NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Early Round Value Picks: Tight Ends
Preseason games are in full swing, and you can almost smell the wings being cooked up at your favorite dive bar that is gearing up for NFL kickoff! We’ve covered the top three skill positions here at Betting News in our NFL Fantasy value picks series. That means only one more position to cover, the elusive tight ends. This is a position that for years only had about three viable options for fantasy, and then there was everyone else. However, over the past couple seasons multiple tight ends have exploded on the scene giving more value up and down the draft. So let’s dig in and find some gems!
This is an ongoing series to highlight players who REEK of value in NFL fantasy drafts. We aren’t talking about McCaffrey with the 1st overall pick, but instead we are going to be finding gems. Each article will feature a position within a range of draft rounds (we will always skip the 1st round). We will assume that these picks are for 12-team leagues with .5 PPR and will not be discussing in terms of Superflex. On top of that I’ll highlight a futures bet that corresponds with each player, all of whose odds can be found on BETONLINE.
Let’s get started without further delay on the early round value picks for NFL fantasy football 2024: the tight ends. It’s mock draft season, baby!!!
1. Tight End Value Rounds 2-5: Dalton Kincaid
Dalton Kincaid, the tight end for the Buffalo Bills, could potentially be Josh Allen’s main target.
The Buffalo Bills selected tight end Dalton Kincaid in the 1st round of the NFL draft last year. Their general manager passionately declared his eagerness to make every team that overlooked Kincaid regret their decision. It’s evident that the Bills have significant aspirations for Kincaid. His growth as a player was noticeable towards the end of his rookie season and during the playoffs.
This offseason saw Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis depart from the Bills, stripping Josh Allen of two of his main offensive assets. Nonetheless, the Bills appear unfazed, presumably due to the promising presence of Kincaid. He is currently available as a 5th round pick in NFL fantasy drafts, offering exceptional value as a tight end who could potentially match Travis Kelce in target numbers this season.
Kincaid is known for his reliable hands, route-running, and ability to create mismatches against defenders, making him a potential top target in his team’s offense – especially in the red zone. Despite a slow start, he finished the previous season with 673 receiving yards from 91 targets and secured two touch downs. Despite these stats, he still ranked as the 12th best tight end, suggesting his usage is likely to increase this season. From week seven onwards, Kincaid averaged 5.7 receptions and in six out of those ten weeks, he had over 50 receiving yards.
The statistics may not be incredibly impressive at first glance, yet it’s common for tight ends to require a season or two to get fully acclimated to the NFL. With Diggs and Davis absent from the receiving team, it’s likely that Kincaid will emerge as the main target for the top quarterback in fantasy football. Could this be the emergence of the next Kelce? Time will tell. However, Kincaid is expected to be a leading fantasy football selection for the tight end position.
Dalton Kincaid o77.5 receptions -112 on BetOnline:
Truth be told, I’m a fan of all three of Kincaid’s futures props, but his receptions seem the most reliable. Last season, he achieved 73 receptions while sharing the line up with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Plus, for the initial weeks of the season, he played fewer snaps than veteran tight end Dawson Knox. As highlighted earlier, Kincaid averaged 5.7 receptions in the last 10 weeks of the season he played in. If he maintains this pace for a full season, he could exceed 95 receptions. This might be the most appealing futures prop I have discovered so far in this series of articles.
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2. NFL Fantasy Rounds 1-5 Tight Ends: Trey McBride
During the first half of the game at Ford Field on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, Sam LaPorta, the tight end for the Lions, caught a touchdown pass against Tre’von Moehrig, the safety for the Raiders.
I must confess, I’m not particularly enthusiastic about Kelce, Mark Andrews or Try McBride this season, who make up the remaining tight ends in the first 5 rounds. This is mainly because I believe the wide receiver and running back positions in rounds 3-5 offer much more value. However, I’m also not overly impressed with the receivers available in the second round, as many of them come with uncertainties. Therefore, in drafts where I secure a running back in the first round, I might consider taking a risk on last season’s top tight end, Sam LaPorta.
LaPorta made a stunning debut last year. As a rookie, he was among the leading TEs in most leagues, boasting 829 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. His performance was particularly impressive given the wide array of talent in the Detroit Lions team. While some may suggest that his performance might decline if players like Gibbs or Jameson Williams take on bigger roles, I remain confident that he will secure a spot among the top three in his position.
LaPorta, in contrast to Kelce, doesn’t have any concerns related to age. Unlike Andrews, he hasn’t exhibited any health problems. Furthermore, compared to McBride, LaPorta is part of the Lions offense, which has a solid reputation as one of the league’s top-performing units. In my view, LaPorta presents the fewest uncertainties for this season’s NFL fantasy when choosing a tight end in the initial five rounds. Consequently, if I have to take a risk on one, it should ideally be the youngest tight end who is in an advantageous position.
Sam LaPorta u7.5 receiving touchdowns for -130 on BetOnline:
I recognize that proposing an under bet doesn’t exactly align with my recommendation to draft LaPorta. However, this doesn’t negate the possibility of LaPorta remaining a leading player in his position. He still has to contend with Gibbs, Montgomery, Amon Ra St. Brown and Williams. There’s a scenario where the Lions offense could recede a bit. Yet, if LaPorta can match or surpass his 81 receptions and over 825 receiving yards, he will still yield considerable fantasy value. Thus, opting for his under here offers some injury protection on a future bet that might be challenging for LaPorta to duplicate.
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Interested in More Content?
More NFL Content on Betting News:
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Top 3 Value Picks: Quaterbacks
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Mid Round Value Picks: Quaterbacks
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Late Round Value Picks: Quaterbacks
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Top 3 Value Picks: Wide Receivers
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Mid Round Value Picks: Wide Receivers
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Late Round Value Picks: Wide Receivers
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Top 3 Value Picks: Running Backs
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Rounds 5-8 Value Picks: Running Backs
- NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Late Round Running Backs
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- NFL Expert Betting Guide
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