4 Late-Round Tight Ends to Target in FFPC Fantasy Football Drafts

Late-round values at the tight end position are hard to come by in FFPC's TE-Premium format. Landing a key contributor at the position is vital, which pushes every tight end's average draft position up comparatively. For those of you who are new, FFPC leagues are PPR and feature TE-premium scoring. You can start 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 2 FLEX players, 1 Kicker, and 1 D/ST. Tight-end premium means that all tight-end catches are good for 1.5 points versus the standard one-point in PPR settings. For example, in this format, Travis Kelce has an ADP of 1.03, and it's not unusual to see him go off the board first overall. Using our FFPC ADP Tool, you'll see seven tight ends come off the board in the first five rounds.

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Late-Round TE Targets in FFPC Drafts

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (123.2 Overall ADP, TE18)

Derek Carr has been a fantasy-friendly quarterback for tight ends since entering the league, and that trend should continue this season with fourth-year TE Juwan Johnson. Johnson flashed big-time playmaking and red-zone ability last season as his playing time increased. Johnson finished as the TE8 in fantasy last season, so his current ADP status among his peers is puzzling to me.

His 9.1 average depth of target (aDOT) and 23.1% end zone target rate were among the best at tight end last season. His new quarterback is also telling people, including his brother and former NFL quarterback David Carr, to select Johnson in their fantasy drafts this season. Long-time Saints beat reporter is offering the same advice after watching Carr and Johnson together at camp all summer. I've been drafting Johnson as a TE2 whenever possible and routinely target him if I miss out on my top-tier targets.

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (150.3 Overall ADP, TE22)

Jake Ferguson walks into the void left behind by Dalton Schultz's departure to Houston, and while there are other tight ends on the roster, like second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker, Ferguson is the clear passing-game option for a quarterback who loves to utilize his tight end. Dak Prescott targeted a tight end on 25.1% of his dropbacks last season, and Schultz's 31% end-zone target rate was the third-highest in the league at the position and nearly double that of star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

Ferguson flashed in limited reps last season, but the drumbeat out of Cowboys camp has been steady all offseason. In his first preseason game, Ferguson hauled in all three of his targets for 38 yards and has since been given the starter treatment in terms of playing time and rest. Playing ahead of a Schoonmaker, a rookie who's missing time due to injury, only extends Ferguson's window to put a stranglehold on this job. He's a massive buy at his current ADP and a viable early-season starter if you skip the position at the top of the board.

Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (163.8 Overall ADP, TE23)

Tyler Conklin's 86 targets in 2022 were tied for the eighth-most at the position last season, the same number as George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson, who are coming off the board in the first four rounds of FFPC drafts. Concerns about Conklin's playing time are likely driving his price down, but I'm not sure why that would be. Teammate C.J. Uzomah was active for 15 of the 17 games last season, and Conklin posted a route participation rate of 71%, which is an elite rate for tight ends. Uzomah was used more as a blocker, and most of his passing work came out of 12 personnel, which is a two-tight end set where Conklin is also on the field.

Even with a slight reduction in routes and targets, the overall offensive efficiency should improve drastically with Aaron Rodgers under center in New York. Rodgers has bolstered tight-end production, especially in the red zone, throughout his entire career. I'm happy to take Conklin as my second tight end or even have him lead a late-round tight end committee approach if the top of the board doesn't fall my way.

Hayden Hurst, Carolina Panthers (173.4 Overall ADP, TE26)

In a limited sample of preseason reps, Hayden Hurst saw just two preseason targets with top quarterback Bryce Young under center. I'm not overreacting to that because the concerns I had about Hurst after he joined the Panthers this offseason have been answered. Hurst ran a route on 87% of his snaps this preseason, playing ahead of fellow tight ends Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas. Camp reports have raved about Hurst's involvement in the offense, along with his connection with Young, and that carries more weight than the limited preseason game snaps that could cause Hurst's ADP to dip.

The lack of target competition in Carolina helps Hurst as well. Outside of Adam Thielen, it's a young group. Also, Young loved to work over the middle of the field while at Alabama, so it's not surprising to hear glowing camp reports about Thielen and Hurst this summer. I'd be a bit uneasy with Hurst as my starting tight end in this format, but he's a strong bye-week fill-in at a premium position.