Tight end is consistently the scarcest position in fantasy football. We can bank on consistent production from at least five TEs, but after that, it’s a crapshoot as to whether players will finish the season ranked within the top 10. In our Week 1 fantasy TE PPR rankings, we’ve identified a few must-starts, and as you probably guessed, the top tier of Travis Kelce (@ Cardinals) and Mark Andrews (@ Jets) headline our rankings. However, we also have a few sleepers that might be worthy of a “start ’em” call in Week 1.
While a tough matchup could eventually result in a rankings drop for Kelce and Andrews, they’re more than likely going to sit at Nos. 1 and 2 in our TE rankings throughout the duration of the season. For the remaining tight ends, their rankings will fluctuate more based on who they’re playing on a week-to-week basis. Once you get outside the top 12, it’s tough to find a reliable TE who can turn into an every-week starter.
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A few TEs lower down our rankings who might overperform relative to expectations in Week 1 include Cameron Brate (@ Cowboys), David Njoku (@ Panthers), Mo Allie-Cox (@ Texans), and Brevin Jordan (vs. Colts). These four TEs could be in line for a high target share against defenses that were susceptible to allowing fantasy points to TEs last year. Obviously, we’re not recommending necessarily starting any of them, as there’s still a lot we don’t know about matchups, but they are definitely TEs to watch or even stream if you’re in a deep league.
Additionally, some TEs who might be in line for a rougher Week 1 include Mike Gesicki (vs. Patriots), Noah Fant (vs. Broncos), and Tyler Higbee (vs. Bills). They’re matched up against defenses that limited production from the TE position last year, which is at least something to take into account.
The best thing you can do in the early season, especially in Week 1, is to make an educated guess and roll with it. We’re doing our best to help you with that process, and inevitably we’ll have to make adjustments to our TE rankings throughout the season once more data points roll in. For the most part, though, we’re recommending the same guys who were likely the top 12-15 TEs drafted this summer. Right now, they stand out as the most reliable options for targets, but that could change in a hurry.
Keep in mind that Raiders TE Darren Waller missed a good chunk of training camp dealing with a hamstring injury, so he might start a little slower than usual. He’s still a must-play, but don’t panic if Waller sees fewer snaps than usual. Fortunately he should get a boost in PPR leagues.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry (@ Dolphins) is one of our biggest fallers from standard to PPR formats, as he’s a touchdown-dependent TE who won’t haul in too many receptions. Dawson Knox (@ Rams) also fits that description, but they’re still in our top 12. Guys like Dallas Goedert (@ Lions), Zach Ertz (vs. Chiefs), and Pat Freiermuth (@ Bengals) get bumps up thanks to frequent targets. Understanding a player’s value in both formats is crucial to your hopes of taking home a fantasy championship at the end of the season.
We’ll be updating these TE PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes and analysis.
Week 1 fantasy TE PPR rankings
Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring
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