RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Fantasy football's new era of tight ends has arrived. It's a thin position, but when attacked correctly, it can be game-changing for fantasy teams.
With Trey McBride and Brock Bowers up top and Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, Harold Fannin Jr. and Tucker Kraft close behind, we are fully in the new era of tight ends. It's exciting and 2026 becomes a defining season for which one's upside potential becomes more than just potential.
With only one TE being played in most leagues, we as fantasy managers are hunting for a top three-to-four ceiling more than any other position. After the top players, the difference to the rest of the TE1s is extremely minimal.
More position previews
Quarterback
Running Back
Wide Receiver
Tight End
Draft Strategy
Unlike most seasons in the past, I find myself being happy with multiple ranges of tight ends, whether it's taking a big shot early, going after one in the middle or punting entirely; all can be successful if done correctly. If you're patient, a TE value will find you.
Early-round TEs can give you the positional advantage that sets your team apart. Bowers and McBride fall into spots at the end of the second, usually after the elite top-12 RBs are gone, making them much more viable. Loveland and Warren are riskier, but I believe they can beat the failed history of the past
TE Hit Rates in Rounds 4 & 5
Since 2015
Round 4 - 3/12 (25.0%)
Round 5 - 7/18 (38.9%)
If you don't draft TE early, the upside from TE5-8 is still high this season. I'd just suggest waiting for that eighth one off the board. In this range there's still a decent amount of valuable RBs and WRs for the most part, but in my mock drafts there is usually one or two TEs in this range who slip too far. If your favorite slides and you're not loving RB30 Tony Pollard or WR34 DK Metcalf, I love taking the value as RB and WR finish drying up.
My Top-12 TEs
Brock Bowers, LV
Trey McBride, ARI
Colston Loveland, CHI
Tyler Warren, IND
Sam LaPorta, DET
Harold Fannin Jr., CLE
Tucker Kraft, GB
Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL
George Kittle, SF
Dalton Kincaid, BUF
Dallas Goedert, PHI
Mark Andrews, BAL
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Draft Targets
Brock Bowers, LV
Bowers' 38% red-zone target share was by far the best among TE; the Raiders just weren't in the red zone a lot. In a season where the Raiders struggled to do anything, their star TE still managed to be the fantasy TE2 when he was healthy. The floor is great, and the ceiling is better. Klint Kubiak is coming in as the new play-caller to turn things around, but the Raiders' WR room remains the worst in the NFL. After the best rookie TE season of all time, Bowers can put up even better numbers in Year 3.
Tyler Warren, IND
Warren was an immediate mid-level TE1 as a rookie before Daniel Jones' injury. He's being drafted in that range still after his first full offseason, with no Michael Pittman Jr. and an injured Alec Pierce. Shane Steichen is looking to be as creative as possible with Warren, even more so than last year when he had a couple goal-line carries. He fits Jones' style very well in a short-passing attack that can utilize his yards-after-catch ability. His 30% targets per route without Pittman on the field in 2025 shows just how high he can go in 2026.
Sam LaPorta, DET
LaPorta's efficiency when on the field was incredible in 2025, which is more impressive considering that he was an afterthought in the passing game. It can be difficult with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, but LaPorta was 27th among TE in red-zone target share and 21st in first-read target share. With Drew Petzing at OC, he won't suddenly turn into McBride, but he could be more of a focus in 2026. His yards after the catch and yards per target are at the top of the NFL, and the offense he's a part of gives him plenty of opportunities to score.
Draft Fades
Trey McBride, ARI
The price tag on McBride is pretty extreme, and one I'm passing on after targeting him heavily last season. Half-PPR leagues are also tougher for a TE who had the most targets in history last season. After struggling with touchdowns for years, McBride brought in 11 in 2025, a number I'd be shocked to see again with how the Cardinals offense looks this season. The target competition is better with a healthy Marvin Harrison Jr. and the addition of Jeremiyah Love, and the QB play is very much up in the air.
Most of all, McBride had over 150 more routes than the next-closest TE. The absurdity of the 2025 Cardinals and the benefit of garbage time was amazing last season, but now in a completely new year with a new coaching staff and players, it's tough to bank on it happening again. McBride'll be good, but there are way too many red flags for me to spend a second-round pick on a TE.
Travis Kelce, KC
Travis Kelce is approaching 37 years old after three straight seasons with declining fantasy PPG. Tight ends make their money in the red zone, and in a season with extremely little target competition and multiple hurt receivers, Kelce ranked 28th in red-zone target share at the position. With Patrick Mahomes II off the ACL, Rashee Rice back and Kenneth Walker III added, Kelce isn't my go-to pick to find upside at the position.
Hunter Henry, NE
It was a dream season for Henry in 2025 that landed him as the fantasy TE13. Sixth in the entire NFL last season in red-zone targets and couldn't crack into TE1 territory. Add in A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs and those red-zone targets won't be at a premium anymore.
Draft Sleepers
Dallas Goedert, PHI
Last season's TE5 in fantasy is being drafted as the TE12. Will his touchdowns per target decrease by a substantial amount? Sure. Yet he can repeat with help in other areas. Eli Stowers is not playing with the first-team offense yet and should affect Goedert very little in 2026, a...
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