Tight End Draft Value Targets: TE2s with Top

One of the most challenging positions to correctly draft is tight end. Outside of Travis Kelce, the tight end position is a wasteland of Boom/Bust options to decide between. Most people know the big names to chase, whether Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews or Kyle Pitts; however, this article teaches you who to look at within the TE2 range that could have top-five potentials. If you correctly pick this player within your draft, your chances of winning your league jump exponentially. Let's start with someone right outside of the TE1 group.

Here are tight end draft values to target in fantasy football.

The Tennessee Titans’ passing attack is nothing to write home about. However, that same reason is why Chigoziem (Chig) Okonkwo can play a significant role. Outside of Treylon Burks, the depth chart leaves much to be desired and room for Chig to carve his role in the offense. Chig recorded four straight games last season with over five targets and six games with over 40 yards. He also recorded three touchdowns, 9.8 yards per target and 14.1 yards per catch last season.

We all know rookie tight ends struggle out the gate in fantasy football, yet Chig brought some solid weeks to the position. With another year in the NFL and a lackluster arsenal of pass weapons, Chigoziem Okonkwo can catapult into the top five tight ends for 2023.

Gerald Everett posted a career-high in receptions and receiving yards last season. This year should be the same, with adding Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator. Kellen Moore likes to throw the ball in his system, leaving enough targets to go around, even with the addition of Quentin Johnston to the Chargers’ offense. Let's remember that injuries play a part within the Chargers organization. Keenan Allen is aging and dealt with a nagging injury last year, Mike Williams is the definition of an injury-prone player, and Austin Ekeler is an aging running back.

Injuries could play a role in this organization again in 2023; remember that Justin Herbert himself was injured early into the season, inhibiting his play in 2022. However, with a healthy quarterback and a pass-happy offensive coordinator, Everett should have a chance to play a significant role within an offensive scheme that elevated tight-end play for years in Dallas.

The Arizona Cardinals may become a dumpster fire of a team for NFL purposes in 2023. However, we can still find fantasy value within their organization. With DeAndre Hopkins being released, Trey McBride is one of the big winners from that move. Additionally, with Kyler Murray starting the season on the sideline due to injury, McBride could become the safety valve for Colt McCoy or Clayton Tune. A high-targeted tight end allows us to see McBride elevate his fantasy value and have an outside chance of becoming a top-five player.

Juwan Johnson has immense upside within this New Orleans offense. He finished TE11 in half-point PPR last season with Andy Dalton, and this season gets an upgrade in the quarterback department with Derek Carr. The Saints did sign Foster Moreau, who is planning to play in 2023 despite being diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma; Johnson should still get plenty of targets within this offense. Last season he recorded 42 receptions for 508 yards with seven touchdowns. With an aging Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara dealing with a possible suspension, the Saints may need to lean more on the tight end position than in the past. However, with Derek Carr's past affection towards his tight end and Jon Gruden coming in to help the Saints in the early stages of the offensive installment around Derek Carr, Johnson should reap the rewards within the system.

Johnson himself has been working on his craft, as reports have stated he has been watching plenty of Julian Edelman films to incorporate within his game. If he is successful in this venture, it could unlock a vital weapon in the middle of the field for the New Orleans Saints, who face one of the most favorable schedules in the NFL in 2023.

Most of these tight ends are later-round dart throws for your fantasy squad; depending on the setup of your roster, you may want to take two shots out of this group. The beauty of this late-round selection of these players is they hit, as Mark Andrews did years ago, or you move on within the first quarter of the season.

The tight end position is a tricky puzzle within your fantasy football draft. You either have to go great or go late; if you choose the latter, these are the best options to record higher target shares within their offense leading to more receptions and opportunity to score fantasy points. As always, remember to read all the great work done here at FantasyPros, and if you need any more help, feel free to reach out on Twitter at @jpep20. Good luck with your redraft season!

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