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Fantasy Football TE Landscape: If you're not taking one of the Big 3, you're better off waiting come draft day

Drafting Brock Bowers, Trey McBride or George Kittle is a 100% viable strategy this fantasy football season. All three can separate from the rest of the tight ends and have upside to match the production of wide receivers taken in the same range. Bowers in particular looks like a truly special talent who’s in a much-improved situation. But if you miss out on one of the Big 3 TEs this season, waiting until the end of drafts (or playing the waiver wire game) looks like a shrewd move.

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I’m not here to argue tight end is deep. It has always been and remains fantasy’s thinnest position. However, there are many intriguing options who are available late (or don’t get taken) in fantasy drafts, and a handful of them have a good chance of becoming fantasy starters at some point this season.

Here are a dozen fliers who are all ranked outside the top 14 tight ends according to “expert consensus ranks.”

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Henry saw the third-highest TE target share (behind only Bowers and McBride) against man coverage last season, which is one of the more predictive stats for future tight end fantasy points. Drake Maye is ready to make the leap in Year 2, and New England pass-catchers remain wide open with Stefon Diggs’ status in question.

Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

Warren just broke the power conference record for yardage in a single season by 400 yards (besting Bowers). He has top 15 draft capital and plays indoors in a Shane Steichen system (with Daniel Jones looking increasingly likely to be the QB). Warren is unlikely to repeat the recent success by rookie tight ends Bowers and Sam LaPorta, but there’s a good chance he’s starting in fantasy lineups during championship weeks.

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

Loveland is the only tight end ever to record a 34%+ college target share, and he owns top 10 draft capital. New Bears coach Ben Johnson helped LaPorta finish as fantasy’s TE1 as a rookie. Loveland will require patience, but he has upside to be a fantasy difference maker down the stretch.

Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Likely ranked eighth in fantasy points per target among TEs last season, and he has top-three upside should Mark Andrews get injured or be traded. Likely ranked first among TEs in percentage of team receiving TDs when on the field last year, and he tied with Bowers for second in percentage of team receiving yards. Fantasy managers just need Likely to have a bigger role. John Harbaugh says his goal is to make Likely an All-Pro, so he might get that chance in 2025.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

Gesicki averaged 11.2 fantasy points (0.5 PPR) in games without Tee Higgins last year, which would’ve ranked behind only Bowers, McBride and Kittle for the season. The Bengals are the most aggressive throwing team in the NFL.

Chig Onkonkwo, Tennessee Titans

Okonkwo was the TE6 during the fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15-17) last year despite not scoring a touchdown, when he averaged 9.3 targets per game. He’s been held back by Will Levis, but Okonkwo now gets the No. 1 overall pick throwing him passes on an offense thin at wide receiver.

[2025 Fantasy Draft Rankings: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers]

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers

Sanders flashed as a rookie before suffering a neck injury that sent him to the hospital and limited his playing time over the rest of the season. He could easily emerge as a big part of a vastly improved Carolina offense led by a resurgent Bryce Young.

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

Strange got a huge fantasy boost with Evan Engram moving on to Denver. Engram owned the third-highest target share (25.1%) among tight ends last season, and Strange will have a much bigger role in an improved Liam Coen offense in 2025. Strange started over a 21-year-old Warren at Penn State and ranked top five in missed tackles/reception among tight ends last season. Strange has top 12 fantasy TE upside, but he’s been drafted in just 4% of Yahoo leagues.

Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns

Fannin Jr. lasted until Round 3 of the NFL Draft, but he posted the No. 1 adjusted production score in the history of Dwain McFarland’s Rookie Super Model. There’s concern over his mediocre testing as well as his awkward running gait, but Fannin led all college pass-catchers in receiving yards last season, when he also recorded the most receptions and yards ever by a tight end. Fannin’s production was undeniable, and the Browns could use his unique skill set right away. Fannin will be available on all waiver wires if early drafting is any indication.

Mason Taylor, New York Jets

The Jets’ pass-catchers are as thin as it gets outside of Garrett Wilson, so Taylor could emerge as New York’s WR2. Tight end Cole Kmet has put up big fantasy stats in the past with Justin Fields.

Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams

Sean McVay has finally found his athletic tight end. Ferguson will require patience in fantasy leagues, but he’s an obvious candidate to become a major waiver add over the second half of the season.

Theo Johnson, New York Giants

Johnson sports elite workout metrics and enters Year 2 atop the Giants’ tight end depth chart. New York is incredibly thin at pass-catcher outside of Malik Nabers, and the Giants vastly improved their QB room during the offseason. Johnson is yet another tight end fantasy sleeper who’s going undrafted.

It doesn’t end there, as more candidates include Kyle Pitts (this is the year!), Pat Freiermuth, Zach Ertz, Cade Otton, Dalton Schultz, Cole Kmet, Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, Elijah Arroyo, Oronde Gadsden II and Ben Sinnott.

Clearly, there are numerous cheap if not outright free tight ends in drafts who could emerge as fantasy starters this season. Given this tight end landscape and quarterback being deeper than ever, fantasy managers have a terrific opportunity to load up early on running backs and wide receivers — the two most important positions when it comes to uncovering “league-winners.”

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