Tight end Hunter Henry returns as the New England Patriots’ TE1. With a new head coach and a full year of Drake Maye, Henry’s outlook is better this year than it’s been since he was with the Chargers. If fantasy football managers wait until the late rounds to draft a tight end, is Henry a guy we should be eyeing up?
Hunter Henry Fantasy Outlook
Henry is now entering his 10th NFL season. The crazy part is he’s still just 30 years old. In the right offensive environment, there’s still a chance his best season is in front of him.
Last year, Henry set career highs in targets (98), receptions (66), and receiving yards (674). If not for a career low in touchdowns (2), that year very well could’ve been 2024.
Despite sharing a field with Austin Hooper, Henry’s usage was quite encouraging. He played 81.6% of the snaps and ran a route on 78.2% of pass plays. His 20.8% target share was seventh in the league.
Once upon a time, Henry was trending toward being the next top-tier tight end. It was a long time ago, but he averaged 12.3 fantasy points per game in his first year back from a torn ACL in 2019.
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Henry was never able to build off that momentum, but he’s also never really been irrelevant. Aside from an anomalously down year in 2022 that saw him average 6.1 PPG and finish as the overall TE26, Henry has never averaged lower than 8.6 PPG and never finished worse than overall TE17. His ADP is currently TE21.
I understand the hesitation. Henry has been around for a decade. He’s boring. We know who he is. But TE20 for a guy who has finished inside the top 15 in six of his past seven seasons seems relatively low.
Look at what the Patriots are deploying at wide receiver. Their WR1 is 31-year-old Stefon Diggs, coming off a torn ACL, and on his third team in as many years. Their WR2, 3, and 4 are uncertain at the moment, but will be some combination of Mack Hollins, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and rookie Kyle Williams. Would it be shocking if Henry were their de facto WR2?
Target share versus man coverage is one of the most predictive stats for future fantasy points for tight ends.
2024 leaders:
26% Trey McBride
24% Brock Bowers
23% Hunter Henry
20% Mark Andrews
20% Travis Kelce— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) May 29, 2025
Now, I’m not suggesting Henry will suddenly become this difference-maker at tight end. Not at all. But once you get past the top 5-6 guys each year, the rest are all essentially the same. Last year, 10 tight ends averaged between 8.7 and 11.1 PPG, including Henry.
I have Henry as my TE17, slightly above consensus. While I understand the desire to take a tight end with more upside, as you can always stream 10 PPG, if you find yourself completely punting the position, Henry is a relatively safe option who won’t get you zero.
Mason LeBeau‘s Hunter Henry Fantasy Projection
Finally, everyone’s favorite waiver wire play might actually be worth rostering full-time. Henry made it to New England right after future Hall-of-Fame QB Tom Brady left, and it’s been tough sledding since. He was the quintessential sign-and-pray target, and you either left disappointed or hit the jackpot, but you rarely doubled down on him.Â
Now, there’s finally some hope that he can be a little more than that. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s a secret sleeper poised for a big breakout. We know what he is at 30 years old and entering his 10th season. He’s never crossed 700 total yards and averages five touchdowns a year. What’s intriguing, though, is the upside of QB Drake Maye. If he takes off in year two, then the scoring opportunities will be there. The last time the offensive coordinator was in New England with Henry, he scored nine times, finishing as TE8.Â
The receivers are still questionable. An elder Stefon Diggs, a few disappointing year-two players, some solid veterans, and another rookie all jumble up the receiving options. Henry should remain a constant, only challenged by another veteran, Austin Hooper. I’m not going out of my way to grab Henry, but I won’t be surprised if he upgrades this season to a true TE2 for most fantasy teams.
