Let’s be real for a second. The tight end position used to be the most boring part of your draft. You either reached for Travis Kelce in the first round or you waited until the 14th to grab some guy you hoped might stumble into the end zone. That world is gone. The 2024 season didn't just shift the landscape; it nuked it. We saw a rookie lead the entire position in scoring, a perennial GOAT finally start to look his age, and a wave of new talent make the "elite" tier more crowded than it's ever been.
If you’re looking at 2025 fantasy football te rankings ppr right now, you’re probably seeing names at the top that weren't even on your radar two years ago. It’s wild. We’re finally in an era where you can actually find a game-changer in the 4th round without feeling like you’ve set your roster on fire.
The New Big Three: Who Actually Deserves the Crown?
Honestly, the "Big Three" isn't what it used to be. It's younger, faster, and way more consistent in a PPR setting.
1. Brock Bowers (Las Vegas Raiders)
Last year, Bowers did something basically impossible. He led all tight ends in targets (153), receptions (112), and yards (1,194) as a rookie. People said rookie tight ends couldn't produce. He laughed at that. Heading into 2025, he’s the undisputed TE1. With Geno Smith now under center in Vegas, the quality of those targets should actually go up. He’s not just a tight end; he’s the focal point of that passing game. If you're picking at the turn of the 2nd and 3rd round, he's the target.
2. Trey McBride (Arizona Cardinals)
McBride is a PPR monster. Period. He hauled in 111 catches last year. Kyler Murray treats him like a security blanket, but a security blanket that can run for 20 yards after the catch. The only thing holding him back from the top spot is the lack of touchdowns—he only had two last season despite the massive yardage. If that regression hits the other way and he starts finding the end zone, he’s got a legitimate shot at being the overall TE1.
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3. George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers)
The old man of the elite group. Kittle is 32 now, but he was actually the TE1 in points per game last season. He’s still the most efficient tight end in the league on a per-route basis. The risk with Kittle is always the same: some weeks he’s a decoy who blocks all game, and other weeks he puts up 30 points. In a PPR format, he’s slightly less safe than Bowers or McBride, but his ceiling remains the highest in the league.
The "Middle Class" Chaos
This is where your draft is won or lost. There’s a group of guys being drafted between Rounds 5 and 8 that are making the "wait on TE" strategy look very attractive again.
Sam LaPorta is the name everyone is arguing about. He took a step back in 2024. He went from being the overall TE1 as a rookie to a guy who only averaged about 5 targets a game last year. Why? Because the Lions' offense has too many mouths to feed now with Jameson Williams' emergence. He’s still great, but he’s no longer the "lock" he was a year ago.
Then you have Tyler Warren. This guy is the 2025 version of the Bowers/LaPorta breakout. The Colts took him 13th overall, and he’s essentially a jumbo wide receiver. Experts like Rich Hribar and the crew at PFF are obsessed with his metrics. He’s currently going in the 10th round, which feels like an absolute steal for a guy who could realistically lead his team in targets.
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2025 Fantasy Football TE Rankings PPR: The Full Tiers
I’m not going to give you a perfect numbered list because fantasy isn't that simple. Instead, think about these guys in terms of what they do for your weekly floor.
Tier 1: The Elite (Round 2-4)
- Brock Bowers: The high-volume king.
- Trey McBride: Target hog with a massive floor.
- George Kittle: High-ceiling veteran in a powerhouse offense.
Tier 2: The High-End Starters (Round 5-7)
- T.J. Hockenson: Now another year removed from that ACL tear. He was a bit slow to get going in 2024, but the volume in Minnesota is undeniable.
- Sam LaPorta: Still a red-zone threat, but the target competition is real.
- Kyle Pitts: Yeah, I know. We’ve been burned before. But he finished as the TE2 last year! He finally found the end zone and Kirk Cousins (or whoever is back there) actually looks his way.
Tier 3: The Value Plays (Round 8-11)
- Harold Fannin Jr.: A rookie for the Browns who basically took David Njoku's job. He's a YAC (yards after catch) machine.
- Tyler Warren: The sleeper everyone is going to reach for by August.
- Evan Engram: Now in Denver with Sean Payton. If you've watched Payton's offenses, you know he loves using tight ends in the short passing game.
- Tucker Kraft: He’s officially overtaken Luke Musgrave in Green Bay. He’s a beast after the catch and Jordan Love trusts him in the red zone.
Tier 4: The Deep Sleepers (Round 12+)
- Colston Loveland: Rookie for the Bears. He has the talent, but there are a lot of receivers in Chicago.
- Juwan Johnson: The Saints don't have a WR2, which led to Johnson getting almost 100 targets last year.
- Dalton Kincaid: A bit of a "post-hype" sleeper. He struggled with injuries last year, but the Bills' offense still needs someone other than Khalil Shakir to catch the ball.
What Most People Get Wrong About TE Strategy
The biggest mistake you can make in 2025 is drafting for "potential" in the middle rounds.
You see it every year. Someone takes a guy like Dallas Goedert or Mark Andrews in the 6th round because of the name value. But look at the numbers. Andrews is 30 now and is becoming very touchdown-dependent. In a PPR league, that's a nightmare. If he doesn't score, he's giving you 4 catches for 38 yards. You can get that same production from a waiver wire guy.
Honestly, you've gotta decide early: are you paying the "Bowers tax" to get a positional advantage, or are you waiting until the double-digit rounds to grab a guy like Tyler Warren or Harold Fannin Jr.? Drafting a tight end in the "dead zone" (Rounds 5-7) is usually how you end up with a mediocre team.
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The Rookies Are Different Now
We have to stop treating rookie tight ends like they need three years to develop. The college game has changed. These guys are coming out as polished receivers.
Harold Fannin Jr. is the perfect example. He was a menace at Bowling Green and walked right into Cleveland and led the team in targets. The model for tight ends has shifted from "big guys who can block" to "athletic freaks who can't be covered by a linebacker." When you're looking at 2025 fantasy football te rankings ppr, give the rookies more credit than you used to.
Key Factors for PPR Success
- Target Share: If they aren't getting at least 15% of the team's targets, they aren't a TE1.
- Yards After Catch (YAC): In PPR, those extra 3-4 yards after a catch add up fast.
- Quarterback Reliability: Brock Bowers is great, but Geno Smith makes him elite. Kyle Pitts is great, but stable QB play made him a star.
Final Insights for Your Draft
If you want to win your league in 2025, don't play it safe at tight end. The "safe" veterans like Travis Kelce (who is now being drafted in the 6th round) or Mark Andrews are fading. They aren't the locks they used to be.
Instead, chase the volume. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are the only two tight ends you can almost guarantee will see 100+ targets. If you miss out on them, wait. Don't panic-pick a veteran in the 5th round. Grab your wide receivers and running backs, then take two swings late on guys like Tyler Warren or Tucker Kraft.
One of those young guys will hit, and you'll have a top-5 producer for a fraction of the cost.
Next Steps for Your Draft Prep:
- Check the training camp reports for the Indianapolis Colts to see if Tyler Warren is running with the first team.
- Review the Las Vegas Raiders preseason to confirm Brock Bowers is still the primary read for Geno Smith.
- Identify which of your league-mates are still "stuck in the past" and likely to overreach for Kelce or Andrews based on name value alone.