Jul 29, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during training camp at State Farm Stadium.

Tight end has routinely been one of the most challenging positions to figure out, and fantasy football managers may often have better luck streaming the position each week, even in 12-team leagues.

However, the rise of some young tight ends across the NFL has led to an increase in the position's fantasy value. Even in the 2025 draft, we saw five tight ends selected within the first 50 picks.

While some of the older and more well-known tight ends are entering the later stages of their careers, there has been a recent influx of youth at the position. With the up-and-coming group combined with the crop of reliable veterans, fantasy managers have the rare luxury of being patient. They could look to grab a starting-caliber player at a relative discount.

Here's a tiered breakdown of the tight end position for fantasy football in 2025.

Fantasy football TE tiers for 2025

Tier 1

  • 1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
  • 2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
  • 3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Bowers and McBride headline the youth movement at the position, and an argument can be made that they belong in a tier of their own. Bowers finished as TE1 in 2024 and got a quarterback upgrade in the offseason. His current Round 2 ADP is a steep price. Meanwhile, McBride is in an identical situation to the one he was in last season, with plenty of continuity.

George Kittle is the first of several vets in the rankings. He enters 2025 with less target competition and an average depth of target (aDOT) of 9.4 with Brock Purdy -- significantly higher marks than Bowers (6.6 aDOT) and McBride (6.5 aDOT). Kittle is one of the best red-zone threats, scoring 25 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Talk about reliable.

This trio stands alone as the proven tight ends to target in the early rounds of fantasy football drafts.

Tier 2

  • 4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
  • 5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
  • 6. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
  • 7. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
  • 8. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

The first three tight ends represent the elite, but any of Tier 2 can make their mark and finish in the top five. LaPorta because the Lions scored an NFL-high 33.2 points per game last season and he is a focal point. He finished as TE7 in 2024 despite battling multiple injuries throughout the year.

Kelce will scare some off because he turns 36 in October and QB Patrick Mahomes had a career-low 26 touchdown passes in 2024, tied for his fewest in a season as a starter. That said, Rashee Rice is facing a possible suspension, which would boost Kelce's target volume in the interim.

Njoku could skyrocket if Joe Flacco is named the starter in Cleveland after averaging 16.2 fantasy points per game (FPPG) with a 28% target share in six games with Flacco in 2023. Hockenson is dealing with similar uncertainty at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy taking over, but Jordan Addison's looming three-game suspension and a terrific schedule to open the season gives him a boost. Another veteran to round out the group, Andrews is coming off a year with a career-high 11 touchdowns, he's ranked first among TEs in ESPN's Open Score rating and Isaiah Likely suffered an injury in training camp.

Tier 3

  • 9. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos
  • 10. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
  • 11. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
  • 12. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

The tight ends in this tier all profile as solid fantasy starters and bounce-back candidates. All four are expected to be in high-octane offenses and possess the skills to be elite weapons. Of course, there is risk in this tier but Pitts and Kincaid highlight the post-hype sleepers at tight end.

Engram landed with the Broncos in free agency and faces little target competition outside of Courtland Sutton. Pitts has been the direct cause of frustrations centered around tight ends recently. Still, Michael Penix Jr. should inject confidence in fantasy managers to take another swing at Pitts, who will turn just 24 in October.

Kincaid's underlying stats were strong despite a poor output in 2024, ranking second in targets per route run (27.2%), eighth in PFF receiving grade (76.0) and ninth in yards per route run (1.62) among TEs. Ferguson has a high floor with Dak Prescott healthy in 2025 after he ranked as TE12 in Prescott's eight healthy games in 2024.

Tier 4

  • 13. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
  • 14. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
  • 15. Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
  • 16. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
  • 17. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
  • 18. Mason Taylor, New York Jets
  • 19. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

The fourth tier is where the young guns roam. It won't be a surprise if any of these seven tight ends emerge as a top-10 fantasy option.

Warren has the least target competition of this group in Indianapolis. He should excel in Shane Steichen's RPO-heavy offense, where he can create after the catch. Among rookie tight ends, he is the most likely to have a top-10 finish at the position.

Kraft and Strange may have the best chance among this group to vastly exceed expectations. Each third-year tight end is in an offense with proven QB play and creative, offensive-minded head coaches.

Taylor and Loveland have tons of long-term potential and may be a better fit in dynasty leagues, but they share one commonality: a connection to former Lions offensive coaches. Taylor will be coached by offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who was the passing game coordinator in Detroit and Loveland in Chicago under former Lions OC Ben Johnson. Both coaches played a role in the emergence of Sam LaPorta.

Overall, these tight ends are likely to be more volatile and on the fringes of TE2 status throughout the season.

Tier 5

  • 20. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
  • 21. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • 22. Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
  • 23. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals
  • 24. Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • 25. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Most of these tight ends are low-ceiling veterans you wouldn't have a problem starting if the matchup is good. All six players are secondary receiving options on their teams but have proven to be reliable weapons throughout their respective careers.

This tier carries more risk and it may simply be better, outside of two-tight-end leagues, to monitor the waiver wire.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football TE tiers for 2025: Best fantasy options, rankings

Reporting by Tom Viera, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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