NFL Free Agents: Tight Ends

I love this time in the dynasty world. As the redraft world tends to fade away till August, we dynasty managers are in full force as our leagues have started the new year and we’re looking at our rosters to figure out what to do with a lot of our players.

The 2022 NFL league year officially starts March 16th, and there are many free agents that could be on the move on our fantasy football dynasty teams. Several notable tight ends are available this off-season and will be looking to sign new deals in free agency with their current or new teams. Most fantasy football players aren’t paying attention to this, but us dynasty die-hard players are!

We’ll look at a few fantasy-relevant ones who could be playing for new teams for the 2022 season and their potential value. Just know that if these players do sign huge deals, it may not turn into fantasy relevancy. Yes, I’m talking about Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. Let’s get straight to these top free agent tight ends in NFL Free Agents: Tight Ends.

Be sure to follow Aaron Schill and Anthony Cervino as they will be tracking the free agents throughout the off-season with our 2022 NFL Free Agent Tracker.

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Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys

Age: 26

For the second year in a row, Dalton Schultz was able to become a known name in the fantasy community with Blake Jarwin’s injuries over the last two seasons. Finishing as the TE4 in 1/2 PPR leagues, many may think Schultz can sign back with the Dallas Cowboys. With the cap hell they have with Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott, I think the rising star tight end will be wearing a different jersey at the start of the 2022 season. He may have peaked as a top-five tight end, but I would be comfortable having him in the range of TE6 – TE12, no matter where he signs. 

Potential landing spots: Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, or New York Jets.

Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins

Age: 26

Mike Gesicki put up a career year heading into free agency finishing the year with 73 catches on 112 targets for 780 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games. He finished the 2021 season as a back-end TE1. This year was his first year under five touchdowns, and a change of scenery could get fantasy managers more interested in the athletic tight end. He will more than likely be viewed as a TE2 with upside if he leaves Miami. Following the talent, he’s a tight end I’m targeting if someone is willing to give up on the cheap.

Potential landing spots: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, or Miami Dolphins.

David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

Age: 26

The former 2017 first-round draft pick had an explosive game back in week five catching all seven of his targets for 149 yards and a touchdown. Once again, Njoku underperformed and finished with under 500 receiving yards for the 3rd time (I’m excluding 2019 when he was on IR for 10 games) in his five-year career with the Browns. The bonus to Njoku is he outperformed fellow tight end Austin Hooper who will be staying in Cleveland. My thoughts, David Njoku is gone. Wherever he lands, I’m comfortable with him as a TE2 with upside.

Potential landing spots: Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, or Indianapolis Colts.

Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants

Age: 27

The first tight end taken in the 2017 draft with 4.4 speed looked awesome his rookie year finishing with 64 receptions on 115 targets for 722 yards and six touchdowns. We all thought we had the next TE1 on our hands following the ’17 season. We did not. He has been a tight end headache since and will more than likely take his talent elsewhere. I love the talent, and see the breakout coming, and am not giving up on him yet. He’s at best a TE2 on someone’s team, but probably a TE3 that you can get on the cheap. He could return back-end TE1 depending on where he lands.

Potential landing spots: Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, or Seattle Seahawks.

Tyler Conklin, TE, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 27

With the loss of Irv Smith Jr., Tyler Conklin came into the 2021 season as the team’s TE1. He finished the 2021 season with 61 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns. He was definitely a red-zone threat for Kirk Cousins, just had a hard time turning it into touchdowns. I see other teams looking to sign the up-and-coming tight end and no matter where he lands, I am still looking at him as a low-end TE2 who will be touchdown-dependent.

Potential landing spots: Washington Commanders, or Carolina Panthers.

C.J. Uzomah, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

Age: 29

In 2019 C.J. Uzomah signed a 3yr/$18.3M extension with the Cincinnati Bengals after four okay seasons with the team. He had a career year here in 2021 finishing with career highs in targets (63), catches (49), receiving yards (493), and touchdowns (5). Uzomah was more than likely on waiver wires going into the 2021 season as he only had a career-high three touchdowns in 2018, and an injury-riddled season at the beginning of the 2020 season that was starting to look like a breakout. He was rostered in a majority of leagues this season thanks to a week 4 explosion catching five balls for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He had another explosive game three weeks later, and then just became a bench-at-best tight end. With the Cincinnati Bengals having the fourth most cap space ($50M), I see him resigning a team-friendly deal and sticking with the Bengals to end his career.

Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals

Age: 31

Once Zach Ertz got traded to the Arizona Cardinals, we got to see a nice resurgence with Kyler Murray. At the age of 31, we see a decline coming, just don’t know when it’s going to happen. I see him resigning with the Cardinals with a team-friendly deal. 

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Age: 33

I just don’t get it. First, Rob Gronkowski comes out of retirement last year to play with Tom Brady, has an okay year, and wins a Super Bowl. This year, he was looking like the Rob Gronkowski that we all loved at the beginning of his career. Is he on the same diet as Tom Brady because it just seemed week after week, outside of his sideline injury from weeks 4-10, he just kept looking better? How? Rumor has it that he could want to play in Cincinnati. I don’t see that happening. Tom Brady retired, and I think Rob Gronkowski will too…Officially.

Jared Cook, TE, Los Angeles Chargers

Age: 35

The clock is ticking on Jared Cook. He’s been a solid fantasy producer over the last handful of years. At his age, I think he may be done. I don’t really have any landing spots for him as I see him calling it a career.

Honorable Mentions

Tight ends who are more of TE3/ waiver wire, but should keep an eye on:

• Gerald Everett, TE, Seattle Seahawks. Age: 28.
• Ricky Seals-Jones, TE, Washington Commanders. Age: 27.
• Hayden Hurst, TE, Atlanta Falcons. Age: 29.
• O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Age: 27.
• Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts. Age: 29.
• Jesse James, TE, Chicago Bears. Age: 28.
• Eric Ebron, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers. Age: 29.

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