Tight End Rankings Analysis – PPR Leagues

September 1, 2021

Craig Rondinone analyzes RotoBaller's 2021 tight end rankings for PPR (point per reception) fantasy football leagues.

Tight ends might not rack up the yardage receivers do, but they can match their counterparts in the receptions department.

While only two tight ends broke the 1,000-yard barrier (Travis Kelce and Darren Waller) and two had double-digit touchdowns (Kelce and Robert Tonyan) in 2020, five were targeted over 100 times and eight had 60 receptions or more. So finding the right tight end in your PPR league can lead to plenty of points, and there is a deep talent pool at the position this season.

RotoBaller has been busier ranking players for the upcoming season than Trevor Lawrence is learning Urban Meyer’s playbook! Here is my analysis of RotoBaller’s 2021 PPR rankings at tight end!

Tight End PPR Rankings

Tier 1

Both Kelce and Waller have had at least 90 receptions, 1,100 yards and 100 targets each of the past two seasons. The reason Kelce is ranked higher is he has a much longer history of amazing fantasy years. Kelce has five consecutive campaigns where he amassed 80 catches and 1,000 yards and has only missed one game in his past seven seasons. Waller has not been around long enough to say all that, and he does not have Patrick Mahomes throwing to him, either.

Kittle could outperform both Kelce and Waller if he stays healthy and has an NFL quarterback tossing to him for an entire season. Whether it is Trey Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo, Kittle has a better chance than ever before to have a solid quarterback passing to him. Remember he is only one year removed from a 88-1,377-5 year.

Tier 2

Hockenson rebounded from his injury-marred rookie campaign to become the top-five fantasy tight end everyone thought he would be someday. Detroit has arguably the worst group of receivers in the NFL, so the Lions passing plans will always revolve around him. It will be interesting to see though, if going from catching balls from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff will hurt his value slightly.

Pitts has more hoopla surrounding him than any rookie tight end entering the NFL in a long time, and thanks to Atlanta’s lack of a solid No. 2 WR in the wake of trading Julio Jones, he should be in line for plenty of targets and touchdowns. His wide receiver-like skill set will make him a bonafide fantasy force. Pitts should not struggle like most rookie tight ends do.

Andrews has hauled in 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons and probably could have scored 20-24 if he was not mired in Baltimore’s run-before-pass offense. Since the Ravens did not exactly upgrade their receiving corps in the offseason (Sammy Watkins?), look for Andrews to continue being Lamar Jackson’s favorite target inside the red zone.

Tier 3

It has been unfair to Goedert that he has been trapped as Philly’s No. 2 TE behind longtime stalwart behind Zach Ertz. Goedert would be the No. 1 TE on two-thirds of the teams in the NFL. But if Ertz is still suiting up for the Eagles when Week 1 rolls around, Goedert might end up as more of a Tier 4 tight end.

Thomas was a major fantasy surprise at the position in 2020 as his transition from quarterback to tight end went much smoother than Tim Tebow’s did this year. Thomas’ most impressive feat last season was that he was targeted at least four times in every game, including an astounding 50 times over his final five games.

Fant is a favorite to keep improving and get into the 70-reception, 800-yard atmosphere this season, but he needs to find the end zone more often after scoring only a half-dozen times in his first 31 career contests. Having Jerry Jeudy and the returning Courtland Sutton as wideouts should help open room over the middle for him, that’s for sure.

Tier 4

Nobody could have predicted Tonyan would haul in 11 touchdown tosses last season and shock the fantasy football world. Thank goodness Aaron Rodgers decided to forgo retiring to become a full-time game show host and return to be Tonyan’s quarterback for one more go-around. Just do not count on him to rack up receptions with Davante Adams taking so many targets in Green Bay. Tonyan was only 13^th in receptions among tight ends in 2020.

Gesicki was still able to score four touchdowns in Miami’s final five games to help fantasy managers when they needed him most despite having Tua Tagovailoa struggling under center. He has improved in each of his first three seasons and could set career-highs again in receptions and yards this year.

Higbee racked up 43 receptions for 522 yards over a five-game stretch in 2019, and that was when co-starting tight end at the time Gerald Everett was out with an injury. Well, now that Everett has taken his talents to the Seattle Seahawks, fantasy managers might believe Higbee is ready for a 16-game repeat of that performance. I would temper my expectations, but there is no doubt that Higbee is the Rams' top tight end and should see a bump in catches and yards.

Tier 5

Engram scored six touchdowns during his fantastic rookie season in 2017. He has scored seven times in the three seasons since. He seems to drop more touchdown passes than he catches, but Engram is still someone to watch in the mid-to-late rounds of drafts if he drops. The guy has averaged seven targets per game over his career, and not many tight ends can say the same.

Everett and Smith both signed multimillion-dollar deals with new teams in the offseason, but the big difference is that while Everett does not have to fend off much in the way of competition for his tight end targets, Smith has to split them with fellow newly-minted millionaire Hunter Henry.

Gronk is a Hall of Famer, a fantasy football legend, and a former WWE title holder. He has lost a couple of steps and could break a bone if he sneezes the wrong way, but as long as Tom Brady is his QB he is always a threat to score six to eight touchdowns in a season.

The jury is out on how Henry will fare fantasy-wise with the aforementioned Smith and with either Cam Newton or Mac Jones as his battery mate. On top of that, the oft-injured Henry banged up his shoulder during training camp. It is up to you if Henry screams “beware!” or “buy low!” to you.

Troutman and Kmet are youngsters who have not shown much early in their careers but are in positions to take that next fantasy step. You just have to wonder if the unsettled quarterback situations on their teams will harm their fantasy worth along the way.

Tier 6

If you want the No. 2 TE on your fantasy roster to be a veteran tight end with a history of decent production who may or may not have his stats stunted by a young tight end teammate, either Ebron or Cook could be your guy. Both could supply fantasy GMs 50 receptions for 600 yards and six scores --- or be benched midseason because of the rising star blowing by them on the depth chart.

Hurst was the golden boy of tight ends last season when he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons, but Matt Ryan did not aim at him like he used to aim at Tony Gonzalez. Now Hurst has to show phenom Pitts the ropes and might be watching him blossom into a Pro Bowl player from the sideline by season’s end.

Smith Jr. no longer has to sacrifice time and targets to veteran Kyle Rudolph in Minnesota, but his ascension to fantasy stardom is now on hold thanks to an untimely torn meniscus that will delay his season by a few weeks if not longer. A tough break for a talented tight end with top-10 fantasy upside.

Tier 7

This tier could be the lucky tier for fantasy managers if one of the up-and-comers speeds up his learning process and becomes a fantasy force. Knox had the worst target-to-reception ratio on the Bills last season, so that has nowhere to go but up – as does his fantasy value, especially since Buffalo did not swing a deal for Zach Ertz.

Freiermuth is the second-most exciting rookie tight end available behind Pitts. He is someone to peg more so in dynasty leagues since his learning curve might be slightly sleeper because Ebron is in his way in Pittsburgh and because he is not blessed with the physically skills Pitts is.

Uzomah is coming off a season-ending injury and has Drew Sample waiting in the wings to steal hos spot, but he had back-to-back 40-yard games and scored a TD in two outings with Joe Burrow last season, so there is some chemistry there.

Tier 8

This tier is filled with tight ends who are serviceable for fantasy purposes but have other tight ends on their teams blocking them from becoming top-15 TEs. Doyle and Cox are part of a two-headed tight end committee in Indianapolis that helps nobody’s numbers, although it was worse when Trey Burton was there and they were a threesome.

Conklin has an opportunity to show something in the wake of Irv Smith Jr.’s knee injury. Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins loves throwing to his tight ends inside the red zone, and with wonderful wideouts Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson on the outside, Conklin could do very well on the inside when given scoring chances.

Howard is stuck with his own fantasy killer of a tight end trio with Gronkoski and Cameron Brate. It would be nice if for he was on a team where he was the top tight end and there was no one taking his touchdowns --- and if he could stay injury-free while doing so.

Tiers 9 and Lower

Hollister was Josh Allen’s teammate in college and only has Knox standing in his way in Buffalo, so he is a late-rounder to watch in fantasy drafts. Kroft has caught a couple touchdown passes in the preseason and might find a new fantasy life playing with a new team in the New York Jets.  Bryant and Njoku would be better off not being Austin Hooper’s backups in Cleveland, yet the Browns did not trade either when they had the opportunity.

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