The tight end position in fantasy football is often a source of frustration. After a few elite options, the production curve drops off sharply, leaving owners scrambling for consistency.
The 2024 season was no different, with many tight ends underperforming expectations due to injuries, inconsistent quarterback play, or a lack of clear opportunity. However, savvy fantasy owners know that a disappointing year often sets the stage for a strong rebound.
As we look ahead to the 2025 season, here are seven tight ends who, despite their 2024 struggles, are in a good position to deliver much better fantasy value and become contributors to your championship run.
Sam LaPorta (Detroit Lions): LaPorta had a phenomenal rookie year in 2023, setting records for tight ends. However, his 2024 season saw a dip in his fantasy points per game and a noticeable drop in targets per game. This volume decrease, despite an increase in efficiency metrics like yards per target and catch rate, made him a disappointment for owners who drafted him as a top-tier option. Looking to 2025, a crucial factor is the new offensive coordinator, John Morton. While there’s a risk of the offense being less efficient without Ben Johnson, Morton also presents the upside of designing more plays specifically for LaPorta. He remains a top-tier talent in a high-powered offense, and if the target volume returns to his rookie levels, he’s a prime candidate to bounce back into elite TE territory.
David Njoku (Cleveland Browns): Njoku’s 2024 season was likely a frustrating one for fantasy owners, as he missed six games due to a string of injuries, including ankle, hamstring, and knee issues. This significantly impacted his overall production, despite a strong finish when healthy. When he did play, Njoku showed flashes of his high-target potential, averaging over 10 targets per game and scoring five touchdowns in a seven-game stretch. Entering 2025, Njoku is reportedly healthy and likely a top-two target in the Browns’ offense alongside Jerry Jeudy. Njoku’s athleticism and volume make him a strong bounce-back candidate, ready to re-establish himself as a top-tier fantasy tight end.
Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons): It took a while, but I’ve all but given up on Pitts ever being an elite fantasy tight end. Still, that doesn’t exclude him from this particular blog post about bounce-back tight ends. After high-end TE2 production in 2023, Pitts fell back a little last year as inconsistent quarterback play brought down the whole offense. However, a glimmer of hope emerges in 2025 with the established rapport he’s building with new quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was drafted in 2024 and will now be the starter. The Falcons’ offense, under Zac Robinson, could also be evolving to better utilize his unique skillset. If Penix can develop and Pitts is finally given the consistent high-volume opportunities that his athleticism warrants, he could deliver the long-awaited fantasy breakout season that owners have been hoping for — or at least offer high-end TE2, low-end TE1 production.
Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys): After a promising 2023 season where he finished as TE9, Ferguson experienced a significant downturn in 2024, finishing as TE25 with zero touchdowns in 14 games. This disappointment was largely attributed to injuries to both himself (knee, concussion) and his quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), as well as a potential target squeeze. However, entering 2025, Prescott is reportedly healthy, and while the addition of George Pickens might seem to create more target competition, Ferguson still represents a vital security blanket for Prescott, especially in the red zone where he led tight ends in targets in 2023. With a healthier offense and a clearer picture at quarterback, Ferguson is poised for positive touchdown regression and an overall increase in consistent production.
Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles): If you read my Tight End Fantasy Fallers piece, you know Goedert is among the players at his position whose stock has fallen a great deal. However, due to his TE27 finish, he really has nowhere to go but up. Hence, his inclusion in this bounce-back post. Goedert enters 2025 fully healthy after reworking his contract and remains a significant piece of the Eagles’ offense. He demonstrated his value in the team’s playoff run in 2024, leading the Eagles with 17 receptions and a touchdown in four games. With the Eagles’ offensive line largely intact and Jalen Hurts looking to build off the Super Bowl season, Goedert’s reliable hands, yards-after-catch ability, and role as a key blocker make him a strong candidate to return to high-end TE2, low-end TE1 production in 2025 if he can stay on the field.
Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo Bills): Kincaid was a major disappointment last year, no question about that. Despite not having proven playmakers at wide receiver, the Bills still haven’t funneled production his way consistently enough for him to be considered one of the top targets at the position. After a rookie season that saw him as a low-end TE1, Kincaid dropped all the way down to TE30 due to injuries and the Bills spreading the ball to other weapons. However, he seemed to be efficient when targeted. For 2025, with Dawson Knox still somewhat in the picture, Kincaid is the undisputed primary pass-catching tight end. With a full offseason to build chemistry with Josh Allen and a potential increase in target quality, Kincaid’s underlying talent and the Bills’ pass-heavy offense position him for a substantial fantasy rebound.
Evan Engram (Denver Broncos): Engram’s 2024 was a forgettable season, plagued by shoulder and hamstring injuries that limited him to just nine games and saw his fantasy points per game drop significantly. He landed with the Denver Broncos for 2025, a move that looks highly favorable. Head Coach Sean Payton is known for utilizing tight ends effectively, and Engram is expected to be a key “Joker” player in the offense. He’s reportedly healthy and has shown “real good instincts” at OTAs, quickly building rapport with second-year quarterback Bo Nix. Engram’s proven ability to command targets and his athletic profile make him a prime bounce-back candidate, poised to become a valuable, high-volume target in the Broncos’ evolving offense.