Drafting a tight end is basically the emotional equivalent of choosing which bill to pay late. You know something is going to hurt, it’s just a matter of how much. For years, the strategy was simple: get Travis Kelce or spend the rest of the season scouring the waiver wire for a guy who might—if the stars align and the wind blows East—catch a four-yard touchdown.
But things changed fast.
The 2025 season just wrapped up, and the "elite" tier looks unrecognizable compared to two years ago. We aren't just looking at a changing of the guard; we’re looking at a complete demolition of the old hierarchy. If you’re still drafting based on name recognition from 2022, you’re essentially donating your entry fee to the rest of the league.
The Trey McBride Era is Officially Here
Honestly, it’s not even a debate anymore. Trey McBride didn't just have a "good" 2025; he turned the position into his own personal playground. While everyone was waiting for the sophomore slump or for Marvin Harrison Jr. to eat all the targets in Arizona, McBride went out and caught 126 passes.
126.
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That isn't just a record for tight ends (smashing Zach Ertz’s old mark of 116); it’s the kind of volume that makes most WR1s jealous. He averaged 18.6 PPR points per game. To put that in perspective, the next closest guy was Kyle Pitts at 12.4. A six-point gap at the top of a position is the kind of advantage that wins championships single-handedly.
The most impressive part? He did it while Arizona shuffled through quarterbacks. Whether it was Kyler Murray or Jacoby Brissett under center, McBride remained the engine of that offense. He’s the undisputed 1.01 at the position for 2026, and if he’s still there in the late second round of your draft, you click that button and don't look back.
Why Some Top Fantasy Football Tight Ends Are Fading
We have to talk about the legends. It’s painful, but necessary.
Travis Kelce is no longer the "cheat code." There, I said it. After a 2025 season where his yards per route run (YPRR) plummeted to 1.43—down from 2.23 just a couple of seasons ago—the writing is on the wall. He’s still a top-10 option because Patrick Mahomes exists, but the days of Kelce being a first-round lock are over. Prediction markets are already leaning toward him hanging it up before the 2026 season kicks off. Even if he stays, you're drafting a 36-year-old on a snap count.
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Then there’s George Kittle.
Kittle was actually fantastic in 2025, leading many to believe he’d reclaimed the throne. But that Jan. 11 Achilles tear changed everything. For a 32-year-old tight end who relies on explosive YAC (yards after catch) ability, an Achilles injury is a catastrophic hurdle. You can't rank him as an elite option for 2026 until we see him actually run a route without a limp. It's a brutal reality in this game.
The Sophomore Surge and the "Tyler Warren" Effect
If you’re looking for the next breakout, you’ve got to look at the 2025 rookie class. Tyler Warren in Indianapolis is the name everyone is whispering about. He finished as the TE4 overall in his rookie year despite the Colts' quarterback room being a total disaster after Daniel Jones went down.
Warren’s role is unique. He’s not just a blocker who occasionally leaks out. The Colts used him as the focal point of the passing game from Week 1.
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- Brock Bowers: He had a weird 2025. A knee injury and a stagnant Raiders offense held him to a TE11 finish. But don't let that fool you. The talent is still astronomical. With a healthy offseason and hopefully better QB play in Vegas, he’s the only player with the athletic profile to actually challenge McBride for the top spot.
- Harold Fannin Jr.: The Cleveland sleeper. With David Njoku still in the mix, Fannin's path isn't perfectly clear, but his target share late in 2025 was elite. He's the guy you grab in the 10th round who finishes as a top-5 producer.
The Sam LaPorta Conundrum
You've probably noticed I haven't mentioned Sam LaPorta as a "top-three" lock. That’s because 2025 was... complicated.
After a historic rookie year, LaPorta dealt with a nagging back injury that eventually required surgery in November. Beyond the health concerns, the Detroit offense shifted. Jameson Williams finally became the superstar everyone expected, and Amon-Ra St. Brown is still a target vacuum. LaPorta is still a great player, but he’s moved from the "must-have" category into the "solid but touchdown-dependent" tier. He averaged just 7.4 points per game before his season ended. That’s a far cry from the elite production managers paid for in drafts.
Strategic Shifts for 2026
The "Middle Class" of tight ends is actually viable now. For years, if you didn't get a top guy, you waited until the last round. Now, players like Tucker Kraft in Green Bay (who was averaging 14.7 points before his ACL tear) and Evan Engram in Denver offer genuine weekly ceilings.
Engram, specifically, is a polarizing figure. He’s in a Sean Payton offense now, which historically loves the tight end. While he’s always had "brick hands" issues, the volume in Denver makes him a safe PPR floor play.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Draft
- Stop chasing 2022 stats: Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce are names that will get drafted too high because of their jerseys. Let someone else take that risk.
- Prioritize Target Share over "Potential": Trey McBride is the gold standard because he earns targets like a WR1. Look for guys like Tyler Warren who are the first or second read in their progression.
- The "Injured Reserve" Discount: Keep a close eye on Tucker Kraft’s recovery. If he falls in drafts because of the ACL, he’s the ultimate value play. His per-game production was elite before the injury.
- Rookie Fever: Don't be afraid of the 2026 rookie class. As Bowers and LaPorta proved, the "tight ends take three years to develop" rule is dead. If a rookie has first-round draft capital and lands in a pass-heavy offense, he's a viable fantasy starter from Day 1.
The tight end landscape has shifted from a one-man show into a young, explosive group led by a monster in Arizona. If you want to win, stop looking at what these guys did three years ago and start looking at who is actually catching the ball 10 times a game today.
Keep a close eye on the Raiders' quarterback situation this spring. If they land a legitimate starter, Brock Bowers becomes the biggest "buy low" candidate in the history of the position. Combine that with a healthy McBride, and the gap between the haves and the have-nots might actually be manageable for the first time in a decade.