2025 Fantasy Football: Top 5 Tight End Strength of Schedule Matchups

Rostering an elite tight end creates an edge in scoring in fantasy leagues, especially when they produce separator stats late in the season when fantasy championships are on the line.

Buffalo Bills Tight End Dalton Kincaid | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year, six NFL teams (BAL, LV, KC, ARI, NO, and CIN) completed more than 30.0% of their passes to the tight end position, highlighted by the usage by the Raiders’ tight ends (144/1,443/5 on 198 targets). Baltimore led the league in receiving touchdowns (18) to their tight end, leading to the top ranking in fantasy points (342.10) in PPR formats.

2024 Final Tight End Offense Stats (Top 8) | Shawn Childs

Here's a look at the bulk of each team’s schedule – six division games, plus one other AFC division and one NFC division:

AFC East: AFC North/NFC South

AFC North: AFC East/NFC North

AFC South: AFC West/NFC West

AFC West: AFC South/NFC East

NFC East: AFC West/NFC North

NFC North: AFC North/NFC East

NFC South: AFC East/NFC West

NFC West: AFC South/NFC South

Based on this structure, the AFC East should have the best tight end schedule in its two AFC/NFC division matchups.

1) Buffalo Bills (Dalton Kincaid)

2024 Final Tight End Offense Stats (9 to 16) | Shawn Childs

Within the AFC East, the Bills have four winnable matchups against New England (18) and Miami (22). The Jets (10) may present a problem. They have six other favorable games (CIN – 32, KC – 30, BAL – 23, TB – 28, PIT – 26, and CAR – 25). The Texans (11), Falcons (13), Browns (14), Saints (12), and Eagles (3) offer the least upside.

2) New York Jets (Mason Taylor)

A new starting quarterback and a rookie tight end put Taylor well off the fantasy radar in the early draft season. His best play may come over the second half of the year. The Jets have six above-average contests against division opponents. Tight end success should be expected against CIN (32), TB (27), PIT (26), CAR (25), JAC (24), BAL (23), and DEN (20). Dallas (6) ranked the highest vs. tight ends, followed by New Orleans (12), Atlanta (13), and Cleveland (14).

3) Baltimore Ravens (Mark Andrews)

2024 Final Tight End Offense Stats (17 to 24) | Shawn Childs

It’s hard to imagine Baltimore’s tight ends beating last season's success due to their explosive scoring output. They have an opening edge against Cincinnati (32) and Pittsburgh (26), with two neutral outcomes expected against the Browns. The Ravens also face the 31st (LAR) and 30th (KC) tight end defenses, along with favorable matchups vs. IND (28), GB (20), BUF (19), NE (18), CHI (17), and MIN (16). The Lions (2), Jets (10), and Texans (11).

4) Cleveland Browns (David Njoku)

Based on their division games and three matchups against NE (18), BUF (19), and MIA (22), the Browns get out of the gate with nine exciting tight end matchups. They also draw LV (29), GB (20), CHI (17), and MIN (16), upping their winnable matchups to 13. Cleveland’s tight ends have four expected challenging matchups (Titans – 1, Lions – 2, 49ers – 5, and Jets – 10).

2024 Final Tight End Offense TE Stats (25 to 32) | Shawn Childs

5) Miami Dolphins (Jonnu Smith)

Based on last year's stats, Miami benefits from four division games against Buffalo and New England, but the Jets (10) are a below-par matchup. Their tight ends should gain an edge against CIN (32), IND (28), TB (27), PIT (26), CAR (25), and BAL (23). On the downside, Washington (8), New Orleans (12), Chargers (9), Atlanta (13), and Cleveland (14) were better than the league average in tight end defense in 2024.

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