Bet on a Bounce-Back for Mark Andrews in Fantasy Football?

The tight end position has had a massive influx of young talent in recent years. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride have emerged as the clear-cut best options for fantasy purposes, with each possessing upside to rival the top receivers in football. However, there is another group of emerging youngsters right below them, including guys like Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, Tucker Kraft, and others.

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That has resulted in a significant shake-up at the position. Guys who have been yearly stalwarts of fantasy rosters are now being viewed as fringe starters or potential reserves. George Kittle has an ADP of just 92.6 (TE9), while Travis Kelce is going outside the top 100 picks (104.1; TE10).

That said, no player has seen a bigger fall from grace than Mark Andrews. After taking over as a full-time starter in 2019, he’s been a perennial top finisher at the position in 0.5-PPR scoring:

• 2019: TE4
• 2020: TE6
• 2021: TE1
• 2022: TE4
• 2023: TE13 in 10 games played (TE4 in points per game)
• 2024: TE5

After a dismal 2025 campaign, Andrews is now coming off the board as TE15 across the industry. He’s not exactly free – his ADP sits at 126.1 – but you can very comfortably get him in the double-digit rounds. That makes him a very intriguing buy-low candidate.

Does Andrews stand out as an elite option for those who wait to address the TE position, or should you approach him with caution this season? Let’s make the case for and against before delivering our final verdict.

The Case For Andrews

What if last year’s performance was just an outlier and not a sign of things to come? Andrews has a long track record of success, and there are clear reasons to believe that he can bounce back in 2026.

For starters, the Ravens offense should be significantly better than it was last year. They have historically been an elite unit with Lamar Jackson under center. They were a top-six offense in yards and points per game in 2023 and 2024 before dipping outside the top 10 last year. Jackson was clearly limited by a hamstring injury for most of the season, which impacted their efficiency overall. As long as Jackson is back to being his usual MVP-caliber self, there’s no reason this offense shouldn’t go back to being one of the best in the league.

Additionally, Andrews should be significantly more important to the Ravens’ passing attack than he has been over the past few seasons. Andrews has been part of a TE committee, with Isaiah Likely taking on a larger share of the workload. Likely had a 62% route participation and 14% target share two years ago, and he was at 58% and 11% last year. With Likely now with the Giants – and third-string TE Charlie Kolar landing with the Chargers – Andrews should be much closer to an every-snap player in 2026-27. Durham Smythe will take over as the No. 2 TE in Baltimore, and he’s more of a blocker than a pass-catching threat.

The Ravens clearly still believe that Andrews has some gas in the tank. He’ll turn 31 years old this season, but that’s far from ancient by tight end standards. The team gave him a three-year, $39,000,000 extension in December, and that deal, coupled with their decision to let Likely and Kolar walk, represents a clear belief in the veteran tight end.

Even without a full-time role in 2024, Andrews racked up 11 touchdowns and finished as a top-five option at tight end. He had six scores in 10 games the year prior. If he can regain his touchdown-scoring prowess for a resurgent Ravens offense while adding a few additional yards and catches, the sky is the limit.

The Case Against Andrews

It’s entirely possible that the Ravens are simply wrong. Maybe they chose to let the wrong tight end walk out of the building.

While Andrews managed to salvage a strong fantasy campaign two years ago, it was due primarily to those 11 scores. He averaged just 3.2 receptions and 39.6 receiving yards per game, both of which were his worst marks since his rookie season. He took another step back last year, dipping to 2.8 and 24.8, respectively. With Andrews about to turn 31 years old, it’s hard to imagine a huge spike in those areas, regardless of how many snaps he’ll get.

It’s also possible that Jackson is not the same player that he was in his prime. He’ll turn 30 years old this season, so it’s possible that he’s no longer the elite rushing threat that he was in his 20s. Jackson has made massive strides as a passer since arriving in the NFL, but it remains to be seen if he can carve defenses apart solely with his arm. If opposing defenses don’t have to respect his legs – or the legs of the soon-to-be 33-year-old Derrick Henry – it’s possible that Jackson’s passing numbers don’t bounce back.

Finally, while Andrews may have less competition for targets at tight end, he’s facing increased competition at receiver. The Ravens used two early draft picks on Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, and the former has generated plenty of buzz throughout camp. It’s possible he emerges as the team’s No. 2 option, while Rashod Bateman remains a competent deep threat.

Add in the fact that Zay Flowers is quietly one of the biggest target hogs in the league (30% target share last year), and Andrews might just be a supplementary piece of this passing attack. If they aren’t more efficient than they were last year, that’s not a good recipe for fantasy success.

The Verdict

While it’s possible that Andrews’ best days are in the rearview mirror, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I think the Ravens’ offense was clearly impacted by Jackson’s hamstring last year and that the entire team is poised for a bounce-back. For what it’s worth, Jackson has stated that he’s not looking to change his play style and is “excited” about new OC Declan Doyle’s offensive scheme.

That makes Andrews one of my favorite targets in all of fantasy. The upside scenario is that he puts together another top-five finish at the position. Even though TE is deeper than it’s been in the past, Andrews is still one of the few guys capable of putting together a truly monster year.

And if he doesn’t work out? It only costs you a pick in the double-digit rounds of your draft. You can hopefully replace him on the waiver wire or with someone else you drafted at the position without wasting much capital. In other words, there’s plenty of potential reward with minimal risk. I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty damn good to me.

Sean Koerner isn’t quite as bullish on Andrews as I am, but he still has him as a solid value in his fantasy cheat sheet. He has him ranked as TE11, ahead of guys like Jake Ferguson, Dalton Kincaid, and Likely. Ultimately, don’t be surprised if Andrews has at least one more high-end season left in him.

Pictured: Mark Andrews
Photo Credit: Imagn