When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable fantasy football players I’m targeting in every draft.
- More Fantasy Football Tips & Advice
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football Dynasty Rankings
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Must-Have Players
Let’s dive into players I am targeting in every fantasy football draft.
McBride has a MONSTER 2024 season as the TE2 in fantasy points per game. Last year, among 47 qualifying tight ends, he ranked first in target share, second in receiving yards per game, third in yards per route run, first in first downs per route run, and third in first downs per route run. As insane as it sounds, if his horrible touchdown luck could correct itself, it could have been even better. Despite ranking second in red zone targets, McBride finished with only two receiving touchdowns (four total touchdowns). McBride finished with 15.6 PPR points per game (TE2), but he had 19.2 expected PPR points per game. McBride’s horrible touchdown run out could reverse itself in 2025, and if it does, he could be the clear RUNAWAY TE1.
Kittle remains an elite option at the tight end position and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. Kittle finished last year as the TE1 in fantasy points per game, and it’s like no one cares as they rank him as the third tight end in fantasy heading into 2025. Deebo Samuel is gone. Brandon Aiyuk‘s health and effectiveness are up in the air for 2025. Will Jauan Jennings continue his breakout, or will Ricky Pearsall fulfill the promise of his draft capital? There are a ton of questions in the 49ers’ passing attack in 2025, but Kittle isn’t one of them. He has been excellent and should continue that string of fantasy dominance. Last year, Kittle ranked sixth in target share, first in yards per route run, third in yards after the catch per reception, and second in first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). He was also flooded with high-leverage usage, ranking fifth in deep targets and second in red zone targets among tight ends. Kittle could see more volume in 2025 and repeat as the TE1.
Evan Engram could SMASH his ADP this year as Sean Payton’s Joker. Everyone will point to last year as a reason to have worries about Engram, who ranked 20th in yards per route run, but his target-drawing ability was just fine, ranking fifth in targets per route run and third in target share. He was also dealing with shoulder and hamstring issues. Those were his first injuries to deal with during a season since 2021. In Engram’s two previous seasons, he ranked 13th and 14th in yards per route run and second and 12th in target share (per Fantasy Points Data). Also, in 2023-2024, Engram excelled in one of the hallmark metrics that I look at when evaluating talent and upside at the tight end position: yards per route run versus man coverage. In those seasons, Engram ranked fourth and eighth in this metric. Engram’s best competition for targets is Courtland Sutton. Engram could lead Denver in targets this season. If that happens, he’ll likely be knocking on the door of the top 3-5 tight ends in 2025.
Andrews is one of the best tight end values this year with the talent to revisit top 3-5 fantasy tight end status. Last year, Andrews was the TE7 in fantasy points per game, but it was heavily influenced by his 11 receiving scores as he ranked only 14th in receptions and ninth in receiving yards among tight ends. His recovery from tightrope surgery impacted his early season effectiveness and usage. In Weeks 1-9, he was the TE16 in fantasy points per game, posting an 11.3% target share, an 18% TPRR, 1.77 YPRR, 32.1 receiving yards per game, a 13.9% first-read share, and 0.110 first downs per route run. After Week 9, every discernable per-route metric that we should care about improved for Andrews as he posted an 18.1% target share, a 24% TPRR, 2.31 YPRR, 48 receiving yards per game, an 18.9% first-read share, and 0.127 first downs per route run as the TE5 in fantasy points per game (per Fantasy Points Data). Buy the dip on Andrews and enjoy another stellar year from the Baltimore stalwart.
Last year, Tucker Kraft stepped up as Green Bay’s clear present and future starting tight end. The South Dakota State alum finished as the TE14 in fantasy points per game in the Packers’ run-heavy offense. Green Bay loves its committee approach with the passing game, so it’s tough to see Kraft becoming a high-end target earner in this offense, but he has the talent to do so. Last year, among 47 qualifying tight ends, Kraft ranked 20th in target share and 27th in first read share, but he posted top 12 marks in receiving yards per game (12th-best), yards per route run (seventh), missed tackles forced (third), and yards after the catch per reception (first). Green Bay did feed him an 18.5% designed target rate (second-best among tight ends), but he wasn’t the first option on many passing plays. Kraft proved he has the talent to take the next step and become a focal point if the Green Bay offensive design changes in 2025. Kraft is a wild card TE1.
Dallas Goedert has finished as a TE1 in fantasy points per game in EVERY season since 2019. I don’t think that streak ends in 2025. Goedert should be ranked as a TE1 this season, operating in one of the best offenses in the NFL, which will pass more frequently this year. Goedert dealt with injuries again last year with a knee issue and a hamstring ailment. When he was on the field and playing at least 60% of the snaps, he produced 11.8 PPR points per game, which would have equaled the TE8 in fantasy points per game last year. In that sample, he earned a 20.2% target share, churned out 55.1 receiving yards per game and 2.23 yards per route run, and garnered a 25.2% first-read share. Among 47 qualifying tight ends last year, those figures would have ranked sixth, fourth, fourth, and third last season (per Fantasy Points Data). Draft Goedert confidently as a TE1 again this season.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
