Fantasy Football 2024: Sleeper TEs to Target After Darren Waller Retirement
Fantasy draft season will soon be upon us, and managers have plenty to track with NFL minicamps underway. But the retirement of New York Giants tight end Darren Waller is one recent development that could shift the fantasy landscape.
Tight end has become a pivotal position in fantasy, because managers either have a reliable one or they don't. Players such as Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews and George Kittle can be league-winners, but managers who don't land a top TE often spend the season scrambling for viable streamers.
Waller, when at his best, was among the top tight ends in fantasy. His retirement leaves one less option to target early in drafts, though there's a good chance that a couple of sleepers will emerge to replace him.
Last season, we saw underrated tight ends like Jake Ferguson, Trey McBride and rookie Sam LaPorta become reliable fantasy starters.
Here, we'll dive into some 2024 sleeper TEs who could follow suit because of their skill sets, offensive fits, supporting casts and opportunities.
All analysis is based on points-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Positional Rank: 16th
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth was a solid fantasy starter in 2022, finishing with 63 catches, 732 yards and two touchdowns. However, a hamstring injury and poor quarterback play limited him last season.
The 25-year-old isn't currently valued as a sure-fire starter, which could allow managers to get a draft-day steal. There are several reasons to believe that this will be a career year for Freiermuth.
It starts with the arrival of Russell Wilson. While the quarterback wasn't great for the Denver Broncos in 2023, he produced strong numbers (3,070 yards, 26 TDs) in 15 games compared to what the Steelers got from all signal-callers (3,421 yards, 13 TDs) in 17 games.
Secondly, Freiermuth is set to play under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, whose Atlanta Falcons offense regularly featured tight ends Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith last season. Smith could get the Penn State product far more involved in the passing game than former coordinator Matt Canada ever did.
Lastly, the trade of Diontae Johnson leaves Pittsburgh without a proven No. 2 receiver opposite George Pickens. The Steelers have wideouts such as Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson and rookie Roman Wilson who might eventually fill that role, but Freiermuth is poised to be Wilson's No. 2 target early and often in 2024.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
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Positional Rank: 18th
Hunter Henry is another undervalued player who could emerge as a weekly standout in 2024. The New England Patriots tight end had just 42 catches, 419 yards and six touchdowns last season, but he was often their most reliable, if underutilized, pass-catcher.
A late-season surge that saw the 29-year-old tally 10 catches, 106 yards and three touchdowns in his final two games (before a knee injury ended his season) showcased his upside.
Like Freiermuth, Henry could see a big jump in production this season thanks to some of his team's offseason changes. It starts at quarterback, where some combination of Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye should provide an upgrade over last year's tandem of Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.
New England also hired Alex Van Pelt as its offensive coordinator this offseason. His offense helped turn Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (81 catches, 882 yards, 6 TDs) into a star last season. He will find ways to highlight Henry in the passing game.
What hasn't changed dramatically is New England's receiver room. Rookie wideouts Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker may play prominent roles in 2024, but the Patriots don't have a high-end No. 1 target.
Demario Douglas (561 yards) was the only wideout to outpace Henry last season, and the tight end could easily serve as the Patriots' de facto No. 1 receiver this year.
Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
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Positional Rank: 21st
Though he scored only one touchdown in 2023, Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo proved to be a fine fantasy streamer. He finished with 54 receptions and 528 receiving yards. He also caught three or more passes in 13 of his 17 appearances.
The 24-year-old could see a jump in production this season, if Will Levis does as well. With new pieces around him, the quarterback might make that coveted Year 2 jump.
The Titans hired former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their head coach, and he helped develop Joe Burrow into a star. Tennessee also signed receivers Tyler Boyd and Calvin Ridley this offseason to complement returning veteran DeAndre Hopkins.
"I think he can cut it back a little bit, relax and just rely more on his playmakers," Boyd said of Levis on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Managers might be concerned that new receivers will mean fewer targets for Okonkwo. However, it's worth noting that he's unlikely to lose many opportunities to his fellow TEs. Josh Whyle and Nick Vannett combined for only 10 receptions in 2023.
It's also worth noting that six of Okonkwo's games will come against AFC South opponents. Defenses have changed this offseason, but the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts allowed the sixth-, seventh- and 11th-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends last season, respectively.
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Ben Sinnott, Washington Commanders
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Positional Rank: 24th
There's a risk-reward element to drafting tight ends since they're completely unproven at the NFL level, but fantasy managers are likely to select Las Vegas Raiders rookie Brock Bowers early this year.
Bowers, who is ranked 12th among fantasy tight ends, is arguably the best TE prospect we've seen in recent memory, if not ever. He was the second-overall player on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final draft board.
Washington Commanders' rookie second-round pick, Ben Sinnott, isn't getting nearly as much attention as Bowers, but he has some big-play potential that could quickly mesh with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
"Athletically, acceleration and speed are Sinnott's weapons," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "He rolls off the line comfortably and eats up a ton of ground with the next few steps."
The Kansas State product is a strong candidate to follow players like LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid with a strong rookie campaign in 2024, but managers will want to track his development and rapport with Daniels ahead of fantasy drafts.
The Commanders signed tight end Zach Ertz—who is ranked 37th among fantasy TEs—this offseason. He is familiar with new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, having played 21 games under him with the Arizona Cardinals.
If Sinnott isn't firmly entrenched as the starter by draft day, managers targeting him will be wise to also use a late-round selection on Ertz.
Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals
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Positional Rank: 30th
The Cincinnati Bengals haven't had a tight end top 500 receiving yards in the Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow era. They have had a lot of talent at the receiver position and haven't regularly highlighted the TE spot in their offense.
However, it's worth keeping an eye on free-agent addition Mike Gesicki.
The 28-year-old topped 700 receiving yards in 2020 and 2021 with the Miami Dolphins and possesses some big-play ability. He may also be looking at a much more prominent role than previous Cincinnati tight ends.
"Gesicki, that's a big slot receiver," cornerback Mike Hilton said, per Geoff Hobson of the team's official website. "So you get that 11 look. We know he can play on the line, But when he makes his money, he's split out getting those matchups."
Hilton's comments are noteworthy. If the Bengals plan to regularly use Gesicki as a third receiver, he could soon come to fill the WR3 role vacated by Tyler Boyd.
Boyd's production dipped after Cincinnati added Tee Higgins in 2020 and Ja'Marr Chase in 2021, but he still topped 650 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons. Last year, he produced 667 receiving yards, the same as Kyle Pitts, who ranked 11th among tight ends in terms of yardage.
The Bengals are unlikely to offer much game-planning intel before Week 1, but managers should keep an eye out for any future nuggets about Gesicki's role in the offense.
Theo Johnson, New York Giants
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Positional Rank: 39th
Waller's retirement directly impacts the Giants, who now have a big hole to fill at tight end. And rookie fourth-round pick Theo Johnson should get an opportunity to fill it in 2024.
While the 23-year-old needs to polish his route-running to be a high-end NFL pass-catcher, he showed flashes in college of being both a downfield and red-zone threat. He never reached 350 receiving yards in a season at Penn State, but he averaged 16.4 yards per catch in 2022 and caught seven touchdown passes in 2023.
"Johnson's blocking ability and high-end athleticism will make him a viable TE2 in the NFL right away," Klassen wrote.
Managers will want to follow Johnson's development carefully over the next couple of months because New York also has third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger on the roster. He is ranked just one spot behind Johnson among fantasy TEs.
However, Johnson did make several impressive plays during OTAs, according to Matt Citak of the team's official website. Of the Giants' top two tight ends, he has the most upside. But both of New York's top TEs should be considered deep sleepers with legitimate boom-or-bust potential.
Whether New York has Drew Lock or Daniel Jones under center this season, it's unlikely to field a top-tier passing attack. Waller averaged 4.3 receptions and 46 yards last season, but he also served as the Giants' No. 1 target when healthy. That role will now go to rookie receiver Malik Nabers, not to one of New York's young tight ends.
Donald Parham Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
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Positional Rank: 42nd
Donald Parham Jr. is another boom-or-bust tight end worth a late-round flier. The Los Angeles Chargers parted with wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, along with tight end Gerald Everett and running back Austin Ekeler.
Parham had only 285 receiving yards in 2023, but receivers Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston are the only returning players who had more. Rookie receiver Ladd McConkey is likely to play a prolific role, but there should still be plenty of opportunities for L.A.'s tight ends.
New head coach John Harbaugh has traditionally utilized an offense that leans heavily on the ground game, but he has gotten tight ends involved. Colston Loveland, for example, ranked second on his 2023 Michigan team with 649 receiving yards.
Parham has plenty of upside heading into 2024, but he also carries risk. This season, the Chargers added Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly, who are ranked 43rd and 53rd among TEs, respectively. And one of them could end up taking the starting role ahead of the 26-year-old.
The Chargers' tight end competition will be worth following throughout the offseason. If a clear-cut starter emerges, he could provide serious sleeper value—especially if it's Parham, who already has established chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert.
Other Handcuffs and Late-Round Fliers to Consider
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While we're on the subject of sleeper tight ends, it's worth mentioning a few other names to keep an eye on ahead of the preseason. The following players aren't likely to emerge as season-long fantasy starters but do have legitimate streamer or handcuff value.
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos, Ranked 36th
It's hard to consider Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich a high-end draft sleeper.
Denver's tight end situation is cloudy—Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull could vie for targets this season—while hamstring and foot injuries limited Dulcich to two games in 2023.
However, the 24-year-old flashed in 2022, catching 33 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. He is still recovering from foot surgery but could return to practice before the end of minicamp, according to Mike Klis of 9 News Denver.
Dulcich's injury history is concerning, as hamstring issues have been a problem since he was drafted. However, he could be an enticing sleeper by the end of training camp—if he's back to 100 percent and if Denver's QB competition between Zach Wilson, Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix yields a functional starter.
Noah Gray, Kansas City Chiefs, Ranked 45th
Kelce remains one of the NFL's most consistent tight ends, and the Kansas City Chiefs star is likely to again be drafted highly in 2024—he's currently ranked second at his position. However, he will turn 35 in October and is coming off his first sub-1,000-yard season since 2015.
Backup tight end Noah Gray is a must-target insurance policy for managers who use a first- or second-round selection on Kelce. The 25-year-old had 28 receptions, 305 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Josh Oliver, Minnesota Vikings, Ranked 54th
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson was a Pro Bowler in 2023 and finished with 95 catches, 960 receiving yards and five touchdowns, but he's also coming off a serious knee injury that involved a torn ACL and MCL.
The 26-year-old is still ranked 13th among tight ends, but managers should understand that he isn't likely to play early in the season. According to The Athletic's Alec Lewis, "the Vikings are committed to ensuring he is fully healthy before he plays."
Josh Oliver, who had 22 catches, 213 yards and two touchdowns last season, may have early-season value during his teammate's recovery. He's also a must-target handcuff for anyone looking to draft Hockenson early.
Tommy Tremble, Carolina Panthers, Ranked 64th
The Carolina Panthers didn't have many fantasy standouts in 2023, but that could change if quarterback Bryce Young makes a second-year jump. With Dave Canales in as head coach, that is entirely possible.
Canales helped turn both Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield into Pro Bowlers over the last two seasons. He also helped tight end Cade Otton (47 catches, 455 yards, 4 TDs) become a viable fantasy streamer in 2023.
It's worth keeping an eye on Carolina's Tommy Tremble, who led the team's tight end room with 23 catches, 194 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Rookie fourth-round pick Ja'Tavion Sanders (29th) is ranked higher than Tremble, but the veteran has a big edge in experience and could become a serviceable streamer in Canales' offense this season.
*Consensus fantasy rankings and scoring information from FantasyPros.
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