Fantasy TE Tiers 2022: Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews Are Top Options

A few more touchdowns for Kyle Pitts could elevate him to elite status.

We are inching closer to the start of the 2022 NFL season, and with that we’re seeing an obvious increase in the number of fantasy drafts. That makes it more important than ever to examine your fantasy positional “tiers.” Unlike my regular player rankings, which you can also find on Sports Illustrated, tiers group players of similar value together. So, if you miss out on a particular player, you can see others on his tier.

In the final part of this four-part series, let’s take a look at the tight ends.

UPDATED: August 31, 2022

Fantasy Tiers: QB | RB | WR

Tier 1 – The Elite

Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Mark Andrews, Ravens

Kelce has been the top tight end in fantasy football in five of the last six years, including a 2020 season that saw him produce the second-best year of all time at the position. He figures to be a top-15 pick in most drafts. Kelce was actually taken out of the top spot last season by Andrews, who had a career campaign and will remain the top option in the Ravens’ pass attack for Lamar Jackson. He’ll be a second-round pick.

Tier 2 – High TE1s

Kyle Pitts, Falcons
Darren Waller, Raiders
George Kittle, 49ers
Dalton Schultz, Cowboys

Pitts is coming off a good fantasy season that might have been great had he not been held to just one touchdown. He should experience positive regression in that category this season, however, and I can see a scenario where he pushes into the elite tier. The duo of Waller and Kittle have lost a bit of their luster, most notably the former, who will now share targets with Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow in Las Vegas. Still, both of them remain among the top players at what is a thin position for fantasy fans. Schultz surprisingly finished third in fantasy points among tight ends last season, and the loss of Amari Cooper means another high target share. He could be a mid-round value.

MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Tier 3 – Mid TE1s

T.J. Hockenson, Lions
Dallas Goedert, Eagles
Zach Ertz, Cardinals

Hockenson takes a bit of a step back in terms of his ranking at the position this season, as the Lions added D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams to a team with a glut of good pass catchers. Still, I like him to post top-8 totals at the position. Goedert dropped a few spots after the Eagles landed A.J. Brown this offseason, but he too remains an asset for fantasy managers. Ertz was tremendous for fantasy managers last season in Arizona, but the addition of Marquise Brown and the eventual return of DeAndre Hopkins from a six-game suspension could make him a bit less consistent in the stat sheets late.

Tier 4 – Low TE1s

Dawson Knox, Bills
Cole Kmet, Bears
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers

Kmet is a popular sleeper who should see plenty of targets from Justin Fields this season. Freiermuth has all the makings of a No. 1 fantasy tight end, but how will he perform without Ben Roethlisberger? We’ll see. Knox is almost certain to see touchdown regression, but his red-zone presence in what will remain a high-scoring Buffalo offense keeps him on the borderline of No. 1 fantasy tight ends. Freiermuth was productive as a rookie and should remain a big part of the Steelers offense.

Tier 5 – High TE2s

Hunter Henry, Patriots
Irv Smith Jr., Vikings
David Njoku, Browns
Evan Engram, Jaguars

Henry will have a tough time getting back to the nine-touchdown level he reached a year ago, but he's still a top-15 tight end in fantasy leagues. Smith and Njoku both have similar upside in their respective offenses and should see bigger roles in 2022. Engram is a risk-reward No. 2 tight end, but Trevor Lawrence liked to target his tight ends as a rookie so there's some potential with the veteran.

Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports

Tier 6 – Mid TE2s

Austin Hooper, Titans
Tyler Higbee, Rams
Albert Okwuegbunam, Broncos

Hooper has late-round value as the potential No. 3 option in Tennessee’s passing game, and Higbee should see his share of opportunities in Los Angeles. Neither figures to be overly consistent, however. Okwuegbunam is worth a late-round flier, especially with rookie Greg Dulcich starting the regular season on the injured list.

Tier 7 – Low TE2s

Noah Fant, Seahawks
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins
Gerald Everett, Chargers
Robert Tonyan, Packers

Fant and Gesicki might have already reached their respective statistical ceilings, so there’s not a ton of upside. Everett landed in a good spot with the high-octane Chargers, but he won’t be prominently featured. Tonyan is worth a late-round flier as a potential red-zone option for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

Tier 8 – Deep Fliers

Brevin Jordan, Texans
Hayden Hurst, Bengals
Mo Alie-Cox, Colts
Logan Thomas, Commanders
Cameron Brate, Buccaneers
Tyler Conklin, Jets
Daniel Bellinger, Giants
Isaiah Likely, Ravens
Taysom Hill, Saints

Jordan is my favorite player in this tier, as the Texans could use him in the slot more often after losing rookie receiver John Metchie for the season. Hurst could pop a few times, but he won’t be consistent enough to be a regular fantasy option. Thomas is still a question mark coming off a major knee injury, and Brate lost value when the Buccaneers added Kyle Rudolph. Hill could be a sneaky late-rounder in drafts.

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• 2022 Top Sleeper Candidates
• Patrick Mahomes Is Preparing for Another Leap

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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!