Fantasy Football 2025 Sleeper Tight Ends to Target in Drafts

While the tight end position might be seeing some changing of the guard dynamics at the top ahead of the 2025 NFL season, there isn't a lot of star power and name recognition at the position.

Travis Kelce and George Kittle still represent the old guard well, while Trey McBride and Brock Bowers have claimed hold of the elite tier, but options are rather limited behind that quartet, Sam LaPorta and T.J. Hockenson.

Or so it seems, anyway.

Dig a bit deeper in the rankings, though, and you can sniff out some sleepers if you know where to look. In fact, you don't need to look further than this article, which will highlight three sleeper tight ends who have a great shot to outperform their average draft positions.

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (ADP: 112)

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There was a point in time during which it made sense to ignore rookie tight ends, but if you still subscribe to that theory, an update to your process is overdue. In each of the past two seasons, the top fantasy tight end has been an NFL freshman: Brock Bowers in 2024, Sam LaPorta in 2023.

Could Colston Loveland stretch that streak to a third season? That's certainly within the realm of possible outcomes.

The Bears are clearly big fans, as they spent this year's No. 10 pick on him. And their new coach, Ben Johnson, just happens to be the same playcaller who fueled LaPorta's fiery start.

If you're planning on taking Loveland, though, just make sure you select him as a sleeper and don't reach on him too early. There's plenty to like about his talent, but his situation isn't perfect. Chicago's receiver room is overloaded with playmakers, and quarterback Caleb Williams had an up-and-down season as a rookie.

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (ADP: 122)

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Don't hold Jake Ferguson's disappointing 2024 season against him too much. Once Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending hamstring injury, Ferguson's hopes for fantasy relevance flat-lined.

Prior to Prescott's injury, though, Ferguson looked like a solid fantasy starter. In his first eight outings, he tallied 42 receptions for 358 yards. Had he maintained that production for a full 17 games, he would've ended with 89 receptions and 761 receiving yards.

His goose egg in the scoring column felt fluky, too. In 2023, his first season as a full-time starter, he had a respectable five touchdowns, then added three more scores in the club's Wild Card loss.

If the Cowboys keep Prescott upright, they figure to have one of the league's most active aerial attacks. And while Ferguson won't be the primary target, he will benefit from the defensive attention drawn away by CeeDee Lamb and newcomer George Pickens. It doesn't take too much imagination to picture a top-10 fantasy finish for Ferguson, who's typically taken around the 15th pick at the position.

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP: 169)

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If you're waiting on the final rounds to snag a tight end, considering taking a late flier on Brenton Strange.

The 2023 second-round pick impressed capitalized on his few opportunities this past season, turning his 53 targets into 40 receptions for 411 yards and two scores. The four games in which he saw five-plus targets, he averaged 5.3 receptions and 52.3 receiving yards.

Remember, though, he was second on the position's pecking order behind Evan Engram, who has since moved on to the Denver Broncos. With Engram out of the way, Strange is locked in as Jacksonville's starter and could see the kind of volume spike that puts him into TE1 territory.

Coming out of Penn State, scouts liked Strange's athleticism and run-after-catch ability, while also praising his blocking and motor. In other words, he's someone who should stay on the field and make the most of the chances that come his way, which should arrive in bunches like never before.