Over the past 17 years, college fantasy football tight ends have been a Gordian knot to untangle every summer in preparation for drafts and roster construction. For years, I dumpster dived at the position, and sometimes I nailed a late-round sleeper. More likely, I needed to work the waiver wire every week for a possible starter who might become a contributor in the lineup.
Age and experience in life are often an undervalued combo for success. Add the abilities to adapt and learn, and a CFF enthusiast can earn a black belt in our hobby. As an example, I have changed my mind in regard to the tight end position and now prefer to select one of the top four players in drafts. I want an anchor at tight end and focus my efforts at the other positions on the waiver wire. Also, looking at my CFF lineup with less than five fantasy points in any given week from the tight end position has become annoying and frustrating.
When analyzing the position this year, it is obvious that the cupboard is bare after a stupendous season in which Harold Fannin—both my CFF teams with the Bowling Green All-American finished in first place—and Tyler Warren led thousands of CFF coaches to championships. Unfortunately, it is not the norm to have two stud tight ends exceed all expectations in a season. As a CFF fanatic, I am crossing my fingers that two competitors become difference makers at the position. Sadly, the odds seem against it in 2025.
There’s no such thing as too much football! 2022 is the perfect time to add the college game to your fantasy football repertoire. Whether you want to create your own league or join an existing league, the Fantrax College Football Commissioner is the place to go!
2025 CFF Tight End Tiers
I have ranked the top tight ends in three tiers (Summa, Magna and Cum Laude) for CFF managers to navigate the player pool and find value. I have acquired at least one of the competitors in the top two tiers in 7-of-9 drafts so far. Enjoy my fellow CFF diehards.
Summa Cum Laude
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Team Offense (Rank): 318 ypg. (123)
Passing Yards: 179 ypg. (117)
Points Scored: 27.3 ppg. (73)
2024 FPPG: 11.5
When selecting a tight end in college fantasy football, targeting a player with a nice floor is a sound strategy. Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers has the highest floor among tight ends and will churn-out a cornucopia of fantasy points. Last year, Stowers logged career-bests across the board: He garnered 76 targets and secured 49 passes for 638 yards and five scores. He was named First Team All-SEC and semifinalist for the John Mackey Award.
In high school, Stowers played quarterback and competed in track and field. A four-star recruit, he enrolled at Texas A&M to kick off his college career and played two years in College Station as a backup signal caller. In 2023, he transferred to New Mexico State and moved to tight end. At Las Cruces, NM, he grabbed 35 receptions for 366 yards and two touchdowns and added 29 rushes for 113 yards and two scores, collecting honorable mention All-C-USA. He also completed four passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.
During the spring, Stowers did not participate in practices; nonetheless, reports indicate that he will be back on the field and ready for training camp. The 6-4 and 235-pound graduate student will excel once again in the SEC and continue his journey as a draft prospect while producing a plethora of fantasy points (FPs) in 2025.
Notebook: “I think this year will do (Stowers) really well. He’s now had a winter to train, a spring to train and a summer to train in that position. We believe in him obviously. He believes this program is the right place for him to bridge that final gap to the NFL. We’re going to be very proud of him when his name is called on draft day,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea stated in the offseason (Vandy247.com).
Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Team Offense (Rank): 437 ypg. (22)
Passing Yards: 280 ypg. (13)
Points Scored: 34.9 ppg. (17)
2024 FPPG: 4.9
Are CFF readers seeking a high-end athlete with a huge ceiling at tight end? If so, Kenyon Sadiq checks many boxes. As a high schooler, Sadiq was graded a consensus four-star prospect, ranked as the No. 78 player in the country and a top-10 athlete. As a senior, he collected the Idaho Football Player of the Year and was invited to the U.S. Army Bowl. He concluded the campaign with 62 catches for 1,303 yards and 18 touchdowns. Sadiq also led his team to three state championships and competed on the defensive side of the football.
An uber athlete and competitor, Sadiq chose Oregon over many other programs and suited up in all 14 games as a true freshman in 2023. He finished his freshman season by catching his first career touchdown in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
In last year’s Big Ten Championship Game, many college football diehards like myself saw Sadiq pop off the screen with two scores. The touchdowns capped off a sophomore season in which the Ducks’ tight end secured 24 passes for 308 yards, including those two scores against Penn State for the Big Ten title. At his current APD, CFF diehards are taking Sadiq off the board with the 88th selection, which is first among all tight ends.
Notebook: “It’s funny because as his position coach, you can see a little bit more of the flaws and stuff like that. I still think (Sadiq) has a lot of room to grow…he’s such a good kid, the world doesn’t deserve as good of an athlete and young man. He works really hard. Whatever you ask him to do, he’ll do,” Oregon tight ends coach Drew Mehringer voiced (msn.com).
Sadiq's gonna be such a star 🤩@KenyonSadiq x @OregonFootball#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/5xqFW8924Q
— Oregon on BTN (@OregononBTN) April 26, 2025
Magna Cum Laude
Trey’Dez Green, LSU
Team Offense (Rank): 432 ypg. (25)
Passing Yards: 315 ypg. (7)
Points Scored: 30.5 ppg. (47)
2024 FPPG: 3.6
Selecting playmakers in proven offensive schemes with an all-American quarterback and an established coach often provides plenty of fantasy points. At LSU, QB Garrett Nussmeier and coach Brian Kelly are a first-class combo, which demonstrated success on the gridiron last season. Looking at the roster in 2025, the Tigers have a crowded locker room at receiver, and fantasy diehards are essentially bypassing the LSU wideouts. I covet a slice of an aerial assault likely to accumulate over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, and in Baton Rouge, Trey’Dez Green is my preferred target in CFF drafts.
In the Texas Bowl last year, Green popped off the screen with six catches for 53 yards and two scores. During the game, I scribbled notes and researched the background of the LSU tight end. At 6-7 and 240 pounds, the sophomore towers over defenders and uses his long arms, big frame, and elite athleticism to win. In high school, Green was a two-sport star, playing on the hardwood and gridiron. He was graded as a four-star recruit and considered the top prospect in the state of Louisiana, No. 35 overall recruit in the country, and No. 1 tight end in the nation.
As a freshman, Green debuted on the LSU basketball team in January 2025 versus Alabama. After six games, he stepped away from hoops and is now focused on football. With great hands, lengthy arms and body, and stupendous leaping ability, Green creates mismatches for opposing defenses. I will always acquire athleticism at the tight end position, and the Tigers’ rising star is poised to excel in 2025.
Notebook: “(Trey’Dez) is involved in our weight training, so he is physically training in the weight room with our guys. He is not tapped out of that, which obviously we’re excited about, but he’s lost a little bit of weight running up and down the court from a cardiovascular standpoint, it’s a little bit different than cutting off the C-gap,” coach Brian Kelly said in February (lsureville.com).
Nuss connects with the freshman @TreyDez_Green TOUCHDOWN
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/UCOGAPz2BG
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 31, 2024
Joe Royer, Cincinnati
Team Offense (Rank): 421 ypg. (36)
Passing Yards: 237 ypg. (55)
Points Scored: 25.2 ppg. (89)
2024 FPPG: 10.0
Before transferring to Cincinnati, Joe Royer wore the Scarlett and Grey at Ohio State. In three seasons as a Buckeye, he caught only four passes for 24 yards. Prior to going to college, he was a consensus four-star prospect and among the Top 10 recruits in Ohio while collecting first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior in 2019.
In 2024, Royer took advantage of his opportunities as a pass catcher for the Bearcats. The 6-5 and 255- pounder tallied 50 receptions for 521 yards and three touchdowns while being named First Team All-Big 12 honors. He established a new mark in a single-season for receptions by a tight end. The redshirt senior is a preseason All-American by numerous outlets and will surely deliver fantasy production in 2025.
Notebook: “(Royer) did what he wanted to do. He left Ohio State, had 50 catches, was an All-Big 12 player and one of the better tight ends in the country. He was going to be a mid-round selection on projection, but he wanted to continue to develop,” Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield remarked in regard to Royer returning to the team (cincinnati.com).
Twitterverse on Fire!
After the first ten rounds of CFF drafts (based on current Fantrax ADP), who are you targeting at tight end this summer as a value selection?
- Luke Reynolds, Penn State: 20%
- Elijah Lofton, Miami: 26%
- John Michael Gyllenborg: 35%
- Max Klare, Ohio State: 19%
“From my view, John Michael Gyllenborg has the best floor at his current APD. If the Cowboys can move the ball and put up 20-plus points a game, he should be a top tight end this year.” @eliotmays
“While everyone thinks WR Trebor Pena will garner all the targets for the Nittany Lions, I’m willing to bet on the 6-4 and 251-pound Luke Reynolds has something to say about the target distribution. Reynolds was the best receiver at last year’s Elite 11s, and he has the frame, size, speed, athleticism, and hands to excel as a pass catcher.” @_NinoBrown
Cum Laude
Justin Joly, North Carolina State
Team Offense (Rank): 378 ypg. (76)
Passing Yards: 233 ypg. (58)
Points Scored: 28.5 ppg. (62)
2024 FPPG: 10.2
Early in my educational career, I traveled often to tutor the SAT and one of the schools in which I visited was Iona Prep in New York. Justin Joly attended Iona and enrolled at UConn (I have season tickets) after high school. In 2024, he moved south to play for North Carolina State. Needless to say, Joly has been on my football radar for the past three years, and I have witnessed his football journey.
Since joining the Wolfpack, Joly has gained 20-plus pounds and now measures 6-3 and 251 pounds. In 2024, he plucked 43 passes for 661 yards and four scores, averaging 15.4 yards per catch (ypc.). He finished second on the team in catches and led North Carolina State in yards. Among FBS tight ends, his yards per catch were the fourth best.
In the preseason this summer, Joly was named First Team All-ACC and Fourth Team All-American. His fantasy ceiling might be limited as a member of the Wolfpack. Even so, Joly is a foundation player at tight end if CFF diehards wait to draft the position.
Notebook: “I’m gonna bring blocking, my effort, my energy. I usually have a smile on my face. I’m gonna do a lot for this team, on and off the field,” Joly stated in 2024 (fayobserver.com).
Jack Endries, Texas
Team Offense (Rank): 438 ypg. (21)
Passing Yards: 279 ypg. (14)
Points Scored: 33.0 ppg. (29)
2024 FPPG: 10.1
Jack Endries practiced with California throughout the spring before announcing his transfer to Texas in mid-April to pursue his dream of winning a national championship. Signing with the Longhorns is a near-perfect match of talent, scheme, and opportunity. After losing Gunnar Helm, Texas needed a playmaking tight end to fill an important role in coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense. Endries is a dynamic chain mover who wins in the middle of the field.
A three-star prospect and excellent student, Endries bypassed offers from Ivy League programs and service academies to walk on at California. He took a redshirt in 2022 before impacting the Golden Bears’ aerial assault the following season. In the past two seasons at Berkeley, the former California pass catcher snatched 91 passes for 1,030 yards, averaging 11.3 ypc, and scored four times. Off the field, Endries did not waste his time either, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics in three years.
At 6-4 and 240 pounds, the newest Longhorn runs sharp routes and finds soft spots in zone coverages between the hash marks. The Golden Bears employed Endries all over the formation: in-line, H-back, slot, and outside. In 2024, 33 of 56 catches went for a first down, and he dropped only one pass the entire year. With a plethora of game-breaking receivers on the roster, Sarkisian added another chess piece for QB Arch Manning by signing Endries, and CFF diehards should acquire the Texas tight end on their rosters in 2025.
Notebook: “(Coach Sarkisian) is doing a great job developing tight ends and working his offense around them. Endries is such a good athlete and he can play anywhere. He’s one of the two most talented tight ends in the country,” a national scout voiced (si.com).
California transfer Jack Endries is a high quality starter in the portal at tight end
84.5 receiving grade last year #TransferPortal pic.twitter.com/2ruedAB9NM
— Clint Brewster (@clintbrew247) April 16, 2025
Matthew Lauter, Boise State
Team Offense (Rank): 466 ypg. (8)
Passing Yards: 225 ypg. (70)
Points Scored: 37.3 ppg. (5)
2024 FPPG: 10.8
Obviously, the college football world had its eyes focused on Aston Jeanty last season in Boise, ID. Astute CFF fans observed that TE Matthew Lauter also contributed to the Broncos’ success. The redshirt junior finished second on the team in receptions (47), receiving yards (619) and ypc. (13.2). He also led Boise State in receiving touchdowns with seven.
In the Mountain West among tight ends, he paced the conference in yards after the catch with 381 and first downs with 29. In the nation, he finished sixth and fifteenth in the two categories at the position. Lauter earned First Team All-Mountain West, and he is a three-time MW All-Academic honoree.
At 6-3 and 240 pounds, Lauter was a three-star recruit in high school and ranked as the No. 42 tight end in the nation. A two-way player, he recorded 47 tackles on defense and returned an interception for a touchdown. He also punted for his team.
Despite losing Jeanty, Boise State is still the dominant team in the Mountain West, and QB Maddux Madsen is back behind center. On the offensive line, the Broncos return both tackles and center, all of whom are on various preseason all-MW teams. The passing game is in a great position to succeed, and Lauter replicates last year’s numbers for CFF managers.
Notebook: Nathan Carroll recently broke down the Broncos’ pass catchers: “Lauter is primed to be one of the stars for Boise State’s offense this season. It would be a massive upset if he isn’t preseason All-Mountain West, and I think 50-plus catches is within the realm of possibility. The ceiling for Lauter remains to be seen,” (bronconationnews.com).
Max Klare, Ohio State
Team Offense (Rank): 429 ypg. (30)
Passing Yards: 263 ypg. (29)
Points Scored: 35.7 ppg. (14)
2024 FPPG: 11.9
I do not blame any CFF diehard or college football fan for not watching Purdue last season. The Boilermakers finished 1-11, and the offense finished among the bottom five teams in nearly every statistical category. Despite a poor environment, Max Klare produced for CFF managers. He recorded a team-high 51 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns, finishing sixth all-time at Purdue in single-season receiving yards by a tight end. His yards were second in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS at the position.
Over the winter, Klare entered the transfer portal and signed with conference rival Ohio State. The Buckeyes are defending National Champions, and many of their stars are now in the NFL. Coach Ryan Day needed a reliable tight end, and Klare was the highest-rated at the position in the portal. At best, the former Boilermaker is the third option in the Buckeyes’ aerial assault, which limits his ceiling as a fantasy producer. Nevertheless, Klare will see targets in the middle of the field and help first-year starting quarterback Julian Sayin when he is in trouble.
Notebook: “You want to be in an environment that’s going to push you in all aspects of the game. Being a tight end, it’s not just about pass catching; you have to block, and I think that’s something that I want to keep developing. Going against these guys (on Ohio State’s defense) every day, running routes and blocking these guys every day, it’s going to make you better,” Klare uttered in an interview over the offseason (Buckeyesports.com).
Luke Reynolds, Penn State
Team Offense (Rank): 430 ypg. (26)
Passing Yards: 228 ypg. (66)
Points Scored: 33.1 ppg. (28)
2024 FPPG: 1.8
At the turn of the 21st Century, Miami was known as Tight End U with many All-Americans on campus. Over the past decade, Penn State has co-opted the moniker with a litany of productive tight ends—Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, Theo Johnson, and Tyler Warren. In 2025, Luke Reynolds stands atop the depth chart in State College.
Reynolds attended Cheshire Academy in Connecticut (about 25 minutes from my house) and was rated as a five-star recruit. As a senior in 2023, he snatched 48 passes for 754 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 15.7 ypc. A team captain, he was named MVP of NEPSAC and earned tickets to the Under Armour All-American Game and Adidas All-American Bowl. As a prospect, Reynolds was ranked as the top tight end in the nation and No. 1 prospect in Connecticut. A two-sport athlete, he also lettered three years on the hardwood.
At 6-4 and 250 pounds, Reynolds is a superb athlete with nimble movement skills and great body control. As a true freshman last year, he played in all 16 games and recorded nine catches for 111 yards and a score. With Warren now in the NFL, Reynolds will be called upon to continue the tradition of productive tight ends in the program. Draft the newest Nittany Lions’ starter with confidence in 2025.
Notebook: Tight end coach TY Howle stated last December: “A lot of guys never played tight end, a true tight end, in high school. You have to learn run blocking, you have to learn pass routes, pass protection, so those areas, (Luke) has grown tremendously.” (psucollegian.com)
Arlis Boardingham, Bowling Green
Team Offense (Rank): 377 ypg. (77)
Passing Yards: 241 ypg. (48)
Points Scored: 27.1 ppg. (75)
2024 FPPG: 3.9
While Jack Endries and Max Klare have reaped more headlines transferring to bigger programs, Arlis Boardingham also warrants a news blurb moving from a P4 to G5 program. Boardingham spent three seasons at Florida before moving north over the winter to play for the Falcons in 2025. The former Gator will be asked to replace All-American Harold Fannin in the starting lineup, and hopefully, duplicate Fannin’s production in the passing game.
At 6-3 and 245 pounds, Boardingham played receiver and defensive end in high school and was graded as a four-star prospect coming out of California. He was ranked as the No. 20 athlete in the Class of 2022 after logging 43 catches for 836 yards, 23 total touchdowns, and 67 tackles during his senior year.
Coming across the country, Boardingham moved to Gainesville to play football and showed flashes of his abilities in the past three campaigns. He appeared in 24 career games and corralled 44 passes for 417 yards and six touchdowns. In 2023, he collected FWAA Freshman All-American honors, recording 26 receptions for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He also produced his best performance against Vanderbilt with seven receptions for 99 yards and two scores. Drafting an elite athlete moving down in competition level can provide better matchups for success, and Boardingham should be able to subdue MAC opponents rather easily.
Notebook: Writer Michael Burwell surveyed the program’s incoming transfers: “Bowling Green has become ‘Tight End U’ in the Mid-American Conference as the Falcons have had a first-team all-league selection at the position in four of the past five seasons. Boardingham could be next on that list. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Florida transfer brings superb athleticism to Bowling Green,” (toledoblade.com).
Jack Velling, Michigan State
Team Offense (Rank): 333 ypg. (110)
Passing Yards: 218 ypg. (79)
Points Scored: 19.3 ppg. (123)
2024 FPPG: 6.9
Last year, I selected Jack Velling in many leagues as a deep sleeper. Velling had moved to East Lansing, MI from Cornwallis, OR with his coach Jonathan Smith. Unfortunately, the former Oregon State tight end did not become the impactful CFF tight end at Michigan State that I envisioned.
During his two seasons as a Beaver, Velling snagged 45 passes for 719 yards and 11 scores while averaging 16.0 ypc. As a Spartan, he had an up-and-down crusade, which left CFF coaches frustrated with his overall lack of fantasy production. He set a career high with 36 receptions but averaged only 11.4 ypc. and scored only once. The Spartans upgraded the offensive line in the offseason and expect more production from second-year starter Aidan Chiles throwing the football. I still believe in the 6-5 and 246-pound senior as a CFF player.
Notebook: “From game one (last year) against FAU, we could tell they’re going to have a guy over the top of me all game and it kind of carried (through the entire season). I had trouble winning against man last year and that was a big focus for me this offseason. I’ve been working on that throughout spring ball, so I’m feeling a lot better this year,” Velling revealed in April (si.com)
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