Volume remains the single most important aspect to consider when analyzing a fantasy football profile. As much as advanced stats have deepened our understanding of player efficiency and trends, targets still correlate most strongly with fantasy production. A consistent offensive role often makes a player a reliable option, even if they’re inefficient on a per-reception basis.
This is especially true at the tight end position. Most NFL teams structure their passing attacks around one or two star wide receivers, with tight ends mainly serving as short-area safety valves. This overall lack of volume has made the tight end position one of the hardest to evaluate for fantasy purposes.
Managers can thus gain a real edge by accurately projecting target distributions in ambiguous tight end rooms. Given the bleak overall landscape, any tight end seeing consistent volume will be valuable in all formats. In what follows, I’ll highlight a few tight ends who are strong bets to win their position battles and secure featured roles in their respective offenses.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Fantasy Football Tight End Position Battles to Watch
Baltimore Ravens: Mark Andrews & Isaiah Likely
Mark Andrews has long served as the Baltimore Ravens’ primary pass-catcher throughout the Lamar Jackson era. He’s accrued an excess of 5,800 receiving yards and 50 receiving touchdowns across seven illustrious seasons with the team. However, Pro Football Focus (PFF) metrics suggest there was a stark decrease in Andrews’ effectiveness in 2024. His average of 1.88 yards per route run was the lowest of his career. Similarly, his 3.6 yards after the catch per reception and 12.2 yards per reception were both well below career tallies. Now entering his age-30 season, it’s clear the veteran’s best days are behind him.
On the other hand, Isaiah Likely is trending upwards. Likely, who operated primarily as Andrews’ backup for the two previous seasons, earned a more prominent role in 2024. He set career highs in snap count, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. From an efficiency standpoint, Likely thrived in an enhanced role in Todd Monken’s system. Per PFF, he outperformed the aforementioned Andrews in terms of yards after the catch per reception and missed tackles forced. The Coastal California alum is entering the prime of his career and has earned a consistent role in Baltimore’s system.
Isaiah Likely vs. Mark Andrews is quite the debate pic.twitter.com/s5ybcabY0S
— Locked On Ravens (@lockedonravens) July 3, 2025
Baltimore’s sky-high offensive potential was on full display in 2024. Baltimore was PFF’s top-graded offensive unit, accumulating the third-most points across the entire NFL. Franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson compiled an impressive 41:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio as he made a strong bid for yet another MVP award. Fantasy managers should want a piece of this explosive offense in 2025.
Given their respective career trajectories, I’d expect the target pendulum to swing further towards Likely’s direction in 2025. While Andrews’ experience and red-zone savvy will continue to factor into the Ravens’ scheme, Likely’s athleticism and effectiveness as a ball-carrier cannot remain underutilized for much longer. Likely will out-target his veteran counterpart and will be a weekly starter in most fantasy football contexts. On the other hand, Andrews will continue to be a riskier touchdown-dependent option.
Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland & Cole Kmet
There is plenty of optimism surrounding the Chicago Bears’ offense heading into the 2025 NFL season. Franchise quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to make a considerable leap following a promising but inconsistent rookie campaign. Newly-appointed head coach Ben Johnson will bring some much-needed play-calling expertise for this unit. He’ll benefit from working with an exciting receiver corps, including the likes of DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden. How the tight end targets will be distributed in this compelling system remains to be seen, however.
Cole Kmet has been a reliable pass-catching option for the Bears over the years, accumulating a minimum of 47 receptions in four consecutive seasons. He’s also emerged as a true red-zone threat and has caught a respectable 17 touchdowns since the 2022 season. That said, Kmet’s offensive impact is limited. Throughout his five-year career, he’s failed to establish himself as anything more than a sure-handed short-area target. Per PFF, he’s averaged an uninspiring 4.5 yards after the catch per reception and 1.21 yards per route run.
Colston Loveland’s prospect profile would suggest he possesses a much higher ceiling. Among FBS tight ends with a minimum of 50 targets in 2024, Loveland ranked fourth in receiving grade and third in yards per route run. He maintained impressive levels of efficiency despite Michigan ranking 123rd in PFF’s passing grades. The rookie has the potential to flourish in Ben Johnson’s system that propelled Sam LaPorta to a TE1 overall finish in his 2023 rookie season.
Colston Loveland is a WR in a TE body. Mismatch nightmare with rare versatility.
Bears got it right. #DaBears #Bears pic.twitter.com/jqmZmjlCpI
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) April 25, 2025
There is no doubt that Loveland is the more dynamic option in this tight end room. Managers should foresee a stark decline in Kmet’s usage as Loveland inherits the No. 1 TE role for the Bears. Nevertheless, targets will still be hard to come by in Chicago. Given the wide array of pass-catching options at Williams’ disposal, Loveland may struggle to earn the volume required to make him a weekly fantasy football contributor.
Loveland should be viewed as a volatile, high-upside option who’s well worth a late-round dart throw. On the other hand, Kmet is unlikely to be viable in any fantasy football format.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jonnu Smith & Pat Freiermuth
A somewhat surprising off-season trade sent veteran tight end Jonnu Smith to the Steelers following a career year as a Miami Dolphin. In Pittsburgh, Smith will be reunited with former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. During their time together in Atlanta and Tennessee, Smith consistently found creative ways to utilize the versatile tight end. This move suggests Smith is expected to play a prominent role in the Steelers’ offense. But what does that mean for Pat Freiermuth?
Freiermuth’s productivity and dependability have made him a fan favourite in Pittsburgh. In 2024, the former Penn State Nittany Lion caught a formidable 87.8% of his targets as he set a career-high in receptions. Across his young career, he’s accrued 2,190 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns despite consistently being held back by subpar quarterback play. Even so, Freiermuth lacks the explosiveness to emerge as Pittsburgh’s secondary pass-catching option behind DK Metcalf.
Smith proved he’s among the league’s most dynamic tight ends during the 2024 season. Among tight ends with a minimum of 50 targets, the veteran ranked fifth in receiving grade, seventh in yards after the catch per reception, fourth in missed tackles forced and fifth in yards per route run, per PFF. He emerged as the focal point of a passing attack that also contains the likes of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
The Steelers have made a considerable investment in Smith, signaling their intent to make him a significant part of the offense. Outside of the newly acquired Metcalf, the team lacks notable pass-catching weapons. Smith’s primary target competition comes from Robert Woods and Calvin Austin, neither of whom surpassed 550 receiving yards in 2024. Expect Smith to be targeted frequently and offer compelling streaming value. Conversely, Pat Freiermuth should not be on fantasy managers’ radars.
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