Outlook: Fresh off a monster rookie season (112-1,194-5), Bowers opened 2025 with a 103-yard performance in a win over the Patriots. He'd sustain a knee injury during the game, however, and would be held under 50 yards each of the next three weeks before being shut down for a month. Bowers returned in Week 9, putting up a huge 12-127-3 line in what turned out to be his only other 100-plus-yard effort of 2025. He continued to battle a knee injury throughout November and December before the Raiders finally pulled the plug, placing him on IR before the final two games of the season.

The good news is that Bowers' knee troubles didn't require surgery, and he's back at full strength heading into training camp. That's great news for everyone involved with the Raiders as Bowers is a nightmare for defensive coordinators, drawing coverage and opening things up for everyone else. There could be some growing pains whenever the team decides Mendoza is ready to start, but bear in mind that tight ends often function as safety nets for young signal callers, so the presence of a rookie QB isn't necessarily a bad thing for Bowers' statistical prospects.

A year ago, Bowers was pretty much the consensus first tight end off the board. Now, Arizona's Trey McBride is in the conversation. There's real daylight between McBride/Bowers and everyone else, though, as long-time studs age out (Travis Kelce, George Kittle), borderline stars work their way back from injury (Sam LaPorta, Tucker Kraft), and young players look to establish themselves as reliable contributors (Tyler Warren, Harold Fannin Jr., Colston Loveland). Draft accordingly.

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Outlook: McBride arrived as a Pro Bowl talent in 2024, catching 111 passes for 1,146 yards. Touchdowns had always eluded him, though, managing just six across his first three seasons combined. That finally changed last year when he scored 11 times, which tied for second-most in the NFL. It was part of an absolutely monster season in which McBride established a new NFL record for receptions as a tight end with 126 to go with 1,239 yards and those 11 touchdown grabs. The effort earned him a place on the All-Pro Team for the first time.

With his red-zone deficiencies seemingly addressed, McBride is the total package for fantasy owners. His week-to-week reliability is exceptional -- he only caught fewer than five passes in a game once all last season -- as is his durability, having only missed one game the past three years. In 2025, you could have made a case for Brock Bowers to be the overall TE1. Not now. McBride is the consensus top fantasy tight end out there and likely a second-round pick in drafts.

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Outlook: There was hardly a more impressive rookie down the stretch of last season. While fellow first round tight end Ty Warren was stealing the show for most of 2025, it was Loveland who carried the Bears, and many fantasy owners to playoff glory. Loveland saw a massive 48 targets over the final four games last season, including two scores and three games above 90 yards. Both in the red zone and deep down the seam, his speed and athletic ability made him nearly impossible to cover, and he proved to be Caleb Williams's most reliable target.

After developing Sam LaPorta in Detroit, Ben Johnson is not afraid to make the tight end position a major part of the passing game. With an elite athletic profile, and the trust of both his coach and QB, Loveland builds off of his solid rookie year, and cements himself as an annual fantasy star. In the end I think Loveland battles McBride and Bowers for overall TE1 honors.

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Outlook: The Colts had high expectations for Tyler Warren entering his rookie season. They believed his background as a high school quarterback would provide a foundation for creating unique ways to utilize the former Penn State standout. That belief paid off, as Warren produced one of the better rookie tight end seasons of the past decade. His numbers didn't jump off the page -- he never recorded a 100-yard receiving game -- but his consistent role provided a reliable fantasy floor. That was underscored by Warren leading the team with 112 targets, a number that could climb even higher now that Pittman is in Pittsburgh.

Warren entered 2025 as a low-end TE1. One year later, with an expanded role on the horizon, he's firmly in the conversation as one of fantasy's top-five tight ends entering 2026. Fantasy managers should also expect him to remain heavily involved near the goal line, creating scoring opportunities as both a runner and a receiver. There's a realistic path for Warren to finish as a top-two fantasy tight end. At worst, he's a must-have TE1 in 2026.

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Outlook: Coming off one of the most productive collegiate seasons for a tight end in NCAA history, Fannin kept it up during his rookie NFL season. Not only did he come from nowhere to finish in the top-5, but he did it splitting time with David Njoku. Fannin finished the season on a tear, scoring four touchdowns, and piling up 24 receptions in the final five games. From start to finish he was a massive part of the passing game, and at times, the only Cleveland pass catcher worth paying attention to. With David Njoku gone, Fannin gets alpha status entering 2026. Expect Fannin to be used all over the formation in this Monken offense as he is utilized as a mismatch identifying chess piece. There is some concern the addition of Concepcion could eat into his ceiling, as they both excel in the same area of the field, but Fannin has proven to be a reliable, game altering talent, and should remain a top-10 option at the position.

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Outlook: Finally, Kyle Pitts delivered on the promise that made him the highest-drafted tight end in the common draft era. In 2025, Pitts led the Falcons in targets (118), receptions (88), and receiving yards (928). Those numbers were skewed somewhat by London missing five games and Pitts' Week 15 explosion when he went for 11-166-3. Still, he produced when he was the Falcons' most notable target and when defenses knew the passing game would be centered around him.

Entering 2026, Pitts will have to navigate sharing targets with London and playing with a couple of southpaw quarterbacks who both have their share of concerns. But Kevin Stefanski's recent track record with tight ends is promising. His time in Cleveland led David Njoku and Harold Fannin to top-eight tight end seasons, and Pitts should be considered superior to both. Pitts' resurgence in 2025 has increased expectations for him that rival his first three seasons in the league when he fell short of those expectations. Drafting Pitts is not for the faint of heart, considering the trajectory of his career so far. That said, you should feel comfortable drafting Pitts as one of those top-eight tight ends this season.

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Outlook: Injuries cratered LaPorta's 2025 season, limiting him to only nine games. His loss was felt both in the run and pass game, as the Lions struggled down the stretch and missed the playoffs. After a back procedure, and an off-season rehab, LaPorta returned to limited work in June OTAs. His status in training camp will be a huge indication on his preparation for the season. Any missed time could mean a slow start as he and the offense adjust to new offensive coordinator Drew Petzig. Petzig's offense features the tight end, as he helped Trey McBride become a stud in Arizona, so LaPorta could return some serious value if questions about his health and contract sink his ADP.

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Outlook: Andrews has seen his numbers slowly tumble each year after his nuclear 2021 campaign. His yardage numbers have disappeared, as he's become a touchdown dependent option. Unfortunately, he notched only five of them last season, and dropped from the ranks of starting fantasy tight ends. With a name bigger than his britches, Andrews has likely been over drafted the last few seasons, but there is reason for optimism. Isaiah Likely is off to New York, and the Declan Doyle offensive system has produced some monster fantasy seasons from the position (Loveland, LaPorta). Andrews has a ton of mileage on his 30-year-old body, but he's going to be the defacto No.2 receiver on this team. No longer elite, there still is value to be had here as a potential back end TE1.

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Outlook: Kraft was on his way to another elite season before a torn ACL in Week 9 ended his season as his 10.7 standard FPts/G was 2nd to only Trey McBride. All signs point to his rehab going well, and he's projected to be on the field for Week 1. It's folly to assume he'll see a full, uncompromised snap count to start the year, but he will remain Jordan Love's number one target when he's out there. His physicality, size/speed combination, and role in the offense make him an easy choice for TE1 status, even if you might have to endure a slow start as he gets his feet back under him.

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Outlook: A Gold Jacket is waiting for Kelce five years after he hangs up the cleats, and many thought the clock would start ticking on that process after last season. Barring a last-minute change of heart, however, the veteran looks poised to return for a 13th year in the NFL. At 36, Kelce is not what he was. Ever since a dominant 110-catch, 1,338-yard, 12-touchdown effort in 2022, the veteran has averaged 89 catches, 886 yards, and 4 TDs over the past three years.

While those are decent numbers, it's clear he's getting by with his smarts and not his athleticism, and there isn't much left in the tank in terms of playmaking. He's not completely washed up, though, and if Rice and Worthy can threaten defenses downfield consistently it should open things for Kelce to work underneath as a volume option. Despite his age, Kelce remains durable, and the lack of a proven No. 3 receiver means he shouldn't rank any lower than third in the pecking order for targets. As a low-end TE1, Kelce could still fill a weekly slot in lineups.

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Outlook: Heading into Year 9 in the NFL, Goedert is coming off arguably the best season of his career, having set personal bests in both receptions (60) and touchdowns (11) in 2025. He's been a nice safety blanket for Hurts over the years, and that's a role he should continue to fill during the upcoming campaign. He turns 32 in January, however, and he's had issues with durability, missing a combined 17 games over the past four seasons. Goedert was also very touchdown-dependent for his fantasy appeal last year, topping 50 yards in a game just three times, which could be an issue if the veteran reverts to previous norms -- he managed 11 TDs combined in four previous campaigns.

Goedert is the type of player to target later in drafts when you've focused on other positions. He's a fringe TE1 with a decent floor but marginal upside in the same vein as players like Mark Andrews and T.J. Hockenson. Other names to consider in that tier with more downside but higher ceilings would be Dalton Kincaid and Isaiah Likely.

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Outlook: Kittle (Achilles) has ranked among the NFL's top tight ends for years now, but like seemingly everyone else on the San Francisco offense, he carries age and/or injury concerns -- in his case, it's both. He sustained a hamstring injury in Week 1 last year that cost him five games, and an ankle injury forced him to miss the team's Week 17 meeting with Chicago. He then suffered a torn Achilles in San Francisco's Wild Card win over the Eagles in January. While reports have been positive, and Kittle is targeting a Week 1 return, it's worth remembering that he's entering his age-33 campaign, so it wouldn't be surprising if the team took a more cautious approach with his recovery.

Don't get too bogged down in looking at Kittle's numbers for 2025. During his only truly healthy stretch of the season, which ran from Week 10 through Week 16, Kittle totaled 40 receptions, 499 yards, and 5 touchdowns -- that's a 17-game pace of 113-1414-14, and though that's unsustainable, it still proves he's capable of producing at an elite level. The question now is what does the Achilles injury cost him, both in terms of games and athleticism? There's no definitive answer, and that's what makes Kittle such a high-risk, high-reward selection. As a low-end TE1, he's worth taking the plunge.

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