Welcome back for another DFF Devy article! In my most recent piece, I discussed Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas Longhorn tight end, and how he projects compared to Brock Bowers from a fantasy perspective. (If you didn’t get a chance to check that article out, you can view it here.) Now, I’d like to expand on that analysis and give the Devy community a rundown of the tight end landscape in college football today.
We all know the tight end position is difficult to get right in fantasy football, and we also understand the substantial advantage one has when owning one of the few “league-breaking” tight ends in fantasy (especially in tight end premium leagues). There are many names to comb through and analyze in college football, so I will be breaking this into three parts. For Parts 1 and 2, I will give you my Top 10 TEs that are draft-eligible in 2024 (the first five in Part 1 and the next five in Part 2). In Part 3, I’ll discuss which young tight ends we should invest in for Devy leagues in the 2025 and 2026 Draft classes. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some tight ends that could make an impact at the NFL level.
1. Brock Bowers | Georgia
I’ll keep it brief with the first two players here. In my opinion, the first two tiers of Devy tight ends consist of one player each. Tier one being Brock Bowers, and tier two being Ja’Tavion Sanders. If you want a more in-depth analysis of these guys (specifically Sanders), be sure to check out my last Devy article.
Georgia fans had to be thrilled to see Bowers back on this field this weekend against Ole Miss. He picked up right where he left off, finding the endzone in the fourth quarter as Georgia boat raced the Rebels. Brock Bowers is the complete package. He’s fast, athletic, elite at the catch point, excels in creating YAC, has tremendous ball skills, and is a competent blocker. He has all the tools to be a Top-3 Dynasty TE as a rookie.
2. Ja’Tavion Sanders | Texas
Ja’Tavion is a physical freak with a skill set similar to Bowers’. He’s a tremendous route runner, can create in space, and has soft hands. Obviously, Sanders’ college resume is dwarfed in comparison to Bowers. But we’ve known Sanders is an elite football talent since his senior year of high school. He is currently projected as a late-first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, so we know he’ll have an opportunity to put his skills on display at the NFL level. He does need to improve in both pass-block and run-block situations. Bowers is the superior blocker, without question.
Now that we’ve had a refresher on the elite guys let’s dive a bit deeper.
3. Cade Stover | Ohio State
Cade Stover is significantly older than Bowers and Sanders. He’s a fifth-year senior for the Buckeyes and will be 24 years old before he plays an NFL snap. But he hasn’t been doing this whole tight end thing for very long, and he’s been damn impressive, considering.
Let me explain. Stover was initially recruited as a linebacker coming out of high school. He played running back as well and excelled at both positions, to say the least. As a senior, Cade rushed for 1,477 yards and 17 touchdowns. On the defensive end, he recorded an unheard-of 163 tackles, adding four interceptions as well. These were some generational numbers to put up in a single season and were good enough to earn him the honors of Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year and Ohio’s Mr. Football.
Stover was a four-star recruit who came to Columbus with plans to play linebacker, but plans changed. Cade moved to defensive end early on during his freshman season and eventually redshirted that year. Fast forward to 2021, and Cade has transitioned to tight end for the Buckeyes. Not many players could find success at multiple positions like Stover has, but the kid is an athlete. He was also an all-star basketball player in high school; there’s no task too tall for this guy.
Stover had a nice 2022 season, competing for targets alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. He finished with 36 receptions for 406 yards and five touchdowns. Due to a knee injury suffered in October, Stover has appeared in just seven games this season. He’s been quite productive in that span, averaging five receptions and 73 yards per game. NFL Mock Draft Database has Stover projected as an early-4th-round selection, but I think we’ll see this guy go in Day 2 of the draft. At 6’5″ and 250 lbs, Cade has the size and build scouts are going to love. He’s too talented an athlete for NFL scouts to leave him on the board that long.
4. Jaheim Bell | Florida State
Jaheim Bell was a low 4-star recruit entering college but likely would have been ranked much higher had he not suffered an ACL injury earlier in his senior season. Bell initially committed to the University of Florida but ultimately changed his mind and landed in South Carolina. Jaheim played his first three seasons for the Gamecocks and was used kind of like a Deebo Samuel there. Last year, Bell finished with just 25 receptions for 231 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns but was also used heavily in the backfield. He tallied 73 carries for 261 yards (3.6 YPC) and three rushing scores.
After the 2022 season, Bell entered the transfer portal and decided to play for Mike Norvell and the Seminoles. He’s been used much more like your typical tight end at Florida State, averaging four receptions and 51 receiving yards per game in 2023. My main concern with Bell is that his game may not translate well to the NFL level. He has a smaller frame, at 6’3″ and 239 lbs, and he’s never had a truly elite season from a receiving perspective. His best season to date was for the Gamecocks in 2022, where he was used in some unique ways that Florida State has not bothered continuing. That said, Bell is an elite athlete, and if he finds himself on an NFL team willing to get him involved in creative ways, he may become a viable fantasy asset. He is currently projected as a late Day 2 draft pick.
5. Ben Sinnott | Kansas State
I’m sure seeing Sinnott so high on this list will come as a surprise to many. Hell, I bet a lot of Devy guys don’t even have him in their Top 10 for this class. Ben Sinnott was not a widely sought-after recruit in high school. According to 247 Sports, Sinnott was unranked as a senior, which can be attributed to him being a late bloomer. Sinnott had your classic baby face as a senior in 2020 and was listed at 6’3″, 220 lbs. Since then, Ben has grown an inch and added another 25 pounds of lean mass to his frame; he almost looks like a different person.
Sinnott initially committed to playing for FCS powerhouse South Dakota but later de-committed and chose to play for HC Chris Klieman at Kansas State. It took some time for Sinnott to be a significant contributor to this Wildcat offense. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, he finished with just five total touches for 27 scrimmage yards. Sinnott’s sophomore campaign put his name on the map, totaling 31 receptions for 447 yards and four touchdowns. Through nine games played this season, Ben has already surpassed his reception and receiving yards totals from 2022. He’s averaging four receptions and 56 YPG for the Wildcats this year. In three years, Ben has gone from a high school player with nearly no college offers to an integral part of this Kansas State offense.
Sinnott is what you’d consider a jack of all trades, master of none. He’s an above-average receiver and blocker, a solid route-runner, and has the size and strength to break tackles and get extra yardage. Ben’s not an elite athlete, nor does he have elite speed. But he’s progressed tremendously since high school, and I think he’s a top-5 tight end in this 2024 class. NFL Mock Draft Database has Sinnott projected as a 6th-round draft pick. There’s a chance Sinnot stays for his senior season if the projected draft capital isn’t there. But assuming he declares, I expect his name to be called much earlier in April.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
