2026 fantasy football rankings: Profiles for more than 30 tight ends
Mike Clay provides breakdowns of the top tight ends in fantasy football for the 2026 season.
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In advance of the NFL draft, Mike Clay is revealing his 2026 fantasy football rankings at each key offensive position, with profiles for each player. These rankings do not include rookies because we are unsure of their landing spots.
If you are seeking a breakdown of this year's top NFL draft prospects, Mike has profiled the top 80 skill position players in his fantasy football rookie rankings.
NOTE: All references to player ages are as of the season opener on Sept. 9, 2026.
Position rankings and profiles: QB | RB | WR
1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
McBride has emerged as one of the league's top pass catchers -- not just tight ends -- as he trails only Ja'Marr Chase in targets (317) and receptions (252) over the past two seasons and is sixth in receiving yards (2,385). McBride led the tight end position in every fantasy-relevant counting stat in 2025, and his league-high 15 top-12 fantasy weeks were six more than any other player at the position. He finished third in the NFL with 17 end zone targets. McBride really thrived when Jacoby Brissett (21.1 PPG) replaced Kyler Murray (12.5) under center, which only adds to his 2026 appeal. The 26-year-old should be on your radar at the first-/second-round turn.
2. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
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Bowers entered 2025 with high expectations and appeared well on his way to another productive season with 103 yards in Week 1, but a late-game injury limited him for three weeks and led to five full missed games. Bowers remained productive when healthy, finishing second among tight ends in fantasy PPG. Incredibly, he tied for fifth in the NFL with 13 end zone targets despite all the missed action. Bowers, who posted a 112-1,194-5 receiving line as a rookie in 2024, is likely to be a top target for projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. The 23-year-old is well positioned for a highly productive season and should be on your radar in the second or third round.
3. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
After averaging 4.1 targets and 8.5 fantasy PPG during his first 14 NFL games, Loveland leaped to 12.0 targets (10-plus in each) and 20.0 fantasy PPG during his final four games of 2025 (including the playoffs). For perspective, there have been only 12 instances of a tight end seeing at least 10 targets in four consecutive regular-season games in NFL history (and only one was a rookie). Loveland's overall efficiency was terrific, as he ranked eighth or better among tight ends in YPR, YPT and YPRR. With DJ Moore gone, the 2025 first-round pick enters his age-22 season all but locked into a massive workload alongside Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Loveland's ceiling is lofty, and midrange fantasy TE1 should be his floor.
4. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Warren put together a solid rookie season, but it could've been even better. In 12 games with a healthy Daniel Jones, Warren scored five touchdowns and averaged 13.1 fantasy PPG. In five games without Jones, Warren fell to 6.3 PPG and failed to find the end zone. In fact, the 2025 first-round pick was unlucky in the scoring department, ranking fifth among tight ends in end zone targets (seven) and expected TDs (7.5). Warren finished the season third among tight ends in targets and also had three goal-line carries. The 24-year-old was already a featured target and might see even more work with Michael Pittman Jr. shipped to Pittsburgh. Warren is a quality TE1.
5. Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons
Right when it seemed like Pitts might never live up to the hype, the 2021 No. 4 pick put together the best season of his career. Pitts finished second among tight ends in routes, targets, catches, yards and fantasy points, setting career highs in all but the yardage category. He scored five touchdowns and has increased his total in that category (by exactly one) each season in the league. Pitts did a big chunk of his damage with Kirk Cousins under center (some with WR Drake London sidelined), which is notable as Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are set to battle for the Atlanta QB job. There's some obvious risk here considering Pitts finished 17th or lower in PPG three straight seasons before 2025, but he nonetheless enters his age-25 season as a priority target in the Atlanta offense. Consider him a midrange TE1.
6. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Fannin is a rising star at the tight end position after overcoming the presence of David Njoku and a quarterback merry-go-round to produce a 72-731-6 receiving line (plus 7-13-1 rushing) as a 21-year-old rookie last season. The third-round pick's 108 targets rank eighth all time by a rookie tight end, and he finished no lower than eighth at the position in catches, yards, touchdowns and fantasy points last season. Fannin figures to see some touchdown regression (seven TDs, 3.8 expected, three end zone targets) and Cleveland still has quarterback question marks, but with Njoku gone, Fannin has a path to improve a bit on what was already a healthy 22% target share. He's a solid TE1 target.
7. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
LaPorta has settled in as one of the league's top tight ends, but the 2023 second-round pick simply hasn't been able to match the fantasy success he enjoyed as a rookie. Since posting an 86-889-10 receiving line in 17 games that first season, LaPorta has totaled a 100-1,215-10 line in 25 games over the past two seasons. LaPorta's 2025 campaign was cut short by a back injury, otherwise he was well on his way to his third straight top-10 fantasy campaign (he finished seventh in PPG). The 25-year-old joins Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs as the clear "Core Four" targets in a good, pass-friendly Detroit offense, and is thus a solid fantasy TE1.
8. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Goedert enters the 2026 season as the poster boy for inevitable touchdown regression to the mean. After scoring 24 touchdowns in his first seven seasons (3.4 per year), Goedert inexplicably leaped to 11 scores in 15 games in 2025. Goedert's expected TD total was 5.1, and he saw only five end zone targets (12 tight ends saw more). Goedert is a solid fantasy tight end -- he has finished 12th or better in PPG each of the past seven seasons -- but he often misses games (at least two in each of the past six years) and has never finished in the top eight at the position in targets or catches. The 31-year-old is likely to deliver fringe-TE1 numbers in 2026.
9. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce re-signed with the Chiefs and is returning for what might be his final NFL season. The veteran tight end's days as an elite producer are behind him, and he saw a notable dip in usage last season (19.6% target share was his lowest since 2014). Kelce did hold up for 17 games and still finished in the top 10 at the position in snaps, routes, targets, catches, yards and fantasy PPG. Kelce has reeled off 10 consecutive top-five fantasy campaigns despite not offering much in the scoring department (he hasn't cleared five TDs in a season since 2022). The 36-year-old's role could dip even further this season, so he's best valued as a fringe TE1.
10. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Ferguson has emerged as a reliable target for Dak Prescott in the high-scoring Dallas offense, which has led to solid fantasy production. Ferguson, who has handled a 17% target share each of the past three seasons, is fresh off a career year in which he ranked third among tight ends in receptions, touchdowns and end zone targets (10). His nine top-12 fantasy weeks tied for second. The 27-year-old's role as a short-range target (4.7 aDOT last season) limits his yardage upside, but he sees just enough work, including near the goal line, to allow fringe-TE1 production. Don't call him "Joke Farterson" ("Fantasy Football Now" fans know); Ferguson has a decent shot to earn his third top-10 fantasy campaign in his past four seasons.
11. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
It's been a rough go for Hockenson since he peaked with a 95-960-5 receiving line in 2023. He tore an ACL in Week 16 that season and was limited to a 41-455-0 receiving line upon his return in 10 games in 2024. A bounce-back was expected in 2025, but Hockenson handled a weak 16% target share (his lowest since he was a rookie in 2019) and couldn't overcome the team's QB woes en route to a 51-438-3 showing. Hockenson has now followed four straight top-seven fantasy PPG seasons with finishes of 17th and 26th. The 29-year-old could very well get back on track in 2026, but he'll need solid play from either Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy. Hockenson is a fringe TE1.
12. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
One of fantasy's biggest mysteries, Andrews' usage has dipped substantially over the past two seasons. After finishing in the top five in fantasy PPG five seasons in a row from 2019 to 2023, Andrews slipped to eighth in 2024 (it would've been much worse if not for 11 touchdowns on 68 targets) and fell even further to 24th last season. Andrews appeared in all 17 of Baltimore's games but ranked 18th among tight ends in targets and outside the top 20 in catches and yards. The combination of a new coaching staff, a healthy Lamar Jackson and the departure of Isaiah Likely could lead to a rebound season for Andrews, but we now have two straight seasons of underperformance. The 31-year-old remains a force near the goal line (top 10 in end zone targets seven years in a row), but he's now more of a bench flier than a reliable TE1.
13. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Kraft's steady career progression had him on the cusp of a full-on breakout last season, but all was derailed by a torn ACL in Week 9. Prior to the injury, Kraft had seen 10 targets in consecutive games, one of which included a career-high 33.3 fantasy points. Through Week 8, only Jake Ferguson had more fantasy points. Granted, Kraft was way over his head in the TD department (six TDs with an expected total of 1.8 and only two end zone targets), but his boost in usage and terrific RAC skills (he has led the position in the category each of his three seasons) were enough to get him into the weekly TE1 mix. Kraft's recovery will need to be monitored, but even if he's ready for Week 1, a dip in production is possible in his first year back from the major injury. He's a risky middle-round target.
14. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle is undoubtedly among the best tight ends in the NFL and fantasy, but he simply can't dodge the injury bug. The 2017 fifth-round pick has played one full season (2018) and tore an Achilles in the team's wild-card victory after missing six regular-season games last season. Kittle is likely to miss at least one month to open the season and, now at 32 years old, might not be his usual, dominant self even when he returns. Kittle has finished sixth or better in fantasy PPG in each of the past eight seasons (including first in 2024), so he's worth a late-round flier, especially if you have an available IR slot.
15. Isaiah Likely, New York Giants
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Likely signed with the Giants after four years of backing up Mark Andrews in Baltimore. Likely is reuniting with coach John Harbaugh and is finally expected to play a consistent offensive role. During his time in Baltimore, Likely was limited to 50% of the team's offensive snaps and never finished a season better than 20th among tight ends in snaps, routes, targets, catches, yards or fantasy PPG. His only extensive stretch with Andrews sidelined came back in 2023. During the seven-game span, Likely posted a 23-356-6 receiving line on a 16% target share and averaged a solid 13.5 fantasy PPG. The 26-year-old is obviously unproven, but his receiving skills in New York's ascending offense are enough to put him on the TE2 radar.
16. Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers
Gadsden's rookie season was quite the roller coaster. The 2025 fifth-round pick didn't get much early run prior to exploding for 29.4 fantasy points in Week 7 and 18.7 points in Week 8. He went on to score one touchdown and average 6.2 fantasy PPG the rest of the season, never clearing 12.2 points in a single outing. Gadsden finished the season eighth or better at the position in end zone targets, aDOT, YPR, YPT and YPRR. The 23-year-old's second-half fall is concerning, but he now enters Year 2 as a potential featured target in new playcaller Mike McDaniel's offense. Gadsden could rise as high as third in line for targets and makes for a fine TE2 target on draft day.
17. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Henry has settled in as one of Drake Maye's top targets, having reached 85 targets, 60 catches and 650 yards each of the past two seasons (each ranked in the top 10 among tight ends). A threat downfield and near the goal line, Henry has finished in the top 15 in aDOT each of the past seven seasons and 12th or better in end zone targets in seven of his nine campaigns. Despite the solid usage, Henry hasn't sported much fantasy upside, as he has failed to finish in the top 12 in fantasy PPG since 2020 (he has never finished better than eighth). The 31-year-old is no more than a solid, high-floor TE2.
18. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Johnson's impressive progression continued in 2025, as the converted wide receiver posted career-high marks in targets, catches, yardage and fantasy points (all four were eighth or better among tight ends). Johnson produced nine top-12 fantasy weeks, which tied for second at the position. He has finished in the top 12 in aDOT each of the past four seasons but hasn't been much of an option near the goal line (no more than four TDs or end zone targets in each of the past three seasons). The 29-year-old will need to fend off newcomer Noah Fant for work in 2026, but he very well could settle in as high as second in target priority in the Saints' Tyler Shough-led offense. Johnson is a fine TE2.
19. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
Kincaid is perhaps fantasy's biggest wild card among tight ends. The 2023 first-round pick has occasionally flashed a high ceiling (he actually led qualified tight ends in YPT and YPRR last season), but he also has missed substantial action (nine games the past two years) and has disappeared way too often (he failed to clear 13.1 fantasy points in any game in 2024, and never cleared six targets in a game in 2025). Kincaid was limited to a 37% snap share when active last season, and he has yet to finish a season better than 14th in fantasy PPG. The 26-year-old has TE1 upside, but he's tough to trust and has added target competition (WR DJ Moore) in 2026. Consider Kincaid only in the late rounds.
20. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Strange played well in his first season as Jacksonville's clear No. 1 tight end, but it simply didn't lead to much fantasy success. The 2023 second-round pick handled a solid 16% target share during the 12 games he was healthy, but that was only enough to lead to 9.8 fantasy PPG (18th among tight ends). Strange simply hasn't been utilized much near the goal line, as he's yet to clear three touchdowns or four end zone targets in a single season. The 25-year-old is a reliable target for QB Trevor Lawrence, but with the team so well-stocked at wide receiver, consistent fantasy production is a long shot. Consider Strange a low-ceiling TE2.
21. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Freiermuth's career trajectory has been quite the head-scratcher, but the bottom line is he is yet to emerge as a consistent fantasy starter. The 2021 second-round pick flirted with TE1 status in both 2022 (11th in fantasy PPG) and 2024 (14th) but saw a dramatic dip in usage in Pittsburgh's crowded tight end room in 2025. Freiermuth posted a career-low 10% target share and finished outside the top 20 at the position in snaps, routes, targets, catches, yards and end zone targets, and 30 tight ends bested his 6.7 fantasy PPG. The 27-year-old figures to play more in 2026 with Jonnu Smith gone and Mike McCarthy running the offense, but Pittsburgh is also better at wide receiver with Michael Pittman Jr. in the fold. Freiermuth has some sleeper appeal, but he's best valued as a back-end TE2.
22. Mason Taylor, New York Jets
Taylor was a busy man during his rookie season, playing 81% of the Jets' offensive snaps and handling a healthy 19% of the targets during 13 games. The 2025 second-round pick struggled badly with efficiency while dealing with the team's quarterback woes, ranking near the basement in catch rate (65%) and yards per target (5.4). Taylor also dropped five passes (fourth most), scored only one touchdown and finished 30th in fantasy PPG. Despite the underwhelming production, he is a candidate for a Year 2 leap as a featured target in the Jets' Geno Smith-led offense. Consider the 22-year-old with a late pick.
23. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
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Schultz has been one of the league's most consistent tight ends over the past six years, but with the exception of one season, he hasn't been overly useful in fantasy. Schultz was fantasy's No. 3 tight end in scoring while he was in Dallas in 2021, but he has finished 10th or worse in his other eight campaigns (that includes exactly 10th in three of the past four seasons). In 2025, Schultz ranked sixth or better at the position in targets, catches and yards, but he found the end zone only three times and has now cleared five touchdowns once in his career (eight in 2021). Schultz is a reliable target for QB C.J. Stroud, but with Houston's depth at wide receiver, he simply doesn't offer much upside. Consider him a low-ceiling TE2.
24. Gunnar Helm, Tennessee Titans
Helm quietly caught 44 passes during his rookie season, which -- believe it or not -- ranks 11th among rookie tight ends over the past decade. Impressively, the 2025 fourth-round pick hit that mark despite playing second fiddle to starter Chig Okonkwo. Helm, who caught a healthy 79% of his 56 targets, wasn't much of a fantasy option as a rookie (5.7 PPG), but with Okonkwo out of the picture, he's positioned for a much larger role in his second season. Helm will need a leap from QB Cam Ward, but if that happens, a breakout season is possible. The 24-year-old is worth a late flier in deeper leagues.
25. Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders
Okonkwo signed with the Commanders after spending his first four seasons in Tennessee. The 2022 fourth-round pick is one of only four tight ends who have appeared in all 68 games since he entered the league, and he's also one of only six tight ends who have registered 50-plus receptions each of the past three seasons. On the other hand, Okonkwo has yet to clear a 16% target share in a single season, and he has been a nonfactor near the goal line (eight TDs and 11 end zone targets in his career). As a result, he has finished exactly 21st in fantasy points each of the past three seasons. Perhaps he'll make a leap as one of Jayden Daniels' top targets, but the 27-year-old is no more than a back-end TE2 lottery ticket.
26. AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks
Barner was a solid contributor for the Seattle offense last season. The 2024 fourth-round pick worked his way to the top of the depth chart, and although his overall volume was limited (20th among TEs in targets and yards), he found the end zone seven times and finished 14th in fantasy points (21st in PPG). The 24-year-old is a solid, short-range target for Sam Darnold, but even with some rushing worked in, his role in Seattle's low-volume passing offense won't allow much upside. In fact, it's possible he loses some target volume to second-year TE Elijah Arroyo this season. Barner is a fringe TE2, at best.
27. Jake Tonges, San Francisco 49ers
Tonges enters his fourth NFL season very much on the fantasy radar due to a torn Achilles suffered by George Kittle during last season's playoffs. Kittle is expected to return at some point this season, but while he's out, Tonges is set to replace him as the 49ers' top pass catcher at the position. Kittle missed seven full games last season, including the playoffs (Weeks 2-6, 17, 20). During those games, Tonges handled a 17.9% target share (6.6 per game) and posted a 34-328-3 receiving line. That works out to 11.8 fantasy PPG, which would've ranked eighth among all tight ends last season, ahead of the likes of Harold Fannin Jr., Travis Kelce, Tyler Warren and Jake Ferguson. Tonges will be a fringe TE1 as long as Kittle is sidelined and is thus worth late-round consideration.
28. Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams
Ferguson is an intriguing breakout candidate in his second NFL season. As expected, the 2025 second-rounder played a situational role behind the likes of Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen. He didn't get much run, but when he did, he was used as a vertical threat to the extreme. His 17.5 aDOT is highest by any tight end (minimum 10 targets) in at least a decade. The Rams are returning the same tight end room in 2026, but Ferguson very well could emerge as the top pass catcher of the position group in the Rams' elite offense. The 23-year-old, who also saw five end zone targets as a rookie, is worth a late-round lottery ticket.
29. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos
Engram returns for his second season in Denver after an underwhelming debut campaign with the team. The veteran tight end was limited to a career-low 13% target share and finished 15th or lower among tight ends in routes, targets, catches and yardage, despite appearing in 16 games. Engram worked as a short-area target but still struggled to a poor 68% catch rate and was, as usual, a nonfactor near the goal line (one TD, two end zone targets). Engram hasn't cleared four touchdowns in a season since he scored six as a rookie in 2017. He finished 32nd among tight ends in fantasy PPG and isn't a good bet for a larger role this season, especially with Jaylen Waddle added to the offense. The 32-year-old Engram is a fantasy TE3, at best.
30. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals
There was an era when Gesicki was a viable starting option in fantasy, but that time has come and gone. Since posting back-to-back top-eight fantasy campaigns in 2020 and 2021, Gesicki has finished 23rd, 37th, 13th and 41st the past four seasons. The latter came during a 2025 campaign in which he was limited to 41 targets in 13 games. Gesicki is no more than a situational seam stretcher and not much of an option near the goal line (he has exactly two TDs and five end zone targets each of the past three seasons). The 30-year-old will be a risky streaming option even if Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins misses time.
31. Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins
Dulcich is back on the fantasy radar as the top tight end on the Miami depth chart. The 2022 third-round pick for the Denver Broncos made some noise as a rookie with a 33-411-2 receiving line in 10 games, but he went on to total 16 targets during the 2023 and 2024 seasons before landing in Miami last season. Dulcich didn't see his first target until Week 9 but went on to post a 26-335-1 receiving line the rest of the way. He wasn't a regular fantasy option (one top-15 week among TEs), but he certainly has a path to a substantial target share in 2026 with minimal competition at tight end and with Miami so short-handed at wide receiver. The 26-year-old is a long shot for consistent fantasy value in an offense expected to struggle, but there's some deep-league sleeper appeal.
32. David Njoku, FA
Njoku is looking for a new team after spending his first nine NFL seasons in Cleveland. The 2017 first-round pick was a late bloomer and has struggled with durability (he hasn't played a full season since 2018), but he has been a productive fantasy starter in recent years. Prior to a lost 2025 campaign, Njoku finished in the top eight among tight ends in fantasy PPG three seasons in a row. A force near the goal line, Njoku paced the position in end zone targets in both 2023 and 2024. At 30 years old, Njoku likely still has something left in the tank, but his landing spot will determine if he can return to fantasy relevance.
33. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Otton re-signed with Tampa Bay after spending his first four NFL seasons with the team. Since entering the league in 2022, Otton ranks first among all tight ends in snaps (3,530) and second in routes (1,838). That simply hasn't translated to much target volume (he is yet to clear 86 in a season) or goal-line work (11 TDs and 19 end zone targets in 63 games). In fact, Otton was the only player with 75-plus targets who didn't score multiple touchdowns last season. The 27-year-old has finished 25th or lower in fantasy PPG in three of four seasons and is a poor bet for his first top-10 finish in 2026. He's well off the fantasy radar.
