The Case for Drafting Elijah Arroyo as Your Late-Round Fantasy Football Steal

Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo has sleeper potential in 2025 fantasy football with TE1 opportunity and upside if he can stay healthy.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18) runs for yards after the catch against Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13), linebacker Cole Christiansen (48) and safety Bryan Cook (6) during the first quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Elijah Arroyo steps into the NFL as the Seahawks’ new starting tight end, finally healthy after battling multiple injuries during his Miami career. While raw in his route running, his size, athleticism, and opportunity in Seattle’s offense give him sneaky potential as a rookie sleeper in fantasy football.

Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks

The Hurricanes barely used Arroyo over his first three seasons (11/163/1) in college due to his missed time in 2022 and 2023, which was caused by multiple injuries. Last season, he caught 35 passes for 590 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging an impressive 16.9 yards per catch. Arroyo only had more than three catches in four matchups (4/89, 6/79, 5/44/1, and 4/64/1).

He tore his right ACL in 2022, and his knee wasn’t 100% the following season. His release and a lack of foundation in his route running are concerns as he enters the NFL. Arroyo runs with his eyes up in his pass patterns, looking for daylight to receive passes. He must improve his blocking skills to earn more playing time at the next level. His frame (6’4” and 235 lbs.) makes him more of a big wideout than a true tight end.

When reviewing his college highlights, Arroyo excels at gaining yards after the catch when given opportunities close to the line of scrimmage. He flashed elusiveness, along with the wheels to beat a defense over the long field when given spacing past the second level of a defense. If Arroyo didn’t have previous knee issues, he would be an intriguing tight-end option for a team with strength already at quarterback and wide receiver. 

Elijah Arroyo 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook, Projections, Ranking

I don’t expect Arroyo to be a fantasy stud early in his career, but I’m rooting for him to stay healthy to see where his natural talent takes him in pro ball. With Noah Fant out of the picture, he's now the indisputed TE1 on the roster. Although he'll battle with Jaxon Smith-Ngigba, Cooper Kupp, and Troy Horton for targets, Arroyo does have a glimmer of hope at finishing as the top rookie tight end in fantasy football. He doesn't have the same pedigree as Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland, but the opportunty for volume is there.

Arroyo is currently the TE27 in our 2025 PPR Rankings and the TE25 in Non-PPR formats.