The tight end position in fantasy football is limited with reliable tight ends that can get you points each and every week. Aside from players like Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson, and a healthy George Kittle, there is an open discussion as to what tight ends could be placed in the next tier in fantasy terms.
A name that can play like he is a low-end, tier two tight end is Dawson Knox of the Buffalo Bills. Drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft, Knox has become a great locker room guy and has served as a security blanket for quarterback Josh Allen. While Knox is able to truck defenders and has displayed it from time to time, his reputation has been a solid tight end but not necessarily a great one. This is not just on the field, but also in fantasy football.
While Knox earned himself a good sized four-year contract extension that is worth $52 million (over $31 million guaranteed with an average salary of $13 million per year), he is not the first weapon that Allen throws to, sometimes not even the second option with wide receiver Gabriel Davis on the roster.
Now with the Bills having Dalton Kincaid on the team, who has been a star so far in training camp, that may put Knox even lower on the radar. Knox’s fantasy numbers have been up-and-down…literally up-and-down (51.7 points in 2019, 42.8 points in 2020, 115.10 points in 2021, and 87.7 points in 2022).
It feels like that this current trend could be broken potentially with the offensive moves the Bills made in the offseason. They have a running package in a pass-catching back, as well as two down-hill runners in Damien Harris and Latavius Murray which should take the running responsibility off of Josh Allen. Kincaid was drafted as a rookie tight end for the Bills and could be taking away targets from Knox not just on the field, but specifically in the red zone.
With Knox not having a high fantasy volume before these additions, the 2023 fantasy football season could even be more of a drop off. Don’t plan on drafting Knox until the later rounds, but try and make sure there is another tight end on your roster who could be placed as a starter.