Ranking all 32 Tight Ends going into the 2021 NFL season
The tight end position has become a key offensive weapon in the modern NFL. Gone are the days when the position was centered around blocking for the running game.
Today, the premier tight ends are built like linebackers, with hands like receivers and the ability to block like linemen. This combination of speed, power and skill is very rare, with only a handful of examples in the NFL.
On that note, let's take a look at the top 32 tight ends in the NFL this year.
#1 Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce is the best tight end heading into the 2021 NFL season.
Kelce’s partnership with Patrick Mahomes has proved almost unstoppable since the latter became the Chiefs' starting quarterback in 2018. The tight end has had five-straight 1,000-plus-yards seasons, with 38 touchdowns across five years.
He deservedly sits atop the NFL tight end rankings in 2021.
#2 George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle is narrowly behind Kelce in our overall NFL tight end rankings. He was struck by the injury bug last season, suffering a broken foot, which limited him to only eight NFL games.
It's easy to forget that Kittle had two monster years in 2018 and 2019, where he had over 1,000 yards receiving each year and ten touchdowns. The Niners will hope Kittle can have a bounce-back season and once again show why he’s one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
#3 Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders' tight end has continued to level up over each of the past two NFL seasons. Waller had a career year in 2020, with 1,196 yards, averaging 11.2 yards per reception and nine touchdowns.
While he doesn’t have the same recognition as that of Kelce or Kittle, Waller could become the premier tight end in the NFL with another big year in 2021.
#4 Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Mark Andrews is a massive red-zone target for Lamar Jackson, both figuratively and physically. The Ravens' tight end has grabbed 12 red-zone touchdowns in the last two NFL seasons, which is tied with Travis Kelce for the most at the position.
In the last two NFL seasons, he has been Lamar Jackson's favorite receiving target.
#5 Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
He may be in the twilight of his NFL career, but Gronk still makes the top five. The Tampa Bay tight end showed us all in the Super Bowl that he still has what it takes to make a difference in a big game in the NFL.
Last season, Gronkowski averaged 13.8 yards per catch, with a long of 48 yards and seven touchdowns. The Brady-Gronkowski tandem is still one of the best in the NFL.
#6 Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
The Packers starting tight end had a breakout season in 2020, helping Green Bay to become the number one offense in the NFL. Tonyan reeled in 11 touchdowns on 52 receptions from MVP Aaron Rodgers.
There’s no reason Tonyan can’t increase his production in 2021.
#7 Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
The New England Patriot’s new tight end Hunter Henry is under pressure this year to justify his contract and prove that can have an injury-free season.
Last season with the Chargers, Henry had 613 yards and four touchdowns. If he can develop chemistry with Cam Newton, he could have a big NFL season in 2021.
#8 Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
The young Dolphins tight end finally has some help in offense, with the arrivals of wide receivers Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle. That should free up Mike Gesicki for more receptions downfield in 2021.
In 2020, he had 703 yards and six touchdowns, numbers that could increase this year.
#9 TJ Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions tight end TJ Hockenson had a breakout season in 2020. He had 67 receptions, 723 yards and six touchdowns with a disappointing Lions team.
Hockenson has a new quarterback in Jarred Goff to work with this year. The 6' 5", 247-pound tight end could thrust himself into the top five tight end conversation in 2021.
#10 Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Goedert has been in the shadow of his fellow Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, but there's an argument that he has already surpassed the NFL veteran.
Goedert has proven that he can not only catch but also block in key situations. If Ertz is traded this season, Goedert could become a star in Philadelphia.
#11 Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons drafted tight end Kyle Pitts fourth in this year’s NFL Draft. It’s the highest a tight end has ever been selected, which puts a lot of pressure on the first-year player.
With Julio Jones on his way out of Atlanta, Pitts could find himself as one of the focal points of the Falcons' offense this season.
#12 Noah Fant, Denver Broncos
Broncos tight end Noah Fant is desperately seeking a quality quarterback. Last season, he had 673 yards and three touchdowns.
At present, it will likely be either Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock as the starting quarterback in 2021. But Fant could have another big season in Broncos colors.
#13 Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots
Jonnu Smith is the second part of the Patriots' two-headed tight-end beast. The former Titans player is known for his explosive speed and ability to break off long receptions.
Smith grabbed eight touchdowns last season and had 448 reception yards. It will be interesting to see how Belichick uses the tight end tandem this year in New England.
#14 Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers
The NFL veteran tight end has another new team in 2021. Jared Cook has proven over his career that he is a productive offensive player. The 34-year-old had a down year in New Orleans last season, recording 504 yards and seven touchdowns.
He will look forward to catching the fireballs that will be coming from Justin Herbert's rocket arm this year.
#15 Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
Long-time Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz could be wearing another team's uniform this season. He is currently still on the Eagles roster, but there’s been a lot of speculation that he could be moved before the beginning of the regular season.
Ertz had a disappointing NFL campaign in 2020 due to injuries and poor form. One of the leading tight ends in the NFL during his eight-season career, it remains to be seen how much the veteran still has in the tank.
#16 Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team
Logan Thomas was a revelation for the Washington Football Team in 2020. He had 670 yards and six touchdowns on a Washington team that surprised many by making the NFL playoffs last season.
The arrival of veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick should help increase the tight end's production in the upcoming season.
#17 Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns
The Browns gave Austin Hooper a massive contract in 2019, with the hope he would become a star for their offense, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Last season, he struggled to register 435 yards and four touchdowns for the Browns. Baker Mayfield and Hooper will hope to increase his receptions and yards in 2021.
#18 Evan Engram, New York Giants
The Giants' starting tight end had 654 yards receiving last season but only one touchdown. Engram is in a contract year, and the arrival of veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph might be the motivation he needs to have a breakout NFL season.
#19 Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams tight end had a down season in 2020. Higbee recorded 521 yards and five touchdowns after a big 2019 NFL campaign. Matthew Stafford's arrival should help Higbee return to his pre-2020 form in Los Angeles.
#20 Kyle Rudolph, New York Giants
The veteran tight end arrives to give the New York Giants some much-needed experience in offense. Kyle Rudolph’s production has dipped over the past two NFL seasons after becoming one of the premier tight ends in the league.
#21 Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts
Colts' third-year tight end, Mo Alie-Cox, had a much-improved 2020 NFL campaign. He registered 394 yards and two touchdowns, more than doubling his production from 2019. He should be in line for a bigger role in the offense this season.
#22 Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks
The former Rams tight end has been a solid performer during his time in the NFL. Gerald Everett signed with the Seahawks this off-season and will hope that some of Russell Wilson's magic rubs off on him.
#23 Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers
The veteran tight end had a solid but not spectacular debut NFL season in Pittsburgh. Ebron had 558 yards and five touchdowns in the black and yellow. He will want to clean up his seven drops from 2020 in Big Ben’s final season in the NFL.
#24 OJ Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Injuries and inconsistency have halted the progress of OJ Howard in the NFL. After a big 2018 campaign, Howard has struggled to stay on the field and contribute to Tampa Bay’s offense. But he will likely get another opportunity to do so this year.
#25 Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts
After his 2017 NFL season, it seemed that Jack Doyle would be the number one tight end for years to come. Unfortunately for him and the Colts, that has not happened. Doyle is now behind Allie-Cox in the Colts' depth chart, but with Carson Wentz now in the team, the former could establish himself as an offensive weapon.
#26 Irv Smith JR, Minnesota Vikings
The departure of Kyle Rudolph should help increase opportunities for Smith in the Vikings offense. The young tight end could make a significant leap in the rankings with a breakout 2021 NFL campaign.
#27 Jordan Akins, Houston Texans
The Texans starting tight end had another solid NFL campaign in 2020, recording 403 yards and one touchdown on 37 receptions.
With the quarterback situation a mess in Houston, it could be a tough year for all the Texans receivers.
#28 Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons
The departure of Austin Hooper to the Browns gave Hayden Hurst more offensive responsibilities last season. He caught six touchdowns and had 571 yards in a Falcons offense that struggled for most of their NFL campaign. The arrival of Kyle Pitts could lead to a smaller role for Hurst in 2021, though.
#29 Anthony Firkser, Tennessee Titans
Anthony Firkser featured in every NFL game for the Titans last year. The tight end played a small role in offense, tallying 387 yards and only one touchdown. However, Firkser didn’t drop a single pass all season.
#30 Adam Trautman, New Orleans Saints
The Saints tight end was one of the premier run blockers in the NFL last year. Adam Trautman did record one touchdown and 171 yards receiving on just 16 targets, though.
#31 Marcedes Lewis, Green Bay Packers
The veteran tight end proved he could be productive in the NFL last season, recording ten receptions for 107 yards. Lewis also snared three touchdowns.
#32 Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The third Buccaneers tight end to make the list shows the depth the franchise has at the position. Brate had 282 receiving yards on 28 receptions and two touchdowns. With Gronk a year older, he could see more snaps this season.