Fantasy Football 2021: Five Tight Ends With Excellent Late-Round Value
Go ahead, stock up on those running backs and wide receivers early
Navigating the tight end waters in fantasy football can be tricky.
Travis Kelce is the top option available thanks to his track record of consistency and his status as a go-to target for arguably the NFL's best quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) in a high-powered Kansas City Chiefs offense.
George Kittle and Darren Waller are capable of posting wide receiver-like numbers, as well, albeit with slightly lower floors/ceilings based largely on their situations with the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
As such, those players will be picked early in fantasy football drafts ahead of the 2021 NFL season, with Kelce perhaps coming off the board in Round 1 before many stud running backs. That's the price one must pay to gain a clear competitive edge at the position.
Beyond the top tier, the TE situation becomes murky. You're probably better off waiting until the later rounds, instead of using your early- and mid-round draft capital on an assortment of high-upside RBs and WRs.
So, who exactly could you target? Here are five tight ends to consider as late-round value picks in your upcoming fantasy football draft.
1. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Goedert didn't make good on his breakout potential last season because he got hurt and Philadelphia's offense was brutal, ultimately necessitating a quarterback change. There's some risk this season, too, as Jalen Hurts must prove he's a capable franchise QB, the Eagles' young receivers are unproven and Zach Ertz still sits ahead of Goedert on the depth chart despite ample trade speculation. But the talent is there, with Goedert producing in spurts whenever given the opportunity. If the Eagles finally move on from Ertz, Goedert will make for a really good fantasy option within an evolving offense.
2. Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings
Kyle Rudolph is gone, which means the door is open for Smith to have a breakout year at age 23. That opportunity alone makes Smith fantasy-relevant ahead of his third NFL season. Toss in the talent -- Smith was a second-round pick out of Alabama in 2019 -- and the numbers he posted last season in a small sample size with Rudolph sidelined, and this is a player worth targeting to round out your roster.
3. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
Another TE who stands to benefit from rising on his team's depth chart, as Gerald Everett took his talents to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason after four seasons with the Rams. Higbee also should benefit from better quarterback play -- going from Jared Goff to Matthew Stafford -- and who could forget his late-season dominance in 2019 with Everett sidelined? A lot of fantasy owners seemingly have, but you shouldn't.
4. Adam Trautman, New Orleans Saints
Noticing a trend here? Trautman likely will see more targets with Jared Cook leaving the Saints to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers. Plus, it's still unclear how much time New Orleans' top receiver, Michael Thomas, will miss to begin the season. Admittedly, the Saints' quarterback transition -- going from Drew Brees to Taysom Hill and/or Jameis Winston -- raises questions, but it also could work in Trautman's favor if New Orleans leans on its rushing attack and makes heavy use of its top tight end as a safety valve in the passing game.
5. O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is a Hail Mary. And honestly, you probably can wait and scoop Howard on the waiver wire. He played in only one game last season due to an Achilles injury, and Tom Brady already has plenty of mouths to feed, including two other tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate. But Howard, a 2017 first-round pick entering his age-27 season, has the size and skill to make a major impact in 2021 if he stays healthy.
