Of course, at least one or two players from those tiers rank among the very best tight ends at the end of the season (see Darren Waller last year), so many owners try to hit on a big sleeper. There’s nothing wrong with that (especially if you draft two players from those tiers), but ask owners who have gone down the Ricky Seals-Jones and Austin Seferian-Jenkins rabbit holes one too many times how that can work out. Getting one reliable, if unexciting, veteran and one high-upside lotto ticket is often the way to go if you don’t want to pay up for a stud.

DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2020 cheat sheet

But just who qualifies as a “reliable veteran?” Does that label still apply to Rob Gronkowski? After a year off and multiple injury-plagued seasons, we don’t think so, ranking him outside the starting tier. He could still score a good amount of touchdowns, but even that is in question. Jared Cook is also lower in our rankings than most sites after the Saints acquired yet another possession receiver in Emmanuel Sanders. Cook is still a borderline starter, but breakout candidates Jonnu Smith, Hayden Hurst, and Tyler Higbee seem to have more upside. 

2020 FANTASY SLEEPERS:6 QBs | 16 RBs | 14 WRs | 10 TEs | 5 D/STs | One from each team

Fortunately, there are a lot of sleeper candidates. Guys like Noah Fant, Chris Herndon, Ian Thomas, Blake Jarwin, and Irv Smith Jr., among others, could easily finish well ahead of our rankings and their average draft positions. At tight end, a hot start and simply staying healthy goes a long way, which is why it’s a good idea to grab a backup during your draft. This position is more than “touchdown-or-bust,” so don’t settle.

2020 PPR RANKINGS:Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Superflex | Top 200

We’ll update these TE rankings throughout the preseason, so check back for updates and individual analysis.

2020 STANDARD FANTASY RANKINGS:Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | D/ST | Kicker | Superflex | Top 200

2020 Fantasy Football TE Rankings

The following rankings are for non-PPR leagues. Individual player analysis by Jacob Camenker.

DRAFT STRATEGY AND RANKINGS TIERS: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST