Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Huntington Bank Field.
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The tight end position is interesting in fantasy football. The top-level players at the position will have to be drafted extremely early, or else other fantasy managers will beat you to the punch in securing them. This year, those elite tight ends are Trey McBride and Brock Bowers. The scarcity of high-level fantasy tight ends often leads to fantasy managers reaching on players of the position, which is unnecessary because there are some great value gets late. So, which tight ends, in particular, are being overdrafted in fantasy football leagues?
3. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) catches the ball for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field.
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Last year, Harold Fannin Jr. was the breakout fantasy player at the tight end position. His ability to line up in the slot or inline and make plays in the passing game gained the Cleveland Browns' star a cult following in the fantasy community. Fannin's ability to create mismatches and win jump balls certainly gives him great potential, but there are risks associated with his situation that mean he could be getting overdrafted.
According to FantasyPros.com, Fannin is TE6 and has an average draft position of 65.5. That means that fantasy managers who draft Fannin are paying a premium price to get him. Playing for the Browns makes for a high-risk circumstance, though. Cleveland has a quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson, a QB who hasn't played in more than seven games since 2020, and Shedeur Sanders, a second-year signal caller who was drafted in the fifth round last year. Watson was just announced the starter, but he might not end the season behind center, and neither quarterback conveys tons of confidence that the Browns will have an elite offense this year.
Plus, Fannin didn't have much competition for targets last season, but the Browns invested heavily in their receiving corps this offseason. The Browns drafted KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the first and second rounds, respectively. Fannin was a security blanket for developing quarterbacks in an underwhelming offense last year, and fantasy managers with him on their roster reaped the rewards. This year, the tight end is still on the same team, but he might not get the volume to justify his ADP, and if he isn't a star, he isn't worth the premium draft pick.
2. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Players such as Travis Kelce and George Kittle were long the powerhouse tight ends worth drafting early in fantasy drafts. More recently, Brock Bowers and Trey McBride have taken over as the premier pass catchers at the position. Mark Andrews was long viewed as the next best thing.
A historically reliable fantasy tight end, Andrews saw significant regression last season. His 48 receptions were the second fewest since his rookie season, and his 422 yards were a career-low. Andrews clearly lost a step after entering his 30s, and he seems unlikely to be as big a part of the Baltimore Ravens' offense going forward, even despite the fact that Isaiah Likely is no longer with the team.
Andrews was the 18th highest-scoring tight end last year, and now he is being drafted as TE12. His ADP of 111.5 is simply too rich for a clearly regressing player, and one who has had some crucial drops in recent seasons.
1. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
The offseason departures of Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs have many fantasy experts thinking that Tucker Kraft could have a breakout season this year. That is the justification behind his ADP of 75 and tight end ranking of number five at his position. Those numbers are just way too high for someone who has been pretty mediocre throughout his career.
Through three seasons, Kraft has only once surpassed the 50-reception and 500-yard thresholds. There are still plenty of pass catchers in the Green Bay Packers' offense, too. The team is expecting a breakout season from Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed and Savion Williams are reliable pass catchers. Plus, Kraft's backup, Luke Musgrave, will be a threat to steal Kraft's targets when he returns from injury.
There are a lot of mouths to feed in Green Bay, and the Packers' offense isn't high-octane enough to assume that Kraft will be one of the league's most elite tight ends. Pass on the SDSU product come fantasy draft day.