2023 was the year for rookie tight ends in fantasy football with Sam LaPorta having arguably one of the best seasons of all time for a rookie tight end. LaPorta heads into the season poised to repeat ranked as the TE1 and he’s joined by Dalton Kincaid, who is ranked TE6 in FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR). Kincaid split time with Dawson Knox in 2023 but showed promise while Knox was out. Kincaid could have an enhanced role in the absence of both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. While LaPorta and Kincaid are the only second-year tight ends ranked in the top 12 of our ECR, there are others who could have fantasy football-relevant seasons.
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Second-Year Tight End Draft Targets
Michael Mayer (TE – LV)
The Raiders drafting Brock Bowers was a massive blow to Michael Mayer’s fantasy value. Mayer’s 2023 got off to a slow start and the Raiders’ offense was inconsistent, leaving Mayer’s rookie production minimal. But he showed promise with multiple games of double-digit fantasy points and two touchdowns. While Mayer’s draft capital was significant for a tight end, Bowers will likely take priority over Mayer. But that’s not the end of Mayer’s story. Mayer and Bowers can co-exist in the Raiders’ offense. It could resemble Kincaid/Knox usage in 2023. Upside won’t be very high but Mayer could still offer value in deeper leagues if the Raiders’ new offense runs a significant amount of two-tight end sets.
Luke Musgrave (TE – GB) & Tucker Kraft (TE – GB)
The Packers’ offense was one of the most shocking surprises of 2023. While the masses expected Green Bay’s offense to plummet without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers thrived and Jordan Love had the second-most passing touchdowns in the league with 32 behind only Dak Prescott. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Love showed zero preference for a specific target and showed love to all pass-catchers, meaning no player truly stood out from a fantasy perspective. The Packers offer two second-year tight ends in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. Considering the success both tight ends had, Matt LaFleur will likely continue to incorporate both tight ends. Preference will lean towards Musgrave. Musgrave had the higher draft capital and operated as the TE1 before suffering an injury that kept him out through the remainder of the fantasy season. But expect Kraft to remain involved and offer borderline TE1 upside if Musgrave were to suffer another injury.
Darnell Washington (TE – PIT)
The theme of this article is clearly backup tight ends that could offer value in offenses that incorporate two-tight end sets. The Pittsburgh offense is now run by Arthur Smith. If we know one thing about Smith, the TE2 can benefit from his schemes. Jonnu Smith had a whopping 50 receptions — three fewer than Kyle Pitts — on 70 targets for 582 yards and three touchdowns last season as the backup tight end under Smith. Washington could be used in a similar manner in 2024. Washington was non-existent in 2023 with a total of seven receptions for 61 yards. He saw a decent amount of snaps but was primarily used as a blocker. But we shouldn’t forget Washington had a decent receiving profile in college and could serve as a red-zone threat. Washington could offer deep-league value with Pittsburgh’s receiving corps youth and lack of depth.
Davis Allen (TE – LAR)
Davis Allen wasn’t a particularly intriguing prospect but the fifth-round draft pick could see a bigger role in the Rams’ 2024 offense with Tyler Higbee set to miss time. The Rams run three-receiver sets at one of the highest rates in the NFL, which means backup tight ends have no usage, so Allen’s lack of production was understandable. But in two regular season games where Higbee was inactive, Allen had four receptions on five targets for 50 yards and a touchdown and four receptions on four targets for 25 yards. The usage was limited but promising. The Rams signed Colby Parkinson, who had 25 receptions in each of the past two seasons with Seattle. Allen will likely contend with Parkinson but if he can edge out the newcomer, Allen we be a solid streaming option with Higbee out.
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