Tight End Rankings for Standard, Half-PPR, and Full-PPR Leagues

I have discussed some different strategies in conjunction with my recent running back and wide receiver rankings. I generally prefer to adapt in real time as opposed to locking into a specific strategy beforehand. That is a byproduct of confidence in my ability to find value at various points throughout the draft. But when it comes to the tight end position, I am more intentional about how I want to approach things. I do this for a couple of reasons, which I will discuss here before unveiling my latest tight end rankings for 2025.

Tight End Overview and Draft Strategy

First, most leagues require you to start two running backs and three receivers, but just one tight end. Tight ends tend to score fewer points as a group than players at other positions, even in PPR leagues. I consider seven weekly PPR points the floor for whether a player should be worthy of starting. Last year, there were at least 30 running backs each week who scored a minimum of seven PPR points. 48 wide receivers hit that threshold. But only a dozen tight ends cleared that mark. In a 12-team league where you start two running backs, three wide receivers, and one tight end, you are seldom starting a tight end in your Flex spot. This means you are starting six running backs and wide receivers compared to one tight end, a vast majority of the time.

The position is also very top-heavy. Brock Bowers takes the top spot in my tight end rankings. I project the second-year pro to average 15.38 weekly PPR points. T.J. Hockenson is my overall TE4, with a projection of 10.88 weekly PPR points. That is a difference of 4.5 points every week for players ranked three spots apart in my rankings. Let’s compare that to a pair of players who are a bit lower in my TE rankings. Rookie Tyler Warren is my overall TE13 in PPR leagues. I project him for 8.84 weekly fantasy points. The player 4.5 weekly points short of Warren is Cole Kmet, who I ranked 37th among tight ends. While it may be a bit simplistic to say that all players beyond the top 12 are the same, the reality is that many of them are.

Because of that, I do not want to waste bench spots on a surplus of tight ends. In a league where I start one tight end, I am drafting a maximum of two. And in many cases, I will only draft one. That does not necessarily mean it’s Bowers or Bust. But if I get Bowers or another elite tight end, I do not have much reason to draft a second one. The elite tight end is going to be in my starting lineup every week. I cannot imagine a scenario where I would start Zach Ertz, for example, over Trey McBride or George Kittle. If an injury occurs to an elite tight end, Kmet and countless others of his ilk will be on the waiver wire waiting for me.

Many fantasy managers like to draft two tight ends in the TE10-TE15 range and play the matchup game. However, it is much easier to play the matchup game at other positions as opposed to tight ends. I would rather draft a top tight end and save myself the headache. Whatever your preferred method for attacking the tight end position, I hope you will find my rankings helpful. I ranked them in Standard, Half-PPR, and PPR formats. And I ranked plenty who will not even be drafted in most leagues. Even in the Independence Day Invitational, where we start two tight ends and two Flexes, we only drafted 40 tight ends.

Tight End Rankings for 2025

For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2025 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!