The 2024 Season is in the books. While there’s still some playoff football to help us see how players do in the clutch, for dynasty players, it’s a time to sit back, take stock, and see how players fared. Over the next few months, I’ll look back at the 2024, 2023, and 2022 classes by position. I’ll be evaluating if their stock rose, remained the same, or dropped during the course of the season. Now could be the time to sell high, buy low, or hold on to a winning hand. Today, I continue with the 2023 Tight Ends.
Stock Up: Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: Not only did we get a good sample from Strange during a lost 2024 for Evan Engram, but things also look even better for him in 2025. The team released Engram this off-season, clearing the way for more targets. And his new Head Coach used the tight end well in 2024, to the point where he finished as TE14. That gives me hope that Strange could be in the high-end TE2 conversation.
Stock Up: Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
About: Kraft seems to be the winner among the two tight ends taken by the Packers in this class. He finished as TE10 this season and developed real chemistry with Jordan Love. I think he has low-end TE1 potential going forward, so if you bet on Kraft in the rookie draft, you’re looking good now.
Stock Neutral: Darnell Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: Washington had some moments in 2024. He caught a few touchdowns and looked relevant in a deep league Hail Mary sort of way. But he’s behind Pat Freiermuth and not a lock for targets. He’s a monster, and a big blocker, but he’s not a player that needs to be rostered in fantasy. If you do, you’re just hoping for a Red Zone target.
Stock Down: Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
About: Some, including me, thought Kincaid was due for a breakout in 2024. The theory was that he would be the Bills’ version of Travis Kelce. Instead, he finished as TE30 in an uneven passing game. Does Kincaid still have upside? Sure. But he’s looking like a mid-tier TE2 at best, which is a far cry from what those who drafted him high were hoping to see. If someone panics, I’d consider buying low for a quality TE2 on my roster.
Stock Down: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
About: Let’s not get crazy. LaPorta was still TE8 in the season. He’s a good player with upside in a good offense. But after a crazy rookie year, some wondered if he was the TE1 in Dynasty. He’s more of a mid-to-low-end TE1. That’s still good and still worth a roster spot. But it’s a bit of a drop from what appeared possible at the end of his rookie year.
Stock Down: Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
About: Mayer didn’t do much in his second year, and worse yet, his team drafted Brock Bowers, who is the TE1 or TE2 in dynasty. Now, Mayer has been permitted to seek a trade. That suggests the Raiders don’t plan to deploy him consistently if he stays. The best hope is that he hooks on elsewhere and gets a meaningful role. If you’re acquiring him, it has to be for cheap in the hopes that he lands in a good spot.
Stock Down: Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers
About: With the rise of Kraft comes the decline of Musgrave. Kraft looks like the better receiver, which relegates Musgrave to a role that doesn’t help for fantasy. Injuries have limited him to just 18 games in two seasons, but in the seven games he played in 2024, he only saw 10 targets. That’s not a great sign, especially with Kraft finishing in the top 10 in the position.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
