2025 Fantasy Football TE Rankings - Week 9 Start, Sit Tight Ends

2025 fantasy football TE rankings - Week 9 start, sit tight end rankings. Win more with our updated TE fantasy football rankings and tiers for Week 9.

A couple of stud tight ends are back in action this week, but if you don't have a must-start TE, lineup calls are tricky at the position. Use these Week 9 fantasy football tight end rankings as your guide for lineup calls at TE this weekend. In the full set of TE rankings below, you will see where key players on the start 'em, sit 'em bubble like Mark Andrews, Dalton Kincaid, Zach Ertz, Theo Johnson, Hunter Henry, and T.J. Hockenson stand, among all others at the position.

Our TE fantasy football rankings for Week 9 are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find a summary of the important fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.

Be sure to bookmark our fantasy football rankings portal and check back regularly for updates. Most importantly, our free mobile app is a must-have - download it and configure your push notifications. We deliver all the top NFL news, injuries, and fantasy analysis 24x7 with our free push notification alerts... all for free!

Editor's Note: Stay on top of your draft prep with RotoBaller’s fantasy football rankings, featuring expert analysis, ADPs, and draft insights for both PPR and non-PPR leagues.

Week 9 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings

Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings 

Week 9 Fantasy Football Tight End Outlooks

Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden has taken off over the last three weeks, recording 19 receptions for 309 yards and two touchdowns on 22 targets. Gadsden ranks as the TE2 in PPR points per game with 61.9, trailing only Green Bay Packers star tight end Tucker Kraft by half a point in that span.

The 22-year-old is emerging as one of Justin Herbert's go-to targets along with sophomore wide receiver Ladd McConkey. The Chargers should continue to lean more pass-heavy with their elite crew of pass catchers, and now that left tackle Joe Alt is back to protect Herbert's blindside. Gadsden had an excellent prospect profile at Syracuse with strong athletic traits as a former wide receiver, and he has all the makings of a stud at the tight end position for years to come. He is ranked as RotoBaller's TE5 for Week 9 against the Titans.

Chig Okonwko, Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (foot) was listed as a limited participant following Wednesday's practice. The 26-year-old has been a steady target for Cameron Ward this season, so his absence would hurt the passing game. Okonkwo has at least four catches in five of eight contests this year, ranking as the overall TE24 in PPR leagues.

He should continue to rank as a fringe top-24 fantasy tight end against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9, assuming he's active. Managers should monitor his status over the next two days of practice. If he can't suit up, we would expect more volume for Gunnar Helm, who had 23 yards and a touchdown last Sunday.

Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet (back) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Although the 26-year-old wasn't able to practice in a full capacity, he still took a step in the right direction, as this was his first recorded on-field work since exiting the Bears' Week 7 contest. With four days until Chicago's game against the Bengals, it looks like there's a real chance that Kmet could suit up this weekend. If so, he'd likely step back into his role as the team's 1A tight end alongside the 1B, rookie Colston Loveland.

The exact usage is a bit unclear, though, as Kmet had played at least 90% of the snaps in the Bears' first four games, but his snap share dropped to 52% following the bye. Regardless of the exact split, there is an opportunity for both tight ends to carve out fantasy-relevant roles this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati has been exposed by the position, allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends in 2025, as well as a league-high 10 touchdowns.

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (ankle) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice session. This is a new injury for Pitts who played 92 percent of the offensive snaps during last week's loss to the Miami Dolphins. During that game, Pitts hauled in all nine of his targets for 59 yards.

This limited session sounds like the Falcons are just being cautious with the 25-year-old tight end. Barring any setbacks, Pitts should be out there for the Week 9 matchup against the New England Patriots. Pitts has hauled in 16 receptions for 121 yards over his last two games. There's TE1 value here especially if Drake London (hip) misses another game.

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (quad) was unable to take the field during Wednesday's practice. Freiermuth appears to have picked up a quad injury during the Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He did leave the game in the third quarter, but returned and finished out the contest.

That being said, this seems like something Freiermuth can play through, but his status will need to be monitored throughout the week. If he sits, Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington will become more appealing streaming options for the Week 9 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) will be a full participant in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. Meanwhile, head coach Pete Carroll said that Bowers has "looked great" and is "playing at full speed," per ESPN's Ryan McFadden. The Raiders were saying before their Week 8 bye that the second-year TE was expected back in Week 9 to face the Jacksonville Jaguars, and a full practice for Bowers on Wednesday confirms that.

The 22-year-old initially suffered a PCL injury and a bone bruise in the season opener and tried to play through it. He hasn't played since Week 4, though, so fantasy managers are certainly itching to get him back into their starting lineups. As long as Bowers doesn't suffer a setback with his knee in practice this week, he should start on Sunday against the Jags, where he'll be a TE1 in all fantasy formats.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee has worked his way back onto the fantasy radar after a quiet start to the season. The veteran has 10 targets, seven catches, 59 yards, and one touchdown over his last two games, solidifying his role as the Rams' top tight end over Colby Parkinson and Terrance Ferguson.

He has capitalized on the impressive efficiency of Los Angeles' passing offense this season, led by Matthew Stafford. The quarterback and tight end have maintained a solid rapport despite the presence of several weapons on offense, including Puka Nacua (ankle) and Davante Adams. While Higbee's upside is highest with Nacua sidelined, he can still be a solid TE2 option if the star receiver returns for Week 9 against the Saints. Moving forward, Higbee will continue to warrant consideration as a top-24 tight end in fantasy football.

More Fantasy Football Rankings