The gap between the top two overall players in our 2023 fantasy TE rankings for standard leagues is more significant than any other position heading into this season. Last season, Travis Kelce found a new way to take the position by storm, finishing with 65.8 more points than the No. 2 tight end (George Kittle). With Kansas City’s offense unlikely to take a sizeable step back in ‘23, it’s only right that the durable, 33-year-old red-zone beast sits in a league of his own among the top tier of fantasy TEs.
However, just because the position has an utterly dominant top player doesn’t mean everyone else is worthless. Value can be found all throughout our rankings, as plenty of sleepers and breakouts currently own low ADPs and are getting overlooked by the vast majority of fantasy owners. Depending on how you go about your draft, your best strategy might be to wait until the later rounds before grabbing two breakout candidates and hoping at least one hits, giving you a consistent starter.
The top six of our TE rankings (Kelce, Mark Andrews, Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Dallas Goedert) don’t deviate much from the overall consensus, as the second tier of tight ends profile as reliable weekly starters with double-digit scoring potential in standard formats. Although he couldn’t replicate his 2021 season where he finished as the overall TE1, Andrews slots in at TE2 due to the fact he led all tight ends in route participation last season (91.5 percent) and is essentially a slot WR for the Ravens (197 slot routes in ‘23). Andrews scored just five TDs after a nine-TD season in ‘21, but expect the Ravens offense to fare better in the red zone with new offensive coordination Todd Monken.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2023 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Baltimore ended last season converting just 49.82 percent of their red-zone trips in TDs, third worst in the NFL. While Andrews is inevitably due for positive TD regression, there are plenty of TEs who could see a significantly lower TD output this season. Although he ranked as the overall TE1 from Weeks 15-18 with Brock Purdy under center, we’re not sure Kittle’s able to maintain his elite TD scoring rate. There are plenty of mouths to feed in the 49ers' offense, and considering Kittle scored 5.1 TDs over expected, it’s unlikely he’ll continue to score at a high clip even with Purdy (shoulder) expected back as the team’s QB1.
2023 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | D/STs | Ks | Top 200 | S-Flex | IDP
Other players in line for some negative TD regression (which is crucial at the TE position) include Cole Kmet and Juwan Johnson. Kmet had a dominant TD stretch at the back half of the regular season, scoring all seven of his TDs from Weeks 8 through 17. That said, he scored four more touchdowns than expected, and with the arrivals of D.J. Moore and fellow tight end Robert Tonyan, it’s unlikely Kmet puts up identical TD numbers.
2023 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Ks | Top 200 | S-Flex | IDP
Johnson scored 3.1 more TDs than expected himself, and with the Saints adding Foster Moreau, it will be an uphill battle for Johnson to post similar TD numbers. Teammate Taysom Hill (nine rushing/receiving TDs, two passing TDs) also figures to see a slight scoring regression with Jamaal Williams in town to steal goal-line carries. Chig Okonkwo also pops up high on the TD regression list because he was barely on the field running routes last year, logging just a 30.26-percent route participation. He’s expected to play much more this season, making him a prime sleeper.
2023 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Each Team
One of the biggest questions in the fantasy TE realm pertains to how last year’s preseason TE3, Kyle Pitts, will fare now that expectations are tamed. Pitts garnered the second-highest target share among TEs (27.3 percent), trailing only Andrews, but his production didn’t mirror his opportunity, as 35 of his 59 targets were deemed uncatchable. Pitts also saw just five red-zone targets with a suboptimal 68-percent red-zone snap share. Will Pitts put together a more complete fantasy campaign in Desmond Ridder’s first full season as QB1? The talent is there, but we’re not expecting a true breakout.
2023 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Ks | Overall
Fantasy owners are also eager to know how Darren Waller will fare in his first season with the Giants. He’s unquestionably the most physically gifted pass-catcher Daniel Jones has, and as long as he remains relatively healthy, Waller could find himself as a tier-two TE when it’s all said and done. Still, his injury history can’t be ignored.
2023 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST
As we mentioned, not every fantasy owner will draft a top-tier TE, so finding valuable mid- to bottom-tier TEs is critical in your chances for a fantasy championship. Just because they’re lower in our TE rankings doesn’t mean they won’t put up respectable fantasy numbers, so don’t be afraid to gamble on a position with weekly variance by drafting sleepers like Jake Ferguson, Dalton Kincaid, and Sam Laporta in the later rounds of your draft.
FANTASY DRAFT STRATEGY:
Snake | Auction | Best ball | Dynasty | IDP
We’ll be updating our TE rankings throughout the preseason until the first game kicks off between the Chiefs and Lions in Week 1, so check back for changes.
Fantasy Football TE Rankings 2023: Best tight ends, top sleepers in standard leagues
Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring
Rank Player
1 Travis Kelce, Chiefs
2 Mark Andrews, Ravens
3 George Kittle, 49ers
4 T.J. Hockenson, Vikings
5 Dallas Goedert, Eagles
6 Taysom Hill, Saints
7 Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
8 Kyle Pitts, Falcons
9 Evan Engram, Jaguars
10 Darren Waller, Giants
11 Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans
12 Jake Ferguson, Cowboys
13 Greg Dulcich, Broncos
14 Zach Ertz, Cardinals
15 Tyler Conklin, Jets
16 Dalton Schultz, Texans
17 Dawson Knox, Bills
18 David Njoku, Browns
19 Tyler Higbee, Rams
20 Gerald Everett, Chargers
21 Dalton Kincaid, Bills
22 Irv Smith Jr., Bengals
23 Cole Kmet, Bears
24 Noah Fant, Seahawks
25 Mike Gesicki, Patriots
26 Juwan Johnson, Saints
27 Hunter Henry, Patriots
28 Sam LaPorta, Lions
29 Michael Mayer, Raiders
30 Cade Otton, Buccaneers
31 Logan Thomas, Commanders
32 Durham Smythe, Dolphins
33 Jelani Woods, Colts
