Tucker Kraft Headlines Fantasy Football Sleeper Tight Ends Heading Into 2025 Drafts

These three tight ends—each with clear paths to playing time and breakout potential—are worth targeting late in drafts or stashing in dynasty leagues.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 5, 2024 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. | William Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tight end is often the most overlooked position in fantasy football, but that’s where smart managers can gain an edge. These three tight ends—each with clear paths to playing time and breakout potential—are worth targeting late in drafts or stashing in dynasty leagues. None of these guys are going to be this year’s Brock Bowers but they all have opportunities to produce a massive return on your investment. 

TE Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Kraft went from relative obscurity to fantasy relevance in the blink of an eye. After a quiet rookie campaign spent behind Luke Musgrave, Kraft exploded in his sophomore season, snatching 50 receptions for 707 yards and finding the end zone seven times—ranking second on the team in both catches and yardage. His breakout earned him a TE10 finish in PPR formats, trailing TE6 Mark Andrews by just 25 points despite far less fanfare. The second-year tight end was even better in standard scoring, finishing as the TE7.

Now firmly entrenched as the Packers' top tight end, Kraft’s role as a reliable safety valve and red zone threat for Jordan Love isn’t going anywhere—especially with rookie wideout Matthew Golden expected to open up the field even more. With a potent offense around him and another step forward in his development, Kraft is poised to once again crack the top 10 at his position—and he’s flying under the radar in nearly every format.

Let's also not forget that the Packers utilized him in their own version of the "tush push" last year, which could result in some rushing touchdowns if things go according to plan. That's certainly not a reason to draft him given he only had three rushes for six yards in 2024, but it adds another wrinkle to his potential upside.

The Tucker Kraft tush push is here to stay 😂

pic.twitter.com/R9QrjWpl5a

— PackerMuse (@PackerMuse) May 21, 2025

TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville made waves by parting ways with veteran tight end Evan Engram after a 2024 campaign marred by injuries. That move opens the door for 2023 second-round pick Brenton Strange, who now finds himself in prime position to seize the starting role. The former Penn State star quietly logged 40 receptions for 411 yards and two touchdowns last season as the TE31—solid numbers for a player operating in a backup capacity.

Even with ascending talents like Brian Thomas Jr. and high-profile addition Travis Hunter in the mix, Strange is primed to earn valuable targets—particularly in high-leverage situations like the red zone, where Jacksonville’s offense is expected to take a big leap under new offensive coordinator Liam Cohen. With the departures of Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis, Strange has a legitimate path to becoming the third option in the passing attack.

Cohen’s glowing remarks at the annual league meetings only add fuel to the hype: “Brenton plays the game the right way… plays with an edge, he’s twitchy, he’s strong, and he finishes through the whistle.” 

Expect Strange to be an every-down player with a real shot to crush his current TE28 ranking on FantasyPros. While he may not be a locked-in weekly starter, he offers top-20 upside and streaming appeal—making him a name to watch closely throughout OTAs and preseason.

TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets

With the tight end room in flux and plenty of targets up for grabs, rookie Mason Taylor could be the surprise riser fantasy managers didn’t see coming. A slick-moving pass catcher with natural hands and deceptive burst, Taylor enters the league with a knack for finding soft spots in coverage—and a golden opportunity to carve out an early role in New York.

At LSU, he showed off his ability to win in traffic and flash red-zone dominance, traits that could make him an instant favorite for newly acquired quarterback Justin Fields. The Jets' tight ends were already heavily involved last season, combining for nearly 800 yards—and Taylor has the upside to absorb a significant chunk of that volume.

While his in-line blocking is still a work in progress, Taylor’s attitude and work ethic suggest rapid development, and the pathway to the TE1 job is wide open. Dynasty managers should be proactive—Taylor’s long-term ceiling is quietly enticing, and in redraft leagues, he’s a name worth circling late, especially over flashier prospects in murkier situations.