Fantasy Football: How Many Tight Ends Should You Draft?

So, how many tight ends should you draft in fantasy football? For most standard leagues, drafting one reliable tight end is usually sufficient, but the answer can change based on your league’s rules, scoring, and your personal draft strategy.

Navigating the tight end landscape in fantasy football can feel like walking a tightrope. Unlike other positions where you might have multiple viable options, the drop-off in production after the top few tight ends is often steep. This scarcity can lead to significant advantages if you secure a premier talent, or frustrating weeks if you’re stuck with a mediocre option. This deep dive will explore the nuances of fantasy football tight end strategy, helping you determine the optimal tight end drafting approach for your team. We’ll examine tight end draft depth, discuss how many TEs to draft, review fantasy TE rankings, and consider different tight end draft approaches, including drafting tight ends by round and filling tight end roster spots. We’ll also delve into tight end value in fantasy and explore concepts like the zero RB tight end strategy.

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Deciphering Tight End Value in Fantasy Football

The tight end position is unique in fantasy football. It’s often a tale of elite few and then a wide chasm. This disparity significantly impacts your tight end value in fantasy. When you look at fantasy TE rankings, you’ll likely see a concentration of points at the very top. This means that securing one of these top-tier players can provide a substantial weekly advantage over opponents who punt the position or are forced to stream.

Conversely, if you miss out on the top tier, the production can become quite volatile. Many tight ends hover around the same point total, making it difficult to find a consistent weekly starter outside the top handful. This is why the discussion around how many TEs to draft becomes critical.

Factors Influencing Your Tight End Draft Approach

Before you even look at a draft board, consider these crucial elements that will shape your tight end draft approach:

• League Size: In smaller leagues (e.g., 8-10 teams), the talent pool is deeper, and you might be able to get away with drafting fewer tight ends, knowing you can find a serviceable option later or even during the season. In larger leagues (12-14+ teams), the talent thins out much faster, making it more important to secure a good tight end earlier or consider drafting depth.
• Scoring Format:
  • PPR (Points Per Reception): In PPR leagues, tight ends who catch a lot of passes, even short ones, gain more value. This can elevate pass-catching tight ends who might not be touchdown-dependent.
  • Half-PPR: Offers a middle ground, rewarding receptions but not as heavily as full PPR.
  • Standard Scoring: Tight ends who are touchdown-dependent will have more value here. Deep threats and red zone targets are crucial.
  • TE Premium Leagues: These leagues award extra points for receptions for tight ends, making the position even more valuable. In these formats, drafting a top tight end becomes almost mandatory, and you might even consider drafting two.
• Roster Requirements: The most common roster setup includes starting one tight end. However, some leagues might require two tight ends. If you have to start two, your tight end draft depth becomes much more important, and you’ll need to adjust your tight end draft strategy accordingly.

How Many Tight Ends Should You Draft?

Let’s break down the common scenarios for how many TEs to draft:

The “One and Done” Strategy

For the vast majority of fantasy leagues with standard roster requirements (one starting tight end), drafting one reliable tight end is the most common and often the most efficient strategy. The reasoning here is straightforward: the point separation between the top-tier tight ends and the rest of the pack is significant.

• Pros:
  • Allows you to focus draft capital on other positions where depth is more critical (e.g., QB, RB, WR).
  • Secures a potential weekly advantage if you land a top-5 tight end.
  • Leaves roster spots open for other needs.
• Cons:
  • If you miss out on the elite tier, you might be left with a weak or inconsistent performer.
  • Injury to your sole tight end can be devastating.

When employing this strategy, the key is to identify your target window. Are you going to aggressively pursue one of the top 2-3 tight ends, or are you comfortable waiting for a value pick in the middle rounds? This ties directly into drafting tight ends by round.

The “Drafting a Backup” Approach

In certain situations, you might consider drafting a second tight end:

• Injury Insurance: If your primary tight end is injury-prone or you’re drafting very early in a league where you can’t monitor waiver wires closely, a backup can provide peace of mind.
• Targeting a Specific Matchup: If you have a very strong starter, you might draft a “handcuff” tight end on a team with an equally productive offense, hoping for a good matchup or in case of injury. This is less common than with running backs.
• Tight End Premium Leagues: As mentioned, in leagues where TEs score extra points per reception, having two solid tight ends can be a significant advantage. You might aim for a top-tier player and then a high-upside player in the later rounds.

• Zero RB Tight End Strategy: If you decide to load up on wide receivers and running backs early in the draft (the zero RB tight end strategy), you might find yourself with extra draft capital to spend on a tight end later, potentially allowing you to grab two viable options.

• Pros:

  • Mitigates injury risk.
  • Can offer matchup flexibility.
  • Crucial in TE premium leagues.
• Cons:
  • Ties up valuable roster spots and draft capital that could be used elsewhere.
  • Often leads to carrying two mediocre tight ends rather than one good one.

The “Two-Tight End League” Scenario

If your league mandates starting two tight ends, your fantasy football tight end strategy must change dramatically.

• Roster Impact: You must prioritize tight end depth. Failing to draft at least two competent tight ends will cripple your team.
• Drafting TEs by Round: You’ll likely need to draft a strong starter in the earlier rounds and then target another reliable option in the mid-to-late rounds. You can’t afford to punt this position.
• Tight End Draft Depth: Tight end draft depth becomes paramount. You’ll need to assess the pool of available tight ends much earlier and more frequently than in single-TE leagues.

Optimal Tight End Drafting: When to Strike

The question of when to draft a tight end is as important as how many. This involves understanding tight end value in fantasy relative to other positions in specific draft rounds.

Early Rounds (Rounds 1-3)

• Target: Elite TEs like Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson.
• Pros: Secures a massive weekly advantage, often outscoring WR2s and RB2s.
• Cons: Extremely high draft capital. You’re sacrificing a premium player at another position.
• Who Should Do This: Managers in leagues that heavily favor TEs (TE Premium), those who feel strongly about a specific player, or in smaller leagues where the top options are truly game-changing. If you’re in a draft where a top-3 TE is still available in Round 2 or 3 and you have a strong draft otherwise, it can be a viable move.

Middle Rounds (Rounds 4-7)

• Target: The next tier of reliable tight ends (e.g., George Kittle, Darren Waller, Evan Engram when healthy).
• Pros: Balances positional advantage with not overspending. You can still get a solid starter without sacrificing your first few picks.
• Cons: The gap between these players and the next tier can start to widen. You might get a very good player, but they likely won’t have the same weekly ceiling as the elite few.
• Who Should Do This: This is often the sweet spot for many managers. It allows you to build a strong foundation at RB and WR before addressing tight end. If you believe a player in this range has a high ceiling and consistent volume, they represent good tight end value in fantasy.

Late Rounds (Rounds 8+)

• Target: High-upside players, potential breakouts, or players in good offenses with unclear roles.
• Pros: Extremely low risk, frees up early draft capital for other positions.
• Cons: High risk of getting minimal production. You’ll likely need to stream the position weekly or rely on waiver wire finds.
• Who Should Do This: Managers who are comfortable streaming the position, those who employ a zero RB tight end strategy and have used their early picks on other positions, or those in deeper leagues where talent is scarce. This is also a common strategy if you’re not targeting a TE early.

Filling Tight End Roster Spots: A Strategic Look

When you’re filling tight end roster spots, you need to think about roster construction and how your tight end choice impacts your overall team.

Building Around a Stud TE

If you draft a top-tier tight end like Kelce, your strategy shifts. You can afford to be more aggressive with other positions because you already have a significant weekly advantage at TE. This might mean taking more risks at RB or WR, knowing your TE is a reliable point-getter.

Streaming the Position

This is a common tight end draft approach for those who don’t draft an early-round TE. It involves identifying a starting tight end each week based on matchup, defensive coverage, and potential for targets.

• How to do it:
  • Draft a late-round TE with upside or potential volume.
  • Monitor waiver wires for emerging players or players on bye weeks.
  • Use advanced metrics and matchup data to select the best available TE each week.
• Pros: Allows you to use early draft picks on more consistent positions. You can target favorable matchups.
• Cons: Can be time-consuming and inconsistent. You might miss out on a breakout TE if you don’t pay attention. Injury to your streamed TE can be problematic.

The Zero RB Tight End Strategy

This is a more aggressive fantasy football tight end strategy. The core idea is to entirely avoid drafting running backs in the first few rounds, instead prioritizing elite wide receivers, and often, a top-tier tight end.

• Rationale: Running backs are notoriously volatile due to injury risk and committee backfields. By avoiding them early, you secure high-volume, relatively safer wide receiver production. If a top tight end is available in the rounds where you might otherwise draft a mid-tier RB, taking the TE can be a high-reward move.
• Implementation:
  1. Draft elite WRs in the first 2-3 rounds.
  2. Consider drafting a top-tier TE in rounds 3-5, depending on availability.
  3. Target RBs in the middle to late rounds, focusing on upside, handcuffs, or committee backs.
• Benefits: Can lead to an incredibly strong WR corps and a reliable TE, but leaves you vulnerable if your late-round RBs don’t pan out.

Fantasy TE Rankings and Draft Depth Considerations

When planning your draft, constantly referencing fantasy TE rankings is essential. However, don’t just look at the names; look at the tiers.

Tiered Approach to Tight Ends

Fantasy TE rankings often group players into tiers. This is crucial for tight end draft depth evaluation.

• Tier 1 (Elite): The top 2-4 tight ends. These players are difference-makers and can significantly outproduce their peers.
• Tier 2 (High-End Starters): The next 4-6 tight ends. Solid options who will likely provide good production but won’t necessarily win you weeks on their own.
• Tier 3 (Mid-Range Starters/Streaming Options): The next group of 6-10 tight ends. These are players who have a chance to be solid starters but are more boom-bust or depend heavily on matchups.
• Tier 4+ (Deep Sleepers/Waiver Wire Fodder): The rest of the players. These are players you draft late as lottery tickets or are entirely reliant on the waiver wire for.

Table: Example Tight End Tiers (Illustrative, actual rankings vary)

Tier	Potential Players (Example)	Drafting Strategy
Tier 1	Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson	Target in rounds 2-4 if you want a massive weekly advantage. Very high draft capital.
Tier 2	George Kittle, Darren Waller, Darren Waller, Kyle Pitts	Target in rounds 4-7 for a solid starter without overspending. Good value proposition.
Tier 3	Dallas Goedert, Evan Engram, David Njoku, Jake Ferguson	Target in rounds 8-10 as a starter or high-upside option. Potential for streaming.
Tier 4+	Pat Freiermuth, Dalton Schultz, Cole Kmet, etc.	Draft late as a flyer or focus on other positions and stream from here. Waiver wire targets.

Your draft strategy for tight ends will largely depend on where these tiers fall relative to your draft position and the perceived value of players at other positions at that specific point in the draft. If you see a run on tight ends happening in front of you, and you’re in the middle rounds, it might be time to grab one, even if you hadn’t planned on it, to avoid being shut out of the middle tier.

Conclusion: Your Optimal TE Draft Plan

Ultimately, how many tight ends you draft is a decision that should be made with a clear fantasy football tight end strategy in mind, influenced by league specifics and your overall draft board.

• Single-TE League Standard: Aim for one solid tight end. Consider drafting in rounds 4-7 for a good balance of cost and production, or target an elite option very early if the value is undeniable and fits your risk tolerance. If you miss the middle tiers, be prepared to stream or take a late-round flier.
• Two-TE League or TE Premium: Treat tight end as a crucial position. You’ll likely need to draft two, prioritizing an early-round option and then securing another viable player in the mid-rounds.
• Zero RB Strategy: If you embrace zero RB, your tight end pick might come earlier than usual, potentially in the third or fourth round, to secure a top-tier talent.

By carefully considering the tight end value in fantasy, understanding tight end draft depth, and adapting your tight end draft approach based on the flow of your draft and your league’s nuances, you can build a stronger, more competitive fantasy football team.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the best round to draft a tight end?

A: The “best” round is subjective and depends on your league and draft position. However, many fantasy managers find success drafting a tight end between rounds 4 and 7 to secure a reliable starter without overspending. Elite tight ends can go as early as rounds 2-3, while a late-round flier or streaming approach is also viable if you miss the middle tiers.

Q2: Should I draft a backup tight end?

A: Generally, no, unless you play in a TE Premium league, have a very injury-prone starter, or are in a large league with extremely thin waiver wire talent. For most standard leagues, the draft capital and roster spot are better used elsewhere.

Q3: Is it ever worth drafting two tight ends?

A: Yes, primarily in leagues that require starting two tight ends or in TE Premium leagues where the position’s scoring is significantly enhanced. In standard leagues, drafting two tight ends is usually suboptimal unless you have a specific strategy like the zero RB tight end strategy and find great value.

Q4: What is the zero RB tight end strategy?

A: The zero RB tight end strategy involves intentionally avoiding running backs in the early rounds of the draft. Instead, you prioritize elite wide receivers and often a top-tier tight end, then target running backs in the middle to late rounds. The goal is to build a strong, stable foundation at WR and TE while taking calculated risks at RB.

Q5: How do I stream tight ends?

A: Streaming tight ends means not drafting a dedicated starter early. Instead, you draft a late-round TE with upside or target waiver wire options each week based on favorable matchups against defenses that struggle against tight ends. This requires active waiver wire management and research.