The 2019 tight end draft class was one of the more celebrated I can remember. T.J. Hockenson was taken seventh overall and Noah Fant joined him in the first round. Six more tight ends had been drafted by the time the third round was over. With Travis Kelce approaching 30 and Zach Ertz not far behind him, this class is hopefully the future of the position.
With that in mind, four of those rookie tight ends crack my top 16, with Hockenson and Fant finding their way into to the top 10. But just because they're ranked as starting tight ends in Dynasty doesn't mean you should expect starting tight end production from them in this format.
Evan Engram is the only rookie tight end to finish in the top-12 since Rob Gronkowski in 2010. While it's possible Hockenson matches Engram, that should not be the expectation. Drafting either of these rookies as a tight means you should prioritize one of the older starters like Vance McDonald, Jared Cook or Eric Ebron if he falls. I woudl want an option I feel good about for two years, because it may be that long before you feel good about starting your young tight end.
Top 40 Dynasty Tight Ends
Rank | Player | Team | Age |
1 | Travis Kelce | KC | 29 |
2 | George Kittle | SF | 25 |
3 | Zach Ertz | PHI | 28 |
4 | O.J. Howard | TB | 24 |
5 | Evan Engram | NYG | 25 |
6 | Hunter Henry | LAC | 24 |
7 | David Njoku | CLE | 23 |
8 | T.J. Hockenson | DET | 22 |
10 | Noah Fant | DEN | 21 |
11 | Austin Hooper | ATL | 24 |
12 | Mark Andrews | BAL | 24 |
13 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | 24 |
9 | Eric Ebron | IND | 26 |
14 | Chris Herndon IV | NYJ | 23 |
16 | Irv Smith Jr. | MIN | 21 |
15 | Jace Sternberger | GB | 23 |
20 | Trey Burton | CHI | 27 |
17 | Jordan Reed | WAS | 29 |
19 | Vance McDonald | PIT | 29 |
18 | Jared Cook | NO | 32 |
23 | Will Dissly | SEA | 23 |
24 | Ian Thomas | CAR | 23 |
21 | Kyle Rudolph | MIN | 29 |
22 | Jack Doyle | IND | 29 |
25 | Hayden Hurst | BAL | 26 |
26 | Dawson Knox | BUF | 22 |
27 | Josh Oliver | JAC | 22 |
28 | Foster Moreau | OAK | 22 |
31 | Mike Gesicki | MIA | 23 |
29 | Delanie Walker | TEN | 35 |
30 | Jimmy Graham | GB | 32 |
32 | Greg Olsen | CAR | 34 |
33 | Gerald Everett | LAR | 25 |
34 | C.J. Uzomah | CIN | 26 |
35 | Jonnu Smith | TEN | 24 |
36 | Kahale Warring | HOU | 22 |
37 | Cameron Brate | TB | 28 |
38 | Ricky Seals-Jones | ARI | 24 |
39 | Darren Waller | OAK | 26 |
40 | Adam Shaheen | CHI | 24 |