The tight end position has never been more interesting for fantasy football managers.
For years, the strategy was simple: grab Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews early and enjoy a massive weekly advantage over the rest of your league. Today, the position has evolved. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride have emerged as elite difference-makers, while an increasingly deep middle tier has made it easier than ever to find quality production later in drafts.
That means one thing: Paying full price for a good tight end instead of a great fantasy value can quietly derail your draft.
This article isn’t about players I dislike. Every tight end on this list has the talent to finish as a fantasy starter. The problem is their current Average Draft Position (ADP) asks you to pay for their ceiling while overlooking the very real risks attached to each player.
Let’s dive into five tight ends I’m fading at their current cost in 2026 fantasy football drafts.
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2026 Fantasy Football: 5 Tight End Busts to Fade
5. Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens)
Current ADP: TE12
There was a time when Mark Andrews was a fantasy football cheat code.
Those days appear to be behind him.
The Ravens’ offense has evolved considerably over the past few seasons. Lamar Jackson has become even more efficient as a passer, Derrick Henry has transformed Baltimore into one of the league’s most physical rushing attacks, and the receiving corps has become much deeper than it was during Andrews’ peak fantasy seasons.
The result? Andrews no longer commands the dominant target share that once made him a weekly positional advantage.
At 31 years old, he’s entering the stage of his career where maintaining elite fantasy production becomes increasingly difficult.
Why I’m Fading Him:
• Declining target share
• More competition for opportunities
• Increasing touchdown dependency
• Limited overall ceiling compared to younger options
Verdict: Andrews remains a quality NFL tight end, but fantasy managers may be chasing yesterday’s production.
NOTE: The new offense may revive him or it just might be Zay Flowers that takes off. I lean Flowers.
4. Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo Bills)
Current ADP: TE8
Every offseason has become “The Dalton Kincaid Breakout Season.”
Eventually, projections have to become production.
Kincaid has flashed the talent that made him a first-round NFL Draft pick, but fantasy football managers continue paying for what they hope he’ll become instead of what he has consistently been.
Josh Allen spreads the football as well as any quarterback in football, making it difficult for any secondary pass catcher to command elite weekly volume.
Why I’m Fading Him:
• Still more projection than production
• Buffalo spreads targets extensively
• Durability concerns
• Weekly ceiling has yet to match his draft cost
Verdict: Draft the breakout after it happens, not before. This one feels like we are always a season away.
3. Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs)
Current ADP: TE10
We’ve all been waiting for Father Time to catch Travis Kelce.
The uncomfortable truth is…He probably already has.
Kelce remains one of the smartest route runners in football and still enjoys unmatched chemistry with Patrick Mahomes. But fantasy football isn’t about drafting Hall of Fame résumés.
At 37 years old, Kelce is asking fantasy managers to ignore decades of historical aging curves.
Why I’m Fading Him:
• Age-related decline
• Reduced explosive-play ability
• Lower weekly ceiling
• Name recognition inflating ADP
Verdict: Great player. Legendary career. Questionable fantasy value.
2. Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons)
Current ADP: TE7
How many times have fantasy managers convinced themselves, “This is finally the year.”
Kyle Pitts has become fantasy football’s annual leap-of-faith selection.
Every offseason we hear about the athleticism, the upside, and the breakout. Yet here we are again paying for potential instead of proven production.
Why I’m Fading Him:
• Fantasy managers continue drafting potential
• Inconsistent weekly production
• Crowded offense limits target ceiling
• Better values available later
Verdict: At some point, we have to stop drafting the athlete and start evaluating the fantasy player. It’s so hard to quit you Pitts.
1. George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers)
Current ADP: TE9
George Kittle has been one of my favorite fantasy football players for nearly a decade.
When healthy, Kittle remains capable of finishing as the overall TE1 in any given week.
Recovering from a torn Achilles is one of the biggest hurdles any NFL player can face. When you combine the injury with his age and physical playing style, the risk simply outweighs the reward at his current ADP.
Why I’m Fading Him:
• Recovering from a torn Achilles
• Significant injury risk
• Age becoming a concern
• Paying for upside while ignoring downside
Verdict: If Kittle falls multiple rounds below ADP, I’ll happily take the gamble. At his current price, I’ll let someone else assume the risk.
Final Thoughts
One of my favorite investing principles is simple:
Price matters.
A great company can be a bad investment if you pay too much. Fantasy football works exactly the same way.
Every tight end on this list has the talent to finish inside the Top 12. But winning fantasy managers understand that drafting is about maximizing value, not collecting recognizable names.
Don’t confuse good players with good draft picks.
Fantasy championships usually aren’t lost because you drafted a bad player. They’re lost because you paid an elite price for a good player who couldn’t return elite value.
Draft the board. Not the reputation.
For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2026 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
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