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

Tight End PPR Rankings, Tiers & Analysis

Fantasy football rankings and analysis for tight ends in PPR (point per reception) leagues. Craig Ronindone projects the value of select TEs from each tier.

Fantasy football players probably hope the 2020 NFL season is better for tight ends than the 2019 season was. 2018 was arguably the greatest year for tight ends in the history of the NFL and fantasy football thanks to Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz setting the single-season record for receptions and San Francisco’s George Kittle setting the single-season record for receiving yards for tight ends.

2019 was not a season for tight ends to find their way into the Guinness Book of World Records, though. Only one tight end scored double-digit touchdowns (Baltimore’s Mark Andrews) and nobody caught 100 passes after Ertz and Kansas City’s Travis Kelce did it the year before. Plus, longtime fantasy stalwart Rob Gronkowski retired, which left a gaping void on many fantasy teams.

This should be a bounce-back year for tight ends in fantasy football. There is just too much talent out there at the position, especially now that Gronk has returned and been traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to reunite with Tom Brady. Here is my analysis of RotoBaller’s early 2020 PPR rankings at tight end!

Editor's Note: Stay on top of your draft prep with RotoBaller’s fantasy football rankings, featuring expert analysis, ADPs, and draft insights for both PPR and non-PPR leagues.

 

Tight End PPR Rankings and Tiers

Position Tier Position Rank Player Overall Tier Overall Rank
1 1 Travis Kelce 2 14
1 2 George Kittle 2 17
2 3 Zach Ertz 4 40
2 4 Mark Andrews 4 45
2 5 Darren Waller 5 53
3 6 Tyler Higbee 5 65
3 7 Hunter Henry 5 70
3 8 Evan Engram 6 78
4 9 Rob Gronkowski 7 90
4 10 Jared Cook 7 95
4 11 Austin Hooper 7 99
5 12 Noah Fant 8 113
5 13 Mike Gesicki 8 126
5 14 Dallas Goedert 8 128
5 15 Jack Doyle 9 133
5 16 T.J. Hockenson 9 134
5 17 Jonnu Smith 9 138
5 18 Eric Ebron 9 144
6 19 Hayden Hurst 10 154
6 20 Blake Jarwin 10 161
6 21 Irv Smith Jr. 10 163
6 22 Ian Thomas 10 168
7 23 Chris Herndon IV 11 193
7 24 Kyle Rudolph 12 214
7 25 Greg Olsen 12 215
7 26 Jace Sternberger 13 219
7 27 Will Dissly 13 223
7 28 Dawson Knox 13 228
7 29 O.J. Howard 13 229
8 30 Jimmy Graham 13 243
8 31 Gerald Everett 14 255
9 32 Cameron Brate 15 280
9 33 Darren Fells 15 281
9 34 Tyler Eifert 15 282
9 35 David Njoku 15 283
9 36 Jacob Hollister 15 288
10 37 Albert Okwuegbunam 15 296
10 38 Vance McDonald 15 297
10 39 Jeremy Sprinkle 15 300
10 40 C.J. Uzomah 15 301
10 41 Jaeden Graham 16 317
10 42 Delanie Walker 16 319
11 43 Harrison Bryant 16 329
11 44 Adam Trautman 16 339
11 45 Ryan Griffin 16 341
11 46 Colby Parkinson 17 350
11 47 Jason Witten 17 351
11 48 Trey Burton 17 356
11 49 Cole Kmet 17 357
11 50 Jordan Akins 17 360
12 51 Demetrius Harris 17 370
12 52 Josh Oliver 17 373
12 53 Nick Boyle 17 378
12 54 Kaden Smith 17 380
12 55 Foster Moreau 17 381
12 56 Thaddeus Moss 18 392
12 57 Mo Alie-Cox 18 396
12 58 Brycen Hopkins 18 400
12 59 Hunter Bryant 18 415
12 60 Drew Sample 18 425
12 61 Ricky Seals-Jones 18 426

 

Tier 1

All Kelce has done is post four consecutive seasons of at least 80 receptions and 1,000 yards. He has also never missed a game, is a key cog in the most explosive offense in the NFL and has MVP Patrick Mahomes throwing to him. He is the clear-cut No. 1 TE heading into the season.

Back-to-back 85-catch, 1,000-yard years make Kittle impossible to rank lower than No. 2. The only thing you can hold against him is that he has only scored 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons despite all the catches and yardage. In dynasty, Kittle might be the more desirable asset due to age but he has yet to surpass Kelce in redraft based on offensive context.

 

Tier 2

It was going to be difficult for Ertz to duplicate his record-smashing 2018 numbers, so his slight comedown in 2019 was no surprise. The issue is that tight end teammate Dallas Goedert is on the rise and proved he could be a No. 1 TE on most NFL teams, so he will continue cutting into Ertz’s time and targets.

Andrews topped tight ends in touchdowns in 2019 thanks to the improved play of quarterback Lamar Jackson, and now that running mate Hayden Hurst was traded to Atlanta it means Andrews will get most of the tight end targets. Baltimore’s run-first offense prevents Andrews from being ranked higher, though.

Waller was the breakout star at the position in 2019. He only had 173 receiving yards over his first three seasons before exploding for 1,145 last year. Waller’s pass-catching skills will keep him as a top-five fantasy tight end, though fantasy owners should be worried that Las Vegas drafted three wide receivers in the first three rounds of this past April’s draft, so that's why his fifth and not higher.

 

Tier 3

Higbee went from being a block-first tight end to becoming the biggest revelation at the position faster than Usain Bolt runs a 100-yard-dash. He ended the season with 43 receptions for 522 yards over his final five games and should remain a focal point of the offense now that he has proved his worth.

Henry could rack up 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns if he stayed healthy. The problem is he never does. The other problem is he no longer has Philip Rivers as his quarterback, so only time will tell if rookie Justin Herbert and/or scrambler Tyrod Taylor can get Henry the ball. Henry has also averaged just 3.3 receptions per game in his career --- not great for PPR leagues.

Engram has missed 14 games over his first three seasons and cannot be counted upon until he starts drinking more milk and taking more vitamins, but he has shown over the past couple years that he can be an elite fantasy tight end when he is not sharing the field with Odell Beckham Jr. He is a sprained ankle from falling two tiers, though.

 

Tier 4

We all know how well Gronkowski has performed in the past. His four 1,000-yard years and five double-digit touchdown seasons make him an all-time fantasy favorite. However, Gronk’s injury history, his one-year layoff, and the fact that he is part of a tight end trio in Tampa Bay force his ranking to be this low. Gronkowski is arguably the biggest risk-reward guy among all tight ends entering the season.

Cook’s 2019 campaign was a tale of two seasons. During the first month of the season while he was getting acclimated to Drew Brees and Sean Payton’s intricate offense, Cook only managed eight catches for 90 yards. Yet during the last 10 games he suited up for he supplied 35 catches for 615 yards and nine touchdowns. Expect more of the latter production from Cook in 2020 during what might Brees’ swan song.

Hooper’s numbers have quietly improved in each of his four seasons, but his fantasy value will likely take a hit going from Atlanta to Cleveland. Let’s hope he does not become another David Njoku and falls out of fantasy favor because wideouts Jarvis Landry and the aforementioned Beckham Jr. take all the targets.

 

Tier 5

Fant is a former first-round pick for a reason --- he has more tools than Lowe’s and Home Depot combined. If Denver can get decent quarterback play out of Drew Lock, Fant will be a prized asset in dynasty and keeper leagues for several seasons.

Gesicki did not score a touchdown in the first 25 NFL contests of his career, but the light finally clicked on inside his helmet during the second half of last season. Because of his combination of size, strength and speed he could end the year a tier or two higher than he is now.

Goedert could have found himself in a Top-three tier if he found himself on another NFL team that did have Zach Ertz as its top tight end.

Doyle should have an above-average year in PPR leagues now that Ebron has taken his talents to Pittsburgh. Fantasy players know how much Philip Rivers loves throwing to his tight ends.

Hockenson racked up 131 yards and a TD in his first pro game last year, then proceeded to score only one more time and have only one more 50-yard game before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Do not forget about the former first-rounder when making out your cheat sheet in August.

The Delanie Walker Era is over in Tennessee, so Smith will be the Titans’ top tight end for the foreseeable future. Smith has more big-play ability than most tight ends, but he also vanishes during games more than many tight ends.

Ebron could score 14 touchdowns in Pittsburgh like he did with Indianapolis in 2018 if everything goes right, or he might muster only three like he did last season if things go awry, and because of his history (and Vance McDonald) I see him ending up closer to the latter number.

 

Tier 6

Hurst was a major fantasy disappointment and totally outplayed by Mark Andrews during his two seasons in Baltimore, but he gets a new lease on life playing in a TE-friendly Atlanta offense where wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley always open up the middle of the field for their tight ends. If Hurst cannot post decent numbers in this situation, he is a bonafide bust.

With Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and first-round pick CeeDee Lamb at WR, Jarwin is a distant fourth in the pass-catching pecking order in Dallas. S

mith Jr. will still have to split targets and touches with veteran Kyle Rudolph in Minnesota, which severely stunts his fantasy growth.

Thomas has the Carolina tight end job all to himself and is a sleeper after showing glimpses of what he can do when subbing in for Greg Olsen the past two years.

 

Tier 7 and Lower

Olsen was an iron man between 2008 and 2016 when he did not miss a game for nine straight seasons, but in recent years his body has betrayed him, costing him 18 game over the past three seasons. If he can stay injury-free, Olsen should thrive in Seattle as Russell Wilson loves utilizing his tight ends (especially in the red zone).

Knox has a bright future ahead of him in Buffalo, especially if Josh Allen continues improving as a signal caller, though his numbers will be tamped down thanks to Buffalo’s offense revolving around running the ball.

Fantasy pundits and players all assumed Howard would become a top fantasy tight end in 2019. Turns out Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians had other plans, and now the front office obviously has other plans as well.

More Fantasy Football Analysis


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




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

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
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
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
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
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