Fantasy football TE rankings 2025: Bank on Brock Bowers, Trey McBride

USA Today

4 days ago

Fantasy football draft season is upon us.
While the focus is on running backs and wide receivers, selecting the best tight end in your league can be the ultimate difference maker in becoming a league winner.
Tight end is often considered a fantasy wasteland but several players can help put their stamp on a successful fantasy lineup.
Entering last season, a clear-cut TE1 didn't exist but Raiders star Brock Bowers burst onto the scene and is firmly planted at the top of the rankings heading into 2025. As always, the Kansas CityChiefs' Travis Kelce returns, and tight ends like Detroit's Sam LaPorta and Arizona's Trey McBride have emerged as high-end options.
There are only a few highly coveted tight ends but there are some gems you can select deeper down the draft board with league-winning potential.
Who are the best fantasy football tight ends in 2025? Here's a look at USA TODAY's preseason fantasy TE rankings.
2025 POSITION RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST
Fantasy football rankings: TE
1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders. Bowers delivered on high expectations in 2024. He set multiple rookie receiving records and is expected once again to be the top target in the Raiders offense. With improved quarterback play expected from Geno Smith under center, Bowers has little risk and a high floor.
2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals tight end was arguably the best hurdler in the NFL in 2024 and he may have just enough juice to hurdle his way to finishing as TE1 in 2025. He led all tight ends with a league-high 25.9% target rate and had the second-most red-zone targets in the NFL. McBride's 111 receptions last season were the fourth most by a tight end in a single season all-time. He finished with just two touchdowns despite the massive target share, which suggests he should see positive regression in the touchdown column in 2025.
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers. With the 49ers battered by injuries last season, Kittle became a focal point and reminded everyone just how valuable he is. Heading into 2025, expect more of the same, with Brandon Aiyuk (knee) slowly making his return and Deebo Samuel traded to Washington. Over the last two seasons with Brock Purdy, Kittle posted an average depth of target (aDOT) of 9.9 and 8.9 -- significantly higher marks than Bowers (6.6 aDOT) and McBride (6.5 aDOT). Kittle has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and is one of the best red-zone threats, scoring 25 touchdowns over the last three seasons.
4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions. LaPorta didn't replicate his success from his rookie season when he finished as TE1, but he still has that same upside heading into his third NFL season. He finished as TE7 in point-per-reception (PPR) formats but dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season. Ben Johnson is no longer in Detroit calling plays, but there should be no shortage of offense to go around with the Lions, who scored an NFL-high 33.2 points per game last season.
5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs. Kelce's production declined significantly in 2024, despite his target share (25%) holding firm. His yards per route run and yards after the catch both declined for the third consecutive season, but expectations remain high in the Chiefs offense. Rashee Rice could miss multiple games, which would open the door for the vet to become the focal point in the passing attack during that period. He finished as TE5 in 2024 and there's no reason to believe he can't repeat. He's no longer the elite fantasy player he was, but he remains inside the top 10 at the position and has a safe floor.
6. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns. Njoku is in an offense with the biggest question mark at quarterback this preseason. It's nothing new for the Browns tight end, who has been able to find success despite the lack of consistency under center. Veteran Joe Flacco is the likely leader to start Week 1 and Njoku averaged 16.2 fantasy points per game with a 28% target share in six games with Flacco in 2023. Cleveland lacks viable receivers outside of Jerry Jeudy, which will allow Njoku to gobble up more looks.
7. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings. The former first-round pick will be over a year removed from an ACL injury. He's been extremely efficient since joining Kevin O'Connell's offense in Minnesota and will be catching passes from J.J. McCarthy in 2025. He finished 2023 second at the position in targets and receptions. Fully healthy entering 2025, he is a solid mid-range TE1.
8. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons. Here's the first of two post-hype sleepers ranked inside the top 12. Pitts has been one of the most frustrating fantasy players to roster but with Michael Penix Jr. taking the reins in 2025, there is new hope. Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson enters his second season and should have a better idea of how to maximize Pitts' potential.
9. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos. Engram finds himself in an exciting offense in Denver, where he has plenty of potential in Sean Payton's "joker" role. There's not much target competition aside from Courtland Sutton and he could easily see over 100 targets.
10. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens. Andrews is aging but has been a fantasy stalwart for seven seasons. He's been a consensus top-5 tight end for the last six seasons but saw his yards per route run drop for the third consecutive year. He averaged just 3.7 yards after the catch (YAC), which tied for 41st among tight ends. He has an incredible rapport with Lamar Jackson, but the emergence of Isaiah Likely could put a dent in his target share.
11. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills. Kincaid is an excellent post-hype sleeper. Big things were expected from the 2023 first-round pick last season, but he dealt with injuries. The good? His target rate increased from 19.6% to 25.7%, which is around the average of a TE1. The tight end position has typically taken longer for players to break out, with LaPorta and Bowers being the outliers. In Year 3 of a Josh Allen-led offense, there's an opportunity for Kincaid to boom. He was second on the team in targets more than 15 yards downfield
12. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys. Ferguson finds himself as the third option in the Cowboys passing attack entering 2025 after the addition of George Pickens. This will likely keep him firmly outside a top-five finish at the position, but he should have a safe floor week-to-week with Dak Prescott healthy. He ranked as TE12 in Prescott's eight healthy games in 2024.
13. Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans. The Titans offense has some intrigue with No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward expected to be under center in Week 1. Okonkwo has been inconsistent but it's easy to point the blame at poor quarterback play. Tennessee lacks a clear second receiver behind Calvin Ridley, and Okonkwo had a massive 27% target share down the stretch last season when given a full-time role. A young quarterback's best friend is often a tight end. He is a sneaky option who can be selected late in drafts.
14. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts. Of the rookie tight ends, Warren has the least target competition after landing with the Colts. Warren should excel in Shane Steichen's RPO-heavy offense, where he can do damage after the catch. Among rookie tight ends, he is the most likely to have a top-10 finish at the position.
15. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers. Kraft took a significant leap in his second season, finishing with over 700 yards and seven touchdowns. Green Bay has plenty of weapons and added another in the first round of the draft in WR Matthew Golden. Kraft earned just 15% of the team's targets last season and relied heavily on his abilities after the catch. That will likely keep him outside of the top 10.
16. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens. Likely is just 25 years old and averaged 6.1 yards after the catch (tied for sixth among TEs) compared to Mark Andrews' 3.7. Todd Monken's offense continued to feature Andrews as the season progressed. Still, Likely posted career highs across the board. Andrews, who will be 30 this season, saw his yards per route run drop for the third consecutive season. Lamar Jackson posted a 131.2 passer rating when targeting Likely in 2024. There is legitimate TE1 upside if Andrews is injured or traded.
17. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars offense should have a new identity in 2025 with Liam Coen in town. Trevor Lawrence previously supported Engram as an elite fantasy tight end, which gives hope that there's breakout potential for Strange. However, there are other weapons in the Jaguars offense (Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter) he will have to compete with for targets.
18. Mason Taylor, New York Jets. Taylor, a second-round draft pick, could easily find himself as the No. 2 weapon in the Jets air attack behind Garrett Wilson. The Jets offense, led by Justin Fields, will likely take a run-heavy approach. Still, new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand was the passing game coordinator in Detroit while Sam LaPorta emerged, making Taylor an intriguing late-round option.
19. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals' contract talks this offseason have been loud, but among the quietest deals to go down was the three-year, $25 million extension for Gesicki. Joe Burrow can support multiple receivers at a time and if the oft-injured Tee Higgins were to miss time during the year, the Penn State product would be firmly inside the top 10 at the position.
20. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles. Goedert has an upside that can't be matched, but is contingent on the health of DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown. He's often the fourth option in Philadelphia's offense but he still manages to average about 50 yards per year. He missed seven games last season with injuries and was the topic of trade rumors earlier in the offseason. He is a steady TE2 option.
21. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears. With Ben Johnson leading Chicago, the Bears offense is expected to take a significant leap. However, the presence of Cole Kmet, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden will likely keep Loveland in the back end of TE2 range.
22. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers had the fourth-fewest pass attempts per game in 2024. More of the same can be expected with Arthur Smith still calling plays. The veteran tight end recorded a career-high 653 yards, 65 receptions and seven touchdowns in 2024. Freiermuth finished 2024 as TE9 in PPR but the addition of Jonnu Smith only increased his target competition.
23. Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders. Ertz will turn 35 in November and is among the group of veterans ranked as a viable TE2. He was a significant piece of the upstart Commanders last season and finished as TE7 in PPR formats. Jayden Daniels looked for Ertz often but there's added target competition in 2025 with Deebo Samuel in the mix and 2024 second-rounder Ben Sinnott expected to earn a larger role.
24. Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers. Like his new teammate Freiermuth, Smith finds himself splitting looks in the Steelers' run-first offense. It will be difficult for the pair of vets to replicate their success from 2024 despite teaming up with Aaron Rodgers.
25. Darren Waller, Miami Dolphins
26. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
27. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
28. Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers
29. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
30. Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks
31. Theo Johnson, New York Giants
32. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
33. Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams
34. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers
35. Will Dissly, Los Angeles Chargers
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