Fantasy Football: 25 TE Statistics from the 2024 Season

Wrapping up our annual 25 Statistics series, we now shift our focus to the most volatile yet increasingly vital position to crack in fantasy football. Once an afterthought in many lineups, the TE role has evolved into a cornerstone of fantasy strategy, redefining its importance in modern offenses. The 2024 season only reinforced this unpredictability, with TEs delivering a mix of frustration and breakout success.

Star players endured extended slumps, while under-the-radar names emerged as consistent contributors. Once again, a rookie took the league by storm, challenging long-held expectations for first-year TEs. Below, we dive into 25 statistics that shed light on the highs, lows, and surprises of the 2024 season, offering a closer look at the players and performances that defined this dynamic position.

Note: All statistics used are half-PPR scoring per the Ballers’ Consistency Charts found at JointheFoot.com.

1. Last year, rookie sensation Sam LaPorta had the most total fantasy points on the season by a TE (196.3). He additionally had the highest season average with 11.6 fantasy points per game. This was the first season since 2015 that the leader in fantasy points by a TE was a player other than Mark Andrews or Travis Kelce. Brock Bowers nearly finished as the top TE in total points in his debut NFL season but was outpaced by 0.20 fantasy points by George Kittle. Despite this narrow margin in total points, Kittle also led all TEs in fantasy points per game average, outpacing Bowers by 1.8 fantasy points per game. 

Below is a table of the leaders in total fantasy points on the season by a TE:

2. In the final week of last year’s NFL regular season, LaPorta set a new standard for rookie TEs, surpassing Keith Jackson’s 1988 record of 81 receptions with 86 catches for 889 yards. However, Brock Bowers raised the bar even higher in his rookie campaign, breaking LaPorta’s record and setting the all-time mark for receptions by any rookie receiver in NFL history. Bowers led all TEs in receptions and receiving yards, finishing with an impressive 112 catches for 1,194 yards.

3. His 112 receptions for the season fell just two shy of last year’s leader, Evan Engram. Bowers (112) and Trey McBride (111) were the only TEs to surpass the coveted 100-catch mark. Only two players across all positions, Ja’Marr Chase (127) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (115) recorded more receptions this season. 

4. Bowers was one of only three TEs to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards this season, leading the group with 1,194. Trey McBride followed closely with 1,146, while George Kittle rounded out the trio at 1,106. For context, Kittle was the lone TE to hit this milestone last year, but his 1,020 yards fell short of all three totals this season.

5. Bowers finished the season with as many receiving yards as CeeDee Lamb (1,194). The only players in the league with more receiving yards were Ja’Marr Chase (1,708), Justin Jefferson (1,533), Brian Thomas Jr. (1,282), Drake London (1,271), Amon-Ra St. Brown (1,263), Jerry Jeudy (1,229), and Malik Nabers (1,204).

6. As expected, Bowers led all TEs in targets this season with 153. The standout rookie earned as many opportunities as Justin Jefferson and Garrett Wilson, ranking just behind Ja’Marr Chase (175), Malik Nabers (170), and Drake London (157). Only three other TEs surpassed 100 targets this year: Trey McBride (147), Travis Kelce (133), and Jonnu Smith (111).

7. George Kittle led all TEs in receiving yards per game this season, averaging 73.7. That mark ranked 14th among all players, including WRs. Trey McBride (71.6) and Brock Bowers (70.2) also cracked the league’s top 20 in this category. After this elite trio, there was a steep drop-off to the next name, Jonnu Smith, who averaged 52 yards per game.

8. Consistent weekly performers at TE were rare this season. Only eight players (minimum 10 games) finished as a top-12 TE in at least 50% of their appearances: George Kittle (93%), Trey McBride (73%), David Njoku (64%), Brock Bowers (63%), Mark Andrews (63%), Sam LaPorta (60%), Jonnu Smith (50%), and Zach Ertz (50%).

9. Kittle showcased unparalleled consistency across all positions this season, finishing as a top-12 TE in 13 of 14 games. His resume included nine top-5 finishes and two TE1 performances. The only exception was Week 13’s snow-filled game in Buffalo. Kittle’s 93% top-12 rate was the best in the NFL. By comparison, the top-12 rate leaders at other positions were Lamar Jackson (88%), Derrick Henry (65%), and Ja’Marr Chase (53%).

10. Taysom Hill showcased his unmatched versatility in Week 11, delivering the highest single-game fantasy point total by a TE this season with 38.5 points. In this performance, he recorded eight catches for 50 yards, rushed for 138 yards and three TDs on seven carries, threw for a TD, and even made notable contributions on special teams. Whether or not you debate his positional designation, Hill’s impact was undeniable.

11. Hill once again led all TEs (if you consider him one) in rushing yards, totaling 278 yards on 39 carries. Despite missing time due to injuries, playing in just eight games, Hill was on track for the best fantasy season of his career had he stayed healthy. His six rushing TDs led all TEs and matched the total of Jayden Daniels and De’Von Achane, who both played a full 17-game season. The next closest rusher at TE was Chigoziem Okonkwo, who managed just 17 yards on a single attempt.

12. Thirteen different TEs claimed the TE1 spot in weekly fantasy scoring this season: Isaiah Likely, George Kittle (2), Dallas Goedert, Taysom Hill (2), Tucker Kraft, Cole Kmet, Jonnu Smith (2), Cade Otton, Mike Gesicki, Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Brock Bowers (2), and Trey McBride. Remarkably, there was a new TE1 every week through the first ten weeks, underscoring the position’s unpredictability to start the season.

13. Mark Andrews was the only TE to record double-digit receiving TDs this season, finishing with 11. A familiar name among fantasy football’s elite TEs, Andrews had a rocky start to the 2024 season, struggling with an inconsistent role in the offense. This slump included back-to-back scoreless outings in Weeks 3 and 4, where he posted zero fantasy points. However, he turned his season around in dramatic fashion, finding the end zone in each of the final six games of the NFL regular season and finishing the fantasy season as the TE5.

14. Travis Kelce led all TEs this season with 25 red zone targets. Despite these ample opportunities, he secured only three TDs, the lowest since his rookie year in 2013, when he missed the entire season. Trey McBride and George Kittle each received similar red zone targets; Kittle converted these into eight TDs, while McBride managed just two, with his first not arriving until Week 17. Notably, Mark Andrews led the position with 11 receiving TDs but had only 15 red zone targets, highlighting his exceptional efficiency in this area of the field.

15. Trey McBride led all TEs this season in share of team passing targets (29.3%) and receiving yards (30.8%). However, despite his heavy involvement in Arizona’s passing attack, he accounted for just 10% of the team’s passing TDs, struggling with red zone efficiency.

16. Throughout the season, TEs ranked TE1-5 averaged 16.6 points per game, while TE6-12 managed just 10.1. This gap underscores the value of securing a consistent, elite performer at the position.

17. Despite being drafted as the TE5 in ADP, pre-season darling Dalton Kincaid tied with Mike Gesicki for TE16 in points per game (minimum 10 games), averaging just 6.1. Kincaid posted only one top-12 finish, an 11.6-point performance in Week 4 that ranked as TE5 for the week. Entering the season in an ambiguous receiving corps without a clear top target, the second-year TE proved an unreliable, boom-or-bust option.

18. The Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Las Vegas Raiders leaned heavily on their TEs this season, targeting the position on 34% of their pass attempts, the highest rate in the league. In contrast, the New York Giants relied on TEs the least, directing just 12% of their targets to the position.

19. Although broken tackles are typically a statistic associated with RBs, Tucker Kraft stood out among TEs by leading the position with nine forced missed tackles. Impressively, this total surpassed the season marks of both De’Von Achane and Breece Hall. Kraft also led all TEs in yards after the catch per reception, averaging 9.1 yards.

20. Brock Bowers led all TEs in yards after the catch this season with 599, trailing only Ja’Marr Chase’s league-leading 787. The next closest player, Khalil Shakir, finished just behind Bowers with 597. Bowers also topped all TEs in air yards this season with 933, coming up 96 shy of last year’s surprising leader, Kyle Pitts.

21. Speaking of Pitts, the controversial TE endured another underwhelming season in 2024. However, an intriguing trend has emerged over his first four years in the league. Pitts has steadily increased his TD total each season to match his years in the NFL, starting with one as a rookie and climbing to four this year. Here’s hoping he keeps the streak alive with five TD in his fifth season next year!

22. David Njoku led all TEs in drops for the second consecutive season, finishing with eight. On a positive note, this marked a three-drop improvement from last year’s total. Cade Otton matched Njoku’s eight drops, sharing the lead for the season.

23. Brock Bowers, Travis Kelce, and Trey McBride each saw 16 targets in a game this season, tying for second-most among TEs. However, David Njoku claimed the top spot with 17 targets in Week 13. Despite the heavy workload, Njoku struggled with efficiency, managing just nine catches for 52 yards at only 3.06 yards per target. Fortunately, he salvaged his fantasy performance with two TDs.

24. Chig Okonkwo delivered the longest play by a TE this season, turning a 70-yard catch into an epic TD. Close behind, Mark Andrews and Tucker Kraft shared second place with impressive 67-yard gains.

Chig Okonkwo gets in open space for a 70-yard TD!

: #TENvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
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— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024

25. Drew Sample and Erick All Jr. shared the league’s highest catch rate among TEs this season at an impressive 90.9%, each hauling in 20 of 22 targets while playing in the same offense. The only player in the league with a higher catch rate was David Montgomery, who caught 36 of his 38 targets (94.7%). Among more prominent names, Cole Kmet stood out with the next-best catch rate among TEs at 85.5%.