3 Sleeper Tight Ends to Target for Fantasy Football in 2025

Only five tight ends scored north of 150 half-PPR points in 2024 -- Brock Bowers, George Kittle, Trey McBride, Jonnu Smith, and Mark Andrews.
Bowers, Kittle, McBride, and Andrews were all drafted, on average, in the top 100. So while each had a productive campaign, it didn't come without paying some price. Smith, on the other hand, churned out a TE4 finish despite carrying an average draft position (ADP) of TE21 at pick 190 overall.
Can we find this year's Jonnu Smith?
Even if your tight end stops short of being a league winner, nabbing one that outperforms their ADP can still help you make waves in fantasy.
With that, let's highlight some sleeper tight end picks for 2025. We'll focus on only players with an ADP outside the top 100 picks, per FantasyPros' half-PPR ADP data.
Sleeper Fantasy Tight End Targets
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
ADP: 120 Overall (TE14)
If you're seeking upside past the top 100 picks, look no further than Dalton Kincaid.
The 25th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft might just pace his position in untapped potential.
Kincaid has posted 1,121 receiving yards through his two-year, 29-game professional career. He sat out four games last year -- three of which were due to a knee injury -- but his marks suggest he is bound to put up career-best numbers this season.
Among tight ends that caught 40-plus balls in 2024, Kincaid ranked fourth in yards after catch per reception (6.2), fourth in air yards per reception (12.8), and sixth in yards after contact per reception (2.3), via FantasyPros. Our Austin Swaim considers Kincaid a fantasy football breakout candidate for 2025, noting that his unlucky catchable target rate (66.7%) contributed to Kincaid being the 15th-highest underperformer in expected fantasy points, per Pro Football Focus.
Kincaid is also a top candidate to enjoy positive scoring regression. He's scored just four touchdowns on 166 targets in his career -- good for a measly 2.4% touchdown rate. FanDuel Research's Jim Sannes laid out NFL projected point totals for each team in 2025, and his model forecasts the Buffalo Bills to lead the league in scoring. That sets the scene for Josh Allen and Kincaid to make up for the missed connections this year.
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
ADP: 132 Overall (TE17)
Kyle Pitts held an ADP of TE4 at pick 46 after being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He ended up bursting for 1,000-plus yards in his rookie campaign, and we spent the next three years drafting him inside the top 70 to no avail.
Pitts' ADP has, at long last, taken a major hit. Will he finally outdo expectations in 2025?
We can't stop hearing about the so-called chemistry that's flying between Michael Penix Jr. and Pitts leading up to this season. And frankly, it's a lot easier to take the bait knowing we don't have to pay too hefty of a price to get to Pitts this go around.
Though Pitts mustered just a TE15 finish a season ago, consistent quarterback play could do him some good and Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson expects Pitts to "take a big jump" this season.
Among tight ends that caught 40-plus passes in 2024, Pitts ranked fifth in yards before catch per reception (7.0) and sixth in yards after catch per reception (5.8), totaling the third-most yards per catch (12.8) and ninth-most total air yards (634). Even after putting up a career-high in touchdowns last season, he still sports only a 3.0% touchdown rate for his career (10 TDs on 333 targets) and has ample room to grow in this regard.
There's reason to believe Pitts is currently being drafted closer to his floor than not. For years, fantasy managers have loved Pitts, yet he hasn't loved us back. Considering his moderate ADP, new quarterback situation, big play upside, and Atlanta's outlook as a whole, I'm willing to be a fool for Pitts one last time now that he can be truly billed as a sleeper.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
ADP: 158 Overall (TE19)
Hunter Henry won't find his way on many fantasy football lists, and I understand why.
The tight end is entering his age-31 campaign and has churned out consistently average numbers throughout his career. Peg him for 500-ish yards, and you're usually right on the money. But there's a world where Drake Maye's security blanket emerges as something more, and we might be living in that world in 2025.
Across Maye's 10 starts in 2024, Henry earned a 21.8% target share, 30.8% red zone target share, and netted 1.64 yards per route run. Heading into his first season as the New England Patriots' full-time starter, Maye could rely on his connection with Henry from the jump.
Plus, OC Josh McDaniels is back in town, and he was at the helm of this offense when Henry posted a career-high nine touchdowns in 2021. After scoring just twice via 97 targets last season, Henry is another candidate to enjoy positive touchdown regression.
Henry earned the fifth-most total targets among tight ends in 2024. It amounted to a TE12 fantasy finish even though he sat the final game, didn't have Maye for six games, and suffered from a poor touchdown rate. If Henry can maintain a similar-ish volume as last season, it's hard to envision a world where he doesn't outperform his current ADP. He's my favorite tight end currently going outside the top-150 picks.
Futures Day is coming August 26th. Learn more here.
The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.