RADIO
Andersen's fantasy football tight end rankings and tiers for 2025 fantasy football. His rankings analysis and player outlooks for the NFL's top tight ends.
Fantasy football players are already looking ahead to their 2025 drafts. The sharpest managers shouldn't enter their drafts without checking expert rankings from the RotoBaller staff, which can be found here. In particular, understanding the tight-end position is imperative as managers look for a blend of talent and value with their selections.
In this feature, we take a closer look at RotoBaller's tight-end rankings. The top tier of players remains predictable, but there is plenty of intriguing discourse surrounding some of the younger, up-and-coming tight ends. Plus, there are plenty of close calls to make on draft day and value targets to consider.
Let's dive deeper into the fantasy outlooks of 29 NFL tight ends, organized by tiers and sorted by their position in RotoBaller's latest batch of fantasy football rankings.
Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!
Tier 1 TE Ranking Thoughts
Brock Bowers was the overall TE1 as a rookie last year, and he remains in the top spot ahead of 2025 fantasy drafts. He continues to trend upward after the Raiders upgraded their quarterback situation from Aidan O'Connell to Geno Smith.
Brock Bowers in his rookie season
☠️ 112 catches (rookie record)
☠️ 1,194 yards (1st among TEs)
☠️ 596 yards after the catch (1st among TEs)
☠️ 15 contested catches (1st among TEs) pic.twitter.com/6d8uKTOwN9— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) January 6, 2025
Trey McBride could be headed for positive regression as he builds on last year. He scored only two touchdowns in 2024 and still managed to finish as the overall TE2. If he finds the end zone more often, he could threaten Bowers for the top spot.
George Kittle also sneaks into this tier after another dominant campaign in 2024. He has been a top-5 fantasy tight end in each of the last four seasons, as well as six of the last seven. Now that Travis Kelce has lost his magic touch, Kittle may be the most consistent tight end in the NFL season over season.
Tier 2 TE Ranking Thoughts
Sam LaPorta and T.J. Hockenson are dependable, but not quite enough to sneak into the top tier. Still, they're intriguing mid-round options for fantasy managers looking for a slight discount at the position. LaPorta is arguably Jared Goff's No. 2 option in the passing game, and Hockenson has upside as a security blanket for J.J. McCarthy.
Mark Andrews was incredibly frustrating over his first five games last season, but he bounced back as the overall TE5 from Weeks 6 to 18. The rise of Isaiah Likely makes it impossible to trust Andrews as a top-tier option, but he is still a terrific playmaker who can deliver big games.
The same can be said of Travis Kelce, who had been a top-7 fantasy tight end for seven consecutive seasons before missing that mark in each of the last two years. In 2024, he was the overall TE5, delivering his worst finish since 2015. His career is on the decline, but he remains a dependable veteran option for Patrick Mahomes in a high-powered offense. He'll finish the year inside the top 10.
Can't wait to watch Travis Kelce catch footballs again pic.twitter.com/vGe7KQ3F37
— BBQ Chiefs (@BBQChiefs) May 26, 2025
Tier 3 TE Ranking Thoughts
Jonnu Smith finds his way into this tier after a breakout campaign in 2024. He was the overall TE1 from Weeks 11 to 18 last year, finishing more than 14 points higher than the next-best tight end, Bowers. Regression is always possible, but we think Smith should remain a strong tight-end option in 2025 despite losing some targets to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Update - The Dolphins have traded Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a result, he will likely share opportunities with Pat Freiermuth, which makes him an even greater risk at his current ADP.
David Njoku and Evan Engram are two tight ends who found significant success last year, but they also battled injuries. Njoku missed six contests, but his 13.5 fantasy points per game ranked fourth among tight ends. Engram scored double-digit fantasy points in 56 percent of his games, and he could continue to trend up playing for offensive guru Sean Payton in Denver this season.
Evan Engram led all tight ends in both receptions (112) and yards (957) from the slot over the last two seasons.
Under Sean Payton, Broncos tight ends have run 52.3% of their routes from the slot, the 5th-highest rate in the NFL.@Broncos | #BroncosCountry https://t.co/aQ8Hsw7c9r pic.twitter.com/37ATNgaki0
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 13, 2025
Tier 4 TE Ranking Thoughts
Welcome to the tight-end dead zone! This tier consists of those tight ends who will score a touchdown every few weeks but also give you a bunch of three-catch, low-yardage games. These players can be frustrating week in and week out, but they're still solid, matchup-dependent options.
Tucker Kraft emerged as the Packers' primary tight end last year, catching 50 passes for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. He was the overall TE10, but could be due for some regression with Luke Musgrave healthy and Matthew Golden stealing targets. Pat Freiermuth also showed flashes last season, finishing as the TE9. However, a late-career Aaron Rodgers and the additions of Jonnu Smith and DK Metcalf could result in him falling off the fantasy football radar.
Dallas Goedert and Jake Ferguson both play in strong NFC East offenses, but they're overshadowed by dominant wide receivers. Goedert reaffirmed his commitment to Philadelphia with an extension, but he was the TE28 (through 10 games) last year. He has never finished inside the top 10 fantasy tight ends. Ferguson averaged fewer than three catches per game over the final six weeks, albeit without Dak Prescott.
Dalton Kincaid and Kyle Pitts are two young tight ends who have drastically underperformed so far. Kincaid was once viewed as a potential dynasty TE1, but instead, he has been the overall TE11 and TE30. He averaged just 3.4 catches, 34.5 yards, and 0.2 touchdowns per game in 2024. Meanwhile, Pitts hasn't been a top-12 fantasy tight end since his rookie campaign in 2021, and he's reportedly a trade candidate.
Kyle Pitts in 2024:
worst receiver error of any TE
#41 of 43 TEs at getting open per tracking data
career-low 1.34 yards per route run
#55 in YAC on short targets for TEs
#75 in run blocking for TEs
outsnapped by Charlie Woerner over final 7 wkspic.twitter.com/BLExTnz2tC
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 30, 2025
Zach Ertz had a career resurgence of sorts last year, finishing as the overall TE7. He still had some dud games, and he'll likely be due for a bit of regression in 2025. Nevertheless, he's the clear No. 1 tight end in an offense that moves the ball down the field quite well.
Tier 5 TE Ranking Thoughts
Rookies Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland are both intriguing options given their landing spots and draft capital. Warren gives Indianapolis the alpha tight end it hasn't had in a while, and his versatility could allow him to be utilized in several ways. Loveland was the first tight end off the board, as well as Ben Johnson's first draft pick, perhaps filling the LaPorta role in Chicago.
Cade Otton looked like one of the NFL's best tight ends with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans off the field last year, but he essentially disappeared once Evans returned. The 26-year-old had single-digit fantasy points in 64.3 percent of his games.
Hunter Henry also appears in this tier due to his relative inconsistency last year. For a significant portion of the season, he was outproduced by Austin Hooper. Henry did come around near the end of the year, eclipsing 9.0 fantasy points four times in a five-game stretch from Weeks 11 to 16.
Isaiah Likely is a talented, up-and-coming tight end. His position behind Andrews on the depth chart limits his upside, but he has top-10 potential should Andrews miss any time. Head coach John Harbaugh also said that he wants to see Likely become an All-Pro.
John Harbaugh was asked what he'd like to see from Isaiah Likely this year: "I'd like to see him be an All-Pro. That's my goal for him. He's capable of it." pic.twitter.com/zv7Kh7wTdx
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) May 28, 2025
Brenton Strange and Mike Gesicki both showed flashes of potential at times last year. Strange averaged 8.3 points per game when Engram was sidelined last year, and now he'll step into the lead role full-time with Engram in Denver. Gesicki was the overall TE4 over the final two weeks of the campaign, giving him momentum heading into 2025.
Tier 6 TE Ranking Thoughts
Chig Okonkwo and Dalton Schultz are the top tight ends on their respective teams' depth charts, but neither has a major role on offense. Okonkwo has never finished as a top-20 fantasy tight end despite playing every game in his career. He had just 479 yards and two touchdowns last year. Schultz also had just two touchdowns, and he finished with double-digit points in only 11.8 percent of his games.
Cole Kmet showed promise at times last year, catching passes from Caleb Williams. However, the new coaching regime selected Colston Loveland to be Chicago's new No. 1 tight end.
Mason Taylor and Ja'Tavion Sanders both bring youth to the position. Taylor was drafted to be the Jets' tight end of the future, and he should be one of Justin Fields' favorite options in the passing attack. Sanders ascended to the top of the Panthers' depth chart with 21 catches and 261 yards over a six-game stretch during the middle of the last season. He ended the season on a quiet note but still has real upside.
Rookie TE Mason Taylor had 2 TDs at OTAs today 👀🔥✈#Jets | 🎥 @nyjets pic.twitter.com/DSmbMyhimX
— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) June 2, 2025
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
More Fantasy Football Analysis
