As the 2025 season approaches, we must start looking at our draft strategy for each position. The tight end position is beginning to make a comeback, with the position finally having a great crop of players to choose from at all points in the draft. With that, we have the option of not taking a risk on inconsistent players or those who have the potential to be on an offense where they can’t perform. We’ll look at four tight ends that fit those scenarios. Here are four fantasy football draft busts to avoid.
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Fantasy Football Draft Busts: Tight Ends to Avoid
Tucker Kraft (TE – GB)
Tucker Kraft is a player who will have trouble replicating the numbers he put up last year. He had two games in which he finished as the TE1 and four total games in which he finished in the top 10. Those performances were the result of some explosive plays. In two of the games, he averaged 22 yards per reception. He had at least four catches in a game just four times last year.
Even with some of these great receiving performances, he was still primarily used as a blocker; he was on the field for 86% of snaps but only ran 58% of possible routes.
This team already had a lot of receiving options, and they added one more, which is a significant one. The Packers drafted Texas standout Matthew Golden, the first time they drafted a wide receiver in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002. He will be their new top option. Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Christian Watson and Kraft will all move down the pecking order.
It’s one of those scenarios where there aren’t enough targets to go around, and we could see Kraft become a boom or bust tight end.
Travis Kelce (TE – KC)
You never thought this time would come, but here we are. You wonder how much longer Travis Kelce can put up his usual numbers. Last year, while he had a solid overall season, we saw a regression. He still finished as the TE7, but we could attribute this to the increased number of targets he was getting due to the injuries amongst the wide receivers.
He went below 80% route participation for the first time. His 6.2 yards per target, 8.5 yards per catch and 3.9 yards after the catch were all career lows.
The Chiefs brought back Marquise Brown. Xavier Worthy is coming off a spectacular rookie year. Rashee Rice should return from his torn ACL. They also have a proven backfield with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, and they drafted Brashard Smith.
Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL)
Every year, we say the Kyle Pitts comeback season is coming. Every year, we get burned. With every new circumstance for the Falcons, we believe it’s what Pitts needs to bring him to his full potential, and each time it never comes. Whether it was a new coach or quarterback, nothing has helped him get back to that 1,000 receiving yard rookie season.
If he were always bad, we wouldn’t draft him. The problem is, he shows some sparks. Last year, he had a 4/91/2 performance in Week 8, which gave people confidence, but he followed that up with 1/11/0 and only had one more game with over 50 receiving yards.
This largely had to do with Pitts losing opportunities to other receivers. In the first 11 games, Pitts had a 64% route participation. That number dropped to 58%. He’ll have to compete for targets with Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Bijan Robinson. While the draft price has fallen every season, it’s not worth the headache of waiting for a breakout.
Dalton Schultz (TE – HOU)
With all the pass-catching upgrades the Texans made last year, you figured someone would get lost in the shuffle. That ended up being Dalton Schultz.
He had the lowest numbers of his career since becoming a starter in catches (53), receiving yards (532) and touchdowns (two). We’re seeing how low of an option Schultz was because he still finished fourth in routes run (289) and fifth in route participation (78.4).
The fantasy numbers weren’t any better, as he could only finish better than TE18 twice last season. That was with all the injuries Houston suffered at wide receiver.
The Texans will not have Tank Dell in 2025 due to injury and lost Stefon Diggs to free agency, but they did add Christian Kirk to go along with Nico Collins. Joe Mixon is heavily used in the passing game as well, and they drafted Jayden Higgins in the second round and Jaylin Noel in the third.
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