It is officially fantasy football draft season! Let’s break down my 2021 fantasy TE rankings to identify which players you can rely on as starters and who should be viewed as streaming options.
2021 TE Fantasy Football Rankings | 1-10
Which 10 tight ends should be viewed as TE1s going into the 2021 season?
Travis Kelce and Darren Waller continue to be clear TE favorites going into the season
- TE1 – Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
- TE2 – Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
- TE3 – George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
- TE4 – Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
- TE5 – Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Tight ends tend to sustain their target volume from one season to the next. Receiving air yards (indicate how far a pass traveled in the air before it was caught) has also proven to be stable and can help predict receiving yards for tight ends.
Kelce has averaged 18.5 PPR fantasy points per game in his 47 active games since 2017, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center. He’s averaged 9.2 targets, 84.7 receiving yards, and 80.3 receiving air yards per game over that time span. Kelce’s dominance should continue in 2021.
Waller led the Raiders in targets (146), receptions (107), receiving yards (1,195), and touchdowns (9) last season. He also accumulated the third-most receiving air yards in Las Vegas. This trend is likely to continue this season.
Kittle stockpiled 634 receiving yards in eight games last year, averaging 58 receiving air yards per game. The only other tight ends who averaged more fantasy points per game than Kittle (15.6) in 2020 were Kelce and Waller. Kittle could inherit some of departed receiver Kendrick Bourne’s vacated targets this upcoming season. The addition of quarterback Trey Lance also elevates the veteran tight end’s fantasy ceiling.
Pitts’s hype train gained even more momentum after the Falcons traded receiver Julio Jones to the Titans. Atlanta has 195 available targets and 1,000 air yards entering the 2021 season. Pitts won’t inherit all of that target volume but will be adequately fed in the New York of the South.
Baltimore’s passing game isn’t known as a fantasy bonanza. However, Andrews has averaged 6.4 targets, 53.6 receiving yards, and 66.7 receiving air yards per game over the last two seasons in Baltimore. In 2020, he saw 32% of the Ravens’ red-zone targets.
Logan Thomas and Noah Fant round out our top 10 fantasy TE rankings for 2021
- TE6 –T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
- TE7 – Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
- TE8 – Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team
- TE9 – Noah Fant, Denver Broncos
- TE10 – Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
Hockenson is a good fit for the new coaching regime in Detroit. The Lions don’t have any receiving weapons who excel on short and intermediate routes. Hockenson fills that void, and it aligns perfectly with quarterback Jared Goff’s strengths.
Over the last two seasons, Higbee has averaged 5 targets, nearly 4 receptions, 42 receiving yards, and 9.6 PPR fantasy points per game playing alongside tight end Gerald Everett. Higbee provided fantasy managers a glimpse of what he’s capable of without Everett in the lineup in Weeks 13-15 of the 2019 season, averaging nearly 22 points per game (PPR scoring). The departure of Everett this offseason opens the door for Higbee to prosper in 2021.
Thomas caught 72 of 110 targets for 670 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns on 74% of offensive snaps. He finished as a TE1 in 56% of his games in PPR formats. The addition Ryan Fitzpatrick is a good thing for Thomas. The veteran QB has averaged nearly 10 yards per pass attempt when throwing to tight ends over the last two years.
Over the last two seasons, Fant has accumulated the 11th-most receiving air yards (1,125) among tight ends. Since 2019, the only tight ends with more yards after the catch than Fant (711) are George Kittle (893), Travis Kelce (1,051), and Darren Waller (1,142). He’s seen an increase in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in each consecutive season. This trend could continue for Fant in his third NFL season.
Tonyan’s averaged 11 PPR fantasy points per game and finished as a TE1 in 50% of his games in 2020. Tonyan led the tight end position with 11 touchdowns. He’s a nice value in fantasy drafts.
2021 TE Rankings | 11-20
Which TEs in the TE2 range could finish higher with strong outings?
Irv Smith Jr. and Adam Trautman have been touted as breakout candidates all offseason
- TE11 – Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings
- TE12 – Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
- TE13 – Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots
- TE14 – Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- TE15 – Adam Trautman, New Orleans Saints
The departure of Kyle Rudolph this offseason opens the door for Smith to have a breakout season. Moreover, the Vikings lack a notable No. 3 receiver, increasing the probability of Smith becoming a solid fantasy option.
Goedert amassed 24 targets in three and a half games with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts under center last season.
The Patriots’ offseason acquisition of tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry addresses an area of opportunity for the team. Did you know that over the last two seasons, the Patriots have accumulated the fewest targets (87), receptions (55), receiving yards (673), and receiving touchdowns (3) from tight ends in the NFL? The Jets were the next worst team with only 87 receptions over that span of time.
Great things continue to happen when Gronkowski catches passes from quarterback Tom Brady.
Since 2006, head coach Sean Payton has provided Saints tight ends an average of 8 targets per game. The position has averaged 5.3 receptions, 59.4 receiving yards, and 14.6 PPR fantasy points per game in that time frame. Trautman is likely to inherit all of that volume in New Orleans.
Gerald Everett and Cole Kmet are mentioned as sleepers in many 2021 fantasy TE rankings
- TE16 – Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
- TE17 – Evan Engram, New York Giants
- TE18 – Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks
- TE19 – Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
- TE20 – Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Miami’s offseason additions of Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle will siphon targets away from Gesicki in 2021.
The Giants have also had an influx of receiving talent this offseason that will negatively affect Engram.
Kmet is still splitting snaps and targets with veteran tight end Jimmy Graham. This caps his ceiling, but it is worth noting that the Bears ranked ninth in passing plays last season. Kmet is still one of my favorite tight end sleepers to prioritize in fantasy drafts.
TE Rankings | 21-40
Where do the remaining tight ends fall in our 2021 fantasy rankings?
- TE21 – Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers
- TE22 – Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
- TE23 – Anthony Firkser, Tennessee Titans
- TE24 – Blake Jarwin, Dallas Cowboys
- TE25 – Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers
- TE26 – Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns
- TE27 – Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills
- TE28 – Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys
- TE29 – O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- TE30 – Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons
- TE31 – Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts
- TE32 – Dan Arnold, Carolina Panthers
- TE33 – Jimmy Graham, Chicago Bears
- TE34 – C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals
- TE35 – Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts
- TE36 – Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings
- TE37 – Jordan Akins, Houston Texans
- TE38 – Donald Parham Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
- TE39 – Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks
- TE40 – Chris Herndon IV, New York Jets
Eric is a Senior Fantasy Analyst for Pro Football Network and a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers Association). You can read more of his work here and follow Eric on Twitter @EricNMoody.
