Don’t look now, but the 2020 NFL season is right around the corner. As we approach ever-so closely, our experts at YardsPer Fantasy sat down and created a list of 2020 fantasy football tight ends you have to draft. This is the final installment of a four-part series compiling analysts Zareh Kantzabedian, Jake Brouillette, Andrew Zamzow, Scott Leathley, and Big Cat’s favorite players.
Without further ado, let’s look at their favorite TEs.
Part One: Target These Quarterbacks In 2020 Fantasy Drafts
Part Two. Six Running Backs We Love To Draft In 2020
Part Three: Six Must-Draft Wide Receivers In 2020
SCOTT LEATHLEY: CHRIS HERNDON, NEW YORK JETS
If Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle are off the board what do you do? I’ve come to the conclusion that you need to wait a while before drafting a tight end.
In the back half of the draft, you can find tight ends with just as much upside as the middle-tier guys in the middle round of drafts.
One of the tight ends you need to target late is Herndon.
Herndon is easily forgotten because not only was he suspended for the first part of last season, but he caught just a single pass before getting injured. According to Connor Hughes of The Athletic, the team “can’t wait to unleash” Herndon. We should take notice of these reports. Remember, Herndon is an athletic freak in an offense that needs playmakers.
Related | Future TE1’s To Stash For Dynasty
In his rookie season, Herndon and quarterback Sam Darnold connected wonderfully. He had just over 500 yards and 4 touchdowns in his rookie campaign and was destined for an even greater breakout the next year. Unfortunately, well, you now know the story.
Herndon is flying under the radar which makes him a late-round breakout candidate at the tight end position. The Jets will enter 2020 with a completely revamped wide receiving corps with the additions of Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims. Herndon is one of the few players that has a pre-existing rapport with Darnold. In an offseason unlike any other, that might be key for success this season. If you want one of the 2020 fantasy tight ends that has a chance to finish with a low draft price, take Herndon.
JAKE BROUILLETTE: DALLAS GOEDERT, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
You’re probably wondering why you’d want to draft a backup tight end. Sure, that’s easy to understand, but what about a tight end who scores every 10 catches? Or a tight end who averages 10 yards per catch?
These are statistics that belong to Goedert and he is an incredible late-round TE option at his ADP of TE16.
ANDREW ZAMZOW: ERIC EBRON, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Remember Ebron’s 2018’s TE4 finish with the Indianapolis Colts? Some might forget how dominant he truly was for quarterback Andrew Luck. Ebron managed 13 TDs on 110 targets in the Colts offense. After the sudden retirement of Luck, Ebron struggled with Jacoby Brissett under center. Ebron managed a paltry 31-375-3 stat line in 2019 and became a free agent.
Related | Eric Ebron Will Be a Top-10 Fantasy Tight End In 2020
Fast-forward to now and he’s a focal point of the Steelers offense.
A lot of attention has gone to the wide receivers on the Steelers offense, but let’s not forget about Ebron. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has shown the propensity to throw it the tight end position (Heath Miller, Jesse James, Vance McDonald), and Ebron has outproduced all of the aforementioned players.
Ebron should step in as the No. 1 option in the red zone for Roethlisberger and if the Steelers offense returns to top-10 form. If so, double-digit touchdowns for Ebron shouldn’t shock fantasy owners. Yes, Ebron will have to compete with wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, and even running back James Conner for targets. However, the remaining options will take a back seat to the 7th year tight end. In 2019, Ebron was 9th in yards per route run at the tight end position. In Pittsburgh, Ebron faces less competition than he did in Indy, which could allow for more opportunities to shine. According to FantasyPros, Ebron is currently being drafted as the TE19 and is one of the 2020 fantasy tight ends you need to consider.
ZAREH KANTZABEDIAN: IRV SMITH JR., MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Expert Consensus Ranking (ECR) of Smith Jr. is mind-boggling. Do they not know that Smith Jr. is going to be the primary receiving tight end in a Gary Kubiak offense?!
Tight end Owen Daniels had the pleasure of playing under all of Kubiak’s tenure with the Houston Texans. During that time, in any season Daniels played at least 15 games, he averaged 755.75 yards on an average of 96 targets. Of 15 games played, Daniels’ lowest yardage mark was 677 and his highest was 862. Additionally, in his sophomore year, Daniels accrued 768 yards on 94 targets.
This is a reflection of how Kubiak uses talented tight ends.
Smith Jr. is in his sophomore year as well and had a higher catch percentage (76.6 percent) then Daniels did his entire career with Kubiak (64.4 percent). With wide receiver Stefon Diggs now with the Buffalo Bills, expect the efficiency to be there with Smith in 2020.
Smith Jr. should be drafted ahead of offseason tight end darlings Jonnu Smith, Goedert, and Blake Jarwin. If you disagree with me, you can find me on Twitter @ZKantzFF.
I’ll be waiting.
BIG CAT: JONNU SMITH, TENNESSEE TITANS
Smith will be the 2020 version of Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. There are many similarities as Smith is an athletic tight end on a run-heavy team who’s leading wide receiver is a deep threat.
Moving forward, Tennessee aims for a run-heavy attack led by running back Derrick Henry and take long shots to wide receiver A.J. Brown to stretch the field. Fellow wide receiver Corey Davis has floundered for the Titans. This could allow for Smith to be the No. 2 receiver on the team.
Last year with fellow tight end Delanie Walker, Smith finished as the TE19 with 35 catches on 44 target for 439 yards and 3 touchdowns. With Walker gone and Ryan Tannehill under center, Smith is a late-round tight end that will exceed his TE19 ADP.
