Are we in the midst of a shakeup at the tight end position in fantasy football? Due to some signs of aging, the top tier isn’t as clear as years past, leaving managers with some dynasty TE trade targets to consider.
If you can properly evaluate the second/third tiers, you stand to gain ground on your competition and potentially compete with those rosters with a Tier 1 option. For whom should you be sending out offers this offseason?
Top Dynasty TE Trade Targets for the 2024 NFL Offseason
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
If there’s a more talked about player in dynasty fantasy football circles, I’m not aware of him. Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts entered the league with massive expectations after being selected with the No. 4 overall pick in 2021 and delivered on some of that promise by clearing 1,000 yards as a rookie.
This one-handed snag by Kyle Pitts was UNBELIEVABLE 🔥#DirtyBirds
pic.twitter.com/QkFAXwJKuR— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 22, 2023
Fantasy managers, however, are a tough bunch to please. He only scored once on 110 targets that season and has fewer yards over the past two years (27 games) than he had during his introductory campaign.
The firing of head coach Arthur Smith was viewed as an olive branch of sorts from this franchise to the fantasy industry, and bringing in Zac Robinson to call the offense was a nice touch.
MORE: Falcons Hire Zac Robinson — Fantasy Impact on Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts
A 57.5% career catch rate is underwhelming, but that stat is more damning for the QB play that Pitts has seen than any deficiency on his part (2.3% career drop rate). We saw Pitts moved around a bit more last season, which is another indicator that his best days are in front of him.
Percent of routes from the slot:
- 2021-22: 45.5%
- 2023: 59.4%
There are real “Charlie Brown trying to kick the football” vibes surrounding Pitts — by sticking your neck out for him at this point, you’re being asked to absorb only a fraction of the initial risk with a strong payoff (both this year and down the road) being very much a possibility.
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
There is no way to not be impressed with the tape that Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely has put out through two seasons, but the return of TE Mark Andrews for the AFC Championship game has Likely’s future role in question.
Embrace the uncertainty.
We know the talent is there and that Andrews turns 29 years of age in September. We also know that Likely has scored once every 8.3 catches for his career and that Lamar Jackson posted a 147.0 passer rating when throwing his way in 2023.
We also know that the Ravens lack depth at the receiver position and that offensive coordinator Todd Monken was brought in for his ingenuity. Likely is an NFL-level athlete that has produced when given the opportunity — at his current asking price in dynasty leagues, that level of hope is worth a roll of the dice.
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
So many dynasty managers confuse “age” with “value.” Yes, younger players receive a boost in this format, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking those with a few more reps on their NFL résumé.
Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz represents a cheap way to invest in the trajectory of QB C.J. Stroud, something we all want to do. Schultz was TE11 in his first season with the Texans, logging three double-digit target games while setting a career high in yards per catch.
There is no path to Schultz being the top performer at the position, and that’s fine. Much like a “real” NFL team, your dynasty team needs role players that can stabilize your weekly floor, and Schultz can be that at a tough position to fill.
Scared about him being, at best, the third option in this passing game? Has that stopped you from drafting San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle in years past? What about Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert?
You could argue that Dallas Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson was the No. 3 option this season, and that didn’t stop him from breaking out.
KEEP READING: Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart
Over the past two seasons, Schultz has been targeted on 21.7% of his red zone routes, a rate that ranks ahead of Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson and the aforementioned Kittle. He’s not going to cost you much — assuming he’s back in Houston next season, he’s a great low-risk, reasonable-reward acquisition right now.