Noah Gray Named 2024 Fantasy 'Sleeper TE' to Consider

With Travis Kelce aging, one outlet thinks Gray makes sense as a potential fantasy football target late in 2024 drafts.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray (83) catches a pass in the first quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

The 2024 NFL season is still a few months away, but it's never too early to consider potential fantasy football options for drafts taking place later this summer.

As far as premier performers are concerned, the Kansas City Chiefs' duo of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce is hard to beat. Do the back-to-back reigning champs have an underrated weapon on offense, though?

In the aftermath of Darren Waller's retirement, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report took a look at sleeper tight ends to consider around the league. Making the cut as a handcuff or late-round flier, Gray takes home the No. 45 overall ranking.

In point-per-reception (PPR) formats, Knox believes the fourth-year man could help spell Kelce as a premium backup choice.

"Kelce remains one of the NFL's most consistent tight ends, and the Kansas City Chiefs star is likely to again be drafted highly in 2024—he's currently ranked second at his position," Knox wrote. "However, he will turn 35 in October and is coming off his first sub-1,000-yard season since 2015. Backup tight end Noah Gray is a must-target insurance policy for managers who use a first- or second-round selection on Kelce. The 25-year-old had 28 receptions, 305 yards and two touchdowns last season."

Buy or sell fantasy football buzz for Noah Gray in 2024?

Since joining the Chiefs as a fifth-round pick in 2021, Gray has steadily improved. This past year, he logged seven more targets than the prior season. That came on five fewer snaps than 2022, although his 52% share remained the same. Gray was the 32nd-ranked PPR tight end scorer in his junior campaign.

The argument for Gray as a handcuff to Kelce is a double-edged sword. On one hand, Kelce dealt with injuries last season and, as Knox mentioned, will be 35 later this year. It makes all the sense in the world for Kansas City to keep him fresh and available for the stretch run.

Additionally, Andy Reid's offense is known for its recent commitment to heavier personnel sets. There's ample reason to believe another tight end could accompany Kelce for plenty of plays again. In a contract year, Gray will be seeking a career-best performance.

There's certainly a case against Gray, however. With better wide receivers on the roster this year, there could be less of a reliance on the tight end spot to supplement production. Not only that, but the offseason pickups of Irv Smith Jr. (free agency) and Jared Wiley (draft) could eat into Gray's reps in certain situations. For every clear-cut path Gray seems to have to break out, there may be equal elements working against him.

Thus, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In a vacuum, Gray is absolutely worthy of a handcuff-style insurance bet with Kelce. In this writer's far-from-expert fantasy opinion, though, he doesn't offer much intrigue on his own. Knox dropping him in the redraft flier tier seems appropriate.

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