2025 Fantasy Football TE Rankings & Tiers: Trey McBride Tops the List

From early winners to late-round sleepers, here’s your 2025 fantasy football tight end tier guide to help you spot value and draft with confidence.

Jan 5, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Tier 1: The Superstars You Can Build Around

These are the elite tight end workhorses who command volume, targets, and matchups nearly every week.

Trey McBride (Cardinals): McBride cemented his elite status with 111 catches and a major contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals. If volume is king, McBride is royalty, and he’s being drafted at tier one prices. Fantasy managers in a PPR league will want Brock Bowers or McBride, who are neck and neck with targets.

Brock Bowers (Raiders): After rewriting the rookie TE record books with 112 receptions and nearly 1,200 yards in 2024, Bowers is already a fantasy fixture. His chemistry with the Las Vegas Raiders is ironclad, and his efficiency makes him a high-floor TE1.

George Kittle (49ers): Even at age 31, Kittle remains a physical mismatch in the red zone and a favorite target of Purdy. Think 13–15 fantasy points weekly when he's healthy. With the San Francisco 49ers going through some changes from the offseason, Kittle remains a constant.

Tier 2: High-Upside, Still Safe Choices

These tight ends aren't quite the ironclad picks of tier one—but they're loud options with tangible upside.

Sam LaPorta (Lions): LaPorta's rookie season still resonates: Pro Bowl honors, rookie records, and end-of-season consistency. He’s both a reliable safety valve and a red-zone weapon for the Detroit Lions, making him one of the safest early-round TE picks in 2025. If you miss out on McBride or Bowers, LaPorta is the kind of high-floor, high-ceiling option who can anchor your tight end spot all season.

Mark Andrews (Ravens): Andrews is still one of the most dominant tight ends in football, blending physicality with elite route-running. With Isaiah Likely sidelined to start the season, Andrews should see an uptick in snaps and red-zone opportunities. Even if the Baltimore Ravens spread the ball around, Andrews’ chemistry with Jackson and proven track record keep him locked in as a safe fantasy option.

Additional Tier 2:
TJ Hockenson
Travis Kelce

Tier 3: Reliable Producers to Round Out Your Roster

Evan Engram (Broncos): Engram’s move to the Denver Broncos puts him in Sean Payton’s creative, tight-end-friendly offense (think Jimmy Graham’s glory days in New Orleans). Engram’s speed and versatility mean he can line up in the slot, out wide, or as a traditional in-line tight end, giving him mismatches all over the field.

David Njoku (Browns): Njoku quietly posted one of the most consistent seasons of his career in 2024, finishing top-10 among tight ends in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. His athleticism makes him a nightmare in space, and the Cleveland Browns' offensive scheme will likely still continue to feature him heavily in short and intermediate routes.

Additional Tier 3:
Jake Ferguson
Tucker Kraft
Dallas Goedert
Dalton Kincaid
Hunter Henry
Jonnu Smith
Zach Ertz
Kyle Pitts
Isaiah Likely

Tier 4: Sleeper Targets with Week-Winning Potential

Colston Loveland (Bears): Loveland's rookie upside makes him interesting in deeper formats. He'll likely be sharing targets with the Chicago Bears veteran tight end, Cole Kmet. That being said, Kmet has been pretty lackluster and could easily be overtaken if Loveland is up for it.

Brenton Strange (Jaguars): Strange is a sleeper in a tight-end-friendly Jacksonville Jaguars offense. Fantasy success at tight end often comes in the form of a breakout pick from the depths.

Additional Tier 4:
Tyler Warren (R)
Mike Gesicki
Cade Otton
Brenton Strange
Dalton Schultz
Pat Freiermuth
Chig Okonkwo
Mason Taylor (R)
Elijah Arroyo (R)
Theo Johnson
Juwan Johnson
Ja’Tavion Sanders
Cole Kmet
Noah Gray

Final Thoughts

Top-tier tight ends are scarce and precious. Fantasy managers who snag Bowers, McBride, or Kittle can feel set at the position. But if your draft strategy is value-based, rounding out your team with Andrews, Engram, or even a sleeper like Strange can be just as powerful.