Daddy want. Daddy need. Daddy gotta have it! Every year, fantasy football fans fall head over heels for certain players, determined on draft day to score their guy’s services no matter the cost. Breaking out the sledgehammer, below is a three-pack of must-have picks. Today’s position: Tight ends.
Position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Cheat Sheet
Position top targets: QB | RB | WR | Bijan No. 1?
1. Kyle Pitts, Falcons (ADP: 66.81 TE7)
In real life, Mike Tyson might be one of the greatest sports examples of wasted potential. In fantasy, Pitts remains the poster boy of ruined opportunity.
Kirk Cousins' arrival in Atlanta could change everything. The proven passer is likely to play savior for a plus-sized weapon with all the tools to tear through defenses.
Last season, Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke inaccurately tossed wounded ducks in the vicinity of Pitts, and the 2021 No. 4 overall pick finished a disappointing TE16 in fantasy points per game. Peeling back the layers, he was No. 1 in unrealized air yards, No. 1 in deep targets, No. 1 in average depth of target (11.4), No. 4 in yards per reception (12.6) and No. 7 in contested catch rate among tight ends.
Clearly, Pitts is a beast in the making, but his No. 37 finish in catchable target rate summed up the spoilage.
The planned deployment of Pitts as a TE and a WR is a positive sign he will finally be utilized appropriately. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson recently gushed about the underachiever's run-blocking upside. That isn’t exactly what the fantasy masses want to hear, but unlike the previous regime under Arthur Smith, this Falcons staff shouldn’t leave an all-world athlete in an unwarranted detention.
2. Isaiah Likely, Ravens (ADP: 179.06, TE22)
This value-seeking fantasy player is fascinated by Likely’s expected creative usage this year. Maybe it’s the meth-infused white pineapple candies talking, but thoughts of him splitting time effectively as a TE and WR is appealing. He is a poor man’s version of Pitts or Dalton Kincaid — a multidimensional plus-sized target who maximizes one-on-one matchups whether off the line, in the slot or outside the hashmarks.
Likely’s advanced analytics profile from 2023 is quite lovely. With starting TE Mark Andrews sidelined for much of the season, Likely finished No. 1 in fantasy points per target (2.53), No. 2 in yards per reception (13.7) and No. 2 in yards per target (10.2) among tight ends. Also, Lamar Jackson totaled a 147.0 passer rating when targeting Likely. That number, too, was tops among tight ends.
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The Ravens’ reported “chess piece” will occasionally check and mate the competition. At an intimidating 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Likely has the separation skills to consistently beat defenders — especially when climbing the ladder and snagging high-point passes.
With the sixth-easiest projected strength of schedule for fantasy TEs, Likely is an in-the-shadows option who owns enormous upside. Behind Andrews and Zay Flowers, he’s set to become a reliable No. 3 weapon for Jackson. When the dust settles on the regular season, a final tally around 50-600-5 wouldn’t be remotely shocking.
3. Tyler Conklin, Jets (ADP: 166.65, TE19)
Thinking Conklin will finish anywhere close to the position’s top 12 is like flying alongside imaginary dragons on an ayahuasca trip. As Aaron Rodgers can attest, though, it’s no psychedelic-influenced dream. The veteran tight end is sure to be another Robert Tonyan, Jimmy Graham or Jermichael Finley to a future Hall of Fame quarterback who historically twirls ample targets to the position.
Conklin enticed a rather improbable 87 targets exactly in each of his last three years. However, due to the inept execution of Zach Wilson and others, his potential was never fully realized. His best fantasy points per game output in 0.5 PPR leagues during that stretch was 6.3 in 2021, an uneventful line that finished TE18.
Conklin ranked outside the top 30 in catchable target rate in consecutive seasons, but he couldn’t be blamed entirely for the lackluster production. A plus athlete with the agility, burst and catch radius to compete and win, he has the potential to thrive with a competent QB at the controls.
Last year, he finished TE12 in unrealized air yards. If those become more realized, new career highs in catches, receiving yards and possibly touchdowns could be achieved.
With the 13th-easiest projected schedule for fantasy TEs and a more precise arm spinning passes in his direction, Conklin could reach a final tally around 60-630-5.