2023 CFF Tight End Rankings, Profiles and Projections

If a reader believes that ranking NFL tight ends in fantasy football is difficult, I respond “hold my beer.” There might not be any greater challenge in alternative-reality sports than researching college fantasy football tight ends. Nevertheless, unearthing a late-round gem at the position can significantly impact the outcome of a CFF owners season.

A CFF player must decide to spend significant draft capital on the position or bypass it until later. In 2023, there are two players—Brock Bowers and Oronde Gadsden—who are worthy of first- or second-round selections in drafts.

I grabbed Bowers and Gadsden in one CFF best ball draft this spring with picks 1.12 and 2.1 to monopolize the position. Despite investing so much capital at tight end, my team still looks strong, and it is an interesting strategy.

Dumpster diving at the position all season drives me batty and far too often my lineup suffers the consequences. If I pass on the aforementioned two stars, I like to target a player from among the Magna Cum Laude tier in rounds 5 and 6.

If a top 12 tight end falls, I cannot allow a competitor, who waited on the position, to benefit, and I’ll scoop the value up off the board in rounds 11 and 12. The right strategy can provide a nice return on value in CFF drafts.

CFF TE Tiers

I have placed the tight end profiles in tiers—Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Cum Laude—to provide flexibility for CFF managers based on their league’s scoring format, roster construction and starting lineup requirements. I have also provided fantasy projections for all the players. Current CFF ADP provided my Campus2Canton.com, one of my favorite sites in the industry.

Below I go in-depth on the top tight ends but if you want to cut to the chase you can always jump ahead to my 2023 CFF Tight End Rankings and Projections.

Summa Cum Laude

Brock Bowers, Georgia

Team Offense (Rank): 501 ypg. (5)

Passing Yards: 295.8 ypg. (15)

Points Scored: 41.1 ppg. (5)

2022 FPPG (Bowers): 15.2

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 15.6

After winning back-to-back National Championships, the Bulldogs enter the 2023 campaign with a new look on offense. Over the winter, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and QB Stetson Bennett left campus for the NFL. Mike Bobo, former Bulldogs’ OC in 2014, replaces Monken, and QB Carson Beck takes over the reins of the offense. Both Bobo and Beck would commit football malfeasance not to target All-American TE Brock Bowers on a regular basis.

Over the past two seasons, Bowers has been one of the best players in the country regardless of position. In his first two years at Athens, Bowers has snatched 119 passes for 1,824 yards and 20 touchdowns and added four rushing scores on 13 carries. Last year, the junior collected many accolades for his performance: John Mackey Award, First Team All-America, and First Team All-SEC. He led the team in receptions (63), yards (942), and touchdowns (7).

A Napa, California native, Bowers was graded by 247Sports as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 TE prospect, No 10 prospect in California, and No. 102 prospect nationally. As a freshman in 2021, he smashed the SEC and was named First Team All-SEC and Second Team All-American. At 6’4” and 230 pounds, Bowers stands atop the CFF tight end rankings and is worthy of a first-round selection in drafts.

Notebook: “Georgia has a lot of great players through the years, but (Bowers) has got it all. His hand-eye coordination is unbelievable, he has amazing speed, he’s a physical blocker, and a great runner. Plus, when the world has been on the line, two national championships, he’s the guy we go to,” states Charlie Whittemore, a former Georgia receiver and tight ends coach (bulldawgillustrated.com).

Oronde Gadsden, II, Syracuse

Team Offense (Rank): 374.8 ypg. (75)

Passing Yards: 232.3 ypg. (66)

Points Scored: 27.7 ppg. (69)

2022 FPPG (Gadsden, II): 14.9

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 14.0

In my book, there is no question that Bowers is a better football player than Oronde Gadsden. Yet, Syracuse lists the junior playmaker as a tight end/wide receiver, which provides Gadsden an unfair X-factor in CFF leagues. Dual-eligibility always increases a player’s CFF worth, and Gadsden will be selected ahead of Bowers in some leagues.

Oronde plays like his father, who caught passes in the World Football League (1997), Arena Football League (1998), and the NFL (Miami Dolphins, 1998-2003). Both towered over smaller defensive backs, winning jump balls with long arms, a strong upper body, and great body control.

Last year, Gadsden was named First Team All-ACC after tallying 61 catches for 969 yards and six touchdowns. He scored 193.9 fantasy points, averaging 14.9 FPPG. The Syracuse playmaker is a preseason First Team All-ACC by many outlets and looks like an easy smash in 2023. For me, Gadsden and Bowers are in a tier of their own this season in CFF leagues.

Notebook: “Gadsden is going to start at tight end and be a focal point of the offense just as he was last season. He is more of a wide receiver than a tight end in terms of skill set and frame, but is listed as a tight end by Syracuse. He lines up often split out where he creates matchup problems. Too big for a defensive back, too fast for a linebacker,” wrote Mike Mcallister (si.com).

Magna Cum Laude

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas

Team Offense (Rank): 429.5 ypg. (34)

Passing Yards: 241.4 ypg. (55)

Points Scored: 34.5 ppg. (24)

2022 FPPG (Sanders): 11.2

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 67.2

For over a decade, the national media has promoted the ‘Texas is back’ narrative—I have fallen for the trap a few times. Do I go into the rabbit hole again? It looks like the Longhorns are in a strong position to win the Big 12 for the first time since 2009. Texas returns QB Quinn Ewers, WR Xavier Worthy, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, and four starting offensive linemen, which provides a fantastic foundation for coach Steve Sarkisian’s offensive scheme.

Last year, Sanders dominated Big 12 opponents with 54 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns. The 6’4” and 243-pounder was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award and First Team All-Big 12.

In high school, Sanders earned All-America, all-state (Texas), and all-district (2x) honors. He was selected for the Under Armour All-America Game (2021) and chosen as a finalist for the Mr. Texas Football (2020). While he is close to Bowers and Gadsden in terms of fantasy upside, Sanders falls into the next tier because he has not yet achieved it on the gridiron.

Notebook: “Sanders is a big, quick, and soft-handed target running routes up the seams…He has potential as a goal line target outside but utilizing his quickness and hands inside against linebackers is a more natural deployment. If teams want to focus their coverage on taking away dangerous receivers and routes on the perimeter and keep linebackers in the box to defend running plays, Sanders is set up to feast running routes against those linebackers inside,” writer Ian Boyd pointed out (on3.com).

Brant Kuithe, Utah

Team Offense (Rank): 466.9 ypg. (17)

Passing Yards: 249.2 ypg. (49)

Points Scored: 38.6 ppg. (11)

2022 FPPG (Kuithe): 14.4

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 63.2

Keen CFF diehards recall that Brant Kuithe started three of the team’s first four games last year for the Utes before suffering a season-ending injury. Afterward, Dalton Kincaid started at tight end and played so well that the Buffalo Bills selected him in the first round of the Draft.

Through four games, Kuithe had the second-most receiving touchdowns (3) and sixth-best receiving yards (204) among P5 tight ends The 6’2” and 220-pounder opened the campaign with a career-high nine receptions for 105 yards versus Florida and reached the end zone in the first three games of the season.

The redshirt senior joined the program in 2018 and has registered 148 catches for 1,882 yards and 17 scores, adding 162 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries. He has logged a 32-consecutive game streak with a reception, including 30 outings during his campus tenure with at least three catches.

While twice pacing Utah in receptions, Kuithe was named Second Team All-Pac-12 for three straight seasons from 2019-2021. Coach Kyle Wittingham centers his aerial assault around the tight end, and Kuithe likely leads the team in receiving for a third season.

Notebook: “Kuithe has been a matchup problem since he emerged as a playmaker in 2018. As a bit of a tweener (part tight end, part wide receiver), Kuithe has gained respect in the football world for being a solid player with the potential to do big things at the next level,” journalist Michelle Bodkin penned (kslsports.com).

Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford

Team Offense (Rank): 361.6 ypg. (91)

Passing Yards: 254.2 ypg. (43)

Points Scored: 21.3 ppg. (108)

2022 FPPG (Yurosek): 8.7

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 111.0

Whenever I think of Stanford football, quarterbacks and tight ends immediately pop into mind. From Heisman winner Jim Plunkett, Hall of Famer John Elway and first-overall draft pick Andrew Luck, Stanford signal callers have worn the Cardinal and White with distinction.

At tight end, Zach Ertz, Coby Fleener, Austin Hooper, and Dalton Schultz all were CFF luminaries at the position. Despite Stanford falling on hard times with a 6-18 mark over the past two campaigns, Benjamin Yurosek has been very productive.

In 2021, Yurosek recorded 43 catches for 658 yards and three scores, earning First Team All-PAC-12. Last year, the senior’s efficiency dipped along with the entire offense, catching 49 passes for 445 yards and a touchdown. He was named Second Team All-PAC-12 afterward.

At 6’4” and 242-pounds, Yurosek was a four-star prospect and the No. 13 ranked tight end by 247Sports coming out of high school. He is garnering draft whispers from national scouts as a modern-day, move tight end in the NFL. I have acquired Yurosek in five drafts this season because of the tier break at the position.

Notebook: There’s a huge possibility that (coach Troy) Taylor’s offense showcases Yurosek considering during his time at Sacramento State tight end Marshel Martin led the team in catches and receiving touchdowns for the past two seasons. While the quarterback battle is still far from settled, one thing we do know about the passing game is that whoever is slinging the rock will have one of the best tight ends in the country to throw to,“ writer Kevin Borba forecasted (si.com).

R.J. Maryland, SMU

Team Offense (Rank): 472.8 ypg. (14)

Passing Yards: 316.7 ypg. (7)

Points Scored: 37.2 ppg. (12)

2022 FPPG (Maryland): 7.2

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 127.8

In the CFF community, the Mustangs are best known for its receivers and quarterbacks over the past decade. Coach Rhett Lashlee orchestrates a very sophisticated and explosive passing game. In 2023, sophomore R.J. Maryland returns as one of the top targets for SMU and new quarterback Preston Stone.

At 6’4” and 217-pounds, Maryland earned four stars as a recruit by 247Sports and was ranked as the No. 17 tight end prospect in the nation in 2021. With offers from Boston College, Miami, Houston, Michigan State, Mississippi, and Purdue, the Mustangs corralled Maryland, and he became an impact playmaker his first year on campus.

As a true freshman, Maryland played in all 13 games, making six starts. He recorded 28 receptions for 296 yards and six scores—the total was the second-best for a freshman SMU tight end in a single season. He garnered Freshman All-America honorable mention by CFN. The sensational sophomore is a classic tweener who will take a big leap forward in 2023.

Notebook: “R.J. Maryland was the highest-rated commitment in SMU’s 2022 class. He proved why in his first season by catching six touchdowns. He was 217 pounds last season; after a full year with strength and conditioning coach Shawn Griswold, expect that number to go up,” wrote Joseph Hoyt before spring practices in March (dallasnews.com).

Cum Laude

Luke Lachey, Iowa

Team Offense (Rank): 251.5 ypg. (129)

Passing Yards: 156.7 ypg. (122)

Points Scored: 17.7 ppg. (122)

2022 FPPG (Lachey): 7.0

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 117.2

Two decades ago, the Miami Hurricanes were known as Tight End U for the number of amazing players who shined in college and became high draft picks in the NFL. Over the past decade, the Hawkeyes deserve the Tight End U moniker as a college-to-professional pipeline for prospects at the position.

Since 2014, C.J. Fiedorowicz, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Sam LaPorta all earned high honors in college and were coveted by NFL organizations. Lule Lachey appears to be the apple of many eyes in 2023. In his most recent publication, Phil Steele listed Lachey as a preseason Second Team All-Big 10, and CFF experts project another Iowa tight end to rise to prominence.

Last year, Lachey played behind LaPorta but did earn significant playing time when the upperclassman was injured. In the Hawkeyes’ final three contests, Lachey mustered 23 targets, seized 15 passes for 202 yards and two scores, finishing as the No. 5 CFF TE scorer over the three-game span.

For the season, the junior recorded 38 catches for 398 yards and four touchdowns, obtaining honorable mention All-Big Ten. If you miss out on the top two tiers, Lachey is an excellent option after the top 100 picks in CFF drafts.

Notebook: “Just ahead of the 2023 college football season, Lachey finds himself firmly planted among the top five tight ends for the 2024 NFL draft class by PFF. The 6’6” and 253-pound tight end checks in at No. 3 on PFF’s tight end big board,” Riley Donald noted in mid-July (Hawkeyeswire.com)

Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina

Team Offense (Rank): 462.8 ypg. (19)

Passing Yards: 309.3 ypg. (11)

Points Scored: 34.3 ppg. (25)

2022 FPPG (Nesbit): 8.4

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 134.6

The Tar Heels’ passing attack is one of the more fascinating ones in CFF drafts to analyze. Wide receiver Josh Downs accumulated the most targets and catches last year, but he is no longer on campus. WR Antoine Green finished second on the team in pass-catching duties, and he is hoping to latch onto a roster spot in Detroit. TE Bryson Nesbit is the top-returning pass catcher in North Carolina.

In high school, Nesbit played basketball for two seasons and did not get on the gridiron until the summer before his junior year. In 2020, he earned four-stars as a prospect and was ranked as the No. 19 player in North Carolina and No. 13 tight end in the nation.

As a freshman in 2021, Nesbit saw limited minutes and snagged seven passes for 154 yards and a touchdown. He took a giant leap forward his second season at Chapel Hill. He collected honorable mention All-ACC after amassing 35 receptions for 507 yards and four touchdowns.

Considering Nesbit is tethered to QB, and a top NFL prospect, Drake Maye, I am a little surprised by how far he falls in CFF drafts. Nesbit could lead the team in receptions and yards if none of the receivers—Devontez Walker, Nate McCollum, and Kobe Paysour—click with Maye. The junior is a prototypical high-ceiling tight end in CFF leagues.

Notebook: “Nesbit is a massive target for Drake Maye and the Tar Heels’ offense. He stands at 6’5” and gives them some huge plays down the field and up the seams. With the loss of Josh Downs, one should figure that they look to their big tight end more often in the upcoming season until a major wide receiver target emerges,” Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire stated (tarheelswire.com).

Jalin Conyers, Arizona State

Team Offense (Rank): 387.2 ypg. (66)

Passing Yards: 251.9 ypg. (46)

Points Scored: 26.1 ppg. (78)

2022 FPPG (Conyers): 10.0

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 110.6

If readers do a quick Jalin Conyers Google search, his spring game highlights will surely pop up. He was rather impressive and appears poised to break out in 2023. The Sun Devils’ redshirt junior tied for the most votes (29%) in the Twitterverse poll below.

A consensus four-star prospect in high school, Conyers was rated as a top 10 tight end in the nation and the No. 72 player overall. He earned an invitation to the All-American Bowl and went to Oklahoma, playing one season for the Sooners before moving to Arizona State. In Tempe, Conyers posted six catches for 62 yards with a touchdown in his first season.

In 2022, he improved significantly with 38 grabs for 422 yards and five scores. He accumulated 229 yards after the catch—twenty-first among all FBS tight ends—and forced 21 missed tackles—the most of any FBS tight end. At 6’4” and 265 pounds, Conyers and WR Elijhah Badger are the top playmakers in new coach Kenny Dillingham’s scheme, and both are overlooked by most CFF managers.

Notebook: “Conyers looked like a man amongst boys on Saturday, making great catches and shedding tackles throughout the afternoon. The junior had the play of the game, hauling in a 60-yard touchdown after splitting two defenders,” writer Brendan May observed in the spring game (burncitysports.com).

Corey Dyches, Maryland

Team Offense (Rank): 401.5 ypg. (54)

Passing Yards: 260.2 ypg. (39)

Points Scored: 28.2 ppg. (66)

2022 FPPG (Dyches): 8.2

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 196.4

Two years ago, Chigoziem Okonkwo played at Maryland and became a fourth-round NFL Draft pick with the Titans. Can Corey Dyches also catch the attention of NFL organizations?

A three-star prospect, Dyches stood 6’1” and weighed only 190 pounds when he arrived at College Park in 2020. He played receiver before moving to tight end and backing up Okonkwo. After the position switch, he now weighs 220 pounds and brings a unique skill set to the Terrapins’ offense.

In 2022, he moved into the starting lineup for four games and played everyone. He earned honorable mention All-Big 10 with 39 catches for 494 yards and three scores. Dyches averaged 12.7 ypc and has caught a pass in 14 straight games.

Maryland lost leading receivers Rakim Jarrett, Jacob Copeland, and Dontay Demus from last year’s squad. With third-year starting QB Taulia Tagovailoa returning, Dyches is an athletic tweeter who provides an underappreciated fantasy floor for a CFF tight end.

Notebook: “It’s good being able to be versatile, playing wide receiver helped me learn the offense, now I can be wherever the coaches need me. I don’t take it lightly that I’m actually a (big) part of the team…It’s a great feeling.” Dyches stated last year after the victory over Purdue (dbknews.com)

Jake Briningstool, Clemson

Team Offense (Rank): 410.3 ypg. (47)

Passing Yards: 232.4 ypg. (65)

Points Scored: 33.2 ppg. (29)

2022 FPPG (Briningstool): 5.5

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 142.2

The Clemson offense failed to take flight last year, and coach Dabo Swinney finally decided to download an upgraded playbook to the system. He hired former TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley for a much-needed scheme improvement. With four returning O-linemen and a new coordinator, the Tigers’ aerial assault will be much more fantasy-friendly in 2023.

A unanimous four-star prospect, Jake Briningstool was a top 100 national player—No. 84 overall—No. 3 tight end and top player in Tennessee. He was also chosen for the Under Armour All-American Game as a senior in high school.

Last year, he played behind Davis Allen, who jettisoned to the NFL in the offseason. Nonetheless, Briningstool illustrated his pass-catching skills in limited opportunities: He gained 285 receiving yards on 25 catches and scored four times.

Listed at 6’6” and 230 pounds, Briningstool would like to suit up 10 pounds heavier by the time training camp opens and be more physical. With an ADP beyond the top 125 players, Briningstool is an easy smash late in CFF drafts.

Notebook: “I’ve just seen a totally different Brinny (Briningstool). I am super proud of him. I’ve challenged him a lot since I’ve taken over (as tight ends coach). He’s such a talented player, and with that, he still has so much room to grow,” Clemson tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Kyle Richardson proclaimed (greenvilleonline.com).

Brady Hunt, Ball State

Team Offense (Rank): 384.2 ypg. (70)

Passing Yards: 228.5 ypg. (69)

Points Scored: 23.2 ppg. (25)

2022 FPPG (Hunt): 10.5

@campus2canton CFF ADP: 146.8

The Cardinals posted a pedestrian 5-7 record last year and lost two key members of the offense: QB John Paddock and RB Carson Steele in the transfer portal. Coach Mike Neu dipped into the portal himself and plucked replacements at both key spots with QB Layne Hatcher and RB Marquez Cooper.

With both starting receivers gone, Hatcher and the passing game will rely on the team’s two tight ends. Brady Hunt and Tanner Kozoil provided fantasy goodness in 2022 and both return this season. Hunt looks like the one to acquire first in CFF drafts.

In high school, Hunt played quarterback and was a four-year letter-winner. He was a three-time Captain and two-time team MVP. Hunt concluded high school with 3,774 passing yards and 47 touchdowns while adding 958 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. A member of the National Honor Society, he also played basketball, four varsity letters, and golf.

When he arrived on campus, Hunt switched from quarterback to tight end. As a redshirt freshman last year, he finished third on the team with 46 receptions for 498 yards and five touchdowns, which tied for twelfth-most among all tight ends in the nation. The Ball State tight end secured multiple catches in 11-of-12 outings, including six games of four-plus receptions. He also posted a season-high of nine catches and 90 yards against Ohio. A great TE option at the current CFF ADP.

Twitterverse on Fire!

After the first ten rounds of CFF drafts, who are you targeting at tight end this summer?

• RJ Maryland, SMU: 20%
• Luke Lachey, Iowa: 29%
• Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina: 22%
• Jalin Conyers, Arizona: 29%

“David Martin-Robinson, Temple for me!” @aceholesrule

“Jalin Conyers has had some incredible highlights this spring/summer. CFF Tight ends are kind of a crap shoot so draft for upside knowing that they will likely get dropped anyway.” @BigWormPerm

“Gotta go Luke Lachey…you can never go wrong picking an Iowa tight end.” @DNow_T2T

“Jalin Conyers was my pick. It is hard to ignore the big spring he had, and more and more it seems like Trent Bourguet will be the starter, which also bodes well given the strong finish Conyers had in 2022.” @VolumePigs

“If it’s a draft with me, Bryson Nesbit probably won’t last to the tenth round.” @CFBWinningEdge

“Jalin Conyers for me. I have been grabbing him all spring/summer in Best Ball leagues. He is a freak athlete playing tight end. Hoping for 700 yards and eight touchdowns this fall out of him…” @JustinNottingh6

“I’m rolling with the upside of Jalin Conyers here.” @Ray_Kuhn_28

“Jalin Conyers! I think he’ll be a focal point in that offense. I feel like he’s gonna have a monster year.” @CffNation

2023 CFF Tight End Rankings and Projections