Must-Have Tight Ends (2026 Fantasy Football)

As we get closer to draft season, I expect each of the players to go earlier than their current average draft position (ADP). There’s going to be a lot of steam on them, especially after free agency and the NFL Draft, thanks to improved rosters. Here are a few must-have players to target in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Fantasy Football Must-Have Tight Ends

Brock Bowers (TE – LV)

Brock Bowers had a disappointing encore to his legendary rookie season. Part of that was due to injury, another part was because of poor coaching and the last part was due to a league-worst offensive line.

Expect that to change in 2026. Bowers is fully healthy, the Raiders are expected to hire a stud play-caller in Klint Kubiak as their new head coach and they’re going to address the offensive line. Bet on the Raiders drafting Fernando Mendoza first overall, so that’s another layer of intrigue.

Best of all, this will be one of the few drafts where you can get Bowers as TE2 priced instead of TE1, since Trey McBride is coming off such a huge year. The prudent move is to wait a few picks and target Bowers instead of McBride.

Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)

If you miss out on Brock Bowers, my other tight end target is Loveland. This is a player with 10th overall draft capital who exploded towards the end of his age-21 season. That kind of production at such a young age is intriguing.

Then you add in the fact that Loveland has a terrific combination of a talented quarterback and an elite play-caller. There’s a lot to like for the former Michigan standout as he enters his second season.

While Loveland will come at a premium price, this is the type of talented tight end worth betting on. In other words, make Bowers your Plan A and Loveland your Plan B this season.