Late-Round Fantasy Football Tight End Sleepers: 4 TEs to Draft in 2025

June 2, 2025

Brant's late-round tight-end sleepers for the 2025 NFL season. His undervalued TEs and late-round targets for fantasy football drafts, including Chigoziem Okonkwo and more.

Every season, there is a debate on the “right” process to follow in drafting tight ends in fantasy football. Some analysts argue that you should grab a stud early, while others devalue the position and take shots on late-round tight ends while loading up at running back and receiver.

Both methods have their pros and cons. Today, I am going to dive into four of my favorite tight ends to target in the later rounds of fantasy drafts. If you opt to dodge the tight-end position early, these four guys could be prime targets for your team.

Read on to learn more about two rookie targets and two additional breakout tight-end prospects who should be on your radar late this fantasy draft season.

Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

This may be cheating a bit, but Tyler Warren is currently valued as the TE10 in redraft. His ADP grades him as a low-end TE1, which still puts him a clear tier below the top grouping of tight ends and ultimately makes him a later-round selection. 

Warren was drafted 14th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft after a record-breaking senior season at Penn State in which he racked up 1,233 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in addition to 218 rushing yards and four touchdowns. 

Some Tyler Warren for your feed. pic.twitter.com/XuY6aPkc50

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 13, 2025

The Colts’ depth chart has been barren at tight end year in and year out, and Warren will start instantly. He will compete with Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs for targets, and could be a pivotal piece of Daniel Jones' potential rebound from his Giants career.

While Richardson has not leaned on a security blanket in the past, typically opting to either throw a deep ball or take off and run, Warren’s presence adds a new layer to the offense. With Daniel Jones under center, he now has a unique, talented tight end to throw to.

Warren isn’t Brock Bowers, but he is the closest thing to Bowers in the league right now with his unique skill set. HC Shane Steichen was elated to add him to the roster and will be drawing up ways to get the ball into his new playmaker’s hands. While being drafted as TE10, a top-5 finish is certainly in the cards for the game-breaking rookie.

Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans

Chigoziem Okonkwo has flashed over his first three seasons in the NFL and has finished as a top 25 tight end each year, but has never surpassed TE21. He’s been consistently inconsistent, but that speaks a lot more to the quarterback play he has dealt with rather than his play.

Chig Okonkwo is being criminally overlooked in Fantasy 🏈

-In ‘24 Weeks 15-17 he averaged 18 pts per game and 9 targets per game.

-Cam Ward will throw to TE’s and we know rookie QB need a little security blanket.

-He finishes season as a low/mid TE 1 this season. pic.twitter.com/ppoO8e5HzD

— Tipp Major (@tippmajor) May 20, 2025

Okonkwo is currently the TE26 in ADP, yet finished as a top 10 tight end in three of the final six weeks of the fantasy season in 2024. Now, he gets a legit franchise quarterback in Cameron Ward to throw him the ball. Okonkwo is known for his explosive plays, and Ward is known for his deep ball. This pairing is flying under the radar, but it shouldn’t be. There is no reason not to take a flyer on Okonkwo late in fantasy drafts this season.

Mason Taylor, New York Jets

The son of Jason Taylor was a reliable target at LSU for Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier, but surrounded by so much receiver talent, he never put up consistent numbers. That being said, the second-round rookie’s film shows you all you need to know. 

He will operate as a sure-handed chain mover, which is valuable in fantasy football. Looking at his target competition, Taylor could very easily end up being new quarterback Justin Fields’ second option behind Garrett Wilson. The rest of the receiving room contains Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds, and Malachi Corley, while the tight-end room is full of inexperience with Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt. Taylor should be the Day 1 starter at tight end and very well could be the second receiving option from Day 1.

Despite the ambiguous group of weapons at Fields’ disposal, Taylor has an ADP of TE25. He’s practically free, and while he is unproven at the NFL level, he is a primary target for zero-tight-end drafters.

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

It’s a small sample size, but the third-year tight end filled in very nicely for Evan Engram when he missed time due to injury a season ago. Brenton Strange played well enough that Jacksonville let Engram walk and did not bring in any competition at the position. The 2023 second-rounder is in position to start, and could very well end up as the third target in the offense behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter.

Taking pride in your craft 🤝@BrentonStrange | @JohnOehser

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) May 25, 2025

Strange finished as the TE31 with 40 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, and now is going as the TE24 in ADP as the clear-cut starter in Jacksonville for 2025. He’s a solid zero-tight-end target as he has the upside to finish as a top 12 option at the position.

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