Looking to gain an advantage during your fantasy football draft this season? One of the best plays is implementing the tight end zero strategy. Much like its siblings, RB0 and WR0, the tight end zero strategy sees you focus on other positions early in the draft and then grab your tight end much later.
While early round, tight end draft picks such as Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Zach Ertz deliver a performance to match their premium draft slot, the guys selected between the sixth and 11th rounds don’t provide nearly as good of a return on your investment.
In both 2019 and 2018, two of the top four scorers at the tight end position qualified as TE0 strategy players. Meanwhile, many of the mid-round tights end taken in the draft failed to deliver top-10 seasons. That’s a wasted resource that could have went elsewhere.
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Keys to implementing the tight end zero strategy
1) Draft TE after 11th Round
Don’t get fooled into thinking you need to draft a tight end in the 9th/10th round just because you have a hole in your roster. Wait until after the 11th to make your move.
2) Focus on WR/RB depth
Use those early picks on high-upside running backs and wide receivers. These guys can either be traded later on or used to help you overcome injuries.
3) Look for TE with path to volume
Don’t be suckered into picking a guy because he has a great athletic profile. Look for guys playing with quarterbacks who throw to tight ends or systems that utilize the position agnostic to players. And, of course, always chase potential volume.
4) Be willing to work waivers
Not all tight end zero strategy draft picks pan out. Work the waiver wire to see if you can find upgrades instead of rolling with a player that isn’t producing.
Related content: 3 late round NFL draft picks who could be fantasy contributors in 2020
The 2019 mid-round trap
Last year, fantasy football managers passed on solid contributors at other positions to pick tight ends that produced very little. Here’s a look at the 2019 mid-round trap:
5th-7th rounds
Tight ends picked: O.J. Howard, Evan Engram
Could have drafted: Kenny Golladay, Mark Ingram II, Jarvis Landry
7th-9th rounds
Tight ends picked: Vance McDonald, David Njoku
Could have drafted: Cooper Kupp, Miles Sanders
Only three tight ends with a sixth to 11th round ADP finished in the top 12 of positional scoring last season.
Final thoughts on the tight end zero strategy
At the end of the day, you don’t want to get stuck in the middle. Either go with the tight end zero strategy or take Kelce or Kittle early in the draft. These are the only two paths that provide value. Everything else is a trap.
