In the middle of December, it’s roster adjustment time in dynasty leagues – time to pick up a few speculative players who might play larger roles in 2020. There are plenty of those at the tight end position.
In the middle of December, it’s roster adjustment time in dynasty leagues – time to pick up a few speculative players who might play larger roles in 2020. There are plenty of those at the tight end position.
Two tight ends were selected in the first round, and while neither crushed it as a rookie, they both seem to be on the right track. I’m putting both Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson in my top 10. I would rather have one of those guys in a dynasty league, rather than an older veteran who’s better right now (Jared Cook and Kyle Rudolph, for example).
Three other rookies make my top 25 (and I’ve got the first-year players tagged with black dots). Irv Smith hasn’t done too much for the Vikings, but he looks like he’s for real. I would rather have 21-year-old Smith rather than his 30-year-old teammate, Rudolph. Dawson Knox has made a couple of really nice downfield catches for the Bills (he had probably the best tight end catch of the week on Sunday).
And I’m ranking Jace Sternberger 23rd, despite him not playing much at all this year. He was a pass-catching tight end at Texas A&M, and the Packers liked him enough to select him in the third round. I doubt that Jimmy Graham will be back, so it could be Sternberger as their starting tight end next year. That potential is enough (I think) to make him the 2nd tight end for a fantasy team in a 12-team dynasty league.
Chris Herndon is probably the most forgotten tight end in the top 20. Injuries and a league suspension made him a washout in 2019, but he’ll be back. If we wind back the clock a few months, many considered him a good candidate for top-10 tight end numbers. I think he’ll be back.
In these kind of ratings, I’m cool on the old guys. Maybe even too cool. I’ve got Greg Olsen, Delanie Walker and Jason Witten outside my top 40. With each guy, I’m not confident they’ll even be playing in 2020.
For dynasty leagues, I hit one position each weekend. It was wide receivers last week. It will be quarterbacks next time.
Rankings assume PPR scoring, with franchises keeping players indefinitely.
| DYNASTY TIGHT ENDS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Tm | Player | Age |
| 1. | SF | George Kittle | 26 |
| 2. | KC | Travis Kelce | 30 |
| 3. | PHI | Zach Ertz | 29 |
| 4. | ATL | Austin Hooper | 25 |
| 5. | BAL | Mark Andrews | 23 |
| 6. | LAC | Hunter Henry | 25 |
| 7. | DEN | • Noah Fant | 22 |
| 8. | OAK | Darren Waller | 27 |
| 9. | NYG | Evan Engram | 25 |
| 10. | DET | • T.J. Hockenson | 22 |
| 11. | PHI | Dallas Goedert | 24 |
| 12. | CLE | David Njoku | 23 |
| 13. | MIA | Mike Gesicki | 24 |
| 14. | MIN | • Irv Smith | 21 |
| 15. | NO | Jared Cook | 32 |
| 16. | MIN | Kyle Rudolph | 30 |
| 17. | IND | Eric Ebron | 26 |
| 18. | NYJ | Chris Herndon | 23 |
| 19. | TB | O.J. Howard | 25 |
| 20. | SEA | Jacob Hollister | 26 |
| 21. | BUF | • Dawson Knox | 23 |
| 22. | PIT | Vance McDonald | 29 |
| 23. | IND | Jack Doyle | 29 |
| 24. | GB | • Jace Sternberger | 23 |
| 25. | LAR | Gerald Everett | 25 |
| 26. | TB | Cameron Brate | 28 |
| 27. | SEA | Will Dissly | 23 |
| 28. | CAR | Ian Thomas | 24 |
| 29. | DAL | Blake Jarwin | 25 |
| 30. | CIN | Tyler Eifert | 29 |
| 31. | GB | Jimmy Graham | 33 |
| 32. | HOU | Jordan Akins | 27 |
| 33. | LAR | Tyler Higbee | 26 |
| 34. | BAL | Hayden Hurst | 26 |
| 35. | TEN | Jonnu Smith | 24 |
| 36. | JAC | • Josh Oliver | 22 |
| 37. | CHI | Trey Burton | 28 |
| 38. | HOU | Darren Fells | 33 |
| 39. | NYJ | Ryan Griffin | 30 |
| 40. | OAK | • Foster Moreau | 22 |
| 41. | CAR | Greg Olsen | 34 |
| 42. | TB | • Tanner Hudson | 25 |
| 43. | CIN | • Drew Sample | 23 |
| 44. | IND | Mo Alie-Cox | 26 |
| 45. | TEN | Anthony Firkser | 24 |
| 46. | JAC | Geoff Swaim | 26 |
| 47. | HOU | Jordan Thomas | 23 |
| 48. | BAL | Nick Boyle | 26 |
| 49. | TEN | Delanie Walker | 35 |
| 50. | DAL | Jason Witten | 37 |
—Ian Allan