The tight end position is one of the most volatile in all of fantasy football, especially in dynasty. Finding a tight end to depend on long-term can be a difficult task, just ask Mark Andrews’ fantasy managers.
Andrews had an incredibly slow start to the year, only catching six passes through the first four weeks of the 2024 NFL season. This caused many managers to trade or even drop Andrews. However, the veteran tight end has bounced back with nine receiving touchdowns since Week six.
It’s always hard to tell when a tight end is reliable enough to start on a weekly basis. Hopefully, this list of tight ends to trade for and to trade away in dynasty fantasy football should clear things up!
Trade FOR
Cade Otton - TB
Cade Otton was one of the 2024 fantasy football season’s biggest surprises. Starting off the season on a disappointing note, Otton only garnered four targets in his first two games. However, he then saw at least nine targets in four out of his next seven games, placing himself into the top-five conversations at his position.
According to the TeamRankings Offensive Stats, Tampa Bay’s offense is averaging the third-most passing yards per game in the NFL this season with quarterback Baker Mayfield at the helm, so it’s no surprise that Cade Otton has started to benefit from the lofty production of his quarterback.
If Otton can continue to gain Mayfield’s trust in 2025, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him draw the second-most targets on the team, especially if Chris Godwin departs in free agency this offseason. Although Godwin isn’t impossible to replace, it’s hard to imagine his absence not leading to an increase in targets toward one of this offense’s most reliable assets in Cade Otton.
T.J. Hockenson - MIN
At first glance, T.J. Hockenson’s dynasty outlook isn’t very optimistic. He seems to be the clear-cut third target on the Minnesota offense behind star wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. However, Hockenson is an extremely talented tight end who has become underrated in dynasty rankings.
It’s easy to forget the veteran tight end’s extensive history of fantasy production, even dating back to his days as a Detroit Lion. And in his first two seasons as a Viking, Hockenson posted 900+ receiving yards in both years. An ACL tear in 2023 cut his elite fantasy season short, but T.J. Hockenson should be considered a top-ten tight end with top-five upside in fantasy football.
If Sam Darnold remains the Vikings’ starting quarterback in 2025, Hockenson’s ceiling has even more room to grow. Trade for T.J. Hockenson before your league mates realize how productive he can be at such an inconsistent position group in fantasy football.
Dalton Kincaid - BUF
Yeah, I know. I was wrong on this one. I truly thought Dalton Kincaid would break onto the scene as a top-five tight end in fantasy football in 2024, cementing himself as one of the top dynasty options at his position for years to come. Unfortunately, that vision has not exactly become reality. The second-year tight end has struggled to develop chemistry with superstar quarterback Josh Allen and has missed several games due to injury this season, causing frustration to develop within the fantasy managers who drafted him in hopes that Kincaid would reach his ceiling in 2024.
Despite this, I’m not giving up on Dalton Kincaid, and neither should you. The talent is there, and it’s been on full display. Even though he hasn’t been statistically dominant, Kincaid’s ability as a receiver has translated to the professional level quite well, allowing him to make several big plays over the last two seasons. Also, it’s important to remember that Josh Allen is still his quarterback. That part of the equation is pretty simple.
I’m still banking on Kincaid’s potential as a receiving threat. His disappointing 2024 season should make him easier to trade for in dynasty leagues, so add him to your roster before he explodes in fantasy value in 2025.
Trade AWAY
Evan Engram - JAX
It’s no secret that tight end Evan Engram has revitalized his career in Jacksonville. He’s become one of the league’s best tight ends since signing there before the 2022 NFL season, even receiving a whopping 143 targets in 2023.
Even though he’s been a relatively safe fantasy asset, Engram struggled with injuries in 2024, causing him to miss eight games this season. That’s not extremely encouraging for a Jaguars team on the verge of a total rebuild. This situation turns even worse when you turn to the financial side of things. According to Spotrac, Evan Engram is scheduled to carry a salary cap hit of almost $20 million in 2025, more than his previous two years with the team combined.
If Jacksonville isn’t able to rework Engram’s contract, he could easily be cut and replaced by 2023 second-round selection Brenton Strange, who has performed well at the tight end position in place of Engram this season. Strange is younger and, more importantly, is still on his rookie contract, making his services a small cost to the team’s salary cap. The young tight end was even ranked as a top-ten option at his position in the Week 16 Fantasy Trading Room TE Rankings.
If Engram is cut, his dynasty outlook becomes worryingly unclear. Evan Engram is an extremely risky dynasty asset. Trading him is not a bad idea if you’re looking for a safer tight end option in 2025.
Jake Ferguson - DAL
Tight end Jake Ferguson, along with the Dallas Cowboys franchise as a whole, took a step back in 2024. While productive when on the field, his 2024 season was hampered by injuries and the team’s offense was derailed by the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott, who has been out since Week 9 with a hamstring injury and isn’t expected to return this season.
Dallas will look to make some big changes this offseason, and many of these decisions may come on the offensive side of the ball. The team’s running game has been atrocious this season, averaging only the 27th-most rushing yards per game in the NFL this season, according to TeamRankings Offensive Stats. This number has slightly increased with the recent production of Dallas running back Rico Dowdle.
If the team decides to take a chance on one of the elite running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas’ offensive identity could shift farther in the direction of their running game. If this happens, Ferguson could see a decrease in targets. It also doesn’t help his dynasty outlook that fellow Dallas tight end Luke Schoonmaker showed significant promise when Ferguson was out with injury.
Overall, many factors at play in Dallas make Jake Ferguson very risky in 2025. Trading him away is starting to make more and more sense.
Cole Kmet - CHI
There’s no other way to put it: The 2024 NFL season has been a disappointment for the Chicago Bears. This has also extended to many parts of their offense, including tight end Cole Kmet. Kmet has looked invisible at times in the Bears’ offense, which is reflected in his absence in the Week 16 Fantasy Trading Room TE Rankings. Kmet’s role has decreased this season as Chicago has failed to generate much on the offensive side of the ball.
This reality, compounded by the fact that the Bears have a strong group of wide receivers garnering more targets than Kmet, makes the tight end’s dynasty outlook shaky. If wideouts DJ Moore and Rome Odunze grow into bigger parts of this Chicago offense with quarterback Caleb Williams over the next few years, less of a target share will be available for Cole Kmet.
Right now, Cole Kmet doesn’t have a ton of upside in dynasty fantasy football. He should be traded while he is still young for a more productive tight end.