X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Early 2018 Dynasty Sleepers - Tight End

Craig Rondinone analyzes the early 2018 dynasty sleepers in fantasy football at the tight end (TE) position to find buy-low candidates and draft values.

Not every fantasy football team can have Rob Gronkowski on its roster, but many dynasty fantasy squads can have a good tight end that will contribute for the next several seasons.

There should be plenty of tight ends to build fantasy football dynasty league teams around in 2018. Three talented tight ends were selected in the first round of last year’s NFL draft (New York’s Evan Engram, Cleveland’s David Njoku and Tampa Bay’s O.J. Howard) that should all take their games (and fantasy values) to the next level in 2018, and there will surely be some studs in the early rounds of this April’s NFL draft that should make immediate and long-term impacts on fantasy rosters. Lurking in the shadows, though, are some other lesser-heralded tight ends who could be fantasy sleepers in 2018.

Here is a look at the early 2018 dynasty sleepers at tight end:

Editor's Note: RotoBaller’s Dynasty content delivers year-round dynasty fantasy football rankings, trade advice, rookie analysis, and player outlooks. Build a title-winning roster with sleepers, stash targets, and our full dynasty fantasy football guide.

 

Early Tight End Dynasty Sleepers

 George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco’s fifth-round pick from last year had a solid rookie season with 43 receptions for 515 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kittle was a non-factor during his first dozen games, though. He only managed 40 yards or more in two of those contests and was probably only owned in NFC-only fantasy leagues or rare leagues where fantasy players were required to start three tight ends per week.

Kittle was a changed man once Jimmy Garoppolo wrested the reigns of the offense away from C.J. Beathard’s clutches, however. Kittle accounted for 11 receptions for 194 yards and a touchdown over the 49ers’ final three games of the season. If you project the numbers of that small sample size over the course of a full season, you could theorize that Kittle could have 60 catches for 1,000 yards if he has Garoppolo as his quarterback for all 16 games.

Kittle was thought of as a block-first tight end coming out of college. Now with Garoppolo manning the passing attack, Kittle could blossom into an above-average, all-around tight end. While banking on a 1,000-yard year might asking for too much, grabbing Kittle in the late rounds of your fantasy draft and expecting a few seasons in the 650-to-850-yard range is realistic. And do not worry – even though he only had two touchdowns in 2017, he will score more per year with Jimmy G as his QB.

Adam Shaheen, Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears had the worst passing offense in the NFL last season, so it is no surprise that Shaheen was about as valuable to fantasy football owners as a porterhouse steak is to a vegan. Chicago’s 2017 second-round pick had a dozen receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns and was a complete fantasy zero for the first two months of the season when he managed one lone catch.

The offense is Mitchell Trubisky’s to run, and if you do not think Chicago is going to build its offense around the second overall pick of the 2017 draft, then you are not paying attention. That bodes well for Shaheen, a physical specimen who can overpower defensive backs and out-muscle linebackers when he runs routes. He also has above-average speed for a man 6’5” and 270 pounds. All Shaheen needs is a little more seasoning and Trubisky to improve and become a passer who can consistently get him the ball.

Chicago’s passing attack has nowhere to go but up, and the same goes for Trubisky and Shaheen. Shaheen will enter the 2018 campaign as the Bears starting tight end and could be one of Trubisky’s top two or three targets depending on how Chicago’s offseason plays out when it comes to receiver acquisitions. Get Shaheen on the cheap this season and it could pay off handsomely for several seasons.

Lance Kendricks, Green Bay Packers

Kendricks was not a fantasy factor in 2017, catching only 18 passes for just 203 yards and one touchdown. For the first half of the season, he had veteran Martellus Bennett preventing him from getting on the field and catching any Aaron Rodgers darts. Once Bennett got himself off the team and conveniently onto the New England Patriots, Rodgers was hurt and Kendricks was left with Brett Hundley throwing one-hoppers in front of his feet.

Now Kendricks does not have Bennett blocking his path and should have a healthy Rodgers throwing pinpoint passes to him (until Danica Patrick drives away with him in a stock car). Kendricks has only had 50 receptions and 500 yards once in his career, but being the top tight end in a Rodgers-led, pass-first offense could help him set new personal bests across the board.

The offseason is in its early stages, so Green Bay may pull a tight end out from its cheese collection we do not expect, either via the draft or free agency. There are rumors tying Wisconsin product Troy Fumagalli to the team, but he would not contribute much as a rookie. Kendricks is durable (three missed games in seven seasons) and a veteran who can block a little and catch more than his stats suggest. If he remains Green Bay’s main tight end, he can have the best year of his career in 2018 and be a sneaky TE2.

 

More 2018 Dynasty League Strategy




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nolan Arenado

Ready for Second Half
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Back in Action to Begin Second Half
Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF