RADIO
Many draft experts are raving that this is the best group of tight ends for years. It's possible fantasy managers are treated to not one, not two, but possibly as many as three first-round prospects. It seems all but certain there will be five tight ends with second-round draft capital, which should give fantasy managers plenty of rookie options to choose from this upcoming season.
Rookie tight ends have historically been a very bad bet, but we've seen Kyle Pitts, Pat Freiermuth, and Greg Dulcich slightly buck that trend the past two seasons and it looks very likely that at least one of these prospects will be added to the list. There are several very favorable fantasy football landing spots for tight ends this year. Those include the Dolphins, Lions, Packers, Cowboys, Raiders, and Bengals. Anyone of these six clubs has immediate openings at the top of the depth chart.
This is our third and final installment of this series, after having already touched on the top running back and wide receiver prospects in this year's draft. We'll be identifying two of the best fantasy landing spots for some of the best tight end prospects in this year's draft. Let's get to it.
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Dalton Kincaid – Utah
Dalton Kincaid is a little undersized at just 6’4 and 246 pounds, and while he wasn’t able to workout at the combine or Utah’s pro day due to a back injury, many around the league are said to view him as an exceptional athlete and one that would’ve tested extremely well. It’s rare to see such production out of a college tight end state, but Kincaid bucked the norm. In 2021, he had 46 targets, 36 receptions, 510 yards, and eight touchdowns. This past season, he really made his mark for NFL general managers. He was the team’s leading receiver with 96 targets, 70 receptions, 890 yards, and eight scores. He has a 34.1% college dominator, a 94th-percentile mark among tight ends, a 15.8 yard per reception average, 86th-percentile, and a 19.9 breakout age, 81st percentile. He certainly looks like a future top-10 fantasy tight end and depending on his landing spot, could even finish higher than that.
There might not be a prospect I’m higher on than#Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
6’3 1/2 - 246lbsIt’s rare to find a TE who is such a natural route runner. Watching his film compared to other TEs of the class, you notice the fluidity of his routes, soft pic.twitter.com/lTGNto9Hn6…
— Jared Tokarz (@JaredNFLDraft) March 9, 2023
Los Angeles Rams
Right now, the only real pass-catcher that fantasy managers can feel confident about within Los Angeles is Cooper Kupp. That’s it. The target hierarchy for the Rams is completely wide open behind him and they absolutely need another dependable target in the passing game. Tyler Higbee has consistently disappointed and Sean McVay has regularly used Higbee as a blocker in the past. With Higbee on the roster for one more year, the Rams could deploy him as their primary blocking tight end and let Kincaid operate as the primary pass-catcher, which happens to be what he’s best at.
There’s certainly an argument to be made that Kincaid is the best pass-catching tight end in this draft. He’s explosive, he’s an excellent route-runner, and he can generate yardage after the catch. He would give Matthew Stafford another dependable target in the passing game and with Higbee on the roster for 2023, he wouldn’t be asked to block much, if at all.
Seattle Seahawks
This one, on paper, may look like an awkward fit with Noah Fant and Will Dissly already on the roster, but Fant is in the final year of his contract and it seems unlikely they’ll resign him with Metcalf and Lockett both on the books. They also extended Dissly last offseason. In that sense, they could use another move tight end who is best used in the passing game, similarly to Fant.
Kincaid is a perfect match in this regard. He hasn’t been able to work out for clubs this offseason due to a back injury he suffered last year and with Fant and Dissly on the roster, 2023 could largely act as a red-shirt season for him. Not that he needs one, but he wouldn’t be asked of much as a rookie. In 2024, Kincaid would seamlessly move into Fant’s role when he leaves in free agency. If the team decides to not select a receiver, they could instead target a tight end.
Michael Mayer – Notre Dame
As far as tight end production goes in college, Michael Mayer is in pretty rare air. In 2020, at just 19 years old, he finished with 61 targets, 42 receptions, 450 yards, and two touchdowns. More impressive than all of that was his 17.2% target share. Over the next two seasons, Mayer would average, 102 targets, 69 receptions, 825 yards, and eight touchdowns. He had target shares of 22.0% and 31.1%, respectively over the 2021 and 2022 seasons. His 35.8% college dominator ranks in the 95th percentile. Mayer’s game is the best all-around among this year’s tight end class and he’s likely to find himself starting from day one.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys lost Dalton Schultz in free agency and have a very bare depth chart at tight end right now. The free agent pool is virtually empty and that means the team will be required to fill this void in the draft. The important thing for the Cowboys is finding a tight end who can do it all. They need to catch and block because the running game is still going to be a very important part of their offense.
Mayer has the best all-around game among the tight ends in this year’s class and it’s not entirely all that close. Mayer would give head coach Mike McCarthy a tight end who never has to come off the field. He can split out wide or in the slot but also can be an in-line blocker, as well. That dual ability is perfect for Dallas’s offense.
Miami Dolphins
Miami’s functions similarly to Dallas’s and we saw this last year with Mike Gesicki, who was largely phased out of the offense completely because he can’t block. If you want to play tight end for head coach Mike McDaniel, you need to be a good blocker and Mayer checks that box. He can play in-line, but he can also be used in the passing game.
Even though the Dolphins haven’t used a lot of resources at the running back position, the running game is still an important part of their scheme. McDaniel has just chosen to build his running game through his offensive line instead of the running backs. This is smart, but it means having a tight end who can operate as an in-line blocker. Behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the team could use a dependable No. 3 target and Mayer could operate much like Dallas Goedert does in Philadelphia behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Luke Musgrave – Oregon State
The upside, size, and athleticism of Luke Musgrave are tantalizing. He’s 6’5 and 253 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds. He also recorded elite scores in the 20-yard split, the 10-yard split, vertical, and broad jump categories. His 9.75 RAS is one of the highest in this year’s tight end draft class.
However, injuries have hampered him throughout his college career. He played in just two games this past year but flashed that elite upside recording 11 receptions and 169 yards, and one touchdown in those two games. While Mayer and Kincaid can boast about their elite college production, it’s very rare to find tight ends involved in their team’s passing attacks. Musgrave is likely to get round-two draft capital and has elite athleticism, which is virtually a requirement for high-end fantasy value at the tight end position. Due to the injuries in college, Musgrave may not be a year-one starter, but could absolutely become that in 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals lost Hayden Hurst in free agency and have done very little to replace him. They’ve signed former Viking, Irv Smith Jr., but his limited size has impacted his effectiveness when he has been on the field. Luke Musgrave is a big tight end who can be used as an in-line blocker, even though that isn’t his strength right now.
He’s a tremendous pass-catcher, which fits well with the Bengals’ strengths as an offensive unit because, with Joe Burrow behind center, they’re going to pass the ball far more than they run it. While they currently have Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, which makes Musgrave nothing more than fourth on Burrow’s target tree, Boyd is a free agent after 2023, which would allow Musgrave to have a more prominent role in the offense as early as next season.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders traded Darren Waller to the Giants this offseason and have attempted to slap a few old and used band-aids on the position for 2023 by signing Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard. That likely means they’re not looking to address the position super early in the draft, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an excellent landing spot for a rookie tight end.
Howard hasn’t really ever been all that good and Hooper had that one really good season in Atlanta and since has mostly just been okay. They’re both only signed for one year. Musgrave would have every opportunity to earn significant playing time in year one, but he’d be virtually guaranteed to start full-time in year two. You can’t ask for much more than that as a tight end.
Sam LaPorta – Iowa
Sam LaPorta is a four-year and three-year starter at Iowa. In his first year as a starter in 2020, he finished with 53 targets, 27 receptions, 271 yards, and one score. His 21.5% target share was very encouraging. Over his next two seasons, LaPorta went on to average 90 targets, 56 receptions, 663 yards, and two touchdowns. He recorded target shares of 21.0% in 2021 and 27.0% in 2022. He had a college dominator of 25.5%, which is in the 79th percentile.
LaPorta is similar to Mayer in that he has a very well-rounded game and could step in very early and help a team not only in the passing game but maybe more importantly as a blocker. LaPorta, like Kincaid, is a bit undersized at just 6’3 and 245 pounds but tested extremely well. He finished with a 9.5 RAS and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds. Based on his athleticism and college production, LaPorta looks like he’ll be a future fantasy starter for many years to come.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers are one of the best landing spots for any tight end in the NFL this season. They’ve elected not to resign Mercedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan, which leaves basically just Josiah Degura at tight end. While the Aaron Rodgers trade is still up in the air, it seems as though Corey Davis could very well be going to Green Bay based on the free agent signings in New York and Green Bay’s comments about wanting to bring in a veteran receiver yet.
If that comes to pass, the Packers are unlikely to add a receiver early in the draft, but tight end would continue to be a priority. Sam LaPorta would walk into almost a guaranteed, full-time, and featured role in Green Bay. If the top receivers are Christian Watson, Corey Davis, and Romeo Doubs, LaPorta would have every opportunity to become a real producer in the passing game and could find himself operating as Love’s preferred check-down option.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have Gerald Everett in Los Angeles for one more season and they just brought back Donald Parham Jr. for one more season, but the Chargers could also be looking for a new starting tight end as soon as 2024. They could also use another pass-catcher, another role LaPorta could fill.
The real benefit to LaPorta for the Chargers, however, is his ability to block. Playing at Iowa, this is a skillset tight ends need to have and he’s one of the better blockers in this year’s draft class. He’s a poor man’s Michael Mayer, so to speak. He’s not quite as good, but he’s got a well-rounded game. Parham is primarily a weapon in the passing game and the same is true for Everett, even though their strengths in the passing game look much different, neither is a plus blocker. LaPorta could provide that role, a skillset they don’t currently have at tight end right now.
Darnell Washington – Georgia
Darnell Washington doesn’t have nearly the college production as almost all of these other guys in this draft class, but it’s also true that other guys didn’t play alongside fellow tight end, Brock Bowers. He had 63 receptions, 942 yards, and seven touchdowns and is a name to watch for the 2024 NFL Draft. Washington still finished 2022 with 41 targets, 28 receptions, 454 yards, and two touchdowns. He wasn’t asked to be a big part of the passing game because he’s practically a sixth offensive lineman.
Washington is gigantic, measuring 6’6 and 264 pounds. Despite this size, he still ran the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle exercise in 4.08 seconds, which was best among tight ends and would’ve been the second-fastest time among receivers. He possesses elite size and elite athleticism. While he’s unlikely to make his mark as a pass-catcher early in his career, Washington is going to play immediately because of his blocking skill. Washington could become a red zone threat right from the start with his size. The sky is the limit for someone with these kinds of athletic gifts.
Detroit Lions
I think we’d all love to see Darnell Washington end up with Dan Campbell in Detroit. I mean, what a perfect pairing. It makes a lot of sense from a personnel standpoint too. The team traded Hockenson last year and there’s a fairly large void at tight end. In the second half of the 2022 season, it was largely a committee-based approach.
The Lions want to run the football. This is an important part of who they are as a football team and they have a top-five offensive line to get it done. Adding Washington would essentially give them six-plus run blockers on the field at any given time. David Montgomery and D’Andre Swift would have a field day almost every Sunday. His athleticism provides a high-upside ceiling as a receiver, which is another plus because the Lions could use a third target behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Miami Dolphins
Much like Detroit, despite all the hoopla about Hill and Waddle, coach McDaniel understands the value of the running game. The Dolphins have a big hole at tight end and Washington would fill that in a big way. While McDaniel wants to have a strong running game, he wants to build the running game by having a strong set of blockers as opposed to using high draft picks or spending big money on running backs. Washington would significantly improve their run blocking instantly.
McDaniel is also fantastic at getting Hill and Waddle in space and giving them space to run after the catch. This skill of McDaniel could become extremely useful with a player like Washington. His size and speed could be a nightmare for defenses once he gets in space and in the open field. McDaniel could make that happen and it would make for a lot of fun viewing entertainment.
Tucker Kraft – South Dakota State
Tucker Kraft didn’t play very much during his first two seasons at South Dakota State but exploded onto the scene in 2021. In 15 games, he finished with 65 receptions, 773 yards, and six touchdowns. His senior season this past year wasn’t as productive, but he still managed to finish with 27 receptions, 348 yards, and three touchdowns in nine games of action. He averaged 11.9 and 12.9 yards per catch respectively over the past two seasons. He received an invite to the combine and certainly improved his draft stock with his performance there. He measured in at 6’4 and 248 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.69 and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.29 seconds. He recorded an elite 9.65 RAS.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders are set to start the soon-to-be 32-year-old, Logan Thomas this year at tight end. He’s struggled with injuries over the past few years and Washington could certainly use a long-term solution, sooner rather than later. Right now, Thomas and John Bates can get the job done for this upcoming season, but that would buy Kraft a red-shirt year in the NFL to accumulate to the NFL after having played college at a smaller school.
Kraft is best defined as a bit of a project and when you combine that definition at the tight end position, fantasy managers know they’re not getting year-one production. However, landing in Washington does give him the chance to be a 2024 producer. Next year, Curtis Samuel will likely no longer be on the roster and he’ll have a chance to operate as the team’s No. 3 target behind Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.
Houston Texans
The Texans made an excellent signing when they secured Dalton Schultz on a year-one deal of less than $10 million dollars. He’ll get their rookie quarterback a nice safety valve to lean on. Should Schultz have another highly productive year and he’s certainly set up to have a nice season, possibly operating as the team’s No. 1 target, they’ll be in a good position to get a compensatory pick out this whole thing. That’s good business, but it also means their long-term tight end answer may not be on the roster.
Kraft needs a year of seasoning, maybe two, to be ready to be an NFL starter, but landing in Houston would allow him to work behind Schultz and learn from one of the better all-around tight ends in the game. Schultz is an above-average receiver and blocker and while he’s not great at either, he provides good value in both roles. That’s someone Kraft can learn from. He’d also get a chance to develop with an elite rookie quarterback and be in a position to become have a regular role in the team’s passing attack in 2024.
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