Tight end is one of the toughest positions to recruit each week. It’s a position that you can pay either way up or way down for, or somewhere in between. Tight ends derive a lot of their value from scoring touchdowns, which can be difficult to predict from week to week.
In this article, I’ll highlight tight ends that stand out in our wide range of fantasy analytical tools, particularly our FantasyLabs player models. While the models were developed for DFS contests, this is a universal fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news is released throughout the week and we adjust our projections (assisted by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our player models will change with the projections. Please refer to the models directly for the latest information.
And don’t forget about the tools FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer, which allows you to easily create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you prefer to create your lineups manually.
Finally, be sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s are included with a FantasyLabs subscription) in the FantasyLabs models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ in our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you are a subscriber to those dedicated sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own overall projections:
The Best NFL DFS Cash Game Options
Kyle Pitts ($4,600 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel)
Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in. Pitts came into the NFL with higher expectations than any other tight end in NFL history, and so far he hasn’t lived up to them. While he managed 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie, he’s averaged less than 40 yards per game over the past two seasons.
Of course, it is difficult to blame this solely on Pitts. He has seen some of the worst quarterback play in football during this period and has picked off passes from players like Desmond Ridder, Taylor HeinickeAnd Marcus MariotaHe also had to survive an Arthur Smith offense that ranked by far last in pass rate over expectation last season.
Pitts should have much better credentials in 2024. The signing of Kirk Cousins gives the Falcons the potential for the biggest quarterback performance boost in the NFL. Cousins is aging and coming off a major injury, but he was as effective on the field as ever last season. Among quarterbacks with at least 350 snaps, Cousins was fifth in total EPA + CPOE.
With better QB play and plays, Pitts may finally reach his unlimited potential. From an athletic standpoint, he is one of the greatest TE prospects in history, combining elite size with a 40-yard dash time that ranks in the 99th percentile.
Pitts, however, is never going to be easy. He was limited at practice on Wednesday, but he assured everyone on Twitter that he was fine and would be back on Sunday. As long as that’s the case, he’s hard to ignore at just $4,600 on DraftKings. He leads all TEs in our NFL models in the projected plus/minus scale by a pretty comfortable margin.
Trey McBride ($6,100 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel)
While Pitts may be the clear No. 1 pick on DraftKings, there’s nothing wrong with finding the extra $100 for McBride on FanDuel. Like Pitts, McBride was a great TE prospect and the Cardinals selected him in the second round in 2022.
Unlike Pitts, McBride has translated that potential into some fantastic performances. He came on strong in the final stretch of his sophomore season after Kyler Murray returned to the lineup. In his final eight games, McBride averaged 8.3 passing yards per game and 6.6 pass catches, putting him on pace to average over 110 in a full 17-game season. He also averaged a healthy 67.3 yards per game and broke the 100-yard mark in two of those games.
He will have a little more competition for goals this season with Marvin Harrison Jr. enter the fray, but McBride was still expected to serve as the 1B in an underrated Cardinals offense. After Murray returned to the lineup, they were a top-9 unit in most offensive metrics.
McBride’s $6,400 salary on FanDuel comes with a 99% bargain rating and this contest has the third-highest total on the list. Overall, it’s hard to argue for anyone else as the best option.
Try our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator, which uses the power of simulation to create advanced DFS lineups.
Top Options for NFL DFS Tournaments
Evan Engram ($5,500 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel)
Engram won’t surprise anyone this week. He’s rated as the most-used player at the position on both DraftKings and FanDuel, and given the volatility at the tight end position, it’s easy to leave this player off the list for tournaments.
However, SimLabs believes this is a mistake. Despite the top owner projections, Engram still appears to be a potential undervalued in Week 1. He is in the optimal lineup in more than 25% of simulations on DraftKings and more than 23% on FanDuel.
Engram has always had the ability to be a threat in the passing game, but his time with the Giants was marked by inconsistency. Since joining the Jaguars, however, he has developed into one of the best tight ends in football, posting career-highs of 114 catches for 963 yards in 2023, giving him a strong weekly base at the position.
With Calvin Ridley Now that he’s gone, the sky’s the limit for Engram to take on an even bigger role in 2024. He has a strong matchup in Week 1, as the Dolphins have allowed the eighth-most PPR points to the position in 2023.
Dalton Kincaid ($5,800 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel)
The Bills completely overhauled their passing attack before this season. Steve Diggs And Gabe Davis are gone, leaving behind an uninspiring group of journeymen and young players. It’s possible that their best receiver in 2024 won’t even be a receiver: Kincaid.
The 2023 first-round pick was used throughout the formation in his rookie season, and we could see more of that in 2024. Two-TE sets with Dawson Knox could become the main offense in Buffalo.
The Bills have shown a little more running strength in the 2024 home stretch, but as the No. 1 pass catcher in a Josh Allen The offense still has a lot of potential. Kincaid has the fifth-highest power projection for the position on DraftKings and is the No. 6 TE on FanDuel.
Like Engram, Kincaid isn’t expected to go unnoticed this week. He’s projected to be around 10% on DraftKings and FanDuel, but his optimal odds are also above 10%. He’s tied for the third-highest odds for the position on both sites, so he’s worth paying attention to.
Contrarian NFL DFS tournament options with upside potential
Jake Ferguson ($5,200 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel)
With CeeDee Lamb The Cowboys’ best pass catcher has officially signed a contract extension and will officially be in the lineup in Week 1. However, there are still a few additional targets up for grabs. Michael Gallup And Tony Pollard are gone and the team has not brought in anyone to replace them.
With that in mind, Ferguson could have a few extra targets per game this season. Ferguson was already a good fantasy TE – he had nine games of double-digit fantasy points last season – which makes him quite attractive at just $5,200. He has the second-highest optimal rate on DraftKings, but he’s only projected to have a 5.6% ownership percentage. That gives him the highest leverage score of the week.
David Njoku ($5,600 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel)
Njoku is expected to sell for a reasonable price on FanDuel, where he is significantly undervalued at $5,900, giving him a bargain rating of 99%, tying him with McBride for the top spot at the position.
However, his poor salary on DraftKings could actually be a positive for tournaments. Njoku won’t be nearly as popular on that site, but offers the same potential. In our DraftKings simulations, he makes the optimal lineup at the fifth-highest rate (7.09%), but his ownership rate is estimated to be less than 5%.
Brock Bowers ($4,500 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel)
TE is a notoriously difficult position for rookie TEs to succeed at right out of the gate. However, it is not impossible. We have seen Sam LaPorta become a fantasy superstar as a rookie, and Bowers is arguably a phenomenal candidate. Many people thought he was the best player in college football last season, and if six quarterbacks hadn’t come off the board in the first 12 picks, he probably would have gone sooner.
Bowers’ role in Week 1 is a bit questionable. The team has another highly drafted young TE in Michael Mayerand both boys have to catch passes from Gardner MinshewIt is anything but an ideal scenario.
Still, you don’t draft a TE as early as the Raiders unless you plan to use him. Ultimately, it’s a play on your talent.
