Hunter Henry and 3 Other Must-Start Tight Ends in Week 17 Fantasy Football

These four tight ends show us high-upside that may just win you a Fantasy Football Championship.

Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) celebrates a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

I love crunching numbers as much as most things. It is fun to me, and I love to deliver you with the best insights possible. Last week, we flopped on a couple, but hit big on others, being Dallas Goedert and Kyle Pitts. This week, we find another four Tight Ends with upside worth playing in your Championship matchup. Without further adieu, here they are.

Brenton Strange (@ Colts)

The Jaguars are up 14-10 after a three-yard touchdown reception by @BrentonStrange. Since returning from injury in Week 12, Strange's 229 receiving yards are second most among AFC tight ends, while his two touchdown receptions are tied-third most. pic.twitter.com/DMLH7UMWPB

— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) December 21, 2025

Strange is owned in under 30% of leagues. I understand it as he had spent some time out of action, but his volume combined with the Jaguars recent successes makes Strange a must-add.

The Colts are 28th versus Tight Ends. Strange is averaging (4.9) Targets and (3.7) Receptions per Game. He has a moderately explosive (11.7) Yards per Reception and he has (2) Touchdowns on a (0.8) Red Zone Targets per Game.

Strange may not be Trey McBride or Brock Bowers, but he has played a very consistent role that adds great upside in this matchup.

Harold Fannin Jr. (vs Steelers)

The Steelers may coming around, but their Tight End Defense has not. They are 30th versus Tight Ends.

Fannin Jr. is 4th in Targets per Game among Tight Ends (7.0). He is 1st is Targets per Route Run (24%). Fannin Jr. is the TE6 in Fantasy Football and he maintains heavy volume worth playing in such a favorable matchup.

With Shedeur Sanders, Fannin Jr. is averaging (9.0) Targets per Game with (5.5) Receptions and (47.8) Yards per Game with (3) Touchdowns.

Hunter Henry (@ Jets)

How would Hunter Henry describe what Drake Maye did tonight?

"Special."

📸: @AP pic.twitter.com/QuVeyKVt0f

— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) December 22, 2025

When these two teams last met, Henry had the volume, but unfortunately a lacking output. He went for (6) Targets, (4) Receptions, and (45) Yards. The Jets are 20th versus the Tight End and we do like volume to result in better output this go around.

Henry has (5.0) Targets and (3.5) Receptions per Game on a very explosive (12.8) Yards per Reception. Henry has (6) Touchdowns on an awesome 30% Red Zone Target Share.

Colston Loveland (@ 49ers)

As we saw on Monday Night Football, this 49ers defense is not very good. Credit to Philip Rivers for putting up 27 points, but this Colts team is very subpar in their current form. To allow 27 points shows me a subpar defensive unit, hence their FPI 24th best defensive ranking.

Loveland has no less than (4) Targets in a game since Week 6. His volume is extremely consistent, as he is also catching 71% of his Targets. Loveland has (4) Touchdowns and he plays to a very explosive (12.6) Yards per Reception. In the Red Zone, Loveland is 6-for-9 with (3) Touchdowns, or a Target Share that plays to near 15%.