Tight end is back in its positional sweet spot around the NFL. Some established future Hall of Fame blockers and receivers have been joined by some special young talent, making the position stronger than it has been in a while.
How does the old guard stack up against the promising new stars? Leaning much more toward 2025 projection vs. past performance, here's looking at the league's current best 15 tight ends:
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NFL tight end rankings 2025
1. George Kittle, 49ers (age: 31)
Kittle is now up to four 1,000-yard receiving seasons as a field-stretching tight end on top of smashing opponents as a run blocker. He takes on a bigger importance as a downfield go-to receiver for Brock Purday with team's wideout issues.
2. Brock Bowers, Raiders (age: 22)
Bowers took over as Las Vegas' top target after the Davante Adams midway through the former's rookie season, adding up to 112 receptions for 1,194 yards on a wide receiver-like 153 targets. Bowers can become a steadier scoring factor in Year 2 with his 6-4, 235-pound frame for QB Geno Smith.
3. Trey McBride, Cardinals (age: 25)
McBride is built like Bowers as a downfield target at 6-4, 246 pounds. He's also proved to be a smooth route-runner all over the field with great hands. He also can raise his touchdown total after putting up 1, 3 and 2 TDs in his first three seasons.
4. Sam LaPorta, Lions (age: 24)
LaPorta forms the special compact-catching young TE triplets with Bowers and McBride. He is ahead of Bowers and McBride as a scorer and can stretch the field a little more like Kittle in the new offense.
5. Travis Kelce, Chiefs (age: 35)
Kelce will be the "engaged" top target for Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City for one more season with Rashee Rice suspended for six games and Xavier Worthy only in Year 2. Kelce has slowed down as a downfield threat but he can do more than being a short-area target and spike in scoring one last time with a bump in targets.
6. Mark Andrews, Ravens (age: 29)
Andrews has a few more years left over Kelce to keep producing well through the red zone for his QB, Lamar Jackson. He should quickly shake off that tough drop in the playoffs to be his steady hybrid wide receiver self.
7. T.J. Hockenson, Vikings (age: 28)
Hockenson has been one of the steadier short-to-intermediate receivers, falling just short of 1,000 yards receiving in his first two fully healthy seasons in Minnesota. He should be back on track as a key target for J.J. McCarthy with no more lingering knee injury issues.
8. Jake Ferguson, Cowboys (age: 26)
Ferguson has many of Hockenson's qualities and he also will be looking to rebound from an injury-marred season. His new contract shows how valuable of outlet and red zone target he is for Dak Prescott.
9. David Njoku, Browns (age: 29)
The 2017 first-rounder has been a valuable blocker but with a spike in target volume the past three seasons, has shown how valuable he can be getting open as a safety value through the end zone, now helped by the return of QB Joe Flacco.
10. Evan Engram, Broncos (age: 30)
This other 2017 first-rounder went from modest production with the Giants to become an essential high-volume short-area option in Jacksonville. He should keep up that momentum as a needed new reliable target for Bo Nix.
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11. Tyler Warren, Colts (age: 23)
The Colts plan to move around Warren on all kinds of routes to be their new go-to guy, which is helped by Daniel Jones starting over deep-forcing Anthony Richardson. Warren is a matchup receiving nightmare in any alignment.
12. Hunter Henry, Patriots (age: 30)
Henry has been a solid all-around inline tight end through his time with the Chargers and Patriots, He's developed needed good chemisrty with Drake Maye and can thrive better as a receiver and blocker back in Josh McDaniels' offense.
13. Zach Ertz, Commanders (age: 34)
Ertz looked like he was at the end of his brilliant, prolific receiving career during his time in Arizona before he became an essential intermediate target in the spread offense in Washington. Ertz will continue to have a reliable role for Kliff Kingsbury with the ultimate trust from Jayden Daniels.
14. Dallas Goedert, Eagles (age: 30)
Goedert has been solid third option through multiple offenses, fitting in best between A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. He still has something left to give as a field-stretcher after some late injury attrition.
15. Dalton Kincaid, Bills (age: 25)
The Bills underuse Kincaid for what kind of a special athletic receiver he is when seeing the necessary targets from Josh Allen. He can grow into a busier option in his third season as a 2023 first-rounder.