2024 preseason rankings: Top 30 tight ends

12. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Age: 21
2023 rank: NA
Quarterback: Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell
Other receivers: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Jalen Guyton

While the concerns for Bowers entering the 2024 NFL Draft were about his size and frame as a blocker, none of that matters in fantasy. With the way Las Vegas' depth chart is shaping itself out entering Week 1, Bowers should at least be the third option for Gardner Minshew behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers with the potential to leap into second. Few tight ends can match his athleticism and speed and Bowers is one of the handful in the position with electric YAC potential, potentially leading to screens or handoffs drawn up for him, leading to easy fantasy points.

11. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears

Age: 25
2023 rank: 8 (standard), 8 (PPR)
Quarterback: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent
Other receivers: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott

Kmet was arguably the most underrated tight end in 2023, finishing as a top-10 option in all formats despite getting sparing recognition. In his third full year as a starter, Kmet posted a career-high 719 yards and added six touchdowns. His value was largely dependent on being a check-down option for the incompetent passing of Justin Fields, which ideally would not be the same with Caleb Williams. His value will now be dependent on the immediate success of Williams, who seldom targeted tight ends in college, though did not ever have a notable name to play with at the position.

10. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Age: 28
2023 rank: 5 (standard), 6 (PPR)
Quarterback: DeShaun Watson, Jameis Winston
Other receivers: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer

As amazing as Njoku was in 2023, a regression is to be expected for the veteran in his eighth season. Njoku played just six games with DeShaun Watson in 2023, leading to most of his success being with Joe Flacco. Cleveland also adds depth at receiver with Jerry Jeudy, likely relegating Njoku — who led all tight ends with 11 drops in 2023 — to be the fourth option in the passing game. His athleticism is still of the elite of the position but the odds of him repeating his 2023 success are slim, assuming the Houston version of Watson is long gone.

9. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 23
2023 rank: 13 (standard), 13 (PPR)
Quarterback: Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix Jr.
Other receivers: Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud III, KhaDarel Hodge

Everything is set up for this year to finally be the one that Pitts is fully unleashed. Potential has always been the name of the game for Pitts, who routinely has frustrated managers with his disappointing results. But in 2024, his demons have finally been exorcised as Arthur Smith, Jonnu Smith and Desmond Ridder are all no longer in Atlanta to limit his obvious talent.

With Ridder out of his way, Kirk Cousins should finally bring stability at quarterback, even coming off an Achilles injury at 35. Of the 90 targets Pitts received in 2023, only 57 were considered catchable, an atrocious 63 percent. That inefficiency is truly unspeakable for an NFL quarterback. Pitts has no excuses anymore in 2024.

8. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Age: 34
2023 rank: 3 (standard), 3 (PPR)
Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes II, Carson Wentz
Other receivers: Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown, Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson

Kelce has been an ageless wonder for years but has finally seemed to reach his point of decline. His streak of seven straight 1,000-yard seasons was put to bed in 2023, though he still managed an impressive 984 receiving yards. More importantly, his targets dropped considerably to 121 — his lowest since 2017 — which was still enough for fourth in the position but a substantial drop-off from the 152 he had in 2022.

With his speed and YAC potential no longer what it used to be, Kelce contemplated retirement in the offseason, something that is never a good sign for a player's fantasy outlook. Kanas City made a clear point to put the direction of the offense into the hands of their young wideouts Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, so long as the former can stay out of legal trouble. Kelce's life after football with Taylor Swift is already set. The poor state of tight end still makes him a top-10 player but he is no longer the dominant force he once was.

7. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Age: 24
2023 rank: 12 (standard), 15 (PPR)
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson, Josh Johnson
Other receivers: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Isaiah Likely (TE)

Despite missing six games in 2023 with an ankle injury, Andrews still finished as the TE12 in standard leagues. That speaks more to the lack of depth of the position but also to how vital his role is in the offense with the chemistry he has with Lamar Jackson. The injury is a minor concern heading into his seventh season but given that he returned to the field for the playoffs, he should be fully ready to go by Week 1.

A bulk of the talk of the offseason surrounded the team's intentions to increase the role of backup Isaiah Likely, but not to the expense of Andrews' snap count or usage. Instead, John Harbaugh plans to use Likely in two-tight-end sets and experiment with the athletic third-year player at wideout. With Baltimore losing Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency and doing nothing to replace him in the starting lineup, there are no concerns about Andrews' role in the offense.