I do not like fantasy football rankings.
Rankings are easily the most misapplied resource used by fantasy football managers. Is it helpful to have a list of players organized by an analyst’s order of preference, or even your own list to reference on draft day? Of course! But far too many focus on the insignificant details and miss out on significant player upside.
To elevate your fantasy football skills, you must begin thinking in tiers. Don’t focus on the rigidity of numbered rankings. It’s much more essential to understand the drop-off between Tier 2 and Tier 3 quarterbacks than thinking “I can’t draft the eighth-ranked quarterback over the seventh!
That’s why, for this year’s QB List positional rankings articles, the focus will shift more towards the differences in each tier instead of “Player X is ranked one spot ahead of Player Y”. I’ll still be discussing the majority of players, but talking points will be broken up by tier instead of by player. Think of it more as the “why” than just giving you the “what”.
I’ll be going position by position, and we’re heading for a campus visit to Tight End University. Let’s take a peek at my 2025 TE rankings, starting with a tier-by-tier breakdown of my favorite (and least favorite) guys in each grouping. You can find a table of my full rankings at the bottom of this article after the last tier.
Let’s get to it!
Tier 1: The Cerberus Tier
The three-headed beast of elite tight ends
We’re all chasing that positional advantage that elite tight ends offer in fantasy. Championships have been won on the backs of the beasts of yesteryear: Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham, and Rob Gronkowski. The problem with this tier is the draft capital it costs to acquire them. There’s no doubt these three will finish among the top of their position, but at what cost? I’m likely out on drafting Brock Bowers or Trey McBride: Bowers is going in the top 20 and McBride in the top 30. They’ll be studs once again, but the chances they return value there are slim to none.
Player I’m higher on than most:
George Kittle – As I mentioned in my Tight End Flag Plants article, George Kittle may be the only tight end this season who can sway me from my typical approach of waiting until the later rounds. I’m not that much higher on him than the consensus. He resides in the elite tier for most, from what I’ve seen. But I project him finishing as the TE1 overall. Considering the considerable losses for the 49ers’ defense, the departure of Deebo Samuel, and the health of Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, Kittle is positioned for an abundance of targets from Brock Purdy. He’s being drafted at his floor in the fourth round and offers that positional advantage without having to pass on elite fantasy options at other positions. Plus, I mean, come on. How could you not want this guy on your fantasy team?
Everybody needs "Positivity Thursdays" like @gkittle46 and the @49ers tight ends ❤️
📅: #NationalTightEndsDay – Sunday Oct. 27 pic.twitter.com/w9It68dpGV
— NFL (@NFL) October 24, 2024
Tier 2: The High Council Tier
They aren’t all-powerful, but they’re respected.
Tier 2 is generally the first grouping of tight ends I consider drafting. They have potential for a similar positional advantage that Tier 1 does, but they can usually be had in the seventh round or later. I’m eager to see what Evan Engram can do in Denver as Sean Payton’s “Swiss Army Knife”. He’s a dark horse to finish as TE1 overall. With the injury to Isaiah Likely, I’m beginning to like Mark Andrews more and more at his ADP. Tucker Kraft could be the most disrespected tight end in fantasy. Kraft quietly caught seven touchdowns last season, and it wouldn’t be a shock for him to repeat (or improve) on that number.
Tier 3: The Pokémon Tier
Gotta draft ’em all!
No tight end in this tier is going to have anywhere close to the season Brock Bowers had in 2024, but Bowers was being drafted in this range last year. This is my favorite section of TEU to draft from. You can get most at the end of drafts, and I generally take two in hopes of landing a breakout. Worst case, you can play matchups and hope to hit paydirt. But the hope is you hit on one and gain immense return on value. Best case, you hit the lottery and land two breakouts, giving yourself a nice trade chip to improve elsewhere. Travis Kelce is fine, but his days among the elite are over. He’ll have his spike weeks, but that safe floor is gone. David Njoku is a physical specimen, but I want no part of the Browns’ passing attack. Dallas Goedert could be in line for a solid bounce-back season after battling injury in 2024.
Players I’m higher on than most:
Brenton Strange – When he got the opportunity last year, Brenton Strange put up solid numbers. When he played at least 60% of snaps, Strange averaged five targets, 3.4 receptions, 7.8 yards per reception, and caught two touchdowns. But in the games without Engram, Strange leveled up, adding five fantasy points per game. Engram is gone. Christian Kirk is gone. You’re getting a guy with a clear path to the top 12 for the price of a late-round bench warmer. He doesn’t have to be a world-beater to smash that value.
Mason Taylor – The competition for targets behind Garrett Wilson is a washed Allen Lazard and a couple of J.A.G.s. His path to targets is a wide-open, freshly paved four-lane highway. Warren is the only tight end at LSU to ever hit 100 catches and 1,000 yards. The pass-catching chops are not a question. His only concern is his blocking; if that doesn’t keep him off the field, Taylor has the skill and opportunity to be this year’s breakout.
Tier 4: The Blob
Slimy, yet satisfying.
Woof. This group is …something. The best way to describe them is a term I’ve used for years, “The Glob”. It’s the tight ends that are all basically the same. Some may be vets, some may be rookies, but the expectation is the same. This group is if you fade the position as a whole. You can expect a couple of catches, ~50 receiving yards, and you’re praying for a touchdown. I’m not excited about many in this range, and while a few could provide startable production periodically (Cade Otton, Pat Friermuth), it won’t be consistent. Keep an eye on some of the rookies in this range (Terrance Ferguson, Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fannin Jr.), as they are the few who could emerge from The Blob. But let them live on the waiver wire to start the season.
And finally, my full TE rankings for 2025:
Photos by Jordon Kelly, Rich von Biberstein | Adapted by Parker McDonald (@TheCarbonFox on Twitter/X)