At tight end in 2025, there’s a clear dividing line. George Kittle, Brock Bowers and Trey McBride aren’t just the top three on my board — they’re in their own tier, a category reserved for players who project as the unquestioned No. 1 target earners of their offenses. People will debate which one should be ranked first, but the reality is they’re all true TE1s. If you land any of them, you’re drafting the focal point of an NFL passing game.
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McBride led all tight ends with a 29.3% target share and topped the position in expected fantasy points per game (19.2), turning that into 111 receptions, 1,146 yards and 15.6 fantasy points per game — second-best at the position.
Bowers commanded a position-leading 153 targets, finishing first in receptions (112), yards (1,194) and yards after the catch (596), while matching McBride’s fantasy output at 15.5 points per game. His ability to create downfield separation (2.09 yards) and post a 27.8% dominator rating as a rookie is absurd.
Kittle continues to be the model of efficiency — first in yards per route run (3.10), yards per target (11.8) and yards per reception (14.2) — and matched the others in production at 15.8 points per game. His eight touchdowns tied for second among tight ends, and his 2.33 yards per team pass attempt was also best at the position.
These are your “Big 3” — whichever one you land, you’re drafting a player with a locked-in role, elite metrics and weekly difference-making upside.
RayG’s Top 24 Fantasy Tight Ends for 2025
George Kittle
Brock Bowers
Trey McBride
Travis Kelce
TJ Hockenson
Mark Andrews
Sam LaPorta
Evan Engram
Tucker Kraft
David Njoku
Tyler Warren
Dallas Goedert
Jake Ferguson
Dalton Kincaid
Zach Ertz
Hunter Henry
Jonnu Smith
Brenton Strange
Kyle Pitts Sr.
Colston Loveland
Mike Gesicki
Dalton Schultz
Ja'Tavion Sanders
Mason Taylor
Preferred Draft Strategy
My plan at tight end is simple — I’m chasing elite outcomes. The players whose offenses run through them. The guys who can give you 20 points in any given week and finish as the WR1 in their own offense. If I get Kittle, Bowers or McBride, I’m locking them in as my starter every week, only sitting them for their bye.
If I don’t land one of those top options, I pivot to cost-conscious plays with paths to volume. In that middle TE8–TE16 range, I’ll take small bites but rarely go heavy-exposure. At that point, I’d rather throw late darts on players who can massively outperform ADP and give me a streaming edge.
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3 Tight Ends I’m Targeting at Cost
Tyler Warren, Colts – Rookie tight ends rarely deliver right away (Bowers and LaPorta bucked that trend), but Warren steps into a clear role in a shallow target tree. Indianapolis will play conservatively, and Warren’s athleticism plus early opportunity make him worth the shot at his price.
Hunter Henry, Patriots – While the focus in New England is on Drake Maye’s young wide receivers, Henry remains the constant. He ranked top 10 in air yards share (19.2%), red-zone targets (18) and expected fantasy points per game (12.2). At cost, he’s one of the few tight ends outside the elite tier who can realistically lead his team in touchdowns.
Ja'Tavion Sanders, Panthers – Bryce Young needs middle-of-the-field weapons, and Sanders’ second-year jump could be real. Practically free, with room to grow into a key target-earner.
Sleepers to Watch
Elijah Arroyo, Seahawks – Seattle’s rookie from Miami is one of the best downfield weapons in the 2025 tight end class. Right now, his path to fantasy relevance may only require beating out AJ Barner for the starting job. In an offense with Cooper Kupp underneath and Jaxon Smith-Njigba stretching the field across multiple formations, Arroyo could carve out chunk plays as soon as Year 1.
Tyler Conklin, Chargers – Conklin isn’t going to break fantasy scoring records, but in deep formats he’s a free square for a steady floor. The Chargers will be without LT Rashawn Slater, meaning quick throws to safety valves like Conklin could be a bigger part of Justin Herbert’s plan. With Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey commanding coverage, Conklin should see favorable 1-on-1s — a solid waiver-wire TE who won’t give you a zero.
Zach Ertz, Commanders – A 34-year-old veteran with little dynasty appeal but sneaky 2025 value. With Terry McLaurin's status in Washington up in the air, Ertz steps in as Jayden Daniels’ likely security blanket. His ability to find soft spots in coverage makes him a high-floor streaming option who could easily outproduce ADP.
1 Fade at Cost
Sam LaPorta, Lions – I love the talent, but he’s coming off the board as TE4 in most drafts — three spots ahead of my ranking. We don’t know what Detroit’s offense will look like under new leadership, and paying elite capital for a player in a changing system is a bet I’m not willing to make right now.
Final Word
If you’re going to spend up, spend for the ceiling. The safest path is securing one of the top three and walking away from the position until bye week. If you miss, attack the late rounds with upside swings — because the gap between TE12 and TE24 isn’t as wide as most think.
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