Tight end used to be the toughest position to draft and maintain in fantasy football.
There wasn't much depth beyond two or three good players. Fantasy owners who missed out on the top-tier options were left scrapping on the waiver wire week-to-week to find the right matchups and plug the hole in their lineup.
That appears to be once again shifting after the 2023 season.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Chiefs star Travis Kelce was long in his own tier at the position, but he has some company this year. Lions breakout star Sam LaPorta has joined Kelce in the top tier of Sporting News' tight end rankings , and a handful of other players are knocking on the door.
Who is the best option at tight end in fantasy football for the 2024 season? Let's take a closer look at the tiers below.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Travis Kelce vs. Sam LaPorta: Who's the best fantasy TE in 2024?
Travis Kelce fantasy outlook
LaPorta has passed Kelce as TE1 on a lot of 2024 fantasy football preseason rankings — The Sporting News included .
Kelce is undeniably still one of the best tight ends in football, but he's entering his 12th NFL season on the verge of turning 35. The four-time All-Pro has been remarkably healthy throughout his career, but it became evident last season that he's showing signs of slowing down.
If Kelce played in the Chiefs' final game of the regular season, he all but certainly would have extended his 1,000-yard receiving streak to eight years. Instead, he elected to rest up for what ended up being back-to-back Super Bowl titles, falling 16 yards short of achieving the feat.
Still, 984 yards and 93 receptions is a strong season, but Kelce's biggest area of concern was his lack of touchdowns. He finished with five, which was tied for the second-lowest mark of his career (excluding his rookie season when he played one game).
He was still Patrick Mahomes' favorite weapon, tallying a team-high 121 targets, but the star quarterback spread the love in the end zone, throwing touchdowns to 11 different players. Isiah Pacheco's seven rushing touchdowns didn't help Kelce's scoring production, either.
Kelce will continue to be Mahomes' safety blanket for as long as he plays, and he'll always be among the top fantasy tight ends. His reign as the top fantasy tight end might be over, though.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
Sam LaPorta fantasy outlook
The Lions traded T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings in 2022 then selected LaPorta, the reigning Big Ten Tight End of the Year out of Iowa, in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Some fantasy football analysts were aware of LaPorta's breakout potential as Detroit's starter, but no one could have predicted the rookie season he would end up having.
LaPorta finished the year as TE1 in fantasy football. He set a rookie tight end record with 86 receptions to go with 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was an AP Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist, Second Team All-Pro, and a Pro Bowler.
LaPorta quickly developed a rapport with quarterback Jared Goff, finishing second on the Lions in targets (120) behind star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (164). And he's only turning 24 this season.
The buzz behind LaPorta as the top fantasy tight end in 2024 is warranted. Detroit finished with the second-most passing yards in the NFL last season, and it will continue to fire away this season.
LaPorta will only improve as a second-year player, and he'll once again be one of Goff's top targets.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
Other top fantasy tight end options
The Sporting News' Ed Williams has the Bills' Dalton Kincaid, Cardinals' Trey McBride, Falcons' Kyle Pitts, and Ravens' Mark Andrews in his second tier of tight ends. The Jaguars' Evan Engram, 49ers' George Kittle, and Cowboys' Jake Ferguson highlight the top names in Tier 3.
That group proves that the tight end position is getting deeper in fantasy, but none of the above are worth taking over LaPorta or Kelce.
Kincaid and McBride came on strong at the end of the season, Andrews has been a staple among top tight ends, and everyone expects Pitts to break out at some point, but the two-man top tier is set in stone.
2024 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD)
Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | K
The verdict: Who is the No. 1 fantasy TE in 2024?
LaPorta is ranked as the No. 1 tight end in fantasy for a reason. After finishing as TE1 last year, that crown remains in his possession going into the 2024 NFL season.
Unless you're a diehard Chiefs fan or loyal Swiftie, LaPorta is the correct pick over Kelce.
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