If you’re staring at your roster right now feeling like you’ve been personally betrayed by a 250-pound man in cleats, you aren’t alone. Tight end has been a wasteland. Week 4 tight end rankings usually start to settle into a rhythm, but 2025 has been weird. Like, "why is my first-round pick getting outscored by a guy whose name sounds like a law firm" weird.
Honestly, the position is basically a weekly game of "don't get a zero."
But there’s actually a lot of logic behind the chaos if you look at the matchups. We’ve got some heavy hitters like Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews facing off in a Kansas City vs. Baltimore slugfest that feels more like a playoff game than a September afternoon. Meanwhile, the rookies are doing things rookies aren't supposed to do.
The Tier 1 Headache: Can You Actually Trust the Stars?
The big question for your week 4 tight end rankings is whether the "elite" guys are actually elite anymore.
Brock Bowers is currently the truth. It's wild. He had a 30% target share last week, which is basically wide receiver territory. Even though the Raiders' offensive line is currently held together by duct tape and prayers, Bowers is the primary engine. Against the Bears this week, he’s the clear TE1. If you have him, you start him. Period.
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Then there’s Travis Kelce. Look, he’s 36. We have to acknowledge that. His yards per game have dipped to around 50.1, and while the Ravens matchup is iconic, Baltimore’s defense is designed to take away the middle of the field. Is he still a top-5 play? Yeah, because the floor is higher than a random waiver wire guy, but the "20 points every week" era is probably in the rearview mirror.
The Volume Kings
- Jake Ferguson (Cowboys): He just came off a 13-reception game. That is insane for a tight end. Dak Prescott is leaning on him like a crutch because the Cowboys' run game is... well, it’s not great.
- Trey McBride (Cardinals): Kyler Murray loves this man. McBride is seeing over 20% of the team's red-zone targets. He’s facing Seattle this week, a defense that’s been funneling everything to the underneath routes.
- Sam LaPorta (Lions): People are panicking because his stats aren't exploding like last year. The Browns defense is tough, but they’ve also given up big plays to tight ends who can find the soft spots in zone.
Middle-Tier Gambles for Week 4
If you didn’t spend high draft capital on a tight end, you’re likely looking at the "blob." This is the group of guys who could give you 15 points or 1.5 points, and there’s almost no way to tell which one is coming.
Tucker Kraft has quietly become a thing in Green Bay. He’s out-snapping Luke Musgrave significantly. In the Cowboys matchup, which looks like it’ll be a high-scoring shootout (40-40 ties happen, apparently), Kraft is a sneaky play for a touchdown.
What about Mark Andrews? He’s basically the ghost of fantasy past right now. He had a massive Week 3 with two touchdowns against Detroit, but his Week 1 and 2 were total duds. The Ravens-Chiefs game is going to be high-leverage. If Lamar Jackson’s hamstring is even slightly bothersome, he’s going to be looking for his safety valve early and often.
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Matchups That Matter
I’m personally wary of George Kittle this week. Not because he isn't great—he literally just had a 15-catch game for 183 yards against Philly—but because the 49ers' injury report is a horror movie. If he's healthy, he's the TE1. If he's hobbled, the Seahawks' defense, which is 20th in passing yards allowed, might actually hold him in check.
Juwan Johnson is another one to watch. The Saints are playing the Bills, and Johnson has been getting high-value targets in the end zone. He’s basically a wide receiver with a TE designation at this point.
Why Rankings Are Usually Wrong About "Safety"
The biggest mistake I see in week 4 tight end rankings is the "safety" trap. People think a veteran like Zach Ertz or Dalton Schultz is a safe 6 points.
They aren't.
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In the current NFL landscape, "safe" doesn't exist at tight end. You want upside. You want the guy who is going to get 8 targets, even if he only catches 4 of them. I’d rather start a guy like David Njoku against Detroit—where the Lions' secondary can be porous—than a "safe" veteran who only gets 3 targets a game.
- Brock Bowers (The volume is just too high to ignore).
- Trey McBride (Matchup proof at this point).
- Travis Kelce (The name value still carries weight in a big game).
- Jake Ferguson (Dak's favorite target not named CeeDee).
- George Kittle (Highest ceiling in the league, if the ankle holds).
- Sam LaPorta (Due for a breakout game).
- Mark Andrews (Chasing the touchdowns from last week).
- Tucker Kraft (The new Green Bay favorite).
- David Njoku (Purely a volume play).
- Hunter Henry (The Patriots' offense is ugly, but he's the only one catching balls).
Final Reality Check
Don't overthink this. If you have a top-6 guy, you play him. You didn't draft them to sit them because of a "tough matchup." The tight end position is about opportunity, and right now, guys like Bowers and Ferguson are getting more opportunity than some WR2s.
If you're streaming, look for the high-over/under games. Dallas vs. Green Bay is going to have points. Kansas City vs. Baltimore is going to have points. Target the tight ends in those environments.
Check the final injury reports on Sunday morning. If George Kittle is out, Jake Tonges becomes a desperation "maybe he catches a touchdown" play, but honestly, you're better off looking at someone like Chigoziem Okonkwo who has a more established role.
Now, go look at your waiver wire. If Tucker Kraft is still sitting there, grab him before your league-mates wake up. It’s the best move you can make for your roster heading into the middle of the season.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check your league's waiver wire for Tucker Kraft or Tyler Warren. If you own Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, try to package them in a trade if they have a big game this week—their name value is currently higher than their weekly consistency. Verify the status of Lamar Jackson and George Kittle 90 minutes before kickoff to ensure your starters are actually active.