The tight end position is the least valuable of the four major offensive spots in the world of fantasy football. It’s a top-heavy position with little depth, so hitting on a good one in fantasy drafts is important.
If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who drafted Darren Waller or Pat Freiermuth last season. Whiffing on a tight end, especially one projected to be a consistent point producer, could mean countless weeks of playing the matchups with lesser players in the hopes of finding a gem.
Over a full 17 weeks, that can become an absolute headache.
So, in order to avoid drafting the wrong players at the position, here are four tight ends to avoid with your valuable draft capital.
1. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
Njoku was an absolute beast in the stat sheets last season, posting career bests across the board. The concern, however, is he had most of his success with Deshaun Watson out. In six games with Watson under center, Njoku averaged 38 yards and scored one touchdown. In five games with Joe Flacco (now with the Colts), he averaged 78 yards and scored four touchdowns. That’s not good news for Njoku, who could be far less productive in 2024. The Browns also added Jerry Jeudy, which could also hurt Njoku’s target share.
2. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Goedert was once a reliable and productive fantasy option, but that has not been the case lately. Over the last two years, he’s missed eight games due to injuries. Goedert is also coming off a 2023 campaign where he finished with a points-per-game average of 9.7 … that’s his lowest total since 2019. The good news is he’s no longer seen as a top-10 fantasy tight end, but I wouldn’t lean on him as a starter in most leagues even at a discounted price.
3. Darren Waller, New York Giants
Waller is coming off a second straight disappointing season in the stat sheets, playing in just 12 games and averaging 9.4 points. He’s also missed 13 games over the last two seasons due to injuries, and offseason reports suggest he could retire. Even if he does return, it’s tough to see the soon-to-be 32-year-old return to elite status in fantasy. He’s a fade for me.
4. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Kmet produced a career campaign in 2023, posting personal bests in catches, yards and fantasy points. Unfortunately, he’ll struggle to duplicate that success after a huge offseason for the Bears. They traded for Keenan Allen, drafted Rome Odunze, and signed D’Andre Swift and fellow tight end Gerald Everett. When you also include incumbent target leader DJ Moore, it’s tough to see Kmet having enough opportunities to make a big impact.
