Of the six rookie tight ends with fantasy football relevancy, only Tyler Warren of the Colts is ready to shine. In fantasy football, because real life is quite different.
Prepare for the intense sports debate that only sibling rivalry can conjure. Seesaw Sports, where Dan Salem and Todd Salem throw down on the NFL, MLB, NBA and more. Only on BuzzChomp. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate sports.
One final group of rookies that we must monitor for the fantasy football landscape are tight ends. Historically, rookie tight ends were terrible. They didn’t produce and often didn’t play. Logically, it makes sense. They are essentially balancing the job of a wide receiver with the job of an extra lineman. It makes sense that it was too hard for rookies to immediately garner snaps and offensive attention.
Recently, though, that trend has changed. Thanks to Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers, and to a lesser extent, Dalton Kincaid, rookie tight ends are now producing. Kincaid was solid as a rookie, which is an important bar to reach. LaPorta was really good as a rookie; Bowers was exceptional. Thanks to this bunch, the rookie TE is no longer a position to avoid, but rather to target.
More BuzzChomp: Alone Horror Movie Unleashes New Villain Black Boots
With that, we have a number of high-profile rookie TEs entering the league in 2025. Which, if any, will have an immediate impact? Here are the contenders. Another 10 tight ends were drafted after these guys, but realistically, it comes down to this sextet.
First-round selections: Colston Loveland (Bears), Tyler Warren (Colts)
Second-round selections: Mason Taylor (Jets), Terrance Ferguson (Rams), Elijah Arroyo (Seahawks)
Third-round selections: Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns)
One Rookie Tight End To Rule Them All
Todd Salem:
The most important key to early success in this league is opportunity. Tyler Warren in Indianapolis and Mason Taylor with the Jets are the only two who are clear starters from day one.
Loveland has a good chance to be that in Chicago, though Cole Kmet is still under contract. The same goes for Ferguson over Higbee in Los Angeles.
Arroyo in Seattle and Fannin Jr. in Cleveland enter as clear backups in my mind. That surely rules them out of this discussion. They may be franchise-changers in the future, but how many targets are they realistically going to get in 2025 unless Noah Fant and David Njoku get hurt?
Also on BuzzChomp: All NEW Breece Hall on the New York Jets in 2025
Loveland may be the best of this entire class; he went first after all. But I don’t think the targets will be there for him in year one. The same goes for Ferguson. They enter offenses that are too deep with talent. Bowers stood out last year thanks partially to the fact that he became his team’s number-one target very quickly. These guys won’t have that chance regardless of how good they are.
So, if forced to choose between two Week 1 starters, two rookies without quality quarterbacks looking their way, where do you go? My choice is Warren. Prior to the draft, he was thought of as the best prospect, and some heads turned slightly when Loveland went ahead of him. He is versatile and was incredibly productive at the college level. It scares me slightly that the QB position is so up in the air in Indianapolis, but look again to Bowers. Bad quarterback play hurts a team, but it doesn’t necessarily hold down an individual if that guy is a star.
Dan Salem:
Another extremely important wrinkle to fantasy football success for rookie tight ends is your team’s offensive makeup. As you noted, many of our top six join teams with established playmakers in their offense, leaving little room for a rookie tight end to make a dent that fantasy owners will appreciate. Therefore, I must discuss both real life success and fantasy success, because it won’t be created equal with this group of six rookies.
Only one player, Tyler Warren of the Colts, will be fantasy relevant as a rookie. This is because his QB desperately needs a safety net receiver to lean on. Anthony Richardson wants to run, shouldn’t run, and last season did not have enough offensive playmakers he could trust to discourage him from running. Good tight ends are a quarterback’s best friend and Warren is just what Richardson needs to succeed, assuming he keeps his job. The Colts QB turmoil likely helps solidify Warren’s fantasy stock, because he can be Mr. Reliable for whomever is throwing the football.
Also on BuzzChomp: ‘The Surfer’ Is Pure Madness, Nicolas Cage Style
I must now stand up and defend my New York Jets QB, who is in fact a quality quarterback. Justin Fields is not going to dazzle with his arm, or burn you with his legs, but he is poised and in control of his offense. Look how well he played with Russell Wilson’s offense last season in Pittsburgh? Now it’s his offense in New York with a significant upgrade in the playmakers department. Taylor is going to be an immense asset at tight end starting from the first snap of the season. He will have a great rookie year, but I wouldn’t count on fantasy numbers. The Jets will likely be a run first team with Garret Wilson as the primary receiving option. Taylor will have a few big games and play very well, but I doubt it’s enough to be fantasy relevant.
Loveland in Chicago and Ferguson in Los Angeles will also have excellent rookie years, but not for fantasy football. The Rams don’t need Ferguson to catch a large volume of passes and he won’t likely get them, but I foresee him being excellent and earning the job for next season over the veteran Higbee. In Chicago we all assume the Bears offense will become more dynamic, but we simply don’t know if there is room for two tight ends in the Calib Williams offense. Loveland is going to show flashes and help push Kmet out the door, but he won’t be a fantasy star this season. I agree with you about the rest of the tight ends, they are not worth mentioning in terms of fantasy football.
Meet our Sports Writers:
Dan Salem is Lead Editor and Co-owner of BuzzChomp. He’s an award winning Actor, Director and Producer. Visit M Square Productions for his film work, or get lost in his old-school comedy on Pillow Talk TV. You can follow him on X, TikTok and Instagram. His latest film ‘Alone’ is now on Amazon.
Todd Salem is a Staff Writer and Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp. He’s also a champion of fantasy football and fantasy baseball, dominating leagues for over two decades. Comment below on his unfiltered opinions.
Tyler Warren Is The One – This Is The End
Photo Credits: abc7ny.com and usatoday.com; fox10phoenix.com via Getty Images
BuzzChomp is an affiliate for products and services recommended herein. Please read our Full Disclaimer for further information on affiliate programs and opportunities.
Recommended for you
You're Awesome! Subscribe and Comment Below
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
