5 Undervalued Fantasy Football Tight Ends: Kacey's Must-Have TEs with Upside (2025)

August 23, 2025

Kacey Kasem's fantasy football tight end sleepers and high-upside draft targets for 2025. Her value picks and TE league-winners include Brenton Strange and more.

I’m sure you’re used to hearing it by now. The tight-end position in fantasy football always feels like dart throw after dart throw if you don’t pay up early for one of the elite guys. Once you get past those guys, you’re sifting through a pile of names that don’t inspire confidence.

Part of the issue with this is that tight ends are hard to value appropriately. Too often, we’ll look at last year’s numbers in a bubble and ignore the bigger picture. You know the bigger picture: quarterback play, team usage, red-zone involvement, or a hiccup with an injury. But also, only seven tight ends cracked the top 100 in fantasy scoring last season, so it makes sense why there are so many TEs available late.

Every year, we see undervalued tight ends become difference-makers for not only their teams but for our fantasy rosters. Last season, we saw guys like Jonnu Smith and Zach Ertz surge out of nowhere to give fantasy managers confidence. And that’s why I want to dive into a group of tight ends who need more attention. They’re not the TEs who will win you drafts, but they could be the difference you need to make it to the playoffs (especially when injuries and bye weeks show up).

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

• FFPC ADP: 107
• RotoBaller PPR Ranking: 108

Scoreless in 2024: that’s what we remember if we drafted Jake Ferguson, as we expected a repeat of his 2023 season. Last year, Ferguson caught 59 passes for 494 yards after bringing in 71 balls for 761 yards and five touchdowns the season prior.

Ferguson missed three contests due to injury last year, and a season-ending hamstring injury to QB Dak Prescott in Week 9 made the situation worse. When Prescott was healthy last season, he didn’t look like MVP-caliber Dak, but he still peppered the tight end with an average of 7.6 targets per contest (so his role is evident).

PPR managers saw Ferguson finish as the TE25 in 2024 after reigning at TE9 the year before. In his 2023 campaign, he averaged 10.4 PPR points per contest (177.1 total). Last year, that dipped to 7.5 points per game (104.4 total). He was still the second-most-targeted player on the Cowboys behind superstar CeeDee Lamb.

#Cowboys defense keeps punching at the ball but Jake Ferguson is holding this ball like it’s an Infinity Stone.

no prying that away from him. #Cowboys #TrainingCamp pic.twitter.com/pFysPcwDvN

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) July 24, 2025

George Pickens now joins Dallas as a true WR2, something Dallas has been missing. Despite this, Ferguson should still demand looks. His usage in the red zone is the biggest question mark, as he had just two targets inside the 10 last season compared to 12 the year prior. The results? Three short-range touchdowns in 2023, but none in 2024.

The Cowboys just inked Ferguson to a four-year, $52 million extension ($30 million guaranteed). They paid him, so they’ll use him. If Dak can stay healthy, Ferguson could become one of the best undervalued tight ends of the season. He’s off the board as TE12 at the moment, but in this offense, he should outperform his ADP.

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders

• FFPC ADP: 144
• RotoBaller PPR Rank: 148

Zach Ertz was supposed to retire, right? Nope, he’s returning for his second season with the Commanders. Jayden Daniels has trust in the veteran tight end, and Ertz should see his fair share of work again in 2025. The tight end ended 2024 tallying 66 catches, 564 yards, and seven touchdowns.

During the regular season, Ertz was second on the team in receptions, yards, targets, and touchdowns, only behind No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin. Washington has added Deebo Samuel Sr. in the offseason, but there is plenty of offensive firepower for all the weapons on the roster. The team finished fifth in scoring and seventh in yards last year, so he’ll have a valuable role despite the WR addition.

A quick look at TE Zach Ertz at #Commanders practice. Another player who had a good day. First play of team drills: JD5 to Ertz on the inside, coverage by Wagner and Luvu pic.twitter.com/3kWSlpR2Lu

— Skylar Nelson (@SkyMad03) August 4, 2025

Ertz finished up 2024 as the TE7 in PPR leagues, averaging 10.4 points per game and securing 177.4 total fantasy points. For a player selected as TE17 in FFPC (ADP 144), there’s a mismatch in value here.

You know the TE streets are rough out there, so getting a later guy like Ertz is ideal if you punt the position. He may not be a flashy pick, but he has the traits fantasy managers love: opportunity and touchdown upside.

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

• FFPC ADP: 146
• RotoBaller PPR Rank: 163

Evan Engram was released by the Jaguars, catapulting Brenton Strange into starter status. Strange had seven contests last season where he played at least 60% of the snaps while displaying his potential as a pass-catcher and blocker. After releasing Engram, the team did not bring in a replacement, signaling the team believes in Strange as its TE1.

The Jaguars did add Travis Hunter and Dyami Brown to go along with Brian Thomas Jr. in the wide receiver room. With Liam Coen now calling the shots, Strange has an intriguing opportunity in his first year as a full-time starter. Last season with the Buccaneers, Coen helped Cade Otton register 84 targets. If Strange can play a similar role, he could be a dependable third option behind Thomas and Hunter.

#Jaguars scrimmage today. Should be a lovely practice. Here’s TE Brenton Strange doing what he’s done all camp: pic.twitter.com/IX3ebyTDZ1

— Demetrius Harvey (@Demetrius82) August 14, 2025

In the eight contests Engram missed, Strange averaged 5.0 targets and 34.4 yards per game and put up a season-best 18.3-point Week 15 performance. Overall, Strange secured four double-digit fantasy games, proving what he can do when given the chance.

Now sliding into the top role, Strange has a strong path to volume with obvious upside. He might not be your “walking highlight” type of player, but he can quietly deliver TE1 numbers while being taken as the TE18 in fantasy drafts.

Mason Taylor, New York Jets

• FFPC ADP: 170
• RotoBaller PPR Rank: 205

Rookie tight ends aren’t known for being Year 1 contributors, but recent seasons (Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers) have changed that perception. Mason Taylor, a 2025 second-rounder who played at LSU, is on a roster where he can see work right away. The Jets desperately needed another option besides Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, and Taylor should be that guy as he sits atop the depth chart.

The 21-year-old brings youth and breakout appeal to an offense helmed by Justin Fields. Fields has a history of working well with tight ends, as displayed by his time in Chicago with Cole Kmet. Kmet nabbed 50 passes for 544 yards and seven scores in 2022 and followed that up with 73 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. If Taylor can see even part of that production, he’ll be fantasy relevant.

Mason Taylor STILL being slept on for 2025pic.twitter.com/gSKdAwvncV

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) July 29, 2025

Taylor missed the Jets’ first preseason matchup due to an ankle injury, but he hauled in a pass in the second. He’s in front of Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt on the depth chart, and they’re not scaring anyone (zero NFL TDs for Ruckert, one for Smartt).

The rookie might not be drafted in most redraft leagues, making him an intriguing option you can wait on. He’ll probably end up as a deep sleeper or waiver wire phenom who sees volume in a thin Jets passing game. Grab him with one of your final picks instead of that sixth-string RB.

AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks

• FFPC ADP: 343
• RotoBaller PPR ADP: 279

Noah Fant was released by the Seahawks, immediately paving the way for AJ Barner. A 2024 fourth-rounder, Barner brought in 30 passes for 245 yards and four TDs as a rookie backing up Fant. With Fant out, Barner currently sits atop the depth chart.

Seattle took Elijah Arroyo in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s made noise during the preseason, and there is a possibility he starts the season as the No. 1. But Barner looks to have a hold on the lead job for Week 1. Arroyo could eventually take over, but until then, it’s Barner’s job to lose.

Sam Darnold ➡️ AJ Barner
pic.twitter.com/P4aI8eORI8

— SleeperSeahawks (@SleeperSeahawks) May 30, 2025

Last year, Barner tallied 38 targets as a depth piece. This season, Seattle added Eric Saubert for depth (third on the depth chart), but he’s not threatening Barner or Arroyo for the starting job. Depth pieces aren’t going to eat too many targets.

Barner is not someone I recommend drafting as your only tight end, but he is a name worth remembering. In deeper leagues, stash him to see if he gets volume as the lead TE. Sleep on him if you want, but don’t be surprised if Barner ends up as a waiver wire darling.

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