You know the drill. You’re sitting in the sixth round, staring at the draft board, and the "Great Tight End Panic" starts. Do you reach for a veteran who might give you 10 points on a good day, or do you gamble on the kid who just got drafted in the first round? Most of us mess this up because we treat tight ends like wide receivers with bigger frames. They aren't.
Actually, the position is basically a puzzle designed to drive you crazy. One year, a guy like Sam LaPorta comes out of nowhere to break the rookie record for receptions. The next year, everyone drafts him in the second round, and he finishes as a mid-tier starter because Jameson Williams finally decided to start catching everything in sight.
The truth is that tight end fantasy rankings are less about "who is the best athlete" and more about "who is the second-best option on their own team." If a tight end isn't at least the number two target for his quarterback, he's probably going to frustrate you.
The Alpha Tier: Why Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are the New Standard
Gone are the days when Travis Kelce was the only name that mattered. Honestly, the torch has been passed. Brock Bowers didn't just have a good rookie year in 2024; he had a historic one. Even with the Raiders' revolving door at quarterback, he hauled in 111 catches. That isn't a fluke.
If you’re looking at the 2025-2026 outlook, Bowers is the undisputed king. He thrives against zone coverage, and with Geno Smith now in Las Vegas, the quality of targets is actually going up. Some people worry about the Raiders adding rookie receivers or Ashton Jeanty potentially turning them into a run-heavy team. Don't overthink it. A guy who earns a 29% target rate against zone is a "set it and forget it" starter.
Then there’s Trey McBride. He’s the guy who somehow caught over 100 balls but only scored two touchdowns last year. That’s a math problem waiting to fix itself. Regression to the mean is a real thing in fantasy football. If McBride repeats that volume and actually finds the end zone five or six times, he’s a threat for the overall TE1 spot.
What Happened to the Old Guard?
It's kinda sad to watch, but we have to talk about Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews.
Kelce is 36. He’s still Patrick Mahomes’ favorite person, but the Chiefs have actively tried to limit his "mileage" during the regular season. He’s still a top-10 option, but the days of him being a first-round pick are over. He’s more of a safe floor play now.
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Mark Andrews is in a similar boat. He’s fighting for targets with Isaiah Likely, who is basically a younger version of himself. Last year, Andrews was a touchdown machine in the red zone, but his overall yardage is dipping. If you draft him, you're betting on 10 touchdowns. If he only gets five, you're going to be annoyed.
The George Kittle Exception
George Kittle is 32, and usually, that's when we start looking for the exit. But the 49ers are in a weird spot. With Brandon Aiyuk coming off an ACL tear and Deebo Samuel gone to the Commanders, Brock Purdy basically has Kittle and a bunch of question marks.
Kittle averaged nearly 16 points per game in 2024. He’s the one veteran who still has an elite ceiling because Kyle Shanahan treats him like a primary receiver when the chips are down. He’s risky because he blocks a lot, but his "boom" games win weeks.
The "Warren-Loveland" Trend: Rookie Breakouts are the New Meta
If you missed out on the elite guys, you’re probably looking at Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland. This is the new trend in tight end fantasy rankings: drafting the highly-pedigreed rookie in the 10th round and hoping they become the next LaPorta.
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Tyler Warren in Indianapolis is a fascinating case. He’s got the "quickest pathway to points," as some experts put it. The Colts' offense needs a middle-of-the-field threat, and Warren specializes in yards after the catch. If Daniel Jones (yes, that Daniel Jones) is the one throwing him the ball, expect a lot of short, safe targets. In PPR leagues, that’s gold.
Colston Loveland is a bit more complicated. He’s an elite athlete—one of the highest-rated tight ends in recent scouting history. But the Chicago Bears have a lot of mouths to feed. You’ve got DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Luther Burden III.
- Can Loveland really be the #2 target?
- Probably not without an injury to a wideout.
- But at his ADP? He’s the perfect high-ceiling flier.
Sleepers You’re Probably Ignoring (But Shouldn’t)
Everyone wants the shiny new toy, but sometimes the value is in the boring stuff.
Take Brenton Strange. With Evan Engram now in Denver playing for Sean Payton, Strange is the clear-cut #1 in Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence loves throwing to his tight ends. People forget Engram had 114 catches in a single season there. If Strange gets even 70% of that volume, he’s a massive steal in the late rounds.
And then there's Hunter Henry. He’s the ultimate "safety blanket." Drake Maye leaned on him constantly last season. Henry isn't going to give you a 100-yard game very often, but he’s a red-zone favorite. If you punt the position and wait until the 14th round, he’s the guy who will reliably give you 8 points and not kill your team.
How to Actually Use Tight End Fantasy Rankings
Don't just follow a list of names. Look at the tiers. If there's a huge gap between the guy you're looking at and the next best option, take him.
If you're in a "Tight End Premium" league where they get 1.5 points per reception, you almost have to take Bowers or McBride in the second round. The point differential is just too high to ignore. In standard leagues? You can afford to wait and take a shot on a guy like Jake Ferguson or Dalton Kincaid.
Kincaid is a "post-hype" sleeper. Everyone expected him to be the next big thing last year, and then he struggled with injuries. But he was on pace for over 100 targets. That kind of volume usually leads to a breakout in year three.
Practical Steps for Your Draft
- Identify the "Target Vacuum": Only draft tight ends who are clearly the 1st or 2nd option on their team. (Bowers, McBride, Kittle, Engram).
- Age Matters (Until it Doesn't): Be wary of TEs over 30 unless their team has no other pass-catchers.
- The Rookie Rule: If a TE is drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, they are worth a bench spot in fantasy. The "three-year rule" for tight ends is dead; these kids are ready to play now.
- Watch the QB Change: Guys like Jonnu Smith (now with Aaron Rodgers) or Evan Engram (with Bo Nix) often see a "new teammate" bump in targets.
Stop chasing last year's points. The tight end position is evolving faster than ever. If you keep drafting like it's 2018, you're going to keep losing to the guy who took the "risky" rookie.
To get ahead of the curve, you should look at the weekly target shares for the first three games of the season. If a late-round tight end is getting a 20% target share, drop your backup running back and grab him immediately. That's how you find the next star before the rest of your league even knows his name.