Late-Round QB Effective Last Season?
- Was Zero WR Draft Strategy Effective Last Season?
- Running Back Handcuff Rankings & Targets | Handcuff Strategy & Advice
- Training Camp Notes for RB Handcuffs
- Wide Receiver Handcuff Draft Strategy & Targets
- Value-Based Draft Strategy & Targets
- Quarterback-by-Committee Strategy & Targets
- Offensive Linemen Rankings
- How to Approach the Tight End Position (More Tight End Draft Strategy)
- Players Who Lose Value in PPR Leagues
- Players Seeing Boosts in PPR Leagues
- Positional Disparity Guide
- Impact of Contract Years
- Offenses That Help & Hurt Running Backs | Tight Ends
- Vampire League Guide
- Guillotine League Guide
- Scott Fish Bowl 13 Strategy Guide
- Best Last-Place Punishments For Your Fantasy Football League
- Quarterback-By-Committee Strategy & Guide
- Tiers Explainer: What Are They & How Do You Use Them?
- ADP Explainer: What Is It & How To Use It Effectively
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