Quarterbacks and tight ends don’t always get the same love in fantasy football as running backs and wide receivers, but as the two onesie positions, they can be just as important. The following is a list of my must-have fantasy football players at these two positions, given their average draft position (ADP), projections and opportunity.
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Must-Have Fantasy Football Draft Picks
Let’s dive into some players I’m targeting in fantasy football this draft season.
Must-Have Quarterbacks
Drake Maye (QB – NE)
With the hype surrounding Caleb Williams, the leap to stardom for Jayden Daniels and the ascension of Bo Nix, Drake Maye’s rookie season has largely been overlooked. I was high on Maye as a prospect, and his rookie season accentuated the traits that make him an appealing fantasy football bet.
On the surface, Maye’s rookie season box scores are unremarkable, but it’s important to note that the third overall draft pick dealt with the second-highest pressure rate among all quarterbacks (37.3%) and faced the second-most quick pressures, trailing only Joe Burrow, who notched 124 more dropbacks. Simply put, the Patriots rolled out a historically bad offensive line that supported the worst expected yards per carry in the NFL, while the lack of playmakers further challenged the rookie.
Still, Maye’s 66.6% completion percentage was good enough for the sixth-best mark of all time among rookie quarterbacks. His 64.1% pressure completion percentage was the fifth-best mark of the season, while he delivered the 11th-most money throws in the league. Perhaps the biggest confirmation we got from Maye is that he is a runner. He finished seventh in rushing yards per game, and his nine yards per scramble beat Daniels’ mark of 8.1. He scrambled on 10.8% of dropbacks, second only to Daniels, but bested the Commanders’ rookie in explosive run rate — 37.8% to 27.1%.
Maye only threw downfield 32 times with Kayshon Boutte, Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper leading the way in downfield targets. With all due respect to Henry and Hooper, two tight ends should not be in the top three of this category. Even if Stefon Diggs is not the same player he once was, he should open up the offense, while rookies Kyle Williams and TreVeyon Henderson add a speed element that’s been lacking. Josh McDaniels returning as the team’s offensive coordinator will be a boost for Maye as well, who has an outside shot of finishing as a fantasy QB1.
Justin Fields (QB – NYJ)
We don’t need to love Justin Fields, the NFL quarterback, to believe in Justin Fields, the fantasy football asset. There is a lot to love about Fields for fantasy. In his six weeks as Pittsburgh’s starter last season, Fields delivered QB6 overall numbers. His rookie season was the only year Fields failed to register as a QB1 in points per game, as he was QB12 and QB6 in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
It may or may not qualify as his best supporting cast in his career, but Fields will line up in the backfield with Breece Hall and will be looking Garrett Wilson‘s way often, both of whom are top players at their respective positions. Fields’ value is primarily proven out through his rushing, however, as his 50.2 rushing yards per game are the third-best mark among quarterbacks all time, while his 1,143 rushing yards in 2022 are the second-most for a quarterback in a single season.
With Tyrod Taylor expected to be the only other quarterback on the Jets’ roster, there’s little risk of him being benched this season. The runway is clear for this Jet to deliver through the air and on the ground.
Dak Prescott (QB – DAL)
The Cowboys’ franchise quarterback is now healthy after missing the second half of last season due to a hamstring strain. Prescott is being drafted as a high-end QB2 despite finishing as a QB1 in points per game in six out of nine seasons. He has not finished worse than QB16 since his rookie season. In the last healthy season we got from Prescott (2023), he finished second in MVP voting and was the QB4 while throwing for over 4,500 yards and tossing 36 touchdown passes.
In one of the biggest moves of the offseason, the Cowboys acquired star receiver George Pickens, giving Prescott a legitimate No. 2 WR, something they’ve lacked over the last three seasons. In 2021, the last time Dallas had two high-level receiving targets in Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, Prescott posted his highest passing touchdown total of 37 and threw for 4,449 yards in 16 games.
Prescott has covered up many warts for the Cowboys’ offense over the years, but he’s proven to be one of the best in the game when he has the weaponry on his side. Pickens excels at hauling in deep balls down the sideline, a throw Prescott excels at. He’s consistently among the league’s best in deep ball completion percentage, hovering around 50%. Pickens’ presence alone will help open up the field for Lamb and Jake Ferguson, and vice versa.
New Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has often prioritized a running game with a heavy dose of play-action passes, but has also featured a load of downfield passes, as he did when he let Russell Wilson cook in Seattle. Given the talent in the passing game, weaknesses in the running back room and his experience under Mike McCarthy in Dallas, the best bet is that Schottenheimer will let Prescott cook this season.
Caleb Williams (QB – CHI)
Perhaps the most obvious quarterback breakout candidate, and for good reason, Caleb Williams will join forces with one of the best play-callers in the NFL. Ben Johnson joins the Bears after aiding Jared Goff to fantasy finishes of QB6, QB7 and QB10 over the last three seasons. Goff is a former number one overall draft pick and proven NFL quarterback, but his physical traits cannot match those of Williams.
As tough as last season was with Williams finishing as the fantasy QB16 overall and QB21 in points per game, he also finished seventh in money throws with the most deep ball attempts in the NFL and the second-most air yards. The rookie struggled with his timing, but he also suffered the sixth-most drops, a problem that was addressed by the Bears this offseason.
With Keenan Allen out the door, Chicago will rely on a bigger role from Rome Odunze, but the additions of Luther Burden and Colston Loveland give them a deeper complement of pass-catchers and playmakers. Johnson’s play designs will provide more space and allow for a quicker release from Williams, a breath of fresh air after taking 68 sacks last season.
Not only do I expect Williams to improve his game in the pocket, but Johnson will be able to take advantage of Williams’ mobility as well. He finished seventh in rushing yards among quarterbacks last season and is capable of more with an increased priority. If anybody can help Williams reach his ceiling, it’s Johnson.
Must-Have Tight Ends
David Njoku (TE – CLE)
If you exclude the games in which David Njoku played with Deshaun Watson, and zoom in on the other box scores, Njoku has been one of the best tight ends in football the last few seasons. His 2024 season largely flew under the radar due to his high-ankle sprain and hamstring strain, along with the Browns’ incompetence, but Njoku finished as the TE4 in points per game despite the inconsistencies from the quarterback position.
Although the Browns haven’t exactly solved the quarterback position, they have an adult in the room with Joe Flacco, and a pair of intriguing rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. In the games in which Flacco played for the Browns in 2022, Njoku was the TE2 during that stretch.
Over the last three seasons, Njoku has quietly delivered TE4, TE7 and TE8 finishes in points per game scoring, but is being drafted as a borderline TE1/TE2. The Browns drafted Harold Fannin Jr., but a third-round rookie tight end is unlikely to make an immediate impact, especially as a 20-year-old.
The Browns did nothing else to upgrade the pass-catching group, with Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Diontae Johnson leading the way. Njoku is primed for a heavy volume of targets, and that alone is enough to be optimistic for a TE1 season, but his skill set and recent production suggest he could be in store for a bigger season than anticipated.
Evan Engram (TE – JAX)
Evan Engram’s final season in Jacksonville was disappointing after battling injuries and playing in just nine games, but we’re just one season removed from him posting 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns and finishing as the TE2.
Dating back to 2023, Engram has led all tight ends in receptions and yards from the slot, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In that time, Sean Payton and the Broncos have run the fifth-most tight end routes from the slot. Engram figures to be a terrific fit with Payton, who helped Jimmy Graham produce three straight top-two tight end finishes with the Saints. He’s precisely what Nix needed in this offense.
Nix outperformed expectations in his rookie season, proving he’s not only a check-down artist but can uncork the deep ball. The biggest struggle for the Broncos’ passing attack, however, came in the intermediate distance (10-19 yards downfield). Nix posted a completion percentage of just 52% in this area but suffered the third-highest drop rate in this distance.
With Courtland Sutton working on the outside, speedsters Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin creating space downfield, and the running backs making plays in the short area, the offense has lacked a player who can work the middle and intermediate areas of the field. Enter Engram, who posted the fewest drops on the most targets of all tight ends in 2023. We’ve seen some highs and lows from Engram throughout his eight-year career, but Denver offers him an opportunity to post some of his best numbers yet.
Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF)
On the surface, Dalton Kincaid’s career trajectory is heading in the wrong direction. A first-round pick in 2023, Kincaid posted solid numbers as a rookie, catching 73 passes for 673 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers dipped in 2024 when Kincaid, playing in 13 games, caught 44 passes for 448 yards and two touchdowns. He suffered knee and collarbone injuries during the season. Offseason reports have suggested Kincaid was hurt far more than what was reported, leading to some of his struggles to put up big numbers last season.
Another factor limiting Kincaid has been the presence of Dawson Knox. Kincaid had just a 57.5% snap share last season, the 32nd-most at tight end. On the plus side, his route participation was much better at 62.7%, good for the 17th-best mark, and he still posted some intriguing peripheral numbers.
Kincaid was eighth at the position in target share, sixth in air yards share, seventh in target rate and saw the second-most deep targets with 11. He also saw the second-most unrealized air yards while his catchable target rate was just 65%, putting him at 36th among tight ends. Kincaid’s 4.61 target quality rating was just 26th at the position, while his target accuracy of 5.9 landed him at 38th. In other words, Josh Allen didn’t give Kincaid enough to work with. Allen has acknowledged that and the need to improve chemistry. Kincaid has been lauded for the strength he’s added and his offseason work.
It will be difficult for Kincaid to be an elite tight end with his current snap share, but a part of that was likely due to his injuries last season. The added strength should help him stay on the field more, and the Bills’ lack of pass-catching additions suggests they plan to feature Kincaid this year. I suspect he will take more work from Knox this season, but even if his target accuracy improves, that should be enough to make him a fantasy TE1, with upside for much more. If he and Allen can connect on the high volume of deep targets, we may be in store for the third-year tight end breakout we used to see so often.
Hunter Henry (TE – NE)
If you’re punting at tight end and snagging a couple late, Hunter Henry is the best option available. He finished as the PPR TE12 last year (TE16 in points per game), while notching the sixth-most receptions (66) and eighth-most yards among tight ends (674). Had he scored more than two touchdowns, there would likely be a lot more hype surrounding Henry. We know touchdowns are not a sticky stat year to year, however. Henry saw 19 red-zone targets last year, suggesting he’s due for some positive regression.
The Patriots added Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams, but still lack quality at the receiver position, leaving Henry in a prime position to earn many targets from Drake Maye, who, you may have heard, is a must-have quarterback and a major breakout candidate. That, combined with Josh McDaniels returning to run the offense, and Henry is perhaps most likely to outproduce his fantasy football ADP of all tight ends.
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