The tight end position in the NFL can be incredibly valuable when prioritized the right way, though not every team does so. Before doing any NFL betting this season, bettors should see how their team stacks up at this important position. Fortunately, we have done most of the heavy lifting for you, as you can continue reading to get our NFL tight end rankings going into the 2023 season.
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32. Green Bay Packers
Key Players at this Position: Luke Musgrave, Josiah Deguara
Coming in at the bottom of our NFL tight end rankings will be the Green Bay Packers. They lost Robert Tonyan in the offseason, which is salt in the wound after trading Aaron Rodgers to the Jets. Who knows, maybe one of their new tight end options could become a quality option in the passing game for this Green Bay team. But based on what we know right now, this group needs some serious improvement.
31. Detroit Lions
Key Players at this Position: Brock Wright, Sam LaPorta
Brock Wright had a strong close to his season last year, scoring four touchdowns and taking advantage of the fact that he was no longer buried behind TJ Hockenson on the depth chart. But he will need to prove that he can produce over a full season, with teams knowing that he is a target for the Lions, in order for this tight end group to get more respect going forward.
30. Dallas Cowboys
Key Players at this Position: Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot
The Dallas Cowboys had one of the better tight ends in the NFL last year in Dalton Schultz. But he has moved onto Houston, and the Cowboys are worse off for that going into the 2023 season. Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot combined for just under 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and will need to up their production in a big way with Schultz gone.
29. Indianapolis Colts
Key Players at this Position: Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox
Gone are the days of Jack Doyle or Dallas Clark making plays from the tight end position for the Indianapolis Colts. Jelani Woods is the first string tight end for this team, coming off of a year where he caught just 25 passes. Woods and the tight end group for this team could suffer again this year, as the quarterback situation in Indy is less than stellar, with this team landing near the bottom of our NFL quarterback rankings.
28. Miami Dolphins
Key Players at this Position: Durham Smythe, Tyler Kroft
Miami is another team that lost some key talent at the tight end position, and did not do a good enough job of replacing it. Mike Gesicki is gone, leaving for a division rival in the Patriots, and it is up to Durham Smythe and Tyler Kroft to make up for that lost production. Tight end won’t be a focal point for the Dolphins given their receivers and running backs are strengths on their roster, but all of that lands the Dolphins in the bottom-five of our NFL TE rankings
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Players at this Position: Cade Otton
Cameron Brate is no longer a tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which feels strange given how long he was there. With OJ Howard also gone, Cade Otton is the clear top tight end in Tampa. That is not a recipe for success, on an offense that could struggle across the board this year given their issues running the ball and their suspect quarterback situation.
26. Washington Commanders
Key Players at this Position: Logan Thomas
Logan Thomas caught 39 passes last season, which is certainly respectable. But he was not a high priority in scoring range, as he only hauled in one touchdown from the cavalcade of quarterbacks for the Commanders in 2022. This year, Thomas should be a little more productive in the red zone, but the Commanders tight end situation is clearly not one of the best in the NFL going into this year.
25. Tennessee Titans
Key Players at this Position: Chigoziem Okonkwo
Just cracking the top-25 in our NFL tight end rankings are the Tennessee Titans and Chigoziem Okonkwo. Okonkwo had 450 receiving yards last season, and could benefit from the addition of DeAndre Hopkins in the passing game moving forward. The Titans top tight end has all of the physical tools to be successful in the long run in the NFL, and Tennessee will hope to see a leap forward from him in 2023.
24. Denver Broncos
Key Players at this Position: Greg Dulcich, Albert Okwuegbunam
Individually, the duo of Greg Dulcich and Albert Okwuegbunam (in the interest of full disclosure, I copied and pasted this name as I don’t have it down like I do Antetokounmpo quite yet) are not all that impressive. But as a duo, they are a nice pair to have for the Denver Broncos. If Russell Wilson can get better under Sean Payton in 2023, that improvement and a loaded receiving corps could open up plenty of chances for the Broncos to perform well at tight end.
23. Cincinnati Bengals
Key Players at this Position: Irv Smith Jr.
Frankly, Irv Smith has been a disappointment so far in his NFL career, tallying just 858 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns in three seasons as a pro. But there is a chance that his move to the Cincinnati Bengals this year reinvigorates his career. Smith certainly has the physical tools to play tight end in the NFL, and joining an offense with way more weapons than his old team in Minnesota could help him to have his best year yet.
22. Carolina Panthers
Key Players at this Position: Hayden Hurst
The tight end position has the potential to be the best friend of inexperienced quarterbacks, and Hayden Hurst has the chance to be just that for Bryce Young. Hurst caught 52 passes as a member of the Bengals last season, and he will be leaned upon more heavily as Young and Andy Dalton are less likely to push the ball downfield successfully than Joe Burrow was in Hurst’s offense in Cincinnati.
21. New York Jets
Key Players at this Position: Tyler Conklin, CJ Uzomah
The tight end duo for the New York Jets has the chance to be something special this year with Aaron Rodgers throwing to them. Tyler Conklin elipsed the 50-catch and 500-yard mark last season, while CJ Uzomah averaged 11.0 yards per catch with the Bengals in 2022. Having both of these explosive options in one offense could be great, and this duo is poised to move up this list in 2023.
20. Seattle Seahawks
Key Players at this Position: Noah Fant, Will Dissly
Coming up in 20th in our NFL tight end rankings are the Seattle Seahawks, who made great use of the duo of Noah Fant and Will Dissly last season. That duo combined for over 800 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. They will continue to be a weapon that Geno Smith uses effectively to balance out the vertical passing attack this team possesses through its excellent receiving corps.
19. Arizona Cardinals
Key Players at this Position: Zach Ertz, Trey McBride
Injuries are a huge concern for the Arizona Cardinals at the tight end position, as Zach Ertz played just 10 games last year. But when Ertz is on the field, the Cardinals have one of the best players in the NFL at this position, as Ertz had four touchdowns in 10 games in 2022. If he can stay on the field for a full season, the Cardinals will be worthy of a higher place in these rankings than they currently occupy.
18. Los Angeles Chargers
Key Players at this Position: Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr.
The LA Chargers have a couple of matchup nightmares at the tight end position. Gerald Everett is a dynamic 6’3″ tight end, while Donald Parham Jr. is an even more imposing 6’8″, and that duo combined to make 68 catches a year ago. Everett will do the heavy lifting at this position for the Chargers, as Los Angeles will use its combination of tight ends and receivers to have one of the most potent passing attacks in the league again.
17. Los Angeles Rams
Key Players at this Position: Tyler Higbee
Tyler Higbee has caught 60 or more passes in three of his last four seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, even with last year being a disaster for the Rams as a whole. Higbee occupies a key role for the Rams offense, as they look to make plays from sources other than Cooper Kupp in their passing game. With Matt Stafford back on the field to start this season, expect Higbee to have more than the three touchdowns he reeled in a season ago.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Players at this Position: Pat Freiermuth
Statistically, Pat Freiermuth had a great season for the Steelers in 2022, finishing third on the team in receiving yards. Interestingly, he only ended up with two touchdowns, but it is clear that he is one of the top targets for Kenny Pickett in the Pittsburgh offense. The lack of depth behind Freiermuth costs the Steelers as a whole in these rankings, but this is definitely a top-half tight end group based on the presence of Freiermuth alone.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
Key Players at this Position: Evan Engram
Kicking off the top-15 of our NFL tight end rankings is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Evan Engram struggled with injuries and drops early in his career with the New York Giants, but he formed a great partnership with Trevor Lawrence, hauling in 73 passes for over 10 yards per catch. His athleticism will make him a threat on a regular basis again this year, barring a return of the drops.
14. Houston Texans
Key Players at this Position: Dalton Schultz
The Houston Texans made a big move as far as tight ends go, when they brought Dalton Schultz in to help CJ Stroud in his rookie season. Schultz has been excellent over the last few years for the Dallas Cowboys. His numbers are likely to suffer as a part of the Texans offense, at least while Stroud gets his feet wet. But this could be a beneficial move in the long run for a team that certainly needs all the help it can get.
13. Cleveland Browns
Key Players at this Position: David Njoku
David Njoku may be one of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL, as his combination of strength and leaping ability are hard to replicate. He was the third-leading receiver for the Cleveland Browns last season, and could be even more productive this year with Deshaun Watson playing in his first full year at quarterback.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
Key Players at this Position: Austin Hooper
The Las Vegas Raiders have moved on from Darren Waller, which means that they could get a tight end that plays for a full season after Waller’s injury plagued time in Vegas. Austin Hooper has been plagued by bad quarterback play in Cleveland and Tennessee over the last few seasons. But he could see his production take a real step forward if Jimmy Garoppolo can remain a healthy quarterback for the bulk of the 2023 campaign.
11. New York Giants
Key Players at this Position: Darren Waller, Daniel Bellinger
The New York Giants have not had an elite level tight end since Jeremy Shockey, but that could change this year with Darren Waller in their huddle. Waller’s injury problems have been well-documented over the last few seasons. But having Daniel Bellinger, who caught 30 balls last year, could be beneficial as an insurance policy for a team that should be much better at this position than they were a season ago.
10. Chicago Bears
Key Players at this Position: Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan
Leading off the top-10 of our NFL tight end rankings are the Chicago Bears, who added a second quality tight end to their rotation this offseason. Robert Tonyan comes over from the rival Packers, joining Cole Kmet to form a pair of tight ends that should really help Justin Fields develop as a passer.
9. New Orleans Saints
Key Players at this Position: Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill
The New Orleans Saints are interesting to judge at the tight end position, given that one of their tight ends also plays quarterback some of the time. But the trio of Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, and Taysom Hill is well above average even if you exclude Hill’s role as a part-time quarterback on this roster. And things should get even better for this group with Derek Carr set to throw to them.
8. Minnesota Vikings
Key Players at this Position: TJ Hockenson
Last season, the Minnesota Vikings traded for TJ Hockenson from the Detroit Lions, which gave them an extra weapon in the passing game so that they would not have to rely too heavily on Justin Jefferson. Hockenson will once again be an integral part of the Vikings passing attack, as he enters this year off of a combined 86 catches and six touchdowns between his two teams last year.
7. Philadelphia Eagles
Key Players at this Position: Dallas Goedert
The duo of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are the focal point of the passing game for the Philadelphia Eagles, but Dallas Goedert was the clear third option for this team. Goedert averaged 12.8 yards per catch for the Eagles last year, a number way higher than that of your average tight end. If the Eagles are going to contend for another NFC championship this year, Goedert will be a huge reason why.
6. Baltimore Ravens
Key Players at this Position: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely
Mark Andrews led the Baltimore Ravens in receiving yardage last season by a convincing margin, reeling in nearly 400 yards more than the next best pass catcher for the Ravens. His injury woes are a problem, but Isaiah Likely has stepped in capably at tight end when needed in his place. In any event, the Ravens are a team that leans heavily on its tight ends, and they have more than enough talent to do so.
5. Atlanta Falcons
Key Players at this Position: Kyle Pitts
Opening up the top-five in our NFL tight end rankings are the Atlanta Falcons. Kyle Pitts is the type of tight end who can line up at wide receiver or elsewhere if needed. It was a shame that the Falcons quarterback situation hampered his production the way it did in 2022. But if he can find some tolerable quarterback play in 2023, Pitts and the Falcons could really step things up at the tight end position.
4. New England Patriots
Key Players at this Position: Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki
New England already had a solid tight end situation with Hunter Henry at that spot on the field last year. But this offseason, they upgraded even more at tight end, with Mike Gesicki coming over from the Miami Dolphins. Gesicki and Henry have the potential to be the best tight end duo in New England since the days of the two tight end sets they would run with Rob Gronkowski, which could help Mac Jones make some much-needed strides.
3. Buffalo Bills
Key Players at this Position: Dawson Knox, Dalton Kincaid
By himself, Dawson Knox was good, but not spectacular. But the Buffalo Bills made a key addition in the NFL Draft that could take their tight end group to the next level. Dalton Kincaid was a star at Utah, helping them win multiple Pac-12 championships. This year, the duo of Kincaid and Knox should be among the most formidable in the NFL and will help Josh Allen maintain his MVP level at quarterback.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Key Players at this Position: George Kittle
Now we reach the portion of our rankings where the best individual tight ends in the league stand out above the rest of the pack. The San Francisco 49ers have an elite tight end in George Kittle, who scored 11 receiving touchdowns last year, all while revealing himself as a fan of lucha libre great Pentagon Jr. The Niners will be one of the best teams in the NFL again this year, and Kittle will play a big role in that once again.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Key Players at this Position: Travis Kelce
There is no doubt that the number one team in our NFL tight end rankings is the Kansas City Chiefs, thanks to the presence of Travis Kelce. Kelce had 1,338 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, finishing eighth in the league at all positions in receiving yards and second in receiving touchdowns. He is a better receiver than most wide receivers, giving the Chiefs the clear number one tight end situation in the NFL.
Other NFL Position Rankings
Going into this season, we have ranked all of the key positions in the NFL, not just the tight end position. Bettors can click on the links below to get our position rankings for everything from the skill positions to the positions that many bettors do not usually consider when making NFL picks.
