2025 Fantasy Football: Which tight end should you pick? All tiers revealed

Tight end selection in fantasy football can be challenging due to touchdown reliance. This draft season highlights top players such as Kittle and Bowers

Updated on: Jul 23, 2025, 23:03:39 IST

By HT News Desk

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Fantasy football managers always face a hard time placing and picking tight ends for their team. Given how touchdown-dependent that position is, at the end of the day, much is left up to luck and guesses in terms of how much a player can deliver. Here’s a tier-wise look at tight-ends for fantasy football managers to consider this draft season for standard leagues, as listed by Sports Illustrated:

File photo of San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) (AP)

Tier 1

1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

2. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

3. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Selecting from the list depends entirely on the format chosen by the manager. Fantasy Pros ranks Bowers in first place, followed by McBride and Kittle for PPR or half-PPR formats. A standard league format, however, places Kittle at the top. Kittles can produce more yards while Bowers and McBride are 100-reception candidates. Hence, selections must differ as per the manager’s specific requirements.

Tier 2

5. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

6. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

7. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

8. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

9. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Their tier primarily consists of veterans who would have ranked higher in their prime years but still have the ability to deliver results. On July 22, the overall Fantasy Pros rankings rated McBride as TE3 and the No. 34 overall player. LaPorta, on the other hand, was TE4 and No. 54 overall.

Tier 3

10. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos

11. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills

12. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

13. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

14. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

15. Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers

Last season, Smith recorded 88 catches and 889 receiving yards: a feat that’s unlikely to repeat itself given the Steelers’ run-first offense. Although Kincaid averaged more targets per game last season, frequent injuries derailed him.

Tier 4

16. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

17. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

18. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

19. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

20. Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders

21. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

22. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

23. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

24. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

As the importance of scoring touchdowns increases towards this part of the drafts, all players currently placed in Tier 4 can tally 5-10. Ferguson, Likely, and Strange could be a part of elite offenses in 2025. Gesicki has a strong quarterback in Joe Burrow.

Tier 5

25. Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans

26. Mason Taylor, New York Jets

27. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

28. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

29. Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks

30. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears

31. Ja'Tavions Sanders, Carolina Panthers

32. Noah Gray, Kansas City Chiefs

33. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns

34. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints

35. Theo Johnson, New York Giants

36. Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams

37. Darren Waller, Miami Dolphins

Mostly used as bye-week replacements or late-season roster depth following injuries, this tier ranks best in re-draft standard leagues.

By Stuti Gupta

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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