Fantasy Tight End Takeaways From The 2024 Season

Fantasy takeaways from the 2024 season rolls on, today we move to the tight end position. Whether you won a high-stakes fantasy championship or are a recreational player who won your home league, be proactive. The NFL calendar is year-round. Savvy fantasy players are on top of past season results, coaching movement, and free agency. It is a necessary grind to afford managers the best chance to build a championship roster for the 2025 fantasy season. The targeted focus today will be on tight end positional trends and data. Tight end may be the most frustrating position in all of fantasy football because of its weekly volatility. We identified two tight end trends that can be used when formulating next season’s draft plans.

Fantasy Tight End Takeaways From The 2024 Season

Trey McBride Was A Better Fantasy Tight End Than His Stats Indicated

It may sound crazy but Arizona Cardinals tight-end Trey McBride could have been even better last season. McBride finished the 2024 season as the overall PPR TE2. His 15.6 fantasy points per game average was even higher than the overall TE1, Brock Bowers. McBride led all tight ends in several key metrics. He was a league best in target share, targets per route run, and catches per game. Despite those metrics, he scored just two receiving touchdowns on the season.

Touchdowns are one statistic that is very hard to predict, but his total was somewhat of an anomaly. McBride was first among fantasy tight ends in redzone targets, was second in expected touchdowns with 8.5 but ranked just 24th in actual scores. Had McBride posted his expected eight to nine touchdowns, he would have easily finished as the league’s top fantasy tight end. Fantasy takeaway, McBride, if usage holds, is due for major positive touchdown regression. Marvin Harrison Jr., a terrific buy low candidate, will no doubt bounce back. With that being said, McBride will still be a major part of the Cardinal’s passing attack and a threat to finish as the overall TE1.

Where Do We Draft Jonnu Smith in 2025 Fantasy Drafts

Any fantasy owner that secured Jonuu Smith on their rosters in 2024, got themselves a league winner. The question going forward remains, which tight end will managers be getting in 2025 fantasy drafts? In weeks one through nine, Smith averaged 8.18 fantasy points, less than five targets per game and a 46% snap rate. Starting in week 11, he dominated the tight end landscape. Smith’s per game averages skyrocketed to 18.59 fantasy points, 8.25 targets and a 64% snap rate. Smith’s metrics, albeit back loaded, were among the league best fantasy tight ends. He was top five among qualified tight ends in targets per route run, yards per route run and PFF receiving grade.

The fantasy takeaway is simple, do not be so quick to be in on Smith at his current asking price as the overall TE6. Smith’s career average entering 2024 was 5.54 fantasy points per game. We simply do not trust Tua Tagovailoa to be able to support multiple receiving options. Smith’s success came at the result of down years for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who finished respectively as the WR18 and WR46. Fantasy managers are buying all the risk drafting Smith at his current ADP of 79.6. In essence, you are paying for Smith at his fantasy ceiling.