2025 Fantasy Football: Isaiah Likely, Elijah Arroyo And 2 More Late-Round Tight Ends

Discover the best late-round fantasy football tight ends for 2025, including Isaiah Likely and rookie Elijah Arroyo, who offer breakout upside.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) warms up before the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Most fantasy owners grab one tight end and they're done. So there are usually a ton of them available late in drafts. However, there is still value to be found there. Even if you want grab a backup and stash him to see if he breaks out. These are the top late-round tight ends in fantasy football this season. 

Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Pick 182

The transition from Mark Andrews to Likely is coming at some point for the Baltimore Ravens. When the season kicks off, Andrews will be 30 years old and coming off a season in which he looked like he clearly lost a step. His fantasy season was saved by touchdowns, but Likely is younger and more athletic.

The team wasn't even definitive that Andrews would be back on the roster for 2025 when asked about it following the season. We got a glimpse at what it would look like if Likely were the featured tight end for one game last season. In that game, he caught nine of 12 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. His time is coming, and we are willing to stash him on our bench for a few weeks to see how he's deployed this season. 

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) makes a catch during pregame warmups against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Pick 190

Strange dipped his toe into fantasy relevancy in 2024 and is now poised for a full-on breakout in 2025. The Jags moved on from Evan Engram this offseason, and Strange is now the unquestioned TE1 in Jacksonville. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has often relied on his tight ends as a safety blanket and dumped it off to them when he needs to get the ball out and on short-yardage situations. Even if he doesn't have a huge breakout year, Strange is a lock to far outplay his draft value.   

Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) catches the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter at EverBank Stadium. | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Pick 213

Okonkwo has the talent and athleticism to be a superstar, similar to what we saw with David Njoku a few years back. Like Njoku, Okonkwo is the most athletic player on his offense, but has been held down by horrific quarterback play. That won't be an issue this year with the Tennessee Titans drafting former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward is an accurate playmaker who raised the level of his tight end in college. 

Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks

Pick 224

Speaking of Wards' tight end in college, here he is. Arroyo was a second-round pick, whom I have projected to be the top rookie tight end in fantasy football. All reports out of training camp have been glowing, and his talent almost immediately made Noah Fant expendable. Everyone is looking toward Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, and Mason Taylor to be that breakout rookie tight end this season. However, it's Arroyo who is going to be that guy.