The "tangential drag" of the propeller/fan still needs engine power to overcome, and so that hits efficiency - more fuel needs to be burned to produce given thrust than for a propeller/fan that imparts less kinetic energy to its spiralling airflow in noise, turbulence and bulk spiral motion.
A smooth aft-directed jet in the wake of the propeller would be ideal, in which case the low-delta-v, high-mass flow is the unique most efficient answer.