Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Avoid (2024)

The tight end position is a tough one to navigate in fantasy football. It’s easily the most top-heavy position with hopes of finding a key contributor. In 2023, that was Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals. While finding the next McBride is tough, we can help. At least we can name a few tight ends to eliminate from your potential pool of fantasy football draft picks. Let’s check out five fantasy football tight ends to consider avoiding in your upcoming drafts.

Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Avoid

Cole Kmet (CHI)

Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million deal with the Bears in July 2023. Heading into 2024, the Bears have a rookie quarterback who will certainly be an upgrade in the passing game from Justin Fields, but now Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen are part of the offense.

In 2023, Kmet saw 90 targets, caught 73 of them, and went for 719 yards and six touchdowns.

There are too many variables to consider for Kmet to be valuable or worth drafting, even at his ADP of TE15.

In 2023, Allen played just 13 games, was targeted 150 times, and caught 108 passes with the Los Angeles Chargers. As for Odunze, he was a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Kmet is fighting for third at best in this pecking order and must deal with a pass-catching running back in D’Andre Swift.

Travis Kelce (KC)

We list Kelce here with a caveat. Of course, if you can get him at a reasonable cost, go for it, but the 2023 season at times showed some less-than-inspiring results.

He finished the year with 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns. However, from Week 8 on, he caught just one touchdown, had four games with yards per route run under 1.00, and was the TE11. In 2024, he’ll be 35 years old and has Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy to compete with for targets.

There’s too much against Kelce here to keep him as the TE2.

Pat Freiermuth (PIT)

Freiermuth is listed as the TE16, so there’s not a lot of draft capital that would be needed for him, but he’s someone we’re passing on come draft time.

There’s been an upgrade at quarterback with Russell Wilson/Justin Fields and a departure of Diontae Johnson. However, the team brought in Roman Wilson, has a more run-focused offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith and Darnell Washington is in his second season.

Washington is a massive tight end with plenty of potential waiting to be unlocked.

The offense itself is already headed in a direction that makes him less valuable, and Washington is someone to be aware of.

In 2023, Freiermuth finished as the TE30, catching 32 balls for 308 yards and two touchdowns across 12 games.

George Kittle (SF)

Finishing as the TE5 in PPR leagues last season, Kittle put up 65 receptions on 90 targets for 1,020 yards and six scores.

However, some stats may prove unsustainable for Kittle moving forward into his 30s.

He averaged 15.7 yards per reception, his highest since 2018. Since 2018, his highest was 13.2, and he hasn’t exceeded 12.8 in the two seasons before 2023. He was also at 1,020 yards in 2023 and hasn’t gone above 910 yards over the past three seasons.

Now, the 49ers have Ricky Pearsall added into the fold, a first-round wide receiver.

Kittle also only had double-digit targets in two games and five or fewer in nine.

Again, “avoid” is a relative term, and Kittle is currently the TE8, but it’s something to be aware of.

Darren Waller (NYG)

The days of Waller’s dominant play are far behind him, and in 12 games last season, he caught 52 passes for 552 yards and just one touchdown.

Now, there’s talk of Waller retiring from the sport. The team has Daniel Bellinger, Jack Stoll and rookie Theo Johnson on the roster, too. They also drafted Malik Nabers with the No. 6 overall draft pick.

Just don’t bother with Waller if he suits up. It’s not worth the headache.

Statistics are courtesy of Pro Football Reference and Pro Football Focus.

More Fantasy Football Draft Advice

Busts Fantasy Draft Advice NFL Trey McBride Cole Kmet Justin Fields Rome Odunze Keenan Allen D’Andre Swift Travis Kelce Marquise Brown Xavier Worthy Pat Freiermuth Russell Wilson Diontae Johnson. Roman Wilson Darnell Washington George Kittle Ricky Pearsall Darren Waller Daniel Bellinger Jack Stoll Theo Johnson Malik Nabers