Overvalued Fantasy Football Tight Ends: 5 Potential Big-Name Busts to Avoid (2025)

September 1, 2025

Kacey's fantasy football tight end draft avoids and overvalued players for 2025. Her top TE fades include Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson, and more.

Many managers draft like this when it comes to tight ends: grab an elite option early or fade the position entirely (opting for late dart throws and streamers). Both options can work. The problem is those tight ends in the middle zone; players with safe names that feel "fine" to draft.

Tight end scoring is volatile, and a lot of the time it's touchdown-driven. Managers chase last year's end-zone darlings or buy into "he's the No. 3 target, he'll be fine" crowd. And to take most of these players where they're going, you'll be passing up on running backs with upside and wideouts with 100+ targets in their future.

I'll look squarely at these big-name, middle-ground tight ends you should be avoiding. Those tight ends who can give you TE1 weeks, but won't give you enough to justify the cost and anxiety you'll face. These are five tight ends to avoid in redraft leagues and why you should pivot. And if you need high-upside TE options, I've already provided my top five.

Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers

Veteran TE Jonnu Smith is coming off a late-in-his-career breakout where he bested his previous records: 111 targets, 88 receptions, 884 yards, and eight touchdowns. He finished as the overall TE4 in PPR. With the Dolphins, Smith found himself in an ideal situation. His role increased, and he became a go-to option in the red zone.

His trade to Pittsburgh resets everything, dropping his current ADP to TE16. He reunites with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, likely a positive, but he'll be splitting time with long-time Steeler, Pat Freiermuth. We've seen this before: in 2023, Jonnu shared time with Kyle Pitts and ended the year with a usable 50 receptions for 582 yards and three scores.

Sources: The #Steelers are trading for #Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith, acquiring one of OC Arthur Smith’s favorite weapons. Pittsburgh has been searching for a new pass-catcher and now land one.

He gets a 1-year, $12M extension done by Drew Rosenhaus, as well. pic.twitter.com/kGB2LBf7zm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 30, 2025

That's not the profile you want to lean on with your only tight end, but it gets even less attractive from there. The Steelers averaged just 29.4 pass attempts per contest last season. Yes, they now have Aaron Rodgers under center, but he's in the final stretch of his career and is on a one-year deal.

Smith missed the entire preseason with knee soreness, although it does not seem to be serious. He was one of the handful of offensive vets who didn't play, a decision made out of precaution. But missed August reps matter, especially when you're joining a new roster.

The wide receiver room in Pittsburgh is thin, which creates opportunities for targets, but that's not bankable (especially with Freiermuth in the fold). For where Smith goes in drafts, you can definitely talk yourself into grabbing him as your second tight end. He's one of those tight ends who causes you stress with start/sit decisions on Sunday morning, so save yourself the headache.

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Touchdowns were what Mark Andrews lived on last season. He put up a career-best 11 TDs on just 55 receptions (69 targets), with 673 receiving yards. Andrews ranked 20th among tight ends in targets and 14th in receptions, but he turned nine of his 10 end-zone targets into scores. Those touchdowns catapulted him to TE6 status by the end of the season. He's in line for touchdown regression in 2025, especially if he puts up similar volume to last year.

In the first nine contests of 2024, Andrews had two goose eggs (Weeks 3 and 4) and averaged just 8.5 fantasy points per matchup. Six of those nine contests went for 9.5 or fewer points.

Mark Andrews really scored 11 TDs on 15 redzone targets last season

preposterous pic.twitter.com/rGBeXVWqJ3

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) July 2, 2025

His second half was much better as he averaged 14 fantasy points per contest and was the TE4 for that stretch. He scored seven of his touchdowns in the final eight games of the season, so his production heavily depended on TDs at this time.

Isaiah Likely remains a factor whenever he's on the field. He's a persistent pest for Andrews' managers because he snipes targets and scores (58 targets, 42 receptions, 477 yards, and six touchdowns last season). Likely underwent foot surgery in July and is out for at least six weeks, so that's a temporary boost for Andrews. Once Likely returns, you're hoping Andrews can remain hyper-efficient in the end zone.

At his current cost, you're assuming there's no drop off with Andrews whatsoever. He will still have spike weeks this season, but I'm fading him at cost. It's anchored to a touchdown rate that screams regression.

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

There's no denying Sam LaPorta's talent. His rookie year, 2023, was remarkable: 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He instantly became a fantasy superstar. But last year, drafters paid up for him and didn't get the return they were expecting. He ended the season as the TE8, posting 60 catches for 726 yards and seven scores. Solid stats, but not what you wanted at his 2024 draft cost.

Fast forward to 2025 drafts, and LaPorta is selected as TE4. There are reasons for hesitation, especially at that price. Ben Johnson is no longer the offensive coordinator (now Bears head coach), and there could be a dip in efficiency with a new OC John Morton. The Lions have plenty of playmakers on their roster, including Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

Brock Bowers was the only rookie tight end drafted in the first two rounds to surpass 200 expected and actual fantasy points in their rookie year.

Other rookie TEs that had over 175 receiving EP/Season:
-Sam Laporta
-Kyle Pitts
-Evan Engram

Most saw a decline in Year 2.… pic.twitter.com/eqpA7Nns0k

— Corbin (@corbin_young21) August 5, 2025

Last year, the Lions ranked 18th in total targets, but Jared Goff managed to spread the ball out. St. Brown dominated with 141 targets, Williams saw 91, LaPorta had 83, and RB Jahmyr Gibbs tallied 63. Brown is the clear alpha in the system, and Williams is emerging quickly. The team also drafted rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa in the 2025 Draft. There's just a lot of competition for weekly volume.

Early-season usage was frustrating for LaPorta last season. He averaged just 2.8 targets over his first six contests, including two matchups with a single reception. He improved as the season progressed, averaging 6.6 targets per matchup over the last 10 regular-season contests. That slow start burned managers who took him early in drafts.

LaPorta has recently been sidelined, but head coach Dan Campbell says it's nothing serious. And he has returned to practice on Tuesday. Any missed time in August is important to note, especially when the player's ADP is this steep. He's a fade for me at his current cost.

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos

Last season, Evan Engram managed to play in just nine games, turning 64 targets into 47 receptions for 365 yards and a lone TD. He posted a career-low 7.8 yards per reception as well. Before that, 2023 was his best season. He had a career-high 143 targets, 114 receptions, and 963 yards. We've seen the talent and the usage. The questions come with his price tag, health, and the environment he's now in.

This season will be Engram's age-31 campaign. He joins the Denver Broncos under Sean Payton after a three-year stint with the Jaguars. In this offense, there is a way Engram can be second in targets behind Courtland Sutton, especially if Bo Nix takes a step forward in his second season.

Over the past TWO seasons, Evan Engram has scored just 49.0 fantasy points on play action.

That compares to:

> 61.2 for Sean Payton's TEs in 2024 alone

> 88.0 for Sam LaPorta in 2024 alone

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) July 27, 2025

But historically speaking, Engram doesn't provide much in the touchdown department. He has not cleared four TDs in a season since his 2017 rookie year and scored just one last year. Touchdowns matter when you're drafting a tight end at Engram's cost.

Beyond Sutton, Denver has a cluster of options who can swipe a few looks each week. Pat Bryant, Devaughn Vele, and Marvin Mims Jr. are all wide receivers who can steal targets from Engram. Denver's WR corps does just enough to turn a TE's 8-target performance into a 6-target one.

A player in a new building, one year older, and a QB still trying to prove himself isn't the best recipe for success. Engram has a modest touchdown ceiling, and I'm not willing to pay his current price for a "steady enough" tight end.

T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

T.J. Hockenson's name carries weight, but his recent production doesn't give you any leeway when drafting him as TE5. Hockenson tore his ACL and MCL in Week 16 of 2023 and missed seven matchups in 2024. Across 10 contests in his return, he posted 41 receptions for 455 yards, but zero touchdowns. The TE averaged 8.7 fantasy points per game last year, good enough for TE18 in points per game. His performance put him behind Tyler Higbee (8.9) and just ahead of Mike Gesicki (8.3). That's an output that doesn't scream premium ADP.

It's not all bad for Hockenson. J.J. McCarthy starts his first season in the NFL after missing his entire rookie year. There's a real chance Hock can become a security blanket for the young QB. But you're still dealing with competition in the passing game from Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison (once he returns from suspension), and depth like Jalen Nailor and Adam Thielen (welcome back).

Good to be back watching the boys today. Love it out here, and some ⁦@Vikings⁩ who look especially bigger/stronger included TE TJ Hockenson, LB Dallas Turner and CB Dwight McGlothern. #MiniCampCovenant pic.twitter.com/zUGCb8iqYF

— Paul Allen (@PAOnTheMic) June 10, 2025

The schedule isn't the best for the tight end either. The Vikings face off in nine matches against defenses that were top-14 versus tight ends last year. They'll get the Lions in both Weeks 9 and 17, a team that permitted the fewest points to TEs per game last season.

Consistency basically explains the hesitation in drafting Hockenson. Last season, Hock had a handful of "almost there" games (15.2, 18.4, 10.2, 11.8). Beyond that, he found himself with a lot of 5-9 point outputs (5.7, 3.3, 5.8, 4.7, 2.9). His 95 catches for 960 yards and five TDs in 2023 give managers optimism.

Hock saw his targets per contest fall from 8.5 in 2023 to 6.2 in 2024, which causes less optimism. Add in a QB in his first starting season and a schedule that doesn't do any favors, and you're paying top prices for a player that needs to re-establish his weekly ceiling.

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