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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Fantasy Football Rankings Tiers: Tight Ends
As we move through late July, it's time to get the player tiers out to you. The Shuffle Up series returned this week, hitting the four major positions. We've already worked through the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. Today, we tackle the final assignment, the tight ends. What matters is how the players relate to one another, where the talent clusters and where it drops off. Players at the same salary are considered even. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] I'm more likely to roster a vanity tight end if the starting requirements are modest at wide receiver. When a format requires me to run out three or more wideouts (and, to be transparent, I like those formats), my builds will be WR-heavy. The one vanity tight end I'm likely to target is George Kittle, because I think the market is giving you a round or two discount in some rooms. As always, season these sheets to taste. You know your room better than an outsider ever could. Tier 1: The Big Tickets $30 George Kittle $29 Brock Bowers $26 Trey McBride $24 Sam LaPorta $22 Mark Andrews Kittle's production spiked last year when Deebo Samuel Sr. wasn't available, and now Samuel is out of the building completely. And while there is talent in the San Francisco receiver room, it comes with conditions — Brandon Aiyuk probably won't be ready for opening day, Jauan Jennings is still fairly unproven (and unhappy about his contract) and Ricky Pearsall returns from an offseason hamstring injury. Kyle Shanahan's schemes are always fun to invest in, and Brock Purdy is probably a plus quarterback. Note that Yahoo rooms are pricing Kittle in the low-30s, but his global ADP is about one round cheaper. Bowers scoring just five touchdowns last year was a stone fluke, a comment about the dysfunction at quarterback. Geno Smith moves in and represents an upgrade, though Smith had his own red-zone difficulties last year. The Raiders should employ a narrow passing tree, though I doubt Pete Carroll will allow this team to be fourth in pass attempts again. I recognize Sam LaPorta and Kyle Pitts were not able to carry over their smash rookie seasons into sophomore production, but the runout will probably be more favorable for Bowers. It was surprising to see McBride go without a touchdown for so long in 2024, although that's been the story of his pro career. He's played 49 games, absorbed 292 targets, caught 221 passes — and scored just seven times. It's fair to wonder if Kyler Murray is simply too short to see the most efficient options in the red area. It would be foolish to project a high-volume player like McBride to score just three times again, but I don't think the positive regression wave is going to be as strong as the market might expect. Tier 2: Legitimate Building Blocks $17 Travis Kelce $16 T.J. Hockenson $14 Tucker Kraft $10 David Njoku $10 Dalton Kincaid For most of the spring, I was sure I wouldn't be drafting Kelce this year. He's entering his age-36 season and his YPC tumbled to 8.5 last fall. But Kelce's volume always comes guaranteed in Kansas City — he's had at least 103 targets for 10 straight years, with an average of 131 — and the Chiefs might be managing a Rashee Rice suspension at some point in 2025. Kelce doesn't move as well as he once did, but he's always going to be 6-foot-5 — the biggest target downfield, the immovable object. Kelce's fantasy floor is sturdy enough that I'll consider him at his current Yahoo ADP in the mid-60s. No Green Bay pass-catcher has seen more than 100 targets since Davante Adams left town — last year Kraft rose to TE7 despite a paltry 70 opportunities. The good news is that when Green Bay did design something for Kraft, it came with a splash play or a touchdown in mind. His 14.1 YPC stood second at the position (just an eyelash behind the amazing Kittle) and 11 of Kraft's catches went for 20 yards or more. You can get into trouble sometimes with the assumption of rational coaching, but Matt LaFleur is a shrewd play-caller and you'd suspect Kraft should at least see a mild uptick in his workload. Yahoo drafters are pricing Kraft just outside the top 100, an ADP I will gladly accept. Somehow, Josh Allen won his first MVP award despite an oddball collection of targets — Mack Hollins of all people led this team with touchdown receptions, and the count was only five. Khalil Shakir is effective as a chain-moving slot player, but there's not a lot of explosiveness to his game. It's been stunning to see Kincaid average just 9.6 YPC as a pro — he moves far too well for that — although knee and shoulder issues curtailed his effectiveness in the second half. Perhaps we've been spoiled with early-career tight ends in recent seasons, players who hit the ground running right away. The old methodology was to target a tight end in his third or fourth season for a possible spike, and with that in mind, appreciate that Kincaid is entering Year 3 of his career. Tier 3: Some Plausible Upside $9 Dallas Goedert $9 Evan Engram $9 Jake Ferguson $8 Tyler Warren $7 Hunter Henry $7 Kyle Pitts $6 Jonnu Smith $6 Colston Loveland $6 Isaiah Likely $5 Mike Gesicki $5 Zach Ertz $4 Pat Freiermuth $4 Brenton Strange If you want to argue that Engram is better off with the 2025 Broncos than the 2024 Jaguars, I won't disagree with you. But we're still talking about an age-31 player who's had trouble scoring (just 19 touchdowns in his last seven games) and getting downfield (8.2 YPC the last two seasons). Bo Nix proved a capable quarterback as a rookie, but he's probably short of a kingmaker. Engram has felt overpriced to me the entire summer draft season. Even with two superstar receivers in Dallas, there should be enough left over for Ferguson, provided Dak Prescott can stay healthy. Ferguson cut a TE9 season back in 2023, then had a 10-93-3 playoff detonation against the Packers that January. I realize new OC Brian Schottenheimer carries a run-first reputation, but given the pedestrian backs the Cowboys have assembled, I still see Dallas as a possible shootout team. Ferguson's tempting Yahoo ADP lands outside the top 120. Tier 4: Bargain Bin $3 Juwan Johnson $3 Dalton Schultz $3 Cade Otton $3 Chig Okonkwo $2 Theo Johnson $2 Darren Waller $2 Cole Kmet $2 Noah Gray $2 Ja'Tavion Sanders $2 Mason Taylor $2 Elijah Arroyo $1 Luke Musgrave $1 Dawson Knox $1 Michael Mayer $1 Tyler Higbee $1 Ben Sinnott $1 Tyler Conklin $1 Oronde Gadsden II $1 Harold Fannin Jr. $1 Terrance Ferguson
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Geno Smith aims to bring stability and firepower to Raiders' struggling offense
The Raiders have been searching at quarterback since a messy divorce late in the 2022 season ended Derek Carr's nine-year reign. And even Carr's tenure came up short of expectations, with the team making the playoffs just twice. Now the Raiders are counting on veteran Geno Smith to provide much-needed stability and add punch to an offense among the NFL's worst last season. But he isn't expected to do it by himself in Las Vegas. He has two potentially dynamic offensive weapons in tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, as well as wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who comes off his first 1000-yard season. All three are 28 and younger, and Smith is closing in on 35 as he enters his 12th season. 'In this league, every day you got to prove yourself not only to your guys but to the rest of the league,' Smith said. 'So for me, when you're coming to a new team, you got to set the standard, set the example, and it's through hard work. I wanted to make sure that my guys know that I was going to be here 100 percent of the time, going to put all the work in, going to maximize our resources and just really put our best foot forward. I'm not a big talker. I just want guys to kind of follow me through example, and I just try to push myself, push the guys, and let the rest handle itself.' It may be a new city and a new group of teammates for Smith, but there is a sense of familiarity as he goes back to work for coach Pete Carroll. His career was in limbo when Carroll signed him in 2019 to join Seattle. He became the starter in 2022 and led the NFL that season by completing 69.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year, and the Seahawks had winning records in all three seasons with Smith at the controls. Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season, but he failed to reach an agreement to stay in Seattle. The Raiders acquired him in a March 7 trade in which they sent back a third-round draft pick. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback then signed a two-year $75 million extension that takes him through the 2027 season. Smith said at his introductory news conference that he had unfinished business given the way his time ended in Seattle. 'He's such an all-in guy that there's no question what his commitment is and his conviction, and so that just helps the message (get) embedded even more so,' Carroll said. 'It's why he's so valuable to us.' Smith is a major reason why the Raiders have genuine hope they can improve an offense that last season ranked 29th in scoring and 27th in yardage. Having Bowers and Jeanty in the lineup are two other notable reasons for such optimism. Bowers was second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting last season to Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. Bowers set an NFL rookie record with 112 catches for a first-year mark for a tight end with 1,194 yards receiving and was named to the AP All-Pro team. 'He's one of the better tight ends in the NFL,' Smith said. 'I can't give him the ball enough. I feel bad every time I don't throw him the ball. So I'm just trying to make sure that I'm maximizing his ability, his talent, because that's going to help our team.' Jeanty is expected to be the Raiders' next Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate and in fact is the favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Las Vegas took him sixth in this year's draft after Jeanty led the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing to finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting. 'Ashton is a smooth running back out of the backfield,' Smith said. 'We've seen what he can do against contact and breaking tackles. The thing that's really impressing me is his ability to catch out of the backfield. He's a real natural in that aspect.' The NFL in the end is a quarterback-driven league, and the onus ultimately will be on Smith to make all the pieces work in Chip Kelly's offense. The Raiders have been searching for such a quarterback. Maybe Smith is the answer. 'Geno is a hell of a quarterback,' defensive end Maxx Crosby said. 'He's another guy that gets slept on for some reason, but Geno can play, and he's super competitive. Getting to see him and go against him every single day has been an awesome experience so far.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Geno Smith aims to bring stability and firepower to Raiders' struggling offense
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Raiders have been searching at quarterback since a messy divorce late in the 2022 season ended Derek Carr's nine-year reign. And even Carr's tenure came up short of expectations with the team making the playoffs just twice. Now the Raiders are counting on veteran Geno Smith to provide much-needed stability and add punch to an offense among the NFL's worst last season. But, he isn't expected to do it by himself in Las Vegas. He has two potentially dynamic offensive weapons in tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, as well as wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who comes off his first 1,000-yard season. All three are 28 and younger, and Smith is closing in on 35 as he enters his 12th season. 'In this league, every day you got to prove yourself, not only to your guys but to the rest of the league,' Smith said. "So for me, when you're coming to a new team, you got to set the standard, set the example, and it's through hard work. I wanted to make sure that my guys know that I was going to be here 100% of the time, going to put all the work in, going to maximize our resources and just really put our best foot forward. "I'm not a big talker. I just want guys to kind of follow me through example, and I just try to push myself, push the guys and let the rest handle itself.' It may be a new city and a new group of teammates for Smith, but there is a sense of familiarity as he goes back to work for coach Pete Carroll. His career was in limbo when Carroll signed him in 2019 to join Seattle. He became the starter in 2022 and led the NFL that season by completing 69.8% of his passes while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year, and the Seahawks had winning records in all three seasons with Smith at the controls. Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season, but he failed to reach an agreement to stay in Seattle. The Raiders acquired him in a March 7 trade in which they sent back a third-round draft pick. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback then signed a two-year, $75 million extension that takes him through the 2027 season. Smith said at his introductory news conference that he had 'unfinished business,' given the way his time ended in Seattle. 'He's such an all-in guy that there's no question what his commitment is and his conviction, and so that just helps the message (get) embedded even more so,' Carroll said. 'It's why he's so valuable to us.' Smith is a major reason why the Raiders have genuine hope they can improve an offense that last season ranked 29th in scoring and 27th in yardage. Having Bowers and Jeanty in the lineup are two other notable reasons for such optimism. Bowers was second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting last season to Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. Bowers set an NFL rookie record with 112 catches for a first-year mark for a tight end with 1,194 yards receiving and was named to the AP All-Pro team. 'He's one of the better tight ends in the NFL,' Smith said. "I can't give him the ball enough. I feel bad every time I don't throw him the ball. So I'm just trying to make sure that I'm maximizing his ability, his talent, because that's going to help our team.' Jeanty is expected to be the Raiders' next Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and in fact is the favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Las Vegas took him sixth in this year's draft after Jeanty led the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing to finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting. 'Ashton is a smooth running back out of the backfield,' Smith said. 'We've seen what he can do against contact and breaking tackles. The thing that's really impressing me is his ability to catch out of the backfield. He's a real natural in that aspect.' The NFL, in the end, is a quarterback-driven league, and the onus ultimately will be on Smith to make all the pieces work in Chip Kelly's offense. The Raiders have been searching for such a quarterback. Maybe Smith is the answer. 'Geno is a hell of a quarterback," defensive end Maxx Crosby said. 'He's another guy that gets slept on for some reason, but Geno can play and he's super competitive. Getting to see him and go against him every single day has been an awesome experience so far.' ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Geno Smith aims to bring stability and firepower to Raiders' struggling offense
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Raiders have been searching at quarterback since a messy divorce late in the 2022 season ended Derek Carr's nine-year reign. And even Carr's tenure came up short of expectations with the team making the playoffs just twice. Now the Raiders are counting on veteran Geno Smith to provide much-needed stability and add punch to an offense among the NFL's worst last season. But, he isn't expected to do it by himself in Las Vegas. He has two potentially dynamic offensive weapons in tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, as well as wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who comes off his first 1,000-yard season. All three are 28 and younger, and Smith is closing in on 35 as he enters his 12th season. 'In this league, every day you got to prove yourself, not only to your guys but to the rest of the league,' Smith said. 'So for me, when you're coming to a new team, you got to set the standard, set the example, and it's through hard work. I wanted to make sure that my guys know that I was going to be here 100% of the time, going to put all the work in, going to maximize our resources and just really put our best foot forward. 'I'm not a big talker. I just want guys to kind of follow me through example, and I just try to push myself, push the guys and let the rest handle itself.' It may be a new city and a new group of teammates for Smith, but there is a sense of familiarity as he goes back to work for coach Pete Carroll. His career was in limbo when Carroll signed him in 2019 to join Seattle. He became the starter in 2022 and led the NFL that season by completing 69.8% of his passes while throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year, and the Seahawks had winning records in all three seasons with Smith at the controls. Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season, but he failed to reach an agreement to stay in Seattle. The Raiders acquired him in a March 7 trade in which they sent back a third-round draft pick. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback then signed a two-year, $75 million extension that takes him through the 2027 season. Smith said at his introductory news conference that he had 'unfinished business,' given the way his time ended in Seattle. 'He's such an all-in guy that there's no question what his commitment is and his conviction, and so that just helps the message (get) embedded even more so,' Carroll said. 'It's why he's so valuable to us.' Smith is a major reason why the Raiders have genuine hope they can improve an offense that last season ranked 29th in scoring and 27th in yardage. Having Bowers and Jeanty in the lineup are two other notable reasons for such optimism. Bowers was second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting last season to Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. Bowers set an NFL rookie record with 112 catches for a first-year mark for a tight end with 1,194 yards receiving and was named to the AP All-Pro team. 'He's one of the better tight ends in the NFL,' Smith said. 'I can't give him the ball enough. I feel bad every time I don't throw him the ball. So I'm just trying to make sure that I'm maximizing his ability, his talent, because that's going to help our team.' Jeanty is expected to be the Raiders' next Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and in fact is the favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Las Vegas took him sixth in this year's draft after Jeanty led the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing to finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting. 'Ashton is a smooth running back out of the backfield,' Smith said. 'We've seen what he can do against contact and breaking tackles. The thing that's really impressing me is his ability to catch out of the backfield. He's a real natural in that aspect.' The NFL, in the end, is a quarterback-driven league, and the onus ultimately will be on Smith to make all the pieces work in Chip Kelly's offense. The Raiders have been searching for such a quarterback. Maybe Smith is the answer. 'Geno is a hell of a quarterback,' defensive end Maxx Crosby said. 'He's another guy that gets slept on for some reason, but Geno can play and he's super competitive. Getting to see him and go against him every single day has been an awesome experience so far.' ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Silver Minings: Is the offense being slept on?
We all know the Las Vegas Raiders' offense, as a whole, was mostly dreadful in the 2024 season. But it's over and it seems like the team has made some nice additions for the 2025 season this offseason, adding new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, quarterback Geno Smith and running back Ashton Jeanty, among others, to help build an offense that showcases 2024 star rookie tight end Brock Bowers Advertisement Frankly, the additions are impressive and it should help the Raiders become a competent offense this season. Yet, not everyone is convinced the Las Vegas offense will improve. Pro Football Network ranked the 32 offenses in the league. The Raiders came in at 29th. Basically, the site wants to see improvement before believing it. I guess that's fair, but the truth is the Raiders have an opportunity to prove that 2025 can be a different story than 2024 was and that's all they can ask for. In other Raiders news: Offseason winners: The Athletic thinks the Raiders were one of them. Best D-lines: PFF ranks the top defensive lines in the league. Best rookies: predicts rookie impact players. More from
