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It’s official, the 2023 pre-season has begun! As the 2023 season looms, we welcome the final group of fantasy football fans back into the mix. This season we have had some big names change teams (see, Aaron Rodgers), a division that is made up of two quarterbacks who were top-four draft picks this year (AFC South), and of course, we have do-or-die seasons for a few veterans (Russell Wilson).
For the second year in a row, I am releasing my draft rankings in article format. I have a brief breakdown of each player and the factors I use to influence my rankings. This season we surprisingly have a lot of exciting TEs that are outside of my top-10 rankings.
Two years ago I was the 61st most accurate analyst for draft rankings in the FantasyPros accuracy contest. Although last year was not as successful, I am hoping to bounce back. So without further ado, here are my 2023 positional draft rankings for tight ends. Check out my player outlook videos on TikTok @FiresideFantasy_FF.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!
20. Luke Musgrave, GB
The first of three rookie TEs in my rankings. You read that right, I am expecting this season to completely break the mold of "rookie TEs don't produce". This rookie class was touted to be a great TE group, and we have a few prospects in prime positions to produce immediately.
Musgrave was selected with the 11th pick of the second round and has been working with the first team this entire off-season. At this point in the rankings, it is primarily all about opportunity.
Musgrave has clearly cemented himself as the Packers' receiving TE and will be on the field a lot this season. Additionally, he will have to primarily compete with fellow rookie Jayden Reed who is a WR for the third option behind Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
If Jordan Love can be a functional passer, there is a chance Musgrave finds his way to fantasy relevance sooner than later. It's a high-upside shot that you can draft with the last pick of your fantasy drafts.
19. Irv Smith Jr., CIN
I had to throw Irv Smith Jr. into this article. Will this finally be Irv Smith Jr.'s breakout season? Probably not, however, he couldn't be in a better situation to make an impact. Immediately stepping in for Hayden Hurst, Smith Jr. finds himself as the fourth option for Joe Burrow. Last season with limited work, Hurst finished as the TE24, with only two touchdowns. If Smith Jr. can start to showcase the talent that got him drafted in the second round back in 2019, he could easily be a touchdown threat on an already potent offense, making him a sneaky late-round pick in Best Ball formats.
18. Trey McBride, ARI
McBride has been climbing my rankings all off-season. Even though his rookie season was expected to be a lost cause, it seems the fantasy community is still holding it against him.
Last season Zach Ertz was the TE3 through the first 10 weeks. Although Ertz remains part of the team, he is recovering from a very serious knee injury and surgery.
As much as I would like to see Ertz come back, a 32-year-old TE coming off a major injury is worrisome. As a result, McBride could be stepping into a nice role for fantasy as early as this season.
17. Sam LaPorta, DET
The Lions traded T.J. Hockenson mid-season last year and filled that void with the third pick of the second round in the 2023 draft. Laporta was very productive in college, especially in the receiving game which is perfect for fantasy football. Coming out of Iowa State University (also referred to as Tight End U), Laporta instantly finds himself in a prime opportunity to produce immediately.
This team is desperate for a receiving option behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. Plus, Jamieson Williams is missing the first six games due to a suspension.
The opportunity will certainly be there for the rookie, and all reports out of training camp are that he has already taken advantage of the targets he receives. This might be an outlier year for tight ends, and Laporta is primed to be one of the few breaking the rookie TE mold.
16. Chigoziem Okonkwo, TEN
Okonkwo played all 17 games and only finished as the TE23 last season. Even with this lackluster finish, he is a trendy TE sleeper this year. This is predominantly a result of him producing as the TE7 from Week 12 on.
Still, you wouldn't think this would cause much excitement but his athleticism for a 6'3" 240lbs TE is intriguing. Over the last six weeks, he had four or more targets in every game but one. This volume may only go up since this team is desperate for playmakers, even with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.
15. Dalton Kincaid, BUF
I'm not one to believe in rookie TEs, however, I have a feeling this year will be an outlier. The 2023 rookie class was full of top-tier tight-end prospects, and Kincaid was the only one drafted in the first round.
What makes Kincaid unique, is that he is a prolific pass catcher and was drafted to a team that currently lacks a locked-in slot option. As a result, Kincaid is being projected to become Josh Allen's starting slot receiver and could potentially challenge Gabriel Davis for the second option in this receiving game.
Everything out of training camp has been showering Kincaid with praise for his route running and steady hands. This is a case where you aren't really drafted a TE even though that's the position they are listed as.
In the past, it is these situations where you can find value (for example Kyle Pitts and Tayson Hill). If you wait for a late-round TE, why not shoot for the stars and draft Kincaid?
14. Pat Freiermuth, PIT
This is a perfect case of all tight ends not being equal for fantasy. Despite drafting Darnell Washington in the third round, Freiermuth's workload is very secure. Washington is an elite blocker and was drafted to do just that.
Quietly, Freiermuth managed to be the TE8 in 2022 and was second on the team in targets. He did this while only scoring two touchdowns, leaving plenty of room to improve if Kenny Pickett can progress in his sophomore season.
13. Tyler Higbee, LAR
In 2021 with Matthew Stafford, Higbee was the TE15 despite missing two games. It's not pretty, nor is it very valuable for fantasy, but Higbee is locked into targets on this offense. It's not hard to make the case for Higbee to become the number two target on this team behind Cooper Kupp.
After all, it's between Higbee and field stretcher Van Jefferson for that title. Last season, despite not having Stafford for the majority of it, he was fourth at the position in targets. When you are talking about this level of fantasy tight ends, volume is key. As a result, Higbee is a solid floor player at the position.
12. Greg Dulcich, DEN
It's terrifying to buy into this offense. Thankfully, Dulcich can be picked up for a relatively low investment.
Even as a rookie, Dulcich flashed his ability and could become consistently involved in this offense. It might not be pretty, but he should play his way to weekly production and has the potential to break out in his second season.
Plus, head coach Sean Peyton is notorious for utilizing tight ends that produce for fantasy. There’s a world where Dulcich is this year’s breakout story for fantasy.
11. Gerald Everett, LAC
As soon as the Chargers scooped up one of the best offensive coordinators in the league, this team was ready to ooze fantasy points. Kellen Moore was a fantasy point factory in Dallas, and now gets to work his magic with Justin Herbert.
With the Cowboys, Dalton Schultz had nearly 90+ targets and five-plus touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. Everett should immediately step into this role, making him one of my favorite late-round TEs to find the top 10 at the position.
Thank you for reading. Please check out my other positional rankings being released this month!
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