As the 2025 NFL Draft draws near, tight ends are emerging as one of the most intriguing positions on the board. With a mix of record-breaking production, unique career trajectories, and fresh insights from the NFL Combine, this year’s top rookie tight ends have captured the attention of scouts and fantasy owners alike.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the profiles of five top players using both their collegiate accomplishments and their recent testing performances. We’ll also consider how their Average Draft Positions (ADP) factor into the risk–reward equation, with lower ADPs demanding near-certainty of production, while higher ADPs present more budget-friendly opportunities for those willing to take a chance.
Top 5 TE Prospects for Best Ball and Season-Long Drafts
Note: Current ADP from “The Big Board” on Underdog (as of March 4th).
- Tyler Warren (ADP: 99.9)
- Colston Loveland (ADP: 131.7)
- Harold Fannin Jr. (ADP: 185)
- Elijah Arroyo (ADP: 220.5)
- Gunnar Helm (ADP: 239.6)
Tyler Warren (ADP: 99.9)
At 6’6″ and 260 pounds, Tyler Warren of Penn State is a physical specimen who has rapidly evolved into one of the most productive tight ends on the market. Transitioning from a high school quarterback to a reliable pass-catching and run-supporting tight end, Warren’s breakthrough came in 2024. With a stat line that includes over 100 receptions for more than 1,200 receiving yards and additional contributions as a rusher, his total yardage from scrimmage reached unprecedented heights for a tight end at the Power 5 Conference level.
From a draft perspective, Warren’s low ADP reflects the high expectations placed on him by NFL teams and fantasy managers alike. NFL Media Analyst Daniel Jeremiah has Warren going seventh to the New York Jets in his most recent mock draft. As is always the case, landing spot for a player is a significant contributor to fantasy production. Due to QB uncertainty and unimpressive offensive production in 2024, the Jets would be far from an ideal landing spot for Warren’s fantasy production in 2025. This ADP is rather aggressive, and you might want to wait for post-draft contests if you’d like to get a piece of Warren.
Colston Loveland (ADP: 131.7)
Michigan’s Colston Loveland, standing at 6’5″ and weighing 245 pounds, has shown that he can be both a dynamic receiver and a capable blocker. Despite battling injuries that limited his playing time last season, Loveland emerged as Michigan’s primary receiving threat. His ability to create separation and his crisp route-running skills allow him to excel as a big slot receiver, drawing comparisons to established stars in the league like Zach Ertz and others who line up a significant percentage of the time there.
Loveland is one of the more exciting TE prospects, especially when considering the context of just how terrible Michigan was offensively. Scott Barrett of FantasyPoints helps to provide some context of just how bad Michigan’s offense was with the following tweet:
Despite Michigan’s offensive woes, Loveland’s receiving skills were still able to shine through, as evidenced by his 34.7% receiving yardage market share and strong 2.67 yards per route run, second only to Tyler Warren. Again, Loveland’s rookie year production will depend significantly on his landing spot, but there is some receiving upside to be captured here. You’d hate to see him wind up in a TE wasteland like Denver (Sean Payton rarely loads up usage on just one), but reuniting with Harbaugh in Los Angeles or landing on the TE-needy Colts could be more interesting. I’ll try to snag a team with him near this price point.
Harold Fannin Jr. (ADP: 185)
Harold Fannin Jr. of Bowling Green is one of the most intriguing stories in this draft class. At 6’3″ and 238 pounds, Fannin reinvented himself from a two-way high school star into a record-breaking tight end. In 2024, he not only shattered long-standing records for receptions and receiving yards at his position but also led the nation in several key statistical categories. His numbers stand out even when compared to those from top-tier conferences.
What makes Fannin especially appealing is his high production relative to his draft cost. Despite his elite collegiate production, Fannin continues to fall in mock drafts, at least partially due to his combine performance. Fannin’s final RAS score came in at 8.43, which isn’t bad, but also not great, with size being his biggest concern. Despite being “undersized” for the position, Fannin’s 4.71 40-yard dash was on the slower side.
Fannin could still be an interesting bet-on-talent type of pick if he falls low enough. I wouldn’t take him any sooner than my last pick and probably not as anything more than my 3rd TE. There are enough caution flags to wait for more information.
Elijah Arroyo (ADP: 220.5)
Elijah Arroyo of Miami is an athletic tight end who has shown flashes of brilliance despite a career marred by early injuries. As a player with a notable ability to generate yards after the catch, his 2024 season hinted at a promising future even though his overall production was more modest than some of his peers. His role as an athletic H-back suggests that he could evolve into a significant receiving threat if given the proper opportunity.
Arroyo has had a good lead-up to the draft and reportedly “blew scouts away” with his route-running ability at the Senior Bowl. Arroyo’s athleticism is what is starting to excite scouts, as he’s a fluid mover who is extremely fast for his size—he hit a top speed of 21.8 MPH last season, which is a number only six NFL players topped last year. While Fannin is starting to trend down, Arroyo is trending in the opposite direction, and it will be interesting to see which player ultimately gets drafted as TE3.
The Chiefs were among the teams to meet with him, which would be interesting for the long term but rather disappointing in the short term. I’m not sure what team he could land on where I’d be thinking rookie breakout, and for this reason, I won’t speculate on him in the pre-draft Best Ball contests.
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Gunnar Helm (ADP: 239.6)
Texas’ Gunnar Helm, at 6’5″ and 249 pounds, made a strong case for himself with a breakout season in 2024. Emerging from behind more established players on his team, Helm managed to carve out a significant role in an offense loaded with talent. His production was solid—enough to place him among the more promising tight ends in a competitive conference—even if he wasn’t quite as flashy as some of his counterparts.
However, recent combine testing has raised some questions about his athleticism. Helm’s combine numbers were terrible, but it was later reported that he twisted his ankle on a false start of the 40-yard dash. Yet Helm still decided to finish the remainder of his drills despite the bad ankle. Helm is expected to run again at his Pro Day, which should help answer some questions about his athleticism. As things currently stand, Helm projects as a solid TE prospect who may have trouble producing much fantasy-wise in his rookie year. We can absolutely steer clear with confidence until later in the summer at minimum.
