Isaiah Likely, Elijah Arroyo, Mike Gesicki Headline 2025 Fantasy Football TE Sleepers

These five tight end sleepers — including Isaiah Likely, Mike Gesicki, and Elijah Arroyo — are ranked outside the top 15 but have the upside to deliver major fantasy value in 2025.

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

Every fantasy football season, there are players who fall through the cracks in our rankings. Players who get overlooked who far exceed their preseason expectations. These are the wide receivers who are going to far outperform their current rankings. Every one of these tight ends is currently ranked outside of the top 15 in ECR in 0.5 PPR scoring format.

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

ECR 17

Henry is as safe an option as they come in fantasy football. He's the forever safety blanket in New England and once again finished as a low-end TE1 in 2024. Last year, he saw 97 targets in 16 games and finished with 66 receptions for 674 yards and two TDs. If he catches a few more TDs this season in what looks like it should be a vastly improved offense led by an ascending young quarterback, then there is no reason he shouldn't finish as a TE1 again this season. We don't expect Henry to be a league winner; nevertheless, we do like him as a reliable weekly option who can plug in and trust he'll give you a solid floor. 

Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

ECR 20

Likely being ranked as the TE20 makes sense because of the baked in risk; however, if you're going to invest in a TE2 with massive upside, then this is the guy. Mark Andrews is still widely considered the top tight end in Baltimore, but there are a lot of paths to success for Likely. Andrews could continue to decline, suffer an injury, or simply lose his job to a superior young tight end. We have seen what Likely is capable of when given the opportunity, and the signs are there that Andrews isn't quite what he used to be. He was given the reins last season in Week 1, and he went off for nine receptions, 111 yards, and a TD. Likely is the rare TE handcuff who is a league winner if he somehow takes over the starting job.   

Isaiah Likely had everyone burning their FAAB after Week 1 last season 😭
pic.twitter.com/U4h873BajV

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 12, 2025

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

ECR 22

TE22 seems far too low for Gesicki. While he does just feel like a guy in the right situation, that situation is too perfect to overlook. He did finish as the TE14 last season, and we expect him to be better this season. The Bengals' defense is going to be one of the worst in the league, and they should throw the ball more than any team in the league with one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the league. There will be plenty of targets to go around when everyone is healthy, but when Tee Higgins misses time, Gesicki is a top-five tight end option. Notice I said when and not if Higgins misses time. He has chronic hamstring issues, and his missing a few games should be baked into his outlook because it's been the case every season since his rookie year. In five games without Higgins last season, Gesicki scored 13.6 fantasy points per game with an 18.3% target share, averaging 5.2 receptions per game for 62.4 yards, and he scored two TDs.  

Mike Gesicki scored this touchdown, but watch two DB’s go to cover Ja’Marr Chase when he’s two yards behind the line of scrimmage💀 pic.twitter.com/yeKSABG7fU

— Bengals Central (@BengalsCentral_) June 20, 2025

Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans

ECR 24

This is less a statistical argument and more of a belief in talent. Not just Okonkwo, but his new starting quarterback, Cam Ward. The addition of Ward, the absence of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and the fact that Okonkwo is the most athletic pass-catcher on the team make him an intriguing option this season. At Miami last year, Ward loved his tight ends. They caught 57 passes for 897 yards and eight TDs. Westbrook-Ikhine caught 32 passes and scored nine TDs last season in Tennessee. He played like a wide receiver playing tight end. Now that he's in Miami, it should open up more red zone targets for Okonkwo as well.  

Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks

ECR 31 

Arroyo is going to take over the starting job in Seattle and he's going to be the best rookie tight end in fantasy football. He's going to be better than Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, and Mason Taylor. Not only is he every bit as good as those other rookies, he is in by far the best situation of any rookie TE. Warren and Taylor are stuck with the trash heap of quarterbacks that is Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, and Justin Fields, while Loveland is stuck with an unproven quarterback who has a ton of mouths to feed. Give me Sam Darnold getting the ball to his athletic tight end, who has limited target competition. Don't be shocked if Arroyo emerges as a borderline TE1 this year with massive weekly upside.