Welcome to Week 9, where the tight end position remains a frustrating guessing game for fantasy football managers everywhere. Just when you think stability is within reach, another wave of injuries, byes, and inconsistent performances makes setting a lineup feel like solving a weekly riddle. This time, it’s the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on bye. That removes some reliable options like David Njoku, Harold Fannin Jr, Dallas Goedert, Mason Taylor, and Cade Otton from the pool. If your lineup feels hollow, you’re not alone.
Key insights
The good news? Opportunity exists for those willing to look beyond the obvious names. There are some emerging options like Tyler Warren, Tucker Kraft, and Oronde Gadsden II. They should carve out legitimate fantasy football roles. Meanwhile, veterans like Travis Kelce and Dalton Kincaid remain every-week starters despite tougher matchups. This week is all about finding value in volume and exploiting defenses that can’t handle athletic tight ends over the middle.
Here we will look at our NFL Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings entering Week 9 of the 2025 regular season.
Week 9 Top Fantasy Football Picks – 2025
Tyler Warren, IND (@ PIT)
Consistency is king at the tight end position. Tyler Warren has quietly become one of the most dependable options in fantasy football. In the Colts’ 38-14 blowout win over the Titans last week, Warren caught four of five targets for 53 yards. He narrowly missed a much bigger day after slipping on a screen pass that looked destined for the end zone. His reliable hands and growing chemistry with quarterback Daniel Jones make him a steady low-end TE1. If you’re searching for a player with both a solid floor and sneaky touchdown upside, Warren should be locked into your Week 9 lineup.
Tucker Kraft, GB (vs. CAR)
Tucker Kraft’s Week 8 eruption was one for the highlight reels. He had seven catches, 143 yards, and two touchdowns against the Steelers. It was a breakout performance that fantasy football managers had been waiting for. He solidified his status as one of the premier waiver-wire adds heading into Week 9.
The Packers have started to lean more on the passing game, and Kraft’s athleticism gives him a mismatch advantage over linebackers. His role as Jordan Love’s go-to safety valve in the red zone makes him a must-start again this week.
Jake Ferguson, DAL (vs. ARI)
It’s been an up-and-down season for Jake Ferguson. Week 8 was one of the lows. The Dallas tight end was held without a catch on one target in the loss to Denver. However, Ferguson has earned trust from fantasy football managers with his season-long consistency. In every other game this year, he’s posted at least five catches or scored a touchdown. Expect Dak Prescott to get back to feeding his reliable chain-mover, particularly in the red zone. It’s a classic bounce-back spot for one of fantasy’s most reliable mid-tier options.
Week 9 Fantasy Football Sleepers – 2025
Oronde Gadsden II, LAC (@ TEN)
Oronde Gadsden II is the definition of a sleeper turned weekly starter. He hauled in five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers’ 37-10 win over the Vikings last Thursday. That marked his third straight game with at least 68 receiving yards. His red-zone chemistry with Justin Herbert is undeniable. Los Angeles continues to use him as a hybrid receiver-tight end weapon across formations.
Gadsden’s blend of size and route precision makes him a nightmare matchup. With his consistent target share and touchdown potential, he’s graduated from streamer status to an every-week starter in all league formats.
Evan Engram, DEN (@ HOU)
Denver’s Evan Engram is finally heating up after a slow start to the season. Over the last five weeks, he’s recorded at least four receptions and 29 receiving yards in every game. He has operated as a steady option in PPR formats. Engram hauled in all four of his targets for 36 yards in the Week 8 win over Dallas. He narrowly missed a touchdown when tackled just short of the goal line.
Engram’s usage remains encouraging. He's playing over 85% of offensive snaps and running routes on nearly every pass play. As Denver’s offense begins to open up, he’s a sneaky start against the Texans.
Colston Loveland, CHI (@ CIN)
Colston Loveland stepped into the starting role for Chicago in Week 8. He caught three of five targets for 38 yards in a loss to Baltimore. The Bears’ offense remains inconsistent. However, Loveland’s athleticism and usage (five targets on 60 percent of snaps) make him a viable deep-league option if Cole Kmet remains sidelined with a back injury.
Injury and bye-week fallout
The tight end pool thins again in Week 9, as the Browns, Jets, Eagles, and Buccaneers take a seat. That means fantasy football managers lose several key contributors, as we already mentioned.
Injuries continue to plague the position as well: Tanner Hudson (concussion), Cole Kmet (back), Colson Yankoff (hamstring), and Julian Hill (ankle) headline the latest batch of absences. The attrition is real, forcing many fantasy football rosters into streaming mode for yet another week.
If you’re one of the many searching for answers, focus on opportunity and matchup. Players like Warren, Kraft, and Ferguson offer both consistent targets and touchdown potential. That's a rare combination in this year’s tight end landscape.
Week 9 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings – 2025
20. Juwan Johnson, NO (vs. TB)
19. Colston Loveland, CHI (@ BAL)
18. Theo Johnson, NYG (@ PHI)
17. Zach Ertz, WAS (@ KC)
16. T.J. Hockenson, MIN (@ LAC)
15. Evan Engram, DEN (vs. DAL)
14. Hunter Henry, NE (vs. CLE)
13. Harold Fannin Jr., CLE (@ NE)
12. Mason Taylor, NYJ (@ CIN)
11. Oronde Gadsden II, TB (@ NO)
10. Dalton Kincaid, BUF (@ CAR)
9. Oronde Gadsden II, LAC (vs. MIN)
8. Dalton Schultz, HOU (vs. SF)
7. Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL (vs. MIA)
6. Travis Kelce, KC (vs. WAS)
5. Jake Ferguson, DAL (@ DEN)
4. George Kittle, SF (@ HOU)
3. Tucker Kraft, PHI (vs. NYG)
2. Tucker Kraft, GB (@ PIT)
1. Tyler Warren, IND (vs. TEN)
Bottom line
The tight end position in 2025 has been a weekly war of attrition. Week 9 is no different. Injuries, byes, and unpredictable game scripts make it nearly impossible to find ‘set and forget' options beyond the top tier. Still, fantasy football managers who stay proactive can gain an edge by identifying volume-based opportunities.
Whether it’s the rise of Tucker Kraft, the dependability of Tyler Warren, or the potential breakout of Oronde Gadsden II, success at tight end this week comes down to trusting opportunity over reputation. The stars may falter, but the right mid-tier play could win your week.
