2023 Fantasy Football: Week 2 Tight End Rankings

The tight end position can be headache-inducing for fantasy managers. Opening week was no different. Hunter Henry, Hayden Hurst, and Donald Parham Jr. finished as the week’s top three tight ends, while Zach Ertz led the position in targets with 10. We all saw that coming, right? Injuries also played with our sanity, as Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews were both inactive. As we turn to the Week 2 tight end rankings and notes, there’s a lot to consider, so let’s get at it!

Week 2 Tight End Notes

• Zach Ertz is one of the week’s biggest risers. It wasn’t clear how much he’d play in Week 1, but the veteran surprised by playing 77% of snaps. Also, he was targeted a team-high 10 times and led the position with a 33.3% target share. While Ertz’s final stat line wasn’t very productive (six receptions for 21 yards), he was clearly Joshua Dobbs’ go-to receiver. This week, Ertz faces a middling Giants defense that allowed the ninth-most receptions to tight ends last season. He’s a solid volume play this week.
• Rookie Sam LaPorta played on 83% of Detroit’s offensive snaps in Week 1 and caught all of his five targets for 39 yards. He can build on his solid debut this week in a favorable home matchup against the Seahawks. Seattle gave up the most fantasy points and second-most receiving yards to tight ends last season. LaPorta has a ton of upside in this one and rounds out my top-12 tight ends for Week 2.
• Logan Thomas moves up my ranks this week. He led the Commanders in target share last week (27.6%) and caught four of his eight targets for 43 yards. He gets a nice matchup in Week 2 against a Denver defense that allowed the second-most receptions to tight ends and ranked as bottom-10 against the position. Assuming Thomas’ volume sticks, he could be a somewhat reliable TE2 with upside in favorable matchups.
• Keep an eye on Durham Smythe. He played on every offensive snap in Week 1, and his seven targets were second only to Tyreek Hill’s 15. It’s not unreasonable for Smythe to step into Miami’s receiving tight end role now that Mike Gesicki is gone. If Smythe continues to make noise in Week 2, he’ll be moving up the ranks. Stay tuned.
• Hayden Hurst sure looked good in Week 1. He led the Panthers in both targets (7) and receiving yards (41). He also scored the Panthers’ lone touchdown on the day. However, Hurst is a hard pass for me this week. He gets a tough matchup against a Saints defense that gave up the fewest fantasy points to the position last season. They also only allowed two touchdowns to tight ends all year. If that’s not enough, Tennessee’s Chigoziem Okonkwo laid a goose egg against them in Week 1. Hurst could very well have a significant role in Carolina’s offense this season. Just don’t bank on that happening this week.

Week 2 Tight End Rankings

Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty

Note: Ranks are based on half-PPR scoring