2024 Injury Breakdowns: Tight Ends Returning from Injury

TJ Hocksonson | Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Mueller Posted On April 18, 2024

Every NFL season comes with star players finding their way onto season-ending IR and question marks through the off-season and preseason as they near the following season. This series discusses key details in the player’s current recovery tract and injury projections for the 2024 seasons and their dynasty value. Let’s dive in.

Mark Andrews, BAL

After returning from a fibula fracture repair within ten weeks, Andrews has taken a little bit of a dip in dynasty standings at the tight end position. It could be due to his age, it could be due to his volume, but it should not be due to his past injuries. A return from a fibula fracture does not carry a significant year-to-year production dip or further reinjury risk and will likely be behind him entering the 2024 season.

Thankfully, he remains tied to a quarterback who tends to target the tight end position, and from an injury standpoint, I would not fade him for any reason. He has been even managing his diabetes very well to a point where it has not hindered his ability to play throughout a season or heal and recover well week to week. Continue to draft Andrews with confidence.

George Kittle, SF

From a production standpoint, I am not sure what we can expect on a weekly basis as the fourth option in the 49ers offense behind their top two receivers and stud running back. We do know that, despite putting up a top-six fantasy season with over 1,000 receiving yards, he was not fully healthy in the 2023 season. After the Super Bowl, he had sports hernia surgery to repair a core muscle injury that he suffered in preseason (or potentially aggravated in preseason, which was the second preseason in a row being limited with groin injuries entering the regular season).

These injuries and surgeries do not bring a significant production dip or reinjury risk into the following season, so I do believe we can expect the same old Kittle with his YAC ability present every week. His age should not be a big concern at this point, solely his overall target volume in this low pass-volume 49ers offense, especially if Brandon Aiyuk rightfully takes an even bigger jump once a contract extension is in place. If Aiyuk is actually traded away, then Kittle gets a bigger boost for fantasy.

Travis Kelce, KC

As long as Kelce is tied to Patrick Mahomes and has not announced his retirement, he should be viewed as the number one threat to score as the top tight end of the 2024 season. The Chiefs enjoyed a thrilling ramp-up in Rashee Rice’s production towards the end of the season and brought in legit when-healthy receiving threat Marquise Brown. They could bring in a top wide receiver in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft amid Rice’s legal issues, but Kelce will still remain Mahomes’ favorite and top target.

We will likely be getting an age and production discount on him, but I do believe some of the production dip can be accounted for by his ankle sprain and reinjury that likely hampered his production down the stretch. These injuries do not carry year-to-year risk in regard to health or production. Enjoy the discount for the 2024 season, and in dynasty hope that he does not hang up his cleats after this season.

Kyle Pitts, ATL

This next season should be significantly better for Pitts as he enters into year two out of MCL and PCL repairs. It was not widely reported to be multi-ligamentous, though looking back at the original injury would indicate a significant traumatic injury that was very unlikely to be solely MCL. He most likely also had capsular damage and scarring similar to JK Dobbins, which would explain why Pitts did not look like himself until very late in the season.

Now, he should be fully healthy and with a new quarterback – Kirk Cousins – who was extremely accurate and targets his tight ends at a high rate. If Pitts’ usage returns to his rookie season usage in his strong skillsets, there is a decent chance that he could actually score as the top overall tight end for the 2024 season without the top price acquisition.

TJ Hockenson, MIN

To end a pretty wild list of the top tight ends in the NFL coming off of injury, Hockenson has the most risk heading into the 2024 season. He had ACLR surgery on January 29, meaning week one marks only seven months and 10 days in his recovery. He is a top PUP candidate to start the season and likely misses nearly half of the regular fantasy season, with a continued production dip expected in his first games back.

Paired with the change at quarterback, I believe Hockenson is significantly overvalued in drafts right now and that managers should favor the above-listed tight ends plus David Njoku, Evan Engram, Sam LaPorta, Dalton Kincaid, and Trey McBride for the 2024 season. For dynasty purposes, if an opportunity presents itself for a buy-low early in the season, take advantage.

Hopefully this information is helpful. Feel free to follow me @jmthrivept for injury content.

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Jeff Mueller

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Jeff is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with a specialty as a Certified Speed & Agility Coach. He enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking in Yosemite with his wife and dogs and has been an avid football fan since birth (go 49ers!). He also firmly believes that everyone needs to invest in a home gym with multiple TVs to watch all of the games on Sunday while working out.