Dynasty managers are already familiar with incoming tight ends Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren, but they might not be as familiar with the next few tiers of options.

For today, let's get you more comfortable with TEs 3-7 and see how their offseason workouts have been going and what dynasty managers need to know about them.

Rookie Tight Ends For Dynasty Fantasy Football

An easy place to familiarize yourself with all rookies is our Rookie Model, which includes options for RBs, WRs, and TEs.

2025 Rookie TE Model

Feel free to scroll back up to this chart as I cover each of the following players.

Harold Fannin, TE - Browns

We'll kick things off with Harold Fannin, the TE3 in our Rookie TE Model.

If you're looking for a player who simply dominated the box score, Fannin is your guy. In his final season at Bowling Green, he posted a ridiculous line of:

  • 117 receptions
  • 1,555 receiving yards
  • 10 TDs

No matter how you slice it, that type of production is wildly impressive.

The obvious knock against that type of production is that most of it came against fellow MAC opponents. However, in his NFL Draft Mythbusters piece a few months back, Ian Hartitz noted that Fannin posted solid numbers in his four games against D1 opponents as well:

However, simply pointing to Fannin's gaudy counting numbers and obvious MAC competition isn't fair considering his performance in four non-conference games against D-1 competition:

  • at Penn State: 11 receptions-137 yards-1 TD
  • at Texas A&M: 8-145-1
  • vs. Old Dominion: 12-193-2
  • vs. Arkansas State: 17-213-1

The Browns selected Fannin 67th overall, where he joins veteran TE David Njoku, who is entering the final year of a four-year contract.

Despite being the TE2 on his own team, there's a path for the rookie to contribute in Year 1. The Browns have the most vacated targets (235) from last season of any team in the league. That accounts for 37% of their 2024 targets.

Dynasty managers should pay close attention to this talented rookie in the weeks and months ahead.

 

Mason Taylor, TE - Jets

Another team ranking in the top-three of vacated targets from a year ago, the Jets snagged Mason Taylor with the 42nd overall pick.

A three-year starter at LSU, Taylor was never the focal point of the offense but was a productive piece on a consistent basis.

From an analytics perspective, Taylor is an interesting case. Ian highlighted the following in his New York Jets Team Preview:

Taylor has a similar score as studs like Sam LaPorta and Trey McBride … but also busts Hayden Hurst and Irv Smith.

Talk about a wide range of outcomes.

Taylor's landing spot is intriguing simply because the Jets have literally no one else besides Garrett Wilson who can threaten opposing defenses. Much will depend on the ability of Justin Fields to lead a competent passing attack (something we really haven't seen in his career), but the opportunity should be there on a team missing 214 targets from 2024.

Ian went on to give this dynasty perspective on Taylor:

Taylor does profile as a quality mid-round pick in dynasty land, particularly in TE-premium formats where a future QB change could bring out the best in him as a pass catcher.

The Jets don't figure to be very prolific on offense, but that doesn't mean dynasty managers shouldn't totally ignore this young, talented TE.

Terrance Ferguson, TE - Rams

Here's a strange pattern I found: each of the top-three teams in terms of vacated targets from a year ago spent a Day 2 pick on a rookie TE.

The Rams are the final of those three teams as they are missing 215 targets (39% target share) from 2024. They addressed their pass-catching room by drafting Terrance Ferguson 46th overall.

Ferguson is arguably one of the more experienced TEs in his class. A four-year contributor at Oregon, he ultimately played 2,050 career snaps. In his NFL Draft 2025 Tight End Rankings, Ferguson slotted in at No. 3, where Thor Nystrom added:

The 6-foot-5, 247-pound Ferguson stole the show at the NFL Combine, besting the TE group with a 4.63 40, 1.55 split, and 39-inch vertical. His 10-foot-2 broad finished No. 3. Ferguson is one of the more well-rounded tight ends in this class, offering an inline option who will add value to your passing offense.

The Rams have a Cooper Kupp-sized hole in their passing attack that they hope Davante Adams can help fill. Even so, the presence of Tyler Higbee, who is already 32 years old, might not serve as much of a barrier for this rookie to earn a role this season.

It might not happen in Year 1 (and it rarely does with TEs), but Ferguson and his landing spot is something that dynasty managers should closely follow.

Elijah Arroyo, TE - Seahawks

The Seahawks made Elijah Arroyo the 50th overall pick this spring as they continue to evolve their offensive attack.

Seattle will have a different look this season with a new QB room of Sam Darnold/Jalen Milroe and the arrival of the aforementioned Kupp, joining the team following the departure of DK Metcalf.

Arroyo has an interesting profile. Injuries cost him chunks of time in college, and he didn't take part in athletic testing at the NFL Combine. Pete Overzet summed him up well earlier this spring:

Arroyo's analytical profile is muddled by the fact that he only played nine games in his second and third seasons due to an ACL injury. Still, he dominated at the Senior Bowl and has the traits to be a downfield threat in the NFL.

As you'll notice in the Rookie TE Model up above, Arroyo's lack of high-end production bumps him down into another tier after the previously mentioned TEs in this piece. He's in a good spot to produce down the line, especially since Noah Fant has never dominated like we had hoped.

Arroyo, like many other TEs, is worth being patient with in dynasty formats.

Oronde Gadsden, TE - Chargers

This final player might be one of the more buzzy names across the internet in recent weeks.

Oronde Gadsden landed with the Chargers with the 165th pick, so he certainly doesn't carry the same draft capital as the other guys in this piece. Even so, he's made the most of his opportunities, and the early returns are promising.

The Chargers continue to build around Justin Herbert and also drafted WR Tre Harris to play alongside Ladd McConkey. Quentin Johnston and Mike Williams are on the roster, but we pretty much know who they are at this point.

The TE room also has Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly, but it sounds like Gadsden is already accelerating his growth during training camp.

It's never a bad thing when your head coach raves about you for almost three minutes during a press conference. Follow the signs, dynasty managers, and get in on this rookie before he potentially turns into a household name.