In the unpredictable world of fantasy football, securing a reliable tight end can be a game-changer for your team. This year specifically, I found it to be the deepest position in fantasy, and this is the season when you can wait until a late-round tight end with top-5 potential falls into your lap. While the top-tier names often dominate the early rounds, savvy managers know the value of finding a late-round gem who can provide solid production without the hefty price tag. These overlooked tight ends might not have the flashiest resumes, but they often possess the potential to deliver significant returns, especially in a position as deep as tight end.
With depth at many skill positions this season, the tight-end landscape offers intriguing opportunities for those willing to dig deep. Whether it's an emerging talent stepping into a larger role or a seasoned veteran poised for a bounce-back year, the later rounds can be a goldmine for those who know where to look. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best late-round tight ends with the upside to significantly impact your fantasy roster.
Make sure you follow RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Let’s take a few minutes and examine all the late-round tight ends who have a chance to finish top five in 2024.
Jake Ferguson is primed to be a fantastic late-round tight-end selection in PPR leagues this year, given his expected increase in responsibility within the Dallas Cowboys offense. As he steps into a more prominent role, Ferguson has the potential to become a key target for Dak Prescott, particularly in short-to-intermediate passing situations where he excels.
Last season, Ferguson led all tight ends in red-zone targets and was tied for third across the entire NFL with 23. Ferguson also hauled in 761 receiving yards, ranking the eighth highest between all tight ends. In an offense where Ferguson is now the second option in the receiving game, the Cowboys' high-powered style of offense will benefit Ferguson dramatically.
His ability to consistently find open spaces in coverage and his dependable hands make him a strong candidate to outperform his draft position. In a PPR format, where target volume is crucial, Ferguson's upside as a reliable option in the Cowboys' passing game makes him an appealing late-round pick -- being drafted as the TE8 is an absolute gift for a player who could quickly end up top five just off volume alone.
Ferguson is the tight end I'm advising everyone to draft this season.
David Njoku is an exciting late-round tight-end option in PPR leagues this year, thanks to his unique blend of size, speed, and athleticism, which makes him a matchup nightmare for defenses. Njoku finished as the TE6 last season and was phenomenal to end the year with Joe Flacco at quarterback.
Njoku stands out as a potential breakout candidate in a Cleveland Browns offense that is expected to lean more on the passing game. With Deshaun Watson entering this year healthy, Njoku is primed to see an uptick in targets, especially in the red zone, where his ability to outmuscle defenders and high-point the ball can lead to valuable scoring opportunities.
His role as a primary target in the middle of the field and his capability to create separation from linebackers and safeties positions him to become a go-to option in crucial situations.
3: David Njoku (CLE)
This is where the list begins. Njoku has blossomed under Kevin Stefanski into one of the league's most valuable TEs. As a pass catcher, he has the athleticism to align anywhere and is devastating after the catch. pic.twitter.com/wxP1TxNB3y
Njoku's potential for high volume in the passing game makes him particularly appealing in PPR formats as he averaged eight receptions through Weeks 10-17. His ability to turn short passes into substantial gains with his impressive run-after-catch skills adds to his upside, giving him the potential to deliver consistent fantasy points week in and week out.
For fantasy managers looking to secure a tight end with significant upside without investing an early-round pick, Njoku offers a compelling blend of opportunity and talent that could make him one of the season’s best values as he is being taken as the TE9 in most rankings.
Evan Engram is set to be one of the most valuable late-round tight-end picks in PPR leagues this season, offering a blend of athleticism and opportunity that few others can match. Coming off a strong year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Engram finished as the TE2 last season.
He has solidified his role as a critical weapon in an offense led by emerging star quarterback Trevor Lawrence. With star wideout Calvin Ridley no longer with the team, Engram should be poised for an even more significant role in 2024.
His ability to line up all over the field, whether in the slot, out wide, or as a traditional tight end, gives him the versatility to exploit mismatches against slower linebackers and smaller defensive backs.
Engram’s potential as a volume receiver makes him particularly appealing in PPR formats. He is being drafted as the TE10 in most formats, which would be a gift for any fantasy manager since he has the potential to finish as a top tight end.
With the Jaguars likely to emphasize a quick passing game to capitalize on Lawrence’s strengths, Engram is in a prime position to see an even larger share of the targets. His knack for gaining yards after the catch further boosts his value, as he can turn short passes into significant gains, piling up points for fantasy managers.
Given his role in a dynamic offense and his proven ability to produce, Engram is a late-round tight end who could easily outperform his draft position and become a key contributor to fantasy teams this season.
Evan Engram
•TE2 in 2023
•Ridley gone
•23.2% Target Share
•114 catches last season
•10.4 targets/game in last 10 games pic.twitter.com/8LFeTFKNIG
T.J. Hockenson could be a league-winning late-round tight-end pick in PPR leagues this year, particularly for managers willing to be patient as he recovers from injury. Although he might miss a few games to start the season, Hockenson's potential impact upon his return is substantial.
With Sam Darnold as the quarterback, Hockenson can become a go-to target, especially in critical situations like the red zone and third downs.
His elite route running and reliable hands make him a valuable asset who can deliver consistent production once he's back on the field; in a system where Darnold is likely to rely on his tight end for quick, safe throws, Hockenson's ability to command targets and turn them into receptions is valuable.
Hockenson is listed as the TE15 to enter the season, which is wild even to hear out loud, as the tight end was selected as a top-3 pick at the position in 2023. His value diminished that much over an injury. Especially in leagues formatted with IR spots, Hockenson is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to wait on making their tight-end selection.
#Vikings TE TJ Hockenson "Looked a little hesitant at times, a little bit moreso than a week or two ago" says @DWolfsonKSTP on @SKORNorth this morning.
He adds that it could be after the bye week before we see him, but nothing is definite yet.
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Win More With RotoBaller
Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:
Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no air yards, receiving yards, receptions, or touchdowns without first earning a target. There’s a reason the biggest and most consistent target-earners are among the top fantasy point scorers: they can be relied on by not just their team’s offense to […]
RotoBaller Senior Writer Scott "The King" Engel delivers his Week 3 fantasy football lineup rankings for PPR, half PPR, and standard scoring leagues. He also provides analysis of the rankings at every skill position. Regular starting choices are included to confirm that some must-start players have a good chance of performing well. Much of the […]
The NFL season is kicking into high gear! Check out our top 2024 fantasy football must-start Defenses (D/ST) for Week 3 of the NFL season! LaQuan Jones discusses his top "Must Start" Defense (D/ST) streamers that will have an impact in Week 3, as well as some defenses that you might want to SIT. You […]
After seeing the Ravens, Chiefs, Bills, and Dolphins on the first two Thursday Night Football games of the season, we are now getting a New England Patriots team whose wins over-under was 4.5 in the preseason and the New York Jets who are seeking to find an offensive identity. This game doesn't offer the amount […]
Running backs continue to run the world while another week of injuries slammed fantasy teams, so let's sift through our new reality with rest-of-season rankings! We don't want to overreact but we must recalculate with our Week 3 fantasy football half-PPR rankings for the rest of 2024, as of September 19. Check where key players […]
Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for Week 3 of the 2024 fantasy football season. For those who are not familiar, this is a weekly series looking at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. The data we access for offensive and defensive players continues to skyrocket. […]
Week 2 was a much more normal week with quarterbacks finally putting up solid numbers through the air. As such, fantasy scores were higher. Unfortunately, many tight ends remain nonexistent thus far this season. That is poised to change, but it is certainly worrisome moving forward. Even so, as fantasy football managers, we will continue […]
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.
We are just two weeks into the regular season, and many teams are searching for the eject button. I have a team whose entire bench is injured players. But no one wants to hear you complain, so why bother? What you need to do is work your hardest to keep your team afloat these next […]
Week 3 of the fantasy football season is underway and while we may have drafted certain players at a premium, it is okay to consider benching them despite their name value. We often hear the phrase "start your studs" and it is a tried and true method, especially earlier in the season. However, when new […]
Going into the season, the tight end position looked deeper than ever. There was Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride, Dalton Kincaid, Kyle Pitts, George Kittle, Mark Andrews, and, oh boy! Only two of those players are averaging more than seven half-PPR PPG through two weeks. Four of them aren’t even averaging five half-PPR PPG. […]
Hello, RotoBallers, and welcome to Week 3 of the High-Powered Offenses column. Week 2 was a little more normal for the superstar fantasy players we trust. However, injuries hit hard, especially in the running back position. There were also several upsets, including the Raiders over the Ravens, the Saints over the Cowboys, the Vikings over […]
Welcome back RotoBallers to my weekly series High-Value Touches and Opportunities for Week 3 of the 2024 fantasy football season. Touchdowns can be fluky, but finding which players tend to garner the high-value touches and opportunities can lead to scoring chances. We'll look at the high-value touches and opportunities each week to identify potential over […]
Our goal is to put out the highest-quality content and tools. Ads help us pay RotobBaller's award-winning writers as much as possible they are vital to the site's operations and team.
We would appreciate your support by either turning off your adblocker or signing up for our ad-free subscription tier. Thanks for being a reader!
Join Our VIP Community
For just $0.83/month, get an ad-free experience and access to RotoBaller's VIP Discord Chat Community
RADIO
