Rob Gronkowski, Zach Ertz Top List of Free-Agent Tight Ends

If Gronk doesn't retire, he still brings good fantasy value.

The start of the NFL free agent period begins on Wednesday, March 16, so we’ll soon start to see changes to rosters, depth charts and, of course, fantasy football values.

With that in mind, I’ve covered all four of the major fantasy positions and list the top available players, including their best fantasy fits. I already discussed quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers, so now let’s move on to the tight ends. The list includes a few big-name fantasy stars but overall there’s not a ton of impact players.

Let’s take a look at who could be on the move…

Note: Mike Gesicki (Miami Dolphins), Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys) and David Njoku (Cleveland Browns) have been franchise tagged by their respective teams.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

1. Rob Gronkowski

Most folks (including myself) believed Gronkowski would likely follow in the footsteps of Tom Brady and retire this offseason. That hasn’t been the case, at least not yet, as the future Hall of Famer has yet to make a decision on his future. While I still think he could be done with football, Gronkowski has proven over the last two seasons that he remains an impact player in the stat sheets and in fantasy football. Stay tuned.

Best fantasy spots: Bengals, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Chargers, Titans

2. Zach Ertz

Ertz quietly finished in the top five in fantasy points among tight ends last season, posting 74 catches for 763 yards on 112 targets between the Eagles and Cardinals. His best fantasy fit might be remaining with the Cardinals, who have a number of big names heading to free agency including Christian Kirk and A.J. Green. The Chargers could also be a great fit, as Jared Cook is a free agent and likely won’t be back in L.A.

Best fantasy spots: Cardinals, Chargers, Colts, Jaguars, Titans

3. Evan Engram

A fantasy superstar as a rookie, Engram has seen his stock decline in recent seasons both for the Giants and fantasy managers. He’s still young at age 27, and a change of scenery would do him well. He'd a nice option for the Colts from a fantasy perspective.

Best fantasy spots: Chargers, Colts, Giants, Jaguars, Panthers

4. Gerald Everett

Everett’s 2022 totals weren’t eye popping overall, but he did make an impact for fantasy fans down the stretch. He’s still in his prime at the age of 27, but Everett has never had a consistently good statistical season from a fantasy standpoint. There are teams in need of a tight end, but Everett won’t be back in Seattle after they acquired Noah Fant in the Russell Wilson trade. The Jets could be a great landing spot for the veteran.

Best fantasy spot: Cardinals, Chargers, Colts, Jets, Titans

5. C.J. Uzomah

Uzomah has popped in the stat sheets from time to time, but he’s never made a truly huge impact in fantasy football. In fact, his 2021 season when he finished 19th in points among tight ends, is among his best at the NFL level. If he doesn’t remain in the Queen City, Uzomah will be unlikely to land anywhere that will improve his stock.

Best fantasy spots: Bengals, Chargers, Giants, Jets, Titans

6. Jared Cook

Cook has posted 500-plus receiving yards in five straight seasons, but he hasn’t made a major fantasy impact in the last two years. Heading into his age-35 season, he’ll likely land a one-year deal somewhere in the league but shouldn’t be significant in fantasy.

Best fantasy spots: Cardinals, Chargers, Giants, Jets, Titans

7. Hayden Hurst

Hurst is one year removed from being a top-10 fantasy tight end, but the selection of Kyle Pitts in the 2021 NFL Draft crushed his value in Atlanta. He could re-emerge as a viable option if he lands on a team that allows him a chance at a starting role again.

Best fantasy spot: Cardinals, Chargers, Giants, Jets, Packers

8. Robert Tonyan

Tonyan was a fantasy darling in 2020, finishing as a top-10 tight end on the back of his 11 touchdowns. He missed half of last season due to injuries, however, and was on pace for just two touchdowns. His best landing spot could be back with Aaron Rodgers.

Best fantasy spot: Cardinals, Giants, Jets, Packers, Titans

Other notables: O.J. Howard, Mo-Alie Cox, Maxx Williams, Eric Ebron, Tyler Conklin, Anthony Firkser, Jimmy Graham, Jordan Akins, Kyle Rudolph, Geoff Swaim

---

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!