While the tight end position is not the most studied and thought out of the offensive positions (in fact, it might be last), an undervalued tight end taken at the right time can really boost a fantasy team.

For that reason, I’ve outlined three tight ends below that, if taken at the right point in your draft, could be difference makers in 2015. Based on their current ADPs, I expect these undervalued tight ends to return bigger returns on investment than their cost, and can be tight end sleepers for your teams throughout the fantasy football season.

Editor’s Note: to read about more 2015 fantasy football draft sleepers for tight ends, and all other positions, be sure to check out our running list of ADP values that can return draft day profits and help you dominate your leagues.

2015 Tight End Draft Values & Sleepers to Target

Greg Olsen (TE, CAR)

Greg Olsen wasn’t on this list a couple week ago, but with the news that Kelvin Benjamin tore his ACL in practice, Olsen is someone we have to address. I had been teetering back and forth between Olsen (ADP of 47 in standard leagues according to FantasyPros.com) and Kelce (ADP of 50 in standard leagues), since I first started ranking players, and I was starting to believe in myself enough to put Kelce at third among tight ends. However, Olsen becomes third with the injury to Benjamin, and his ADP should certainly spike upwards in the coming drafts.

Not only does Olsen have a better quarterback then Kelce, but he is more proven as well. In the last three seasons, the Panthers’ tight end has played all 48 regular season games, and eclipsed 100 targets each year. 2014 was his best year yet, as he racked up an above-average 84 catches on 123 targets and was able to finally reach the 1,000-yard mark for a season. We should see much more of the same this year from Olsen. With his connection with Cam Newton growing stronger, and his role growing larger, Olsen should be drafted early in the fourth round if not late in the third in standard 12-team leagues.

Kyle Rudolph (TE, MIN)

While Olsen is someone to target early in your drafts, the next two tight ends will be ones that you can pick up in the later rounds, on draft day. Kyle Rudolph has always had immense potential as a big, athletic pass catcher with the Vikings. He has yet to put everything together, mostly due to injuries and poor quarterback play. In 2015, Rudolph will look to stay healthy out of the gate and be the reliant tight end that Teddy Bridgewater will look to often, especially in the red zone.

As you can see in my recent article that focuses on Kyle Rudolph as a sleeper, there are plenty of positives to look at with this 260-pound beast. Bridgewater is a quarterback that doesn’t mind getting out of the pocket. When that happens, there will be times when he needs to check down to a possession receiver. Rudolph can serve as that guy. Bridgewater should also look to the big tight end often in the red zone, which could lead to double-digit touchdowns for Rudolph, something he fell just short of in 2012 (his only full season). If he can stay healthy, Rudolph has the ability and opportunity to put up top 12 numbers at tight end. If you wait and miss out on the top options (which is a strategy I turn to often), Rudolph is a nice high-upside pick at the end of drafts.

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins (TE, TB)

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins has an even lower ADP than the aforementioned Rudolph, but he has just as good of a chance to make an impact in 2015. Entering his sophomore season in the NFL, ASJ looks to be more of a cog in the Buccaneers’ offense than he was in 2014. After scoring just two touchdowns on 21 receptions in the first nine weeks, injuries to his back and ankle led to the IR. Sefarian-Jenkins claimed that the back felt great this offseason, and he’s already drawing very positive comments from his coaches and scouts.

It might be a bit of a reach to pick a young tight end in an unproven offense, but the acquisition of Jameis Winston should only help the stock of ASJ. His combination of size and speed were what made him a hot commodity on draft day in 2014, and the Bucs will look to get Sefarian-Jenkins into an important role in hopes that he develops into a top tight end. As another high-upside pick, it certainly makes sense to draft both Rudolph and Sefarian-Jenkins (as long as your league’s bench space allows it) in hopes that one of the two breaks into the top 12 group of tight ends.

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