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The later rounds of the fantasy draft are essential, and managers want to draft high-upside players who can provide a great return on value. Fantasy managers can afford to take some risks on various players, including forgotten veterans, players returning from injuries, or even skilled players with potential playing time concerns.
In this article, we look at some late-round tight ends for you to consider drafting this season. Our editors have hand-picked these specific NFL players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2023 Draft Kit.
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Sam LaPorta, Lions, Fantasy Football Outlook
Over the last few years, the University of Iowa has started to be known as TE University, and rightfully so. With San Francisco tight end George Kittle, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, and Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant coming out of the school in recent years, it's hard not to get excited about Detroit Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta. Kittle has already praised LaPorta's overall ability and believes he'll thrive in the NFL.
Although he has displayed dominant pass-catching in college, he must improve as a run and pass blocker to succeed at the next level. Thankfully, he finds himself in an ideal situation, being selected by the Detroit Lions with the third pick of the second round (34th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the game and a relatively concentrated passing game. Outside Amon-Ra St. Brown, LaPorta will have to compete for targets in Detroit's passing game with Josh Reynolds, Marvin Jones, and Jameson Williams once he completes his six-game suspension.
LaPorta was impressive during rookie camp, and his versatility stood out. According to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic, the Lions used him as an in-line tight end and flexed him out to receiver during rookie camp, which he did routinely at Iowa. Despite being the second TE off the board in this draft, he might have the clearest path to fantasy production in his rookie season. He is an exciting grab in dynasty formats and worth a late-round flier in redraft leagues.
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys, Fantasy Football Outlook
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson will enter his second season after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was stuck behind Dalton Schultz on the depth chart in his rookie year and finished the season with 19 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns. But with Schultz's departure this offseason, Ferguson has the chance to be the team's starting tight end in Week 1.
Ferguson's best game of his rookie campaign came when he stepped in for the injured Schultz. He had four catches for 40 yards and one touchdown against the Eagles in Week 6. Despite the Cowboys adding Luke Schoonmaker in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Pro Football Focus listed the second-year tight end as the Cowboys' top breakout candidate entering the season.
If Ferguson winds up as the TE1 in Dallas, he should be in store for a solid season in a high-powered offense. He's worth a late-round flier in 10-plus team leagues as a backup tight end option. He's ranked TE23 and 185 overall in the latest RotoBaller rankings.
Irv Smith Jr., Bengals, Fantasy Football Outlook
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Irv Smith Jr. will enter the 2023 season as the starter and replacement for new Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst. The 24-year-old signed a one-year $1.75 million contract at the end of this past March and enters the season with no real competition for starting reps. Any starting role in a passing game led by quarterback Joe Burrow presents the chance to post solid fantasy production, and Smith Jr. could not have asked for a better landing spot. The fifth-year tight end has been bitten by the injury bug the past three seasons, missing all of 2021 and nine games last year.
2020 was Smith Jr.'s most productive season, scoring five touchdowns on only 30 receptions, but he has not looked the same since tearing his meniscus. That injury happened nearly two years ago, giving fantasy managers hope that the fresh start in Cincinnati will produce positive results. Hurst was targeted 68 times in 13 games last season and accumulated 11.5% of the team's total target share.
Smith Jr. has never seen more than 50 targets in a single season, so this will assuredly be his best shot at succeeding for fantasy purposes. He is an excellent flier at the end of drafts for those who like to punt the position, and managers should keep an eye on him as a potential waiver wire addition in the early weeks of the regular season.
Luke Musgrave, Packers, Fantasy Football Outlook
Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave was selected with the No. 42 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, and with third-round tight end Tucker Kraft set to be his only legitimate competition at the position, he should be a day-one starter. However, Musgrave only caught 47 passes for 633 yards and two touchdowns in 20 career games at Oregon State, so he could take time to develop as a real pass-catching weapon.
He has off-the-charts athleticism, but the tight end spot is one of the trickiest transitions from college to the NFL. Additionally, Jordan Love is an unknown commodity at quarterback, so Musgrave's 2023 fantasy outlook is murky. The 22-year-old has had an impressive training camp and has showcased his speed and pass-catching ability. He locked in as Green Bay's TE1 Musgrave is expected to see the lion's share of tight targets in 2023. Musgrave is going around the TE30-34 spot in preseason drafts, so he won't be selected in shallow leagues. He's worth a flier in the later rounds in deep-league and tight end premium formats.
Hayden Hurst, Panthers, Fantasy Football Outlook
Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst enjoyed his best season as a pro last year with the Cincinnati Bengals, catching 52 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. He's set to go from one of the league's best quarterbacks to a rookie signal-caller in 2023. While first-overall pick Bryce Young is a top-tier prospect and should have bright days ahead of him, pass-catchers usually struggle with rookie QBs.
The Panthers' offense will likely have its fair share of struggles as the 21-year-old develops, so Hurst's touchdown upside will be limited. That said, he is the most established pass-catcher besides Adam Thielen on the Panthers' roster, so he could serve as an early safety blanket for Young.
It's tough to see a path toward TE1 upside for Hurst, but in PPR formats, he could post a TE2 season with volume. He's a fine backup or streaming option, but he should not be counted on as a "set 'em and forget 'em" starter in fantasy lineups.
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