2025 College Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight End

College football draft season is kicking into full gear, and we've reached the end of our positional rankings series. We've covered the pass throwers, the rock toters, and the primary receivers, but we've hit the portion of our article where we discuss the underappreciated, do-it-all position on the field with the tight ends.

Note: These rankings are based on a half-point per reception format and may vary based on the format of your league. Visit our College Football Rankings page to customize the rankings to fit your league's format. The rankings are also subject to change as more information rolls in during fall camp, and up-to-date rankings can be found there.

2025 College Fantasy Football Draft Kit

• College Football Rankings (linked above)
• College Football Projections
• College Football Cheat Sheet
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• Heisman Odds
• Tapole Bowl Rankings and Strategy
• Underdog Best Ball Tools and Tips
• 2025 Quarterback Rankings
• 2025 Running Back Rankings
• 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings

2025 College Football Tight End Rankings

1) John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming

2025 Fantasy Projection

2025 Fantasy Outlook

Gyllenborg may not have the flashy numbers you're expecting for a top-tier tight end, but there are layers to his numbers last season. First off, he essentially missed four of the team's 12 contests. Despite that, he closed out the year with 30 catches for 425 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 3.8 catches for 53.1 yards and 0.4 touchdowns per contest. On top of that, the quarterback position was a bit of a mess last year, with Evan Svoboda struggling at the helm. Well, Svoboda has moved to tight end for 2025 and Kaden Anderson, who emerged as the starter down the stretch, appears set to take the job under center. While he may not knock doors down, it's certainly an upgrade in the passing department from what Svoboda offered last year, totaling just five touchdown passes versus eight interceptions while completing just 49.1 percent of his passes. Assuming Gyllenborg can stay healthy, an improved passing attack could lead to a massive season for him as far as college tight ends are concerned. 

2) Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

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Sadiq played second fiddle at the tight end position for the Ducks in 2025 behind Terrance Ferguson, who racked up 43 grabs 591 yards and a trio of scores over 12 games. Sadiq, in his own right, made a productive campaign out of his 2024 season and showcased his ability in the Big Ten Championship Game, notching a pair of catches for 30 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State. Well, on top of Ferguson leaving for the draft, top wideout Tez Johnson is also gone, and top returning starter Evan Stewart is slated to miss at least part, if not all, of 2025 due to a knee injury. That trio, plus Traeshon Holden, accounted for north of 60 percent of all targets last season for the Ducks. Sadiq ranks second only to Justius Lowe in returning target share, so the door is wide open for the budding tight end to make a considerable mark this season. Given how few returning stars there are at the tight end position and how little it's used in many systems, Sadiq falls into a uniquely favorable fantasy situation in a high-powered offense that significantly utilizes the tight end. The system, available targets, and the flashes we've seen from Sadiq all set him up for a top-tier fantasy season in 2025. 

3) Matt Lauter, Boise State

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Lauter began to emerge as a receiving threat at the end of the 2023 campaign, when he totaled five catches for 80 yards and a trio of touchdowns over the final three regular-season contests, working alongside Riley Smith. He took another major step in that regard last season, likely thanks, in part, to the switch under center from dual-threat quarterback Taylen Green to more of a traditional signal-caller in Maddux Madsen. Gone is the Bronco that drove the buggy in 2024, Ashton Jeanty. While Boise State is blessed with a stable of tantalizing talents to replace him, including Sire Gaines, Fresno State transfer Malik Sherrod and Jambres "Breezy" Dubar, there could also be a slight shift toward a bit more passing in an offense that returns Madsen and some production in the receiving game in Lauter and Latrell Caples. However, 2024 top target Cameron Camper has turned pro, leaving a healthy target share available for Lauter to eat into. It wouldn't be shocking for the senior to match or surpass his regular-season totals from last year (38 catches for 461 yards and six touchdowns), especially after closing out the year with nine catches for 158 yards and a score between the Mountain West Championship and the College Football Playoff contest versus Penn State. Any improvement would land him among the top tight end options for 2025.

4) Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

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Stowers is essentially a big-bodied wideout (6-foot-4, 235 pounds) on the field, and that was on full display two seasons ago at New Mexico State when he racked up 35 catches for 366 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding 29 carries for 113 yards and a pair of scores as a runner. While he wasn't quite the same level of contributor on the ground in his first season at Vanderbilt, the connection Stowers forged with Diego Pavia and offensive coordinator Tim Beck during their Aggies tenure held firm upon bumping up a level of competition and, in fact, increased to the tune of 45 grabs for 583 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season. He also added four catches for another 55 yards and a score in the bowl game. With another offseason under his belt, Stowers should have another big campaign as he gears up for what could be his final season in the college ranks in 2025.

5) Jack Endries, Texas

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Endries enters his junior season in a new program, joining the University of Texas after spending his first two collegiate campaigns with Cal. He accumulated 91 catches for 1,031 receiving yards and four touchdowns with the Golden Bears, including a 56-catch, 623-yard 2024 season. He'll look to follow in the footsteps of Gunnar Helm - a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft - who caught 60 passes for 786 yards and seven scores during 2024. Even with Helm and starting quarterback Quinn Ewers gone, Texas' offense could be even more explosive in 2025 with Arch Manning under center. Assuming Manning lives up to the hype, Endries should be one of the top tight ends in the country. Even if Manning underwhelms, there should be enough targets to go around, for Endries to be productive, and Endries, who's viewed as a more gifted pass-catcher, has the talent to turn in a better season than what we saw from Helm with the Longhorns last year.

6) Joe Royer, Cincinnati

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Royer had a record-breaking season in 2024 with 50 receptions, eclipsing Travis Kelce's school-record 45 grabs during the 2012 season. For the breakout performance, he was named to the First-Team All-Big 12. He enters the 2025 season as a legitimate NFL Draft prospect after transferring to Cincinnati from Ohio State last year. Royer's strong catch radius puts him in a security blanket type of role for returning QB Brendan Sorsby. Royer is the top returning receiver for the Bearcats and is expected to be the highest producing target on a weekly basis. He might fly under the radar in some circles, but he's certainly squarely on the fantasy radar and has the upside to finish as one of the best tight ends in the nation.

7) Justin Joly, NC State

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Joly spent two productive seasons at UConn before transferring to NC State last fall to see what he could do at the power conference level. He proceeded to put together a career year, reeling in 43 passes for 661 yards and four touchdowns as the leading receiver on the Wolfpack. The 6-foot-3, 251-pound tight end is a big mismatch, and the Wolfpack take full advantage of that. Three of the top four receivers for NC State return this season, so this passing game should be primed to take another step. And with another offseason to develop chemistry with quarterback CJ Bailey, who was thrown into the fire as a true freshman last fall, Joly should remain the focal point of this offense and has a great shot to top his numbers from last year. There are not many power conference tight ends who are slated to be a bigger part of their offense than Joly in 2025

8) Luke Reynolds, Penn State

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If coach James Franklin wants to employ a similar offensive scheme this season, he needs to find an answer for the departure of Tyler Warren. Reynolds is next in line to inherit the receiving tight end position. Quarterback Drew Allar utilized Warren liberally last season, so we should expect Reynolds to be a high-impact player right off the bat. Playing behind Warren didn't allow the sophomore much real-time experience, but the five-star recruit will be given every opportunity to succeed in 2025. At 6-4 and 250 pounds, he possesses the ideal frame for the position. His pass-catching ability is unquestioned, but he'll need to achieve mastery as a blocker in protection schemes if he wants to be an every-down player. If Allar calls his number often enough, Reynolds should have a breakout season.

9) Dorian Fleming, Maryland

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Fleming made a splash with Georgia State in 2024, catching 49 passes for 558 yards and six touchdowns in a breakout season as a redshirt freshman. Making the transition from Sun Belt to Big Ten will certainly have its challenges, but the 6-foot-3 tight end will have the opportunity to potentially step into a substantial role within an overhauled Maryland offense. With most of last year's playmakers off to the transfer portal or the NFL, the Terrapins did some major reworking on offense, grabbing receivers Jalil Farooq and Kaleb Webb out of the transfer portal and promoting running back Nolan Ray as the potential starter in the backfield. The most impactful news for Fleming, however, comes at the quarterback spot as the Terrapins are expected to start either true freshman Malik Washington or UCLA transfer Justyn Martin. Considering both options would be first-year starters at the college level, Fleming could have an opportunity to establish himself as a safety blanket in an offense searching for reliable playmakers.

10) Elija Lofton, Miami

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Lofton joined the Hurricanes as a true freshman in 2024 and quickly rose up the ranks to No. 2 behind Elijah Arroyo, finishing his first collegiate campaign with nine catches for 150 yards and a touchdown and adding a pair of rushes for 30 yards and a score. Arroyo departed this offseason for the NFL, leaving Lofton as the expected top Cane in the tight end room after Arroyo totaled 35 catches for 590 yards and seven scores a season ago. Miami also loses 2025 NFL Draft No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward under center, but the staff brought in Carson Beck from Georgia to take over, so the position should remain in more than capable hands. The Hurricanes also lost the team's top five receiving targets from a season ago in wideouts Xavier Restrepo, Isaiah Horton, Jacolby George, Samuel Brown and Arroyo, who accounted for north of 75 percent of the team's total target share. The team's wideout additions don't necessarily jump off the charts, so there could be an opening for Lofton to carve out an even larger role in 2025 than that of Arroyo last year, albeit in what will likely be a less potent passing attack. Still, the potential is there for Lofton to turn in a high-caliber fantasy campaign at the tight end position. 

11) Trey'Dez Green, LSU

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2025 Fantasy Outlook

Green is a massive target at tight end at 6'7" and capitalized on that size in limited action as a freshman with four of his 13 catches going for touchdowns. Green didn't see much action a year ago behind star tight end Mason Taylor, who was drafted 21st overall by the New York Jets in the 2025 NFL Draft. Including Taylor, LSU has lost three of its top four receivers from a year ago, opening a large number of targets to be had. With an elite quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier at the helm of the offense, Green could be poised for a big season as the top tight end in what will likely be a pass-heavy offense.

12) Jack Velling, Michigan State

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When Velling followed head coach Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State prior to the 2024 season, it was expected that the big tight end would provide a reliable presence in the passing game, particularly in the red zone. That didn't exactly happen in his first season in East Lansing, as Velling finished with 36 catches for 411 yards and just a single touchdown in what was a disappointing campaign across the board for the Spartans. With another year under the belt of quarterback Aidan Chiles and another year to develop the offensive system, Velling's previously expected production could finally materialize in 2025, especially if the Spartans make more trips to the red zone, where Velling should be a consistent threat.

13) Houston Thomas, UTSA

2025 Fantasy Projection

2025 Fantasy Outlook

Tight ends in college football are often an afterthought, if not fully removed from the equation. Thomas was not such a tight end in 2024. He compiled 34 catches for 470 yards and three touchdowns. If a receiver put up numbers like that, it would be considered solid output. For a tight end, that's impressive. Thomas even had a game with over 100 yards receiving! The Roadrunners have the same head coach, same starting quarterback, and the same top three wide receivers. They also have a trio of tight ends returning, two of which - Thomas and Patrick Overmyer - are viewed as weapons in the receiving game, while Dan Dishman excels primarily as a blocker. That said, the room battled injuries throughout the season, Thomas included (though he didn't miss a game), and Thomas is viewed as presenting the most upside as a pass-catcher among the options. UTSA sports one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, so there's plenty of reason for optimism surrounding Thomas and the tight end room heading into 2025.

14) Terrance Carter, Texas Tech

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Carter comes over from Louisiana, where he was a menace to the tune of 48 catches for 689 yards and four touchdowns. The Big 12 better watch out, as the junior brings a rare combination of athleticism and size. Not only does he stretch the field, but he's also a great blocker, which should help provide a new dynamic to the already explosive Texas Tech offense. The Red Raiders are expected to use more 12 personnel (two tight ends), where they will put both Carter and Johncarlos Miller on the field, in 2025. Returning starter Behren Morton has a ton of weapons to throw at, including Coy Eakin, Caleb Douglas, and the versatile tight ends. Expect Texas Tech to be one of the most productive offenses in the nation, and Carter should be on most fantasy radars as well.

15) Max Klare, Ohio State

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2025 Fantasy Outlook

Klare was easily the nation's best tight end in the transfer portal in the offseason, and the Buckeyes snatched him up right away. Formerly at Purdue, the Buckeyes had a solid game plan for him in a 45-3 blowout at home, but the game was an outlier compared to the rest of his junior campaign. Klare led the Boilermakers with 51 catches, 685 yards and four touchdowns. Julian Sayin will have many receiving options at his disposal, so there is reason to believe Klare may see a small downgrade in production, though Klare is likely higher in the pecking order for targets than the tight end room the Buckeyes employed last season. Ohio State isn't known for excellence at the tight end position, but Klare is set to flip the script.

16) Olsen Patt-Henry, Clemson

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Patt-Henry was just Clemson's eighth-most productive receiver last fall, but he still went for 121 yards and totaled three touchdowns, turning a third of his nine receptions into scores. With Jake Briningstool out of the picture in 2025, Patt-Henry steps into the top tight end role in Death Valley and should be in line for a highly productive year. Last season, Clemson's top tight end, Brinigstool, snared 49 passes for 530 yards and seven touchdowns. The Tigers do return their top three wide receivers, all of whom require significant attention from opposing defenses and will likely see a rise in target share. Still, they also return one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Cade Klubnik, who's coming off a season in which he threw for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions. Clemson's passing offense could be the most dangerous in the country, and now locked into the top tight end role, Patt-Henry should be a primary beneficiary.

17) RJ Maryland, SMU

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2025 Fantasy Outlook

Before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in October last year, Maryland was in the midst of an excellent season as the Mustangs' top tight end. He reeled in 24 balls for 359 yards and four scores across seven games and also demonstrated a knack for the occasional big play. Notably, he'd also clearly emerged as a top option for new starting quarterback Kevin Jennings. Maryland's status is still worth monitoring leading up to Week 1, but the upside is certainly there for the star tight end. What's more, the Mustangs' passing offense should only improve in the second year with Jennings under center. And given that SMU loses three of its top four receivers from last fall, there's no shortage of opportunities for Maryland to be a productive pass-catcher week in and week out. 

18) Benjamin Brahmer, Iowa State

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Brahmer's 2024 season was riddled with injuries, limiting him to just 10 catches for 179 yards and a single touchdown. That's after posting an impressive freshman season in 2023 with 28 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns. While Brahmer is officially identified as a tight end, he profiles more like a wide receiver, as he lined up in the slot in over 40 percent of his snaps in 2024. With the departures of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the NFL, there are a plethora of targets available in this offense. Experienced starter Rocco Becht will need a new go-to target in 2025, and that could be Brahmer or one of the transfer wide receivers in Chase Sowell (East Carolina) or Xavier Townsend (UCF). Iowa State will also emphasize a balanced approach with running back Carson Hansen, who had 15 total touchdowns during the 2024 season. Brahmer stretching the field should help open lanes for Hansen and the rest of the Cyclone offense.

19) Tanner Koziol, Houston

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2025 Fantasy Outlook

Koziol arrives at Houston after a brief stop at Wisconsin during the spring, but he played his 2024 season at Ball State, where he was spectacular across three seasons with 163 catches (on 256 targets) for 1,507 yards and 18 touchdowns. That's elite production for a tight end, and what makes Koziol so special is his ability to convert contested catches. There's no doubt that Koziol is an NFL prospect with his elite route running, catch radius, and versatility to line up all over the field. Houston will run a new offense in 2025 with quarterback Connor Weigman (Texas A&M transfer), which is expected to center around the short-to-intermediate game. Their new OC, Slade Nagle, has a ton of experience with tight ends, and it would not be a surprise to see Koziol push to be one of the most productive at the position in the Big 12 Conference, if not the nation, if things fall right.

20) Camden Overton, Georgia State

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Overton will join Georgia State ahead of his senior season after having a breakout 2023 campaign with FCS Gardner-Webb. He totaled 42 catches for 453 yards and a touchdown across 11 games. The Panthers supported Dorian Fleming to the 15th most receiving yards in the country by a tight end (558 yards) and a tie for the 12th most receptions (49) at the position. While Georgia State will return it's top passer from 2024 in Christian Veillieux -- who will have a job battle on his hands in fall camp -- the offense will be under the direction of longtime NFL coach Hue Jackson, instead of Jim Chaney, though head coach Dell McGee will still have a heavy hand in the offense. Jackson didn't have a tight end exceed 200 receiving yards in any of his three seasons at Grambling (2021-2023), though his passing attack was extremely poor each year. Regardless, there's a foundation in place at Georgia State for Overton to take on a significant role in the passing game.