The tight end position is often the most overlooked and underappreciated in fantasy football, but savvy managers can find a distinct advantage over their league mates by snatching up one of the year’s breakouts at a predominantly slim position in terms of reliability.
Fantasy football managers often struggle to find consistency at tight end if they miss out on the position early in drafts. Still, there’s always a diamond or two who can sneak into relevance each season.
One approach in recent seasons is to draft one of the high-volume target-getters at the position, such as Travis Kelce or George Kittle. However, if you end up missing out or opt to wait on the position, there are plenty of potential sleepers at tight end, so waiting until the mid-to-late rounds of the draft can sometimes pay off.
Below are some of the best sleeper tight ends to target in fantasy football drafts ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
2025 POSITION RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST | Overall
Fantasy football TE sleepers 2025
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
The 25-year-old is entering his third season in Buffalo. He regressed in many ways during his sophomore season, but injuries and other factors may have contributed to his decline. The Bills scored an astounding 32 of their 62 offensive touchdowns on the ground, which left little room for Kincaid to make a dent in that column. The former first-round draft pick finished second on the team in targets (75) behind Khalil Shakir (100), who is dealing with a high ankle sprain in camp. Kincaid missed four games and time in others due to injuries, but was on pace to exceed 100 targets. Only Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Travis Kelce and Jonnu Smith reached that mark. While many fantasy managers may feel burned by Kincaid, he’s the type of post-hype sleeper you’ll want on your roster in 2025.
Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
Chig Okonkwo enters 2025 as the top tight end in Tennessee. The Titans are lacking a clear No. 2 option in the passing game after Calvin Ridley and the offense is expected to improve with No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward under center. Okonkwo has been a victim of subpar quarterback play throughout his first three NFL seasons, and reports from training camp suggest he’s building chemistry with Ward. Okonkwo had an impressive 27% target share down the stretch last season when he was given a full-time role. He is a fast and agile tight end (6-foot-3, 238 pounds) with speed to create mismatches and could become the rookie quarterback’s favorite option. (Not to mention, fantasy managers rostering him have the luxury of creating unique team names.) He’ll go undrafted in most leagues but he’s a worthy late-round flyer.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPERS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
The Patriots are entering the second season of the Drake Maye era. In 10 games with Maye last season, the veteran led New England in targets, receiving yards, receptions, and the always-valuable end zone targets. Henry managed a career-high 97 targets in 2024 and the return of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who coached Henry in 2021 in New England, could provide an even bigger boost. That season under McDaniels, Henry posted career highs in red zone targets (17) and touchdowns (9). His 12 end zone targets that season ranked sixth-highest in the NFL. There’s little target competition outside of 31-year-old Stefon Diggs, who is coming off an ACL tear. Henry is currently being drafted as TE20 and he can easily finish inside the top 10 at the position if Maye leans on him.
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Kraft ranked 14th in fantasy points per game last season among tight ends, but did so in Green Bay’s run-heavy offense. He posted 50 receptions for 707 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. Green Bay added wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round of the 2025 draft, creating more target competition. Still, Kraft led all TEs in yards after the catch (YAC) at 9.6, ahead of George Kittle. He has carved out a reliable role in one of the better offenses in the NFL and is currently being drafted as TE12. At the end of last season, head coach Matt LaFleur expressed his desire to feature Kraft more in the offense.
