When it comes to fantasy football, few topics spark more debate than the most polarizing players — those whose values vary wildly from one expert to another. These are the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends that divide rankings, dominate draft-day discussions and often determine whether you’re a contender or pretender.
In this article, we asked our collection of Featured Pros to weigh in on players at the tight end position with a high standard deviation, meaning analysts are all over the board in how they rank them. Whether it’s a breakout candidate you should be targeting or a risky pick to fade, our experts share who they’re significantly higher or lower on and why. Let’s dive into the most hotly debated names ahead of the 2025 fantasy football season.
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Polarizing Fantasy Football Players: Draft or Pass?
Who is one tight end with a high standard deviation you are higher or lower on and why?
Evan Engram (TE – DEN)
“While injuries limited him to nine games last year (TE16 in points per game), Evan Engram still averaged over five catches per contest — classic PPR production. Engram has a history of strong Year 1 impacts with new teams (TE6 in first seasons with both the Giants and Jaguars). He now steps into a likely high-volume role in Denver with no established receivers behind Courtland Sutton. If he stays healthy, a return to top-five fantasy tight end status is well within reach in Sean Payton’s offense. In 2023, he posted a career-best 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns, proving to be a high-volume target in Jacksonville’s offense as the TE4 in fantasy points per game. He’s ready to embrace the Joker role in the Broncos offense. Why so serious?”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“Evan Engram is a good player, but it’s hard for me to see him thriving in the Mile High City. The Broncos’ defense is better than the Jaguars’ defense. The domino effect of having a good defense means Denver will be less likely to pass. While Bo Nix is good, he’s not elite. It’s also worth noting that Engram’s best games came when the Jaguars’ starting receivers went down with injuries. In addition, Engram’s hamstring issues could flare up more frequently in a cold-weather city like Denver. Engram is good enough to make me look foolish with this call. My readers would respond…”Ringo, my man, that ship has sailed.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Brenton Strange (TE – JAC)
“Now that Evan Engram is off to Denver, the TE1 throne in Jacksonville belongs to Brenton Strange. Currently, the TE31 in the expert consensus rankings (ECR) and my TE17, Strange has an immediate pathway to fantasy relevance. The departures of Evan Engram, Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis vacated 153 targets. Strange sits behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter in the pecking order for targets, but could develop as the third option given Trevor Lawrence‘s desire to get the tight end involved on offense. For someone who will be free on draft day, Strange is a player to monitor very closely and is worth the late-round selection.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Tyler Warren (TE – IND)
“Count me as one of the experts who will fade both rookie tight ends, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, on draft day. Fantasy football managers are getting used to seeing a rookie tight end dominate, as we had Brock Bowers in 2024 and Sam LaPorta in 2023. Bowers may be a unicorn, but he was also the only reliable target (no offense, Jakobi Meyers) on a terrible offense for a series on inexperienced signal-callers/ LaPorta simply fell into a great offense with shaky wideouts after Amon-Ra St. Brown. Loveland will be fighting for scraps to see targets, and Warren will be fighting to see catchable balls from Daniel Jones/Anthony Richardson. Both Warren and Loveland may be great someday, but not on fantasy teams in 2025.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)
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