The crop of fantasy-relevant tight ends offers something that has not been provided to drafters in several years: options. In past years, the best strategy had been to grab one of the elite tight ends in Rounds 1-5, and if you missed out on the top-tier guys, just punt the position and ignore your TE slot until the last few rounds of the draft.
Things could not be more different in 2024. George Kittle, last year's TE5 is available at the end of Round 5, and Evan Engram, last year's TE2 is regularly there in the middle of Round 6. It doesn't stop with this duo either, multiple intriguing options like Kyle Pitts, David Njoku, Jake Ferguson, and Brock Bowers are all available even later.
But today we're here to discuss Engram and Kittle, whose ADP is separated by less than a dozen picks. The choice between Kittle and Engram is rather interesting, as they score fantasy points in vastly different ways. Engram is a volume-based compiler, while Kittle relies on elite efficiency in an offense with several mouths to feed.
Regardless of how they rack up points, both tight ends are capable of being top-5 options once again this season. But who should drafters prioritize when they're on the clock?
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
George Kittle vs. Evan Engram: Which tight end should you draft in fantasy football this year?
George Kittle's fantasy football outlook for 2024
Since bursting onto the scene in 2018, Kittle has been an elite tight end each and every year. His production has been hampered by injury here and there, but he has been as reliable as they come when he's healthy. Most recently, Kittle averaged 12.7 PPG while leading all tight ends in receiving yards with 1,020.
Given the embarrassment of riches among San Francisco's skill players, it's tough for Kittle to command a large number of targets. His 90 targets ranked 10th among TEs, but he still managed to crack the top-5 fantasy producers at the position. He was able to do this thanks to his ridiculous efficiency. His 2.30 yards per route run was the highest mark among tight ends and his 483 yards of YAC ranked 3rd.
Kittle may have been the TE5 overall last year, but his production was concentrated in just a handful of games, which was likely very frustrating for fantasy managers. Kittle finished the year with six games where he scored 6.0 points or fewer. On the other hand, he had five games where he scored at least 19.0 points.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Drafters should expect more of the same from Kittle in 2024. He will have his weeks where he is the focal point of Kyle Shanahan's game plan and scores in the range of 20 points, but there will also be games where he has one catch for one yard - his exact stat line in Week 6 last year. Kittle will likely be a top-tier TE once again, but be prepared for high levels of volatility.
Evan Engram's fantasy football outlook 2024
Engram is the polar opposite of Kittle in terms of how he accumulates fantasy points. He relies on a high number of targets and receptions to boost his fantasy production due to his low aDOT and red zone usage.
Engram's volume in 2023 was absurd. He finished the season with 143 targets, by far the most of any tight end. He also finished the year with 114 receptions, the 4th most of any player in 2023 and the second most by any tight end in a single season. As a result, Engram finished as the TE2 despite finding the endzone just four times.
Like Kittle, we should expect more of the same from Engram in 2024. He will function as Trevor Lawrence's safety valve and soak up a large number of the underneath targets in Jacksonville. It's unlikely, but there's even room for Engram's role to grow to some degree. The Jaguars parted ways with Calvin Ridley and replaced him with Brian Thomas Jr., who is an incredibly exciting prospect but likely won't be a high-volume target earner.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QB | RB | TE | D/ST
In general, Engram's high-volume role seems quite safe as we head into 2024. If he can take on a larger role in the red zone, as we saw in the Jaguars' preseason finale, Engram could legitimately contend for the TE1 title.
The Verdict: Should you draft Evan Engram or George Kittle?
This one really comes down to preference and the confidence you have in the rest of your roster. If you can tolerate the inconsistencies of Kittle and can stay afloat in weeks where he scores fewer than five points, Kittle is likely your man.
But if you would prefer production that features a safer floor, Engram is the pick. He will provide far more consistent production but will not cross the 20-point threshold as often as Kittle.
In our opinion, Engram should be the pick here. He may not offer the weekly ceiling of Kittle, but he has shown that he can produce with the best of 'em across a full season. He can also be picked up a round after Kittle, and your 5th-round pick can be spent on the juicy group of receivers in that range.
2024 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD)
Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K