4 TE2s With Top-5 Potential (2026 Fantasy Football)

It’s a bit too early to rely on average draft position (ADP) data, so I’m mostly working off our expert consensus rankings (ECR) to determine current value. It’s never too early, however, to look for sleepers and players with breakout potential in fantasy football.

Last season saw Kyle Pitts emerge from a TE2 into a top-five option, while Harold Fannin Jr., Hunter Henry and Juwan Johnson were all within striking distance. Which tight ends have the potential to break through into the top five this season? Read on to find out.

Fantasy Football TE2s With Top-5 Potential

Isaiah Likely (TE – NYG)

A preseason foot injury kept Isaiah Likely sidelined for the first three games of last season, and you might say he struggled to regain his footing in the Ravens’ offense through the rest of the season. He posted just 307 yards and one touchdown, while averaging 4.4 fantasy points per game — all career lows across his four NFL seasons. Before 2025, however, the young tight end flashed the skills and playmaking ability to garner some buzz as a potential breakout.

The only thing impeding Likely’s progress was starter Mark Andrews. Even in a secondary role, Likely was still productive, topping 400 yards in 2023 and 2024, while pulling in five and six touchdowns in those two seasons, respectively. In 2023, his second season in the NFL, Likely posted the second-best yards per target (10.3) and yards per reception (13.7) marks amongst all tight ends.

Likely generated 2.53 fantasy points per target that season, good for the top spot at the position. His 2024 season, although slightly less impressive, brought much of the same, with Likely finishing in the top 12 at the position in nearly all efficiency metrics. He also ranked eighth in fantasy points per target and ninth in fantasy points per route run.

Obviously, last season was disappointing, and the tight end position is looking stronger than we’ve seen in some time, but have we forgotten what Likely is capable of? Fast forward to the present day, and the fifth-year pro will join former head coach John Harbaugh in New York with the Giants as their clear No. 1 TE and a focal point of the offense.

After making him a priority in free agency, Harbaugh stated that he’s “certain he’s going to be able to put up the numbers, the stats,” as pointed out by Pro Football Talk. Harbaugh went on to say that it wasn’t always possible in Baltimore with the supporting cast, but raved about Likely’s playmaking abilities. With a young, ascending quarterback like Jaxson Dart and limited offensive weaponry outside of Malik Nabers, it would not be surprising to see Likely produce as a top-10 tight end, and he has the talent to sneak into the top five if things click into place.

Chig Okonkwo (TE – WSH)

Through his four seasons in Tennessee, it always felt as though Chig Okonkwo was a chess piece being confined to a checkerboard. As a fourth-round pick, Okonkwo wasn’t much of a standout at Maryland, but his athleticism stood out, highlighted by a 4.52 40-yard dash, good for the 96th percentile at tight end.

Despite the inept Titans offense and a constant rotation at tight end, Okonkwo has hit at least 450 yards in all four of his seasons, including a career-best 560 last season. Known for his run-after-the-catch abilities, Okonkwo’s 6.2 yards after the catch per reception were the sixth-best mark among tight ends last season. Not only does he have tackle-breaking ability, but he has the speed to pull away for big plays.

Okonkwo does not come without concerns, however. He’s been a part-time player for a reason, mainly due to his blocking. He grades out poorly as a run blocker, but that’s not what he was brought to Washington for. The plan for him as a Commander is to be a playmaker, and it’s possible, if not likely, that Okonkwo will be the number two target in the nation’s capital.

Limited touchdown equity has held Okonkwo back, but there’s optimism that Washington will better utilize his skill set. As good as Okonkwo is after the catch, his 4.6 average depth of target (aDOT) from last year shows Tennessee’s inability to throw him the ball downfield, but that won’t be an issue with Jayden Daniels. If his snap share gets up 70%, as Zach Ertz accomplished in Washington, his increased downfield usage in a better offense will translate to big numbers.

Dallas Goedert (TE – PHI)

How about a player who finished in the top five at the position just last season, but is currently being valued as a TE2? Dallas Goedert’s TE5 finish was largely a result of 11 touchdown receptions, a number he’s unlikely to hit again. Still, Goedert has finished as a top-12 tight end in fantasy points per game in seven of his eight seasons, and he is a strong red-zone threat.

The uncertain futures of A.J. Brown and the tush push add additional wrinkles into the mix, which could work in Goedert’s favor, particularly in the red zone. The last season Goedert played without Brown resulted in 830 yards and 14.8 yards per reception, both of which are career highs. Of course, there’s no certainty that Brown will be traded, and Goedert is now 31 years old, but he’s never relied on elite athleticism.

Goedert’s big frame and sure hands are his biggest calling cards, and quarterback Jalen Hurts trusts the big man. The Eagles made it a priority to keep him in green, and you could do much worse if you’re drafting a TE2 in hopes of a top-five finish.

Terrance Ferguson (TE – LAR)

Admittedly, Terrance Ferguson is much more of a longshot suggestion, but we’re playing for upside, right? I was a big fan of Ferguson’s heading into last April’s NFL Draft, and he flashed some potential in his limited time with Sean McVay and company.

The Rams used a heavy rotation of three tight ends and brought back Tyler Higbee, while Colby Parkinson also remains under contract. The most likely scenario is that they cannibalize one another, but there’s another possibility where Ferguson dusts the veterans and establishes himself as a go-to player in an elite passing offense led by Matthew Stafford.

A very good athlete standing 6-foot-5, Ferguson has elite ball skills and can attack the catch point. The Rams saw it the same way when they made him an early second-round pick, and McVay has had high praise for the second-year pro ever since. Following a relatively quiet rookie season, McVay stated that he has the “ability to basically play every skill position in our offense.” He went on to confirm that it includes every receiver spot and tight end spot, speaking to Ferguson’s maturity, intelligence and high ceiling as a receiver. “He can make plays short, intermediate, and down the field,” McVay said.

Even with the return of Parkinson and Higbee, it’s clear neither is a consistent option in the offense. Ferguson, on the other hand, led all tight ends in deep targets with 14 despite a 38.5% target share. McVay is telling us how he feels about him through his words and actions. I, for one, am listening.