EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe tight end position in fantasy football can be fragile. Yes, you have your elite targets, the players who can produce wide receiver-level numbers. But if you wait to draft at the position (like I do), then your pool of veteran talent looks pretty similar. The key is finding the usage and deployment that can lead to consistency and fantasy success.We know Trey McBride and Brock Bowers won't last long in drafts. They are plug-and-play starters expected to deliver 15-plus points a week while delivering breakout games. I see Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren right on the edge of that top pairing. Rising stars. After that, we get into multiple groups of tight ends with varying skill sets and offensive fits.Let's break down players by specific tiers to give you more direction heading into fantasy draft season. I have six tiers, starting with the elite talent and ending with the names to keep an eye on as the season progresses.Tier 1: The elite targetsTrey McBride, Arizona CardinalsBrock Bowers, Las Vegas RaidersMcBride and Bowers carry superstar value due to their overall usage and route deployment. McBride led all tight ends with 18.7 fantasy PPG last season, catching 126 of 169 targets for 1,239 yards and 11 scores. Those are wide receiver numbers. ... Bowers played in only 12 games because of injuries, but he scored 14.7 PPG (tied for second most), and we know what he can do in a full season, as he caught 112 passes as a rookie in 2024. These tight ends should be the first off the board in drafts, with the expectation of providing weekly high-end production.Tier 2: High-end TE1sColston Loveland, Chicago BearsTyler Warren, Indianapolis ColtsLoveland's game elevated late in his rookie season, as he scored at least 21 fantasy points -- and saw 10 or more targets -- in each of his final four games, which included the Bears' two playoff matchups. He's a three-level route runner with rare formation flex, and don't be surprised if he's Caleb Williams' top target this season. ... Warren scored 11.1 PPG as a rookie and finished as TE4 in total points. He's a rugged mover with the physicality to produce after the catch. Warren had 6.5 targets per game in 2025, and that number should climb this season. Both tight ends should be viewed as top-flight starters.Tier 3: Mid to low-end TE1sHarold Fannin Jr., Cleveland BrownsSam LaPorta, Detroit LionsGeorge Kittle, San Francisco 49ersKyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta FalconsTucker Kraft, Green Bay PackersTravis Kelce, Kansas City ChiefsJake Ferguson, Dallas CowboysDallas Goedert, Philadelphia EaglesIf you wait on the position, you can still find quality starters in this tier. Fannin enters the season as the unquestioned No. 1 in Cleveland after finishing as TE6 in his rookie season. He's slippery after the catch and has high-level coverage awareness. ... LaPorta was limited to nine games last season because of injury, but his skill set and deployment in the Lions offense (60 receptions, seven TDs in 2024, and 86 receptions, 10 TDs as a rookie in 2023) make him a prime bounce-back candidate. ... Kittle (14.7 PPG in 2025) is another player recovering from injury (Achilles), but I would bet on the veteran, if healthy, in Kyle Shanahan's system, which caters to the TE route tree. ... I have Pitts a little lower than most, but in a new offense under Kevin Stefanski, the tight end can be schemed on play-action throws. Pitts (12.4 PPG last season) has breakout ability, too, as he scored 45.6 points in the Week 15 game versus Tampa Bay. ... Kraft was on pace to post high-end TE1 numbers -- he scored 14.7 PPG in 2025 -- before an ACL injury in Week 9, and I really like how he is targeted in the Green Bay offense. You can get solid value here. ... Kelce is back for another season in Kansas City, and though his play speed has declined, he's still a savvy route runner who can create his own separation, and the Chiefs will game-plan for him. ... Ferguson has been one of my top targets this summer because of his red zone usage and scoring upside (eight TDs, 10 end zone targets last season). ... Goedert saw his usage in the low red zone spike last season (11 TDs, 15 red zone targets). He's a reliable outlet for Jalen Hurts -- with seam-stretching ability.Tier 4: Deeper-league startersIsaiah Likely, New York GiantsMark Andrews, Baltimore RavensT.J. Hockenson, Minnesota VikingsKenyon Sadiq, New York JetsDalton Kincaid, Buffalo BillsHunter Henry, New England PatriotsLikely has breakout potential as the No. 1 in New York. He's a catch-and-run target (47.4% of his career receiving totals have come after the catch), and he can be set up on screens and unders to see volume. ... Andrews returns as a reliable target for Lamar Jackson under new coordinator Declan Doyle. Play-action throws here for the veteran. ... Hockenson's numbers were down last season (7.5 PPG), but he could be in line to produce at a much higher level if Kyler Murray can take command of the pass game. ... Sadiq has a high ceiling, given the skill set we saw on his college tape at Oregon. Big-time ability on seams and verticals. ... Kincaid hasn't played at the level I thought he would after being drafted 25th in 2023, but he had a career-best 10.5 PPG in 2025, and the talent level is there in an explosive offense. ... Henry will have more competition for targets with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs now in New England, but I still see value in deeper leagues for the veteran as a red zone target for Drake Maye (seven touchdowns last season).Tier 5: Potential upside/streaming optionsJuwan Johnson, New Orleans SaintsBrenton Strange, Jacksonville JaguarsChig Okonkwo, Washington CommandersDalton Schultz, Houston TexansGunnar Helm, Tennessee TitansJohnson had 10 games of double-digit production in 2025, and I'm buying the Saints' offense this season. ... Strange was limited to 12 games because of injury, but he put some quality stuff on tape last season, scoring 9.8 PPG, with five games of 12 or more points. I'm intrigued by Strange. ... There has been upside talk on Okonkwo for years. Does it play out this season in Washington? He has the receiving traits to work the middle of the field for Jayden Daniels and tack on numbers after the catch. ... With an upgraded offensive line in Houston, I expect a much-improved pass game. Schultz can get you 10 points a game or more. ... Helm is a name to watch as the new No. 1 in Tennessee. He caught 44 of 55 targets as a rookie last season.Tier 6: Players to keep on the fantasy radarThis tier features potential matchup-based streaming options and others to monitor. With the increased usage of two- and three-TE sets in the NFL, this group could play a viable fantasy role at some point this season.Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles RamsPat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh SteelersOronde Gadsden, Los Angeles ChargersAJ Barner, Seattle SeahawksGreg Dulcich, Miami DolphinsMike Gesicki, Cincinnati BengalsEvan Engram, Denver BroncosCade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
