You may only need one for your fantasy football team, but tight end is a critical position. From an NFL stand point its the easiest way to get mismatches against linebackers and safeties. It can provide a solid outlet for a struggling or pressured quarterback. For fantasy, it provides an area where you can get a positional advantage and secure steady point production. Who wins in these key training camp battles could provide some fantasy gold.
Tight End Training Camp Battles
Noah Fant vs A.J. Barner vs Elijah Arroyo- Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks made a massive overhaul to their pass-catching weapons this offseason. They shipped off D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Brought in Cooper Kupp and drafted wide receiver Tory Horton and tight end Elijah Arroyo. All weapons for a new quarterback, either Sam Darnold or Jalen Milroe. See our quarterback camp battle. The offense under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has ties to offenses that have produced higher-end fantasy tight ends. So there is potential if someone breaks through.
Noah Fant: Fant is the veteran of the group. After some solid years early in his career with the Denver Broncos, Fant hasn’t done much since coming over to Seattle. Even with him running most of his routes from either the slot or out wide compared to inline, he just hasn’t seen the targets.
A.J. Barner: Barner had a modest rookie year despite getting to fill in for Fant for three games. Barner had a high touchdown ratio, which isn’t sustainable. He looked like a strong potential player this year until the NFL draft.
Elijah Arroyo: Arroyo was a second-round pick for the Seahawks this year. He had a solid senior season at Miami after two injury-shortened years with very little production. He has speed and size, which make him an interesting prospect. Building chemistry and fighting his way up the depth chart will be the keys for Arroyo moving forward.
Likely Outcome
There is a good chance that Fant gets cut before the start of the season. He would save the Seahawks almost $9m in cap space. If Barner and Arroyo can show they are capable pass catchers, then I expect Fant to be cut. Barner and Arroyo are very similar players. Playing similar snap shares in the slot and out wide. While Arroyo is faster, but will need to learn the system. If Fant stays, then Barner is going to be the odd man out.
Fantasy Impact
If I’m drafting a Seahawks tight end, it’s very late in drafts, and it’s probably Fant or Arroyo. I don’t like it that much either. The Seahawks haven’t prioritized the tight end position even last year with a coaching change. With a new OC, it could change things, but I worry the growing pains will cause them to be less than desirable.
I’m still buying Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. The tight ends won’t eat into their target shares even in the red zone. The Seahawks probably want to run the ball more than pass with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, which is a powerful 1-2 punch when healthy.
Mason Taylor vs Jeremy Ruckert vs Stone Smartt
The New York Jets haven’t had a top 15 tight end since 2011. Tyler Conklin was close a few years ago but never cracked it. It makes 2025 an interesting year. The Jets put their franchise in the hands of new head coach Aaron Glenn and quarterback Justin Fields. Glenn comes from the Detroit Lions, who produced solid tight end values in T.J. Hockenson and Sam LaPorta, and Fields made Cole Kmet a fantasy asset. So, what will happen this year at the tight end position?
Mason Taylor: Taylor was a 2nd round pick this year for the Jets. While the draft capital seems to show they have confidence in him, the college production is scary. Taylor played three years at LSU, and while being healthy, he only caught 129 targets over that time for 1308 yards and a measly six touchdowns. Not nearly the numbers we want to see. Taylor will have to show he can produce and be a valuable asset to get the starting job.
Stone Smartt: Despite having one of the coolest names in football, Smartt has yet to produce. He’s a converted quarterback, so his progression as a tight end will be slow. Evidenced by the lack of playing time in his first three seasons. He has speed but needs to work on his route running, blocking, and actual catching.
Jeremy Ruckert: Ruckert is the veteran of the group, considering he has been with the team for his three NFL seasons. It’s a new coaching system, so that probably doesn’t help him much. Ruckert has just about as much production as Smartt. He has just as much of a shot as any of them.
Likely Outcome
It’s a toss-up. None of them have a history of production, so it will come down to training camp. I expect Ruckert to play the most snaps early in the season. He is the best combo of blocking and pass catching. The Jets used a second round on Taylor, so he will get worked in. That will leave Smartt as the odd man out.
Fantasy Impact
I’m not drafting any of these guys right now. Yes, Justin Fields is capable of making a tight end fantasy relevant, but the lack of real pass-catching skills worries me. I’ll be monitoring the situation in case I need a bye week fill-in later in the season. That is the only value any of them will have this season. This is good news for Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall as they will continue to be the focal points of the offense.
Will Dissly vs Tyler Conklin vs Oronde Gadsden
The Los Angeles Chargers must be a frustrating team to root for. They have an incredible quarterback in Justin Herbert. A blossoming star in wide receiver Ladd McConkey and a solid head coach in Jim Harbaugh. So why can’t they ever seem to make a playoff run? There has never been a true second receiver for Herbert, and the tight end position has been lacking. 2025 is another year that has potential, but the tight end position will need to step up for that to happen
Will Dissly: Dissly is the lone holdover from last year’s tight end room. Dissly was third on the team last year in total targets. A big part of that was his availability. Dissly played 16 games compared to Hayden Hurst, who played only 8. Dissly has never been much more than a random streaming week play
Tyler Conklin: Conklin was brought in during free agency this offseason. After three solid seasons with the New York Jets, Conklin might be the best tight end the Chargers have rostered since Antonio Gates. Conklin has all the potential but has never cracked the weekly fantasy player role.
Oronde Gadsden: Gadsden is a rookie darling who is getting all the hype from the coaching staff coming out of mini-camp and OTAs. As a fifth-round pick, Gadsden has an uphill battle, but last college season showed the promise of what could be a good tight end. He missed the 2023 season after switching from wide receiver to tight end.
Likely Outcome
This comes down to Conklin and Dissly to start the season. I expect Conklin to be the main snap getter and the main target getter. With four solid seasons in New York and Minnesota shows what Conklin can be when utilized in the offense. Given that Dissly still exists, I think he will find a role, but probably only in a small, specific package. Gadsden will need to develop and will get the opportunity this year. That’s what training camp is for, but I don’t see him taking over during that time. The Chargers brought in plenty of wide receivers to bolster the passing game, so the tight end might slip back down the target depth chart.
Fantasy Impact
I don’t hate owning Ty Conklin as a rotational tight end if I miss out on the top guys and going with a streaming route. As training camp gets under way I’ll be watching how much time Dissly gets with the first team, but he will never be someone you can trust in your fantasy lineup. Gadsden is nothing more than a dynasty taxi squad stash. Both Conklin and Dissly are cut candidates if Gadsden shows out. If one does get cut loose, it doesn’t bring too much more value to the other, unfortunately.
It still wheels up for McConkey, and with Quentin Johnston and Mike Williams being interesting options. The run game with Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton (read about that camp battle) is still the focal point of the offense.
Tyler Higbee vs Terrance Ferguson
The Los Angeles Rams never seem to rebuild, always just reload. They draft very well and find value late. They continually produce multiple fantasy-relevant players, yet never at tight end. With the window to win with Matthew Stafford closing quickly, the Rams made moves this year to bolster things at the tight end position. But will it play out quickly enough, or will it take too long for this team to capitalize on it?
Tyler Higbee: Higbee is a veteran. This will be his tenth season with the Rams. While he hasn’t been a key part of the offense for the past few seasons, he knows the offense and the system. Chemistry with Matthew Stafford is important.
Terrance Ferguson: The Rams are not known for having many high-value draft picks, but they are known for hitting on the few picks they do have. When a team spends their first pick in eh draft, even if it is in the 2nd round, that says something. Ferguson was consistent in college, but never really flashed to get him into the top tier of the draft class.
Likely Outcome
There is a chance that Higbee gets cut. It would save the Rams just under 5 million dollars. It would elevate Ferguson to the lead role with Colby Parkinson to the blocking/ limited role. I think Higbee sticks with the team. He has the skills, knowledge, and chemistry that will make him a favorite of the coaching staff and Stafford. I expect Ferguson to take over more snaps and targets as the season goes on, but not in training camp.
Fantasy Impact
You have to go back to 2022 to find a Rams tight end who was fantasy relevant. Even in a year where Higbee had 108 targets and finished as TE6, he had seven games where he was a massive letdown for your team. Last season, Parkinson played the lead role till Higbee came back. Between the two, they only had seven games with five or more fantasy points. Only two of them got into the double-digit point range.
I expect the same this season. Puke Nacua is still a top-five option. Cooper Kupp is gone, but replaced with Davante Adams. I don’t see a scenario where Higbee or Ferguson is more than a rotational player or a bye week fill-in. I’ll leave them on the waivers for others to clog their roster with
Dalton Kincaid vs Dawson Knox
This is less of a debate about the competition but more about who will play more and if Dalton Kincaid can take the next step in his maturation. The Bills have Super Bowl aspirations, and with Josh Allen coming off an MVP season, 2025 is no different. So, will Kincaid take a step up, or will Dawson Knox continue to be the favored player?
Dawson Knox: Along with Dion Dawkins, Knox embodies the heart and soul of the Buffalo Bills. he helped the team a few years ago and was rewarded with a nice contract. Even after the Bills drafted Kincaid, Knox continued to be s big part of the offense. His relationship with Josh Allen has made him a go-to on must-have plays.
Dalton Kincaid: Kincaid hasn’t lived up to the hype some fantasy analysts have put on him. He’s athletic and played well in college, but has yet to be dominant on the NFL field. It’s his third season, so this is a make-or-break year for him.
Likely Outcome
Much like last season, Knox will continue to outperform Kincaid in snaps and routes run, but Kincaid will out-target Knox. Training camp will show this. You will end up seeing reports of both Kincaid playing well with the first team and that Knox is getting more first-team reps in training camp. It’s a true mess of a situation.
Fantasy Impact
With Kincaid looking to out-target Knox by a wide margin, he will be the player you are most likely to have on your team. The question will continue to be, Is he worth it? He hasn’t lived up to his draft capital yet in his career and has been a letdown both seasons. I’m out on Kincaid, have been and will continue to be until I see it on the field and game tape. If Kincaid goes down, I will be scooping up Knox for the upside.
Keep drafting Khalil Shakir as the top target getter. I still believe that Keon Coleman will see an improvement heading into his sophomore year. James Cook and Josh Allen are must-haves in fantasy.