A TE3 in fantasy football refers to a tight end that is ranked between 25th to 36th at their position. There are generally twelve teams in a fantasy football league and a TE3 fits into the third tier of players at the tight end position.
Terminology like TE3 is also used when ranking players in higher tiers and other positions. For example, a TE1 would represent a player that ranks in the top twelve at the tight end position.
A TE2 refers to a tight end that ranks between 13 and 24 at their position.
When using this terminology in fantasy football they are generally referencing a player’s ranking in the coming week or over the course of the season.
Alternative meanings of TE3 in football
On top of its meaning in fantasy football, the term TE3 can be used in other contexts as well.
On some occasions, this football terminology can be used to describe a team’s depth chart.
For example, a term may refer to the top quarterback on their depth chart as the QB1. They will refer to the second-string quarterback as the QB2.
This sort of terminology is mainly used in positions in which there is one starter. It is an easy way to break down where each player lines up in terms of their position on the team.
Though it is important to remember that this term is not used this way when referencing fantasy football.
In fantasy football, a term like TE3 refers to a player’s ranking in fantasy while in other contexts it refers to a players position on the depth chart.
What to look for in a TE3
Now that you understand what a TE3 is in fantasy football you may be wondering what you should be looking for when adding players of this teir to your fantasy team.
Opportunity to be a red-zone target
One trait that you want in a TE3 is the ability to be a target in the red zone. Players in this tier are often not going to be getting many catches or yards throughout a game.
This means they are largely going to be dependent on touchdowns. If a TE3 has a chance to become a major red-zone target for his team then this can present a lot of value in this tier.
A single touchdown is worth sixty receiving yards in most fantasy formats. Finding a player that will get a few extra touchdowns compared to players at his tier can result in a large difference in fantasy production.
Draft capital
When sorting through TE3s it can be tough to determine which players you want to add to your team.
One factor that can play into these players’ success is the draft capital invested in them. If a player is drafted in a high round it is likely a team will be more determined to have them succeed.
If stuck between two players in the TE3 tier you may want to check when they were drafted to see how much a team spent to acquire them.
