When it comes to best ball, there are two key areas where we can separate our rosters from the crowd: roster construction and player takes. The two intertwine nicely with roster construction concerning when we take certain players and how many of each group we roster in total, and the player takes help us to ascertain if someone is a good value at their current cost.
In this article, we’ll dive into the tight end position and examine which late-round tight ends might represent good dart throws.
All average draft position (ADP) is taken from Underdog’s Big Board contest.
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 NFL Draft Guide
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Tight End Dart Throws
Dart Throws
Juwan Johnson (NO) | ADP 181.5
Heading into 2023 drafts, Juwan Johnson had an ADP of 143 and was a popular pick to take a leap after finishing as the TE8 in total points for 2022. Johnson struggled to start the year, along with dealing with injuries, seeing him play only four games before Week 9, averaging 2.15 half PPR points. Across the second half of the season, though, Johnson seemed to build rapport with Derek Carr and find his groove, averaging 5.1 targets and scoring four touchdowns, a number bettered only by David Njoku and Sam LaPorta in that time.
With a new offensive coordinator in New Orleans and Derek Carr a year further settled into the job, Juwan Johnson looks like a nice bet to outplay his ADP in 2024.
Chigoziem Okonkwo (TEN) | ADP 190.5
The Titans were every bit the mess many expected in 2023, with Ryan Tannehill managing only six appearances before being benched for rookie project Will Levis. Chigoziem Okonkwo couldn’t keep his red-hot form from the end of 2022 going, but it always seemed a bit of reach for a player who was third in yards per route run between Weeks 12-17 in that season with 2.5 (minimum 10 receptions).
Okonkwo came back to Earth and then some with 1.9 in 2023. There were, however, signs of life as the year went on, with Okonkwo averaging 4.8 targets from Week 10 onwards. If Will Levis is able to take a step forward in his sophomore campaign, then Okonkwo might finally be able to find some consistency.
August 17 reminder that Chigoziem Okonkwo is good at football pic.twitter.com/JSFfiTmKjX
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) August 17, 2023
Gerald Everett (LAC) | ADP 220.8
The first thing is first for Gerald Everett to find a new home for 2024 with his contract with the Chargers expiring. There is, though, reason to be optimistic about Everett, who, if he re-signed in L.A., would be part of a historically very tight end-friendly offense under Greg Roman. Everett is currently going undrafted, and that on its own presents value, given he has been a top-20 tight end in each of the last three years.
Obviously, the Chargers could add another tight end also, or Everett may land elsewhere, but at age 29, he’s not so old that there are any warning signs, and we should be open to scooping up this value.
Cade Otton (TB) | ADP 157.7
There are few tight ends as difficult to start in managed leagues as Cade Otton is. Otton’s 2023 weekly finishes ping-ponged between TE13 to TE35 and all that was in between never having more than three consecutive weeks as a top-20 TE. Otton did, however, turn it on when it mattered most, with 13 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown in his two playoff appearances. Mike Evans is currently set to be a free agent, and if that happens, even more targets will open up for Otton, but either way, as the TE19 in ADP, he is a fine late pick.
cade otton has stopped being our cardio king. he’s actually doing stuff out there.
— Denny Carter (@CDCarter13) January 21, 2024
More Early 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Prep
- Erickson’s Early Fantasy Football Rankings, Tiers & Notes: QB | WR
- Early Must-Have Running Backs: Feb
- Early Must-Have Wide Receivers: Feb
- Early Must-Have QBs & TEs: Feb
- Early Undervalued Players
- Early Overvalued Players: RB
- QB2s w/ Top-5 Upside: Feb
- Players to Avoid: QB
- 3 Early Breakout Candidates
- 6 Early Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers
- Draft Values, Breakouts & Busts: RB
- RB Dead Zone Running Backs: Draft or Fade?
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