It’s that time again. Dynasty rookie fever SZN is here. The 2025 NFL Draft will be here before we know it, and rookie drafts will start flying daily. Before you dive head-first into our fantasy football mock draft simulator and run 3,000 rookie drafts in preparation, please read up on this talented prospect class as I roll through my quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end positional primers.

Check out our expert consensus dynasty rookie draft rankings as you prepare for your leagues. Here is our dynasty rookie draft primer for tight ends, including my rankings and tiers, stats, 2025 NFL Draft scouting reports and player comps.

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Dynasty Rookie Draft Primer: Tight End

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 1

1) Tyler Warren (TE – Penn State)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 3rd
  • PFF receiving grade: 2nd
  • MTF (Missed Tackles Forced): 2nd
  • YAC: 2nd

Scouting Report:

• Tyler Warren plays with a palpable chip on his shoulder. There are plenty of plays where, as a runner after the catch or as a blocker, he has those Mike Alstott moments. Where you find yourself saying to your computer screen, “Good lawd… Tyler, that man has a family.” This nastiness will ignite any roster and set the tone for an offense. Warren can run through would-be tackles or maul incoming defenders attempting to bring him down.
• Warren is a plug-and-play three-down tight end. He should enter the NFL as a serviceable (if not above-average) run-blocking tight end who can immediately offer competency in pass protection. His skills as a receiver are already well-known.
• Warren is a versatile chess piece that can be aligned in the backfield, inline and on the perimeter.
• He is a strong route runner with quick feet, fluid hips and a good understanding of how to attack leverage and different coverages. He is more quick than fast, but the loose hips allow him to uncover and create separation at the top of his stem and with stop routes.
• Warren has the hops and strength at the catch point to play over the rim and win in the red zone. He can box out defenders and win 50/50 balls in the air. The body control he exhibits in the air is impressive for his size.
• Warren doesn’t have 4.5 raw speed, but I won’t be surprised if he runs a strong 4.6 40-yard dash. He can be used down the seam, but he will likely have a defender hanging with him at the catch point. If he is being utilized as a downfield weapon, it’s best with deep crossers and posts/corners.

Player Comp: Jeremy Shockey

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 2

2) Colston Loveland (TE – Michigan)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 5th
  • PFF receiving grade: 3rd
  • YAC: 17th
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 5th
  • PFF receiving grade: 10th

• Career
  • 56.2-68% slot/out wide snap rate over the last two years

Scouting Report:

• Colston Loveland is a high-cut runner. His movement skills more closely resemble those of a big wide receiver than those of a tight end. His quick feet and loose hips allow him to succeed as a route winner more than his raw speed or physicality. He can juke defenders at the top of his stem or uncover quickly by flipping his hips.
• Loveland has more build-up speed than explosion off the line, but he does have enough raw speed and juice to stretch the seam.
• Loveland is a strong route runner. He flashes a varied release package and can win on the perimeter. His play strength shows up best mid-route or off the line, as he can hold his own with physical linebackers or corners.
• Loveland isn’t a physical mauler or tackle-breaker. He managed only 5.4 yards after the catch per reception and eight total missed tackles in his collegiate career at Michigan. He can avoid some defenders with his footwork and quick acceleration at the catch, but he won’t bully defenders or stiff-arm them into another area code with the ball in his hands.
• He’s an adequate blocker in all phases. He has enough power and anchor to stand up a linebacker when blocking for a screen or setting the edge for a rushing play. Blocking won’t be his calling card in the NFL, but it also won’t deter a team from feeding him a 70%-plus snap rate immediately.

Player Comp: Dennis Pitta

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 3

3) Elijah Arroyo (TE – Miami)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 23rd
  • PFF receiving grade: 21st
  • YAC per reception: 2nd
• Career
  • 2024: 56.1% of his snaps from the slot or the perimeter
  • ACL tear in 2022

Scouting Report:

• Elijah Arroyo is an athletic move tight end who can be a mismatch for any pass defense. Arroyo was utilized in motion, up the seam and on screens a ton in 2024. This was done to maximize his after-the-catch abilities, give him free releases off the line and hide some of the route-running growth he still needs to achieve.
• Arroyo is an upright runner and long strider who can chew up space quickly in the open field. He has 4.5/4.6 40-yard speed. He has surprisingly good deceleration and nice footwork for his size. He doesn’t use his plus feet enough in his route running or off the line to this point. Linebackers that are physical and can run with him don’t have a hard time staying with him. Arroyo’s routes lack that added nuance that can allow him to separate early and late, and his release package is limited. Arroyo can succeed against zone coverage with a decent feel for finding the holes in the coverage, but he’ll need to grow his game if he hopes to become a true mismatch weapon that can match with man coverage and good coverage linebackers.
• Arroyo uses his speed well after the catch, but he needs his play strength to show up more consistently. He forced only five missed tackles in college. He has the athleticism and upper body strength (as exhibited in his blocking) to improve in this area. I’d love to see Arroyo stiff-arm defenders in the NFL.
• Arroyo is a functional blocker. He has a decent anchor, can set the edge in run blocking and can operate as a puller. He displaces defenders but isn’t an overwhelming people mover.

Player Comp: Evan Engram

4) Terrance Ferguson (TE – Oregon)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 14th
  • PFF receiving grade: 14th
  • YAC per reception: 3rd
  • MTF 22nd
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 71st
  • PFF receiving grade: 34th
  • MTF: 5th
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 18th
  • PFF receiving grade: 70th
• Career
  • In his final three collegiate seasons, he played 57.7-74% of his snaps in the slot or on the perimeter.

Scouting Report:

• Terrance Ferguson has enough speed to threaten down the seam. He has decent bend in his routes. He was utilized with plenty of schemed touches with screens and chip & uncovered dump-offs.
• Ferguson is an underneath weapon against zone coverage. He’s a fluid athlete with solid movement skills, but he’s not explosive and doesn’t jump off the film with his abilities after the catch or at the catch point. He could develop into a middle-of-the-road starting tight end who is a third or fourth option in an NFL passing attack.
• While blocking isn’t his main attraction, he is serviceable here. You wouldn’t want Ferguson deployed as a road-clearing lead blocker, but he can sustain his blocks when in line. Ferguson has a decent punch and can anchor well enough. He’s not an earth mover and can occasionally pull out his best matador impression against incoming rushers.

Player Comp: Jared Wiley

5) Mason Taylor (TE – LSU)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 63rd
  • PFF receiving grade: 36th
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 99th
  • PFF receiving grade: 119th
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 94th
  • PFF receiving grade: 98th

Scouting Report:

• Mason Taylor is a solid all-around tight end who can be a league-average every-down starter. Taylor has the functional play strength and technique to be a serviceable blocker in all phases. He gets after every snap trying to drive defenders back. He sustains his blocks well enough and can operate as an edge setter or puller if needed.
• Taylor isn’t a game-changing talent as a receiver, but he can be a trusted underneath option for a passing attack with some selective seam shots sprinkled in. Taylor has the speed to get downtown, depending upon the play design, but that’s not something you want to ask of him regularly. He has the necessary footwork/short-area quickness to uncover quickly and offer a passing offense a solid option against zone coverage.
• Taylor isn’t much of a yards-after-catch (YAC) threat, with only 5.4 yards after the catch per reception in his collegiate career and no more than five missed tackles in any season. However, his 1.8% drop rate in his final season shows he can operate as a trusted weapon for a quarterback.

Player Comp: Jermaine Gresham

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 4

6) Harold Fannin Jr. (TE – Bowling Green)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 1st
  • PFF receiving grade: 1st
  • MTF: 1st
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 3rd
  • PFF receiving grade: 1st
  • MTF: 5th
• Career:
  • 52.6% slot or out wide in his collegiate career

Scouting Report:

• Harold Fannin’s calling card in the NFL will be his receiving ability. He is a functional blocker and can hold his own, but no one should be asking him to be the main ingredient of his NFL usage.
• Fannin has build-up speed he maximizes with strong footwork. His light feet cover up some slightly stiff hips and average bursts. I honestly was expecting him to be more explosive off the line and in short areas with his size, but his efficient feet allow him to make the most of his raw speed.
• He was a versatile piece of the Bowling Green offense who was utilized all over the formation. Last year, he had 32 snaps from the backfield while running 31.7% of his routes from the slot and 26.2% from the perimeter.
• Fannin ran primarily up the seam, slants, drags, ins and outs. His crisp footwork at the top of his stem and his strong understanding of leverage allow him to gain separation well and at a higher clip than his raw foot speed might suggest at first glance.
• He can create after the catch with jab steps and manufacturing poor angles for would-be tacklers. His legs are also underrated with the power he runs with as he can run through weak tackles and poor wraps.

Player Comp: Isaiah Likely

7) Thomas Fidone (TE – Nebraska)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 46th
  • PFF receiving grade: 57th
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 74th
  • PFF receiving grade: 101st
• Career
  • Dealt with knee injuries in 2021 & 2022

Scouting report:

• Fidone is a high-cut galloping gazelle across the field. A long strider with build-up speed. His short area quickness at his size can sneak up on defenders, though. He’s not an explosive athlete, but he’s no schlub either.
• Fidone has surprisingly good movement skills for a player his size. He’s still honing those skills, though, as you’ll see feet get tied up after the catch or at the top of his stem. He looks like Bambi learning how to walk at times, but once he gets the footwork efficiency down, he could unlock another level to his game.
• He was utilized as an underneath weapon despite having enough speed and route prowess to deserve some seam shots in 2024. Fidone flashes solid body control at the catch point with good adjustments to targets outside his frame, aimed at his back shoulder, and above the rim.
• Fidone has massive hands (94th percentile hand size) that serve him well. They are like vice grips in the blocking department and in the passing game. Once he gets his hands on defenders when blocking, it’s very difficult for them to shed Fidone. He had only one drop in 2024.
• He uncovers quickly at the top of his stem. He has solid change of direction for his size. His build-up speed doesn’t help much in the RAC department. He can churn out some YAC, but it’s based on his play strength and not his raw speed. Fidone isn’t running away from corners in the open field.

Player Comp: Josh Hill

8) Oronde Gadsden II (TE – Syracuse)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 18th
  • PFF receiving grade: 10th
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 5th
  • PFF receiving grade: 7th
• Career
  • 2023 cut short by a Lisfranc injury
  • 82.1% slot or out wide snap rate in college (32.6% inline in 2024)

Scouting Report: 

• Gadsden isn’t a fluid mover. He is an upright runner who can look stiff (tight hips) or lumbering at times, getting in and out of his breaks. He’s a linear athlete that coordinators should look to deploy on crossers and up the seam and allow him to run away from defenders.
• Gadsden is a functional blocker. He can help out in the run game to set the edge or sustain his block long enough for a back to burst past him. At this stage, I wouldn’t trust Gadsden as an inline blocker and as him to anchor and hold up in pass pro. He got tossed in the deep end in his final season in college and proved he can at least tread water in the blocking department. Prior to 2024, he had played only eight snaps in line. That bumped up to 183 snaps (32.6%) inline in 2024.
• Gadsden wins with straight-line speed and a quick first step off the line or at the top of his routes on in-breakers. He has decent enough hips to operate on hitches, but you’d like to see him matched up with smaller nickels with those routes so he can use his size. Linebackers that can run with him on those routes will muddy the catch point and likely be on him.
• Gadsden has dependable hands that serve him well at the catch point. He snags balls out away from his frame and can win 50/50 battles. He had only a 4.7% drop rate in college while logging a 60.7% contested catch rate in his final campaign.
• He’s not gonna offer much with tackle-breaking and YAC outside of the yards he can chew up with his speed after the catch. He had only 3.7 yards after the catch per reception in college and five missed tackles in his final season.

Player Comp: Brycen Hopkins

9) Mitchell Evans (TE – Notre Dame)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 47th
  • PFF receiving grade: 54th
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 6th
  • PFF receiving grade: 7th
• Career
  • Torn ACL in 2023

Scouting report:

• Evans’ torn ACL in 2023 derailed what looked like a breakout season. He had 422 receiving yards in only eight games while eclipsing 61 receiving yards in five of those games.
• Evans is a big-bodied, dependable target. He’s a tall drink of water that can eat up space quickly as he gallops down the field. He should settle in as a trusted tertiary target in an NFL passing attack that can exploit zone coverage.
• Evans is an average athlete, which will limit his upside in the NFL. He can separate from linebackers, but he isn’t a versatile chess piece who should be expected to split out wide or defeat man coverage at the next level.
• Evans has decent hips that allow him to uncover quickly, but he can get hung up with physical linebackers in coverage and looks lumbering at times.
• He has the aptitude to become a sufficient blocker. He has decent punch and anchor with the commitment to stay engaged with a defender through the play.

Player Comp: Hunter Long

10) Gunnar Helm (TE – Texas)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 27th
  • PFF receiving grade: 23rd
  • MTF: 6th
  • YAC: 3rd

Scouting Report:

• Gunnar Helm has underrated short-area quickness. He will flash some decent release moves when lined up on the perimeter. Helm has been known to stop on a dime at times and watch defenders fly by. He doesn’t have a ton of just eye-popping plays on his reel, but there are more than a handful that will make you say, “Oh…well damn.”
• Helm has good above-the-rim skills. He wasn’t asked to sky for jump balls much, but when he was, he came down with some impressive ones. There’s some untapped red zone application here for the NFL. his 50/50 balls are more like 65/35. Helm has good hands, which led to only two drops and a 50% contest catch rate last year.
• Helm uncovers quickly. He has enough short-area quickness to sneak in a whip route if a linebacker is caught napping. Helm can threaten the seam and run away at times from defenders. He isn’t a prolific tackle breaker, but he can improve in this area in the NFL if his play strength improves only marginally in an NFL strength and conditioning program.
• Helm can get tied up with physical linebackers that can run with him. His route running is solid, but I think he will need to have better hand fighting and improve the nuance in his routes to get open regularly against man coverage or with good coverage linebackers.
• Helm is a decent blocker. He’s not an earth mover, but he can punch well and sustain his blocks long enough both in the run and passing games. He’s not a player you’d want as a puller a ton, but he can operate well enough there to do it in a pinch or against a lighter defense.

Player Comp: Jermichael Finley

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 5

11) Joshua Simon (TE – South Carolina)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 25th
  • PFF receiving grade: 22nd
  • YAC per reception: 7th
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 48th
  • PFF receiving grade: 24th

Scouting report:

• Simon put up solid athletic testing numbers with an 8.77 RAS, a 4.65 40-yard dash (89th percentile), and 94th percentile or higher marks in the broad and vertical jumps.
• Over the last two years, South Carolina’s aim has been to get the ball in Simon’s hands and let him run away from defenders. He was utilized on crossers a ton, with some outs and hitches mixed in for good measure.
• Simon has some short-area agility limitations that were easily displayed in his route running and his athletic testing. He isn’t the smoothest when asked to drop his hips at the top of a stem. His short area change of direction isn’t great, either. Simon needs too many steps to change course, and his feet can get choppy. He’s at his best when moving linearly.
• The NFL should just copy South Carolina’s blueprint for usage. He was the underneath RAC threat with at least 7.5 yards after the catch per reception in each of the last two seasons. In his final two collegiate seasons, he had aDOTs of 6.5 and 2.9.
  Simon can break some tackles, but the hallmark of his YAC game is his speed. He has 25 missed tackles across his final three collegiate seasons.

Player Comp: Brenton Strange

12) Jalin Conyers (TE – Texas Tech)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 39th
  • PFF receiving grade: 42nd
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 12th
  • PFF receiving grade: 31st
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 10th
  • PFF receiving grade: 5th
  • MTF: 1st
• Career
  • Dealt with a broken foot in 2024 (before spring practice)

Scouting report:

• Conyers is a fluid athlete with buildup speed. With his average speed, Conyers can sneak up the seam against defenses, but he doesn’t have the juice to be utilized downfield consistently. He’ll operate as an underneath zone-beating option in the NFL.
• Conyers’ fluid hips and efficient feet allow him to uncover quickly, but his lack of explosiveness off the line hurts him in the separation department.
• He has flashes of impressive body control in the air for a player of his size. He also has the hops to be utilized above the rim (87th percentile vertical jump).
• Conyers’ hands are suspect. He has plenty of nice catches in traffic on tape, but the drops are also ghastly. His 6.4% drop rate shows up plenty in his film, with some horrible drops in pivotal situations.

Player Comp: Geoff Swaim

13) Luke Lachey (TE – Iowa)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 83rd
  • PFF receiving grade: 55th
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 37th
  • PFF receiving grade: 14th
• Career
  • Limited to three games played in 2023 (right ankle injury)

Scouting report:

• Lachey profiles as a jack of all trades but a master of none at the NFL level. He should find a home on an NFL roster as a quality backup.
• Lachey isn’t an explosive athlete, and this shows up across multiple categories of his film. He doesn’t have enough raw speed to threaten down the seam and lacks the upper-body strength to match up with physical defenders in coverage.
• He is a serviceable blocker at this point. Lachey has a decent punch and can hold his own spot of grass, but you won’t see him driving defenders into the dirt. He will allow defenders under his pads at times and can get washed out a play at times in the run-blocking department.
• He’ll work into an NFL passing offense as a decent underneath target. Because of his physical limitations, he has issues separating, but he has a solid understanding of space and how to beat zone coverage.
• He has average short-area agility. Lachey has efficient footwork, but he lacks the fluidity and juice to add crisp breaks at the top of his stem and in his routes.
• He’s not a mauler after the catch and doesn’t possess the speed to chew up yards with the ball in his hands. Lachey profiles as a station-to-station tight end. Lachey finished with 4.7 yards after the catch per reception and only ten missed tackles forced in college.

Player Comp: Blake Jarwin

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 6

14) Jake Briningstool (TE – Clemson)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 59th
  • PFF receiving grade: 80th
• 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 66th
  • PFF receiving grade: 65th
• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 57th
  • PFF receiving grade: 99th

Scouting Report:

• Jake Briningstool is a solid all-around tight end, but he doesn’t possess world-beating ability in any one area. He has enough build-up speed to threaten down the seam, but he’s not explosive enough to live consistently in that world. He can win against linebackers as an underneath threat for a passing attack, but he doesn’t have the short-area agility to split out wide. He could easily develop into a league-average starting tight end who operates as a tertiary receiving option for a passing game.
• Briningstool can hold his own in the blocking department. His upper body strength and strong hands are his best assets. He can sustain his blocks in both the rushing and passing games, but he doesn’t have the bull strength in the lower half to drive defenders into the dirt.

Player Comp: Cole Turner

15) C.J. Dippre (TE – Alabama)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 62nd
  • PFF receiving grade: 101st
• 2023 (only 13 targets)*

• 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 24th
  • PFF receiving grade: 25th

Scouting Report:

• C.J. Dippre will likely settle in as a dependable TE2 for an NFL team. He played 71.7% of his collegiate snaps in-line. His best work on the field comes in the blocking department. Dippre is a pedal to the metal in the blocking department until the final whistle. He is 110% effort and can pancake defenders, driving them back with unwavering leg drive.
• As a receiving option, he can operate as an outlet receiver or underneath against zone coverage. He’ll occasionally sneak up the seam, but he isn’t an overly nuanced route runner, and his physical limitations show up in the passing game. He has been strong in contested situations (60% career collegiate contested catch rate), which he’ll need as he isn’t the best separator, but his hands are a worry. He has had at least a 12.5% drop rate in each of the last two seasons.

Player Comp: Luke Farrell

16) Jackson Hawes (TE – Georgia Tech)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 97th
  • PFF receiving grade: 89th

• Career
  • Hawes never had more than 21 targets, 195 receiving yards or higher than a 1.02 Yards per route run (YPRR) number in any collegiate season.

Scouting Report:

• Jackson Hawes will make his money in the NFL as a blocker. He is a people-moving meanie. He can anchor well in pass protection while clearing the road in run-blocking. Georgia Tech utilized him as a puller at times. He’s not the most nimble player, so his best blocking is done in-line as an edge setter.
• As a receiver, he is limited by his physical attributes. Hawes can operate as an underneath option against zone coverage. Decent physical linebackers can hang with him without a problem in the passing game. He lumbers in the open field, but he can generate some YAC through his strong lower half. He can carry defenders forward and get a few extra yards after the catch.

Player Comp: Ko Kieft

17) Gavin Bartholomew (TE – Pittsburgh)

Stats:

• 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 125th
  • PFF receiving grade: 72nd

Scouting Report: N/A (No All-22 film available.)

Player Comp: N/A

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