Attacking the tight end position in Fantasy Football is far easier said than done. There are 32 NFL teams, yet only eight TEs averaged over double-digit fantasy points per game (PPG) in points per reception (PPR) leagues for 2022. There are also surprises every year for who does what for the position when it comes to Fantasy. Not everyone will be able to draft Travis Kelce, so identifying tight end targets who can give your lineups a consistent boost gives you an edge toward a fantasy football championship.
The Fantrax Football staff got together to identify some of their favorite tight end targets for Fantasy Football leagues in 2023.
Tight End Targets for 2023 Fantasy Football
Colin McTamany’s Targets
Darren Waller, New York Giants
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones threw just 15 touchdown passes last season. His top target was running back Saquon Barkley, who drew just 76 looks in the passing game. While that’s great for a running back, this offense desperately needed better receiving options.
Instead of a big free agent signing or using a top draft pick on one, the Giants traded for Darren Waller. He can, and has, handled 100+ targets before and should again in 2023 in New York. Waller is going rounds after Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, and T.J. Hockenson, but can finish among, if not ahead, of all of them in a fully healthy season.
Hayden Hurst, Carolina Panthers
With expectations of using a high draft pick on a quarterback, the new Panthers regime signed Hurst to a three-year deal in free agency. The former first-round tight end is a capable receiver who finished with eight double-digit weekly scores during the 2020 season with the Atlanta Falcons. He drew 88 targets that season as well as 68 in 2022 with the Cincinnati Bengals. Hurst should serve rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, well in his first season.
In a revenge game of sorts, Hurst also gets the Falcons in Week 1. Atlanta allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends (9.4) last season. If you plan to stream tight ends in 2023, keep Hurst in mind later in drafts to utilize out of the gate.
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
Rather than find a worthy wide receiver option to play alongside Stefon Diggs this off-season, the Buffalo Bills traded up in the first round of the 2023 Draft to select Kincaid with the 25th overall pick. Since 2019, quarterback Josh Allen has thrown 100+ targets to players seven different times. Three of those were to Cole Beasley, who drew 100+ targets out of the slot in three straight seasons. Given Kincaid’s reliability as a pass catcher in college, I fully expect him to see significant slot snaps this season in Buffalo. It’s not out of the question for him to repeat his 70/890/8 stat line from last year at the University of Utah.. That 12.0 PPR point-per-game average potential is worth a late-round flier, especially for a tight end.
Nick Skrip’s Targets
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pat Freiermuth’s sophomore season was impressive, as he finished Top 12 for the position in Fantasy PPG. Freiermuth ranked fifth in targets (98) and sixth in receptions (63) at the tight end position, which shows solid volume.
He ranked fourth in air yards (849), eighth in average depth of targets (8.7), third in deep targets (12), ninth in yards after the catch (286), and sixth in receiving yards (732) which shows receiving yards and big play upside.
Seventh in yards per route run (1.86) shows efficiency. The only statistic that regressed was the seven TD catches down to two across the last two years, which was tied to Pittsburgh only having 12 receiving TDs total. Freiermuth should continue playing a significant role in the Steelers offense in 2023, potentially as the second target to Diontae Johnson.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Across the last three seasons in Dallas, Dalton Schultz has earned 89-104-89 targets and produced 577-808-615 receiving yards. Schultz has finished as the TE9 and TE5 the last two seasons, and in his final two games as a Cowboy, he saw 18 targets, caught 12 of them, produced 122 receiving yards, and scored three TDs in the playoffs.
Schultz now finds himself in a new home with the Houston Texans, who have been reshaping their offense since their 3-13-1 2022 season. Rookie second-overall pick, CJ Stroud, will lead the way, with a young WR core of Nico Collins, John Metchie, and Tank Dell on top of veterans Schultz and Robert Woods.
Targets are completely up for grabs in Houston and I believe Schultz can finish 2023 as a top-two target on this team.
Mike Gesicki, New England Patriots
2022 was very disappointing for Mike Gesicki’s Fantasy stock as a result of being the third option in Miami’s offense behind one of the best WR combinations in the league – Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Hill and Waddle accounted for 51.06% of the team’s total targets. Prior to 2022, Gesicki had two seasons of over 700 receiving yards and three seasons of 85+ targets.
He now lands in New England, which is promising because Head Coach Bill Belichick has praised Gesicki’s pass-catching abilities. The Patriots feature a mediocre set of pass-catching weapons in JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and Hunter Henry. So we can check the boxes of Gesicki having a receiving profile in past NFL seasons, his Head Coach being impressed with his pass-catching traits, a history of TE usage in New England, and a true opportunity for volume from Mac Jones.
Reese Jones’ Target
TJ Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
T.J. Hockenson is poised to receive 95+ targets on the Vikings this season. First and foremost, Hockenson showcased his ability to be a prolific target in his sophomore season in Detroit, with an impressive 101 targets. Additionally, he demonstrated his consistency by accumulating a combined 129 targets between his two teams last season (Detroit and Minnesota).
While Justin Jefferson is expected to be a target hog for the Vikings, the absence of another proven wide receiver creates an opportune situation for Hockenson to step into the role of the team’s number two receiving option. Notably, in just 10 games with the Vikings last season, Hockenson managed to amass an impressive 86 targets. With a full offseason to develop chemistry with his new team, it is reasonable to expect Hockenson to approach the century mark in targets this year.
Ray Kuhn’s Target
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
Njoku is a borderline top-10 tight end based on ADP and he is available just after pick 100 to this point in draft season. This puts him squarely on my radar if tight end is not a priority on draft day. The big thing for Njoku is that he now gets a full season of Deshaun Watson under center after the quarterback has shaken off the rust. Last year saw Njoku set a career-high with 58 receptions (second on the team) for 628 yards and four touchdowns. With 80 targets, Njoku was a large part of Cleveland’s offense but the biggest takeaway for me were his 19 red-zone targets, second at the position behind Travis Kelce. Also of note is that two of Watson’s seven touchdown passes went to Njoku.
Who are your favorite tight end targets for 2023 fantasy football? Drop some love in the comments below. For more great rankings and analysis, make sure to check out our 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🚨🏈
We are excited to be launching another giveaway, where ONE lucky winner will receive an Official NFL Travis Kelce Signed Jersey!
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— Fantrax (@Fantrax) July 4, 2023