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Every year, there are unexpected fantasy football tight ends who finish as a TE1. Most of the time, these tight ends go in the later round of drafts but wind up having solid fantasy seasons. Players like Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft, and Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz fit under that category during the 2024-25 season.
None of these playmakers were going at the top of drafts, as all three tight ends had an ADP outside 220. However, Smith finished as the TE4, Kraft finished as the TE7, and Ertz finished as the TE8 in fantasy this past year.
So, which three tight ends are sneaky TE1 candidates next season? Let's dive in.
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TE Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has never really been a consistent fantasy option in his three NFL seasons. Part of that is because he has backed up veteran Mark Andrews in each of those three campaigns. However, it wouldn't be a complete shock to see Likely finish as a TE1 in fantasy next season.
He showed some great things this past year, which included a nine-catch, 111-yard, one-touchdown game in Week 1 against the Chiefs. Although the Ravens tight end didn't have a performance like that the rest of the season, Likely did average 9.02 PPR fantasy points over the final five weeks of the regular season. He also scored 17.3 PPR fantasy points in the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills.
Lamar. Likely. 24 yards.#PITvsBAL on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/7b8uerCkVK— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
Therefore, there's a path for Likely to be a better fantasy option in 2025. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so the Ravens might want to see what type of numbers he can put up in a larger role. On top of that, Andrews showed a noticeable decline in his age-29 season. The veteran totaled under 45 receiving yards in seven of the last 12 games.
Now, if Likely is going to be a consistent fantasy option next season, he will likely have to emerge as that second option for Lamar Jackson in the passing game. That would certainly be a lot easier if Andrews is cut or traded this offseason. While that is probably a long shot, the team would save $11 million in cap space. Either way, though, the 24-year-old is a sneaky TE1 candidate in 2025.
TE Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo won a lot of fantasy managers their leagues this past season. He scored 13.9 PPR fantasy points in Week 15, 19.1 PPR fantasy points in Week 16, and 10.9 PPR fantasy points in Week 17. During that span, Okonkwo caught 22 passes for 182 yards while seeing 28 targets. That strong stretch might be a sign of what's to come for the 25-year-old in 2025.
Outside of that three-game sample, though, there are reasons to be optimistic about Okonkwo heading into the 2025 season. For starters, he could step up as that No. 2 option for the Titans passing offense next year. That could change if Tennessee were to add another weapon in free agency, but the young tight end put up solid numbers as that second option to end the season.
Okonkwo could also emerge as a security blanket on offense, especially if the team decides to take a quarterback with the first overall pick. The Maryland product ranked eighth in target separation and seventh in contested catch percentage among all tight ends last season.
Chig Okonkwo gets in open space for a 70-yard TD!
📺: #TENvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/98scOwfisp— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
Although seeing Okonkwo finish as a TE1 in 2025 might be a bit shocking right now, the potential is there for him. He might only have to compete with Calvin Ridley for significant targets in this offense, and head coach Brian Callahan could find more ways to get the tight end more looks following his strong final few weeks.
TE Tyler Warren
It's time to get familiar with tight end Tyler Warren. Warren is not currently in the league, but he'll soon hear his name called on stage in the 2025 NFL Draft. He should also be selected early in April's draft after he put up one of the most impressive college seasons for a tight end in recent memory.
He caught 104 passes for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in his final college season at Penn State. Those 104 catches ranked tied for second among all pass-catchers in FBS, and his 1,233 receiving yards ranked seventh. As a result, Warren has a fantastic chance to be selected in the top 20 in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Tyler Warren is an elite tight end prospect.
He’s cleaned up drops (15% in 2023 to 2.8% drop rate in 2024) and become an elite contested catcher (61.9%).
Warren is also a MONSTER after the catch, forcing 30 missed tackles in 2024.
TE1 for the 2025 Draft. pic.twitter.com/z5xmJ8df1O
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 17, 2025
Now, whether he finishes as a TE1 in his first season will depend on where he lands in the draft. However, there are plenty of great landing spots for Warren in the first round. The New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, and Denver Broncos are just a few of the top places for him in fantasy next season.
So, Warren could be a solid TE1 option in 2025. Fantasy managers have seen both Sam LaPorta (2023) and Brock Bowers (2024) make immediate impacts as rookies, and the Penn State product could be yet another first-year tight end to have a strong fantasy season. Where he lands in the draft will be interesting to see.
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