Fantasy football 2025: Top 10 TE values

Average draft position: Round 16 (TE24)

Mason Taylor is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, so greatness runs through his blood. At LSU, Mason showed he’s a smooth route runner with soft hands. He was often used on shorter targets that allowed him to run after the catch. I would expect to see the same from him as a rookie in the NFL. The Jets are very thin at pass catcher behind Garrett Wilson, and Justin Fields has thrown 13 percent of his passes to tight ends over the last three years. (For context, the league average last year was 11 percent.) We saw Fields elevate the fantasy status of Cole Kmet during his Bears tenure. Taylor is a late-round dart throw with a low floor, but there is some upside here if he sees consistent volume.

Average draft position: Round 16 (TE26)

Arroyo was a favorite of mine during this offseason's draft process. What stood out to me: his combination of size (6-foot-5, 254 pounds) and speed. Arroyo can use both to win downfield, and he had a lot more deep targets than you typically see from a college tight end. He also can win after the catch as a runner. Deep plays and YAC? Very few tight ends offer that on a consistent basis. And due to his size, he could become a go-to option for the Seahawks in the red zone. With Seattle recently moving on from Noah Fant, there is a clear path for Arroyo to be the team’s top tight end this season. The best part? He currently has an ADP as the TE26. He’s going to offer absolutely free upside in many leagues!

Average draft position: Round 10 (TE10)

I was initially wary of Kraft due to the very crowded receiver room in Green Bay. It’s going to be difficult for anyone to see consistent targets in that offense. However, the bar for tight ends is so much lower than it is for receivers, and Kraft was third among TEs in fantasy points per target last season. Also, Jordan Love threw 14 percent of his passes to tight ends in each of the last two years. Kraft finished fifth in YAC and second in YAC over expectation among tight ends in 2024. His production could be volatile from week to week, but Kraft is worth a shot as a back-end TE1.

Average draft position: Round 12 (TE13)

Kincaid, the 25th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, was hyped up in fantasy circles before each of his first two seasons. Things are different in Year 3, though. Now he is being drafted outside of the top 12 tight ends. To me, that creates a buying opportunity. Last year, Kincaid ranked second among tight ends with a 29 percent target rate. He was often the Bills' top target in games before injuring his knee in November. It’s also worth noting he had the highest rate of uncatchable targets of all tight ends that were targeted at least 50 times. Lastly, Josh Allen threw a career-high 10 percent of passes to tight ends last season. Kincaid hasn't lived up to expectations so far, but he is still tied to one of the best QBs and offenses in football. And now he's available for a cheaper price than ever before in fantasy drafts. 

Average draft position: Round 9 (TE7)

Engram has finished among the top 12 tight ends in fantasy points per game in three consecutive seasons. He finished among the top seven in two of those years. We know he can play, but his arrival in Denver could really move the fantasy needle. Engram has always been a target-earner and he should once again play that role as the likely No. 2 target for Bo Nix (behind only WR Courtland Sutton). Plus, Sean Payton worked wonders with his tight ends in New Orleans. From 2008 through 2014, when the Saints had Jeremy Shockey and/or Jimmy Graham, New Orleans' offenses targeted tight ends on a quarter of the passes. There is an easy argument that Engram is Payton’s best tight end since then. You can find that upside in the eighth or ninth round of your drafts. 

Average draft position: Round 9 (TE8)

Originally, I expected to be out on Andrews heading into 2025, but his ADP is currently toward the end of the ninth round. I will gladly take a chance on him at that cost. He finished fourth among tight ends in yards per route last season. He led the position in fantasy points per target, and he ranked second in fantasy points per route and end zone targets. He was more touchdown-dependent last year than he was in the past, and he has target competition, but he is tied to one of the best offenses in the league. At a reduced cost compared to past years, Andrews is a value.

Average draft position: Round 11 (TE12)

Loveland can exceed his low-end TE1 draft cost if he’s healthy to start the season, and so far, there are no signs that his offseason shoulder surgery is a hindrance. Loveland was the Bears’ first draft selection since the hiring of head coach Ben Johnson, who has compared Loveland to Sam LaPorta. Don’t forget that Johnson was the architect behind LaPorta’s Pro Bowl rookie season with the Lions. Last year, LaPorta saw 83 targets, after having 120 as a rookie. In 2022, the Lions traded T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota at midseason, but he was on pace to clear 100 targets in Johnson’s system, as well. We know the coach likes to feature the tight end in his offense. Now, competition for targets in Chicago could hold Loveland back as a rookie, but he brings plenty of upside at a relatively low price. 

Average draft position: Round 3 (TE2)

McBride is often going in the third round of drafts, about half a round or so behind TE1 Brock Bowers. McBride averaged slightly more fantasy PPG than Bowers last season (15.61 to 15.45), posting 111 catches for 1,146 yards. He was targeted at the highest rate among tight ends (29.7%), and if you rostered him, you know his floor is very safe each week. Now imagine if positive touchdown regression hits! McBride finished with just two TD catches despite having the highest red-zone target share of all tight ends and the fourth-most end zone targets. If he duplicates his catch and yardage numbers while scoring more touchdowns in 2025, he could easily be the runaway TE1 this season.

Average draft position: Round 10 (TE9)

As you can see, I am very bullish on Warren. I know people might point to his QB room or the target competition around him as cause for concern, but they were saying the same things about Brock Bowers last year! We have seen in recent years (Bowers, Sam LaPorta, Kyle Pitts) that rookie tight ends can contribute immediately in fantasy football. Warren is a big target who can excel after the catch. Both Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones are statistically at their best when targeting the middle of the field. Warren should be the go-to guy in that area. Leading the Colts in targets and finishing as a top-five fantasy TE is within the range of outcomes for him, so he brings a lot of upside at a low-end-TE1 cost.

Average draft position: Round 8 (TE5)

Want an elite tight end without having to pay the elite-tight end price? Hockenson is the answer for you! Hock is now a full season removed from his ACL/MCL injury in December of 2023, which is when players tend to get back to their old form. He’s also playing in an extremely fantasy-friendly system. In fact, we have already seen him put up elite numbers in the Vikings’ offense. In 2023, he was on pace for 149 targets, 111 catches, 1,095 yards and six touchdowns prior to his Week 16 knee injury. That production would have made him the TE1 in 2023 and the TE2 last season, behind only Bowers. I expect first-time starter J.J. McCarthy to look his way often as a big-bodied target across the middle. Target him in the middle rounds of your fantasy drafts!