Best Tight Ends for Fantasy Football 2026

Tight end remains one of the most impactful positions in fantasy football because of the significant scoring advantage elite players can create over the rest of the field. While many fantasy managers choose to wait on tight end, securing one of the best fantasy football tight ends in 2026 can provide a weekly edge that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

The top fantasy tight ends combine target volume, red-zone usage, and offensive consistency. Finding players capable of separating from the middle tier can be the difference between a playoff appearance and a championship run.

Best Tight Ends Fantasy Football Picks of 2026

This article highlights the best tight ends for fantasy football in 2026 using expert rankings, projected target share, offensive role, and overall fantasy upside.

Best Fantasy Football Tight End Picks for 2026 at a Glance

Best Overall TE: Trey McBride
Safest Tight End: Brock Bowers
Highest-Upside TE: George Kittle
Best Value TE: Tucker Kraft
Best Breakout TE: Tyler Warren
Best Mid-Round TE: Sam LaPorta
Best Late-Round TE: Isaiah Likely

Best Tight Ends for Fantasy Football 2026

Trey McBride (ARI)

It will be hard for Trey McBride to top the year he had in 2025. He finished the season with 126 catches for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns on 169 targets. Among all pass catchers, McBride trailed only Puka Nacua in receptions. McBride also ranked third in targets among all pass catchers and tied for second in TD catches. It was an impressive follow-up to a 2024 season in which McBride had 111 catches for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns. There are reasons to think that McBride might have a hard time matching his 2025 numbers this season. The Cardinals threw at the highest rate in the NFL last season. That’s not likely to happen again after the team drafted a running back, Jeremiyah Love, No. 3 overall. The Cardinals are also looking to get Marvin Harrison Jr. more involved after two disappointing seasons. McBride is clearly one of the elite tight ends and is worth of a top-25 draft pick. Just don’t expect a full repeat of last year.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Brock Bowers (LV)

There are great expectations for Brock Bowers in his third NFL season following an injury-plagued Year 2. Bowers had five catches for 103 yards in the Raiders’ 2025 season opener against the Patriots, but he sustained a PCL injury and bone bruise to his left knee in that game, was clearly hampered over his next three games (with under 50 receiving yards in each) and was shut down for three games. Upon his return, Bowers scored seven touchdowns in eight games before the Raiders, looking to protect their star TE and also secure the No. 1 pick in the draft, placed Bowers on injured reserve, keeping him out of their last two contests. Widely considered one of the best TE prospects to ever enter the league, Bowers had 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on 153 targets as a rookie. With better health in 2026, he has a chance to match or exceed his rookie numbers. The Raiders are talent-starved at wide receiver, so Bowers is poised to be their alpha pass catcher. New head coach Klint Kubiak has been entrusted to repair the Las Vegas offense. No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza offers hope at the QB position, and the Raiders also have TE-friendly QB Kirk Cousins, who was quarterbacking the Falcons last year in Week 1, when TE Kyle Pitts had 11 catches for 166 yards and three TDs. Bowers is worth a look in the back half of the second round or early in the third round of 2026 fantasy drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Colston Loveland (CHI)

The 10th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Colston Loveland put together an impressive rookie season that got better and better as it wore on. Loveland finished TE12 in half-point PPR scoring as a rookie with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns. From Week 9 on, Loveland was TE2 in fantasy scoring behind only Trey McBride. Over Chicago’s last four games – two in the regular season, two in the playoffs – Bears head coach Ben Johnson had fully unleashed Loveland. The rookie tight end had 10 or more targets in each of those games, averaging 12.0 targets, 7.0 catches and 94.5 receiving yards over that stretch, with a pair of TDs. In the Bears’ playoff win over the Packers, Loveland was targeted 15 times and had eight catches for 137 yards. The 6-6, 241-pound Loveland is a matchup nightmare with his size and speed. Loveland is the consensus TE3 for 2026 fantasy drafts behind only Brock Bowers and Trey McBride.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Tyler Warren (IND)

Tyler Warren’s rookie season got off to a fast start, but his production slowed down markedly late in the season, leaving us with a challenging evaluation for 2026. Over his first 10 games of 2025, Warren averaged 5.0 catches, 61.7 receiving yards and 11.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, with four touchdowns. Over his last seven games, Warren averaged 3.7 catches, 28.6 receiving yards and 5.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, with one touchdown. The net result: 76 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns (plus one TD run) and a TE5 fantasy finish. Daniel Jones’ late-season Achilles injury might partly account for Warren’s late-season slowdown, and Jones’ health status might still be an issue early in the 2026 season. But the Colts traded away WR Michael Pittman in the offseason and didn’t make any significant pass-catching acquisitions in free agency or the draft, bolstering Warren’s 2026 target outlook. Warren might not be one of the elite fantasy TEs in 2026, but he should still be one of the first five tight ends off the board in this year’s drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Tucker Kraft (GB)

Tucker Kraft is coming back from an ACL tear and small meniscus tear that ended his 2025 season after eight games and torpedoed what was shaping up to be a monster season. After a breakout 2024 season in which he had 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns, Kraft was off to a torrid start last year, with 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns before getting hurt against the Panthers in Week 9. Kraft was TE2 in fantasy scoring behind only Trey McBride when he went down. If Kraft is fully healthy, he could produce big numbers. The Packers have parted ways with WRs Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, and they didn’t add any notable pass catchers in the offseason. Kraft averaged an astounding 2.33 yards per route run last season. He’s a beast after the catch who’s averaged 8.8 yards after catch per reception over his three-year career. Monitor the news on Kraft’s recovery over the summer and be prepared to pounce if he comes with an injury discount in 2026 fantasy drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE)

A third-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft, Harold Fannin was surprisingly impactful as a rookie, racking up 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns to finish TE6 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring. Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised by Fannin’s first-year success. He had 117 catches for 1,555 yards in his final college season at Bowling Green, leading all FBS pass catchers in both categories. The Browns have an unappealing QB situation, and the arrival of rookie WRs KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston could cut into Fannin’s target share. But the Browns’ new head coach, Todd Monken, has historically been a very TE-friendly playcaller. Fannin should be regarded as a midrange TE1 in 2026 fantasy drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Kyle Pitts Sr. (ATL)

Kyle Pitts entered the 2025 season with the reputation of being a perennial fantasy tease. The former No. 3 overall draft pick tried to rehabilitate his image with 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns last year, good for a TE2 finish in half-point PPR fantasy scoring. Pitts scored three of his five touchdown and had his only 100-yard game of the season in Week 15, when he erupted for 11 catches, 166 yards and three scores vs. the Buccaneers. It was Pitts’ best season since his 1,026-yard rookie campaign in 2021. The Falcons don’t have a lot of firepower at wide receiver beyond Drake London, so Pitts could very well be Atlanta’s No. 2 target earner this season. And while the QB duo of Michael Penix and Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t seem very appealing, it’s worth remembering that Mike Gesicki and Jonnu Smith had the best fantasy seasons of their careers with Tua as their primary QB.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Sam LaPorta (DET)

After finishing TE1 in fantasy scoring as a rookie in 2023, Sam LaPorta has been less productive the last two seasons, although he hasn’t been *that* much less productive on a per-game basis, and injuries may partly explain the dip. LaPorta played through a sprained ankle early in the 2024 season and missed one game that November with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder. In 2025, he herniated a disc in his back in Week 10 and missed Detroit’s last eight games. After scoring 10 touchdowns as a rookie, LaPorta had seven TDs in 2024 and three in 2025. But LaPorta hit career highs in catch rate (81.6%), yards per target (10.0) and yards per route run (2.00) last season, suggesting there has been no drop-off in his quality of play. But after averaging 7.1 targets per game as a rookie, LaPorta has averaged only 4.9 targets in his 27 regular-season games the last two years. Perhaps he’ll see a target uptick under new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who was calling the plays in Arizona the last three years while Cardinals TE Trey McBride blossomed into a superstar.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Travis Kelce (KC)

Travis Kelce will turn 37 in October, but he’s committed to playing at least one more season for the Chiefs. Kelce finished TE3 in fantasy scoring last season, catching 76 passes for 851 yards and five touchdowns. But the longtime fantasy star’s efficiency has been plummeting. Kelce has averaged 8.6 yards per target for his career, but he’s averaged just 6.9 YPT over the last two seasons. Kelce has averaged 2.05 yards per route run for his career, but he’s been just under 1.50 YPRR each of the last two seasons. The Chiefs didn’t add any significant pass catchers in the offseason, so Kelce still figures to be a prominent target earner in Andy Reid’s offense. It’s just a matter of how much he can do with those targets. The good news is that Kelce has become a budget option at the position and will probably be available in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Dalton Kincaid (BUF)

Dalton Kincaid was wildly efficient in 2025, averaging 14.6 yards per catch, 11.7 yards per target, and 2.70 yards per route run. The problem was that he played only 12 games and 302 snaps. Kincaid had 39 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns. He was third in TE snaps on his own team last season behind Dawson Knox and rookie Jackson Hawes. The 26-year-old Kincaid lost games to hamstring and abdominal injuries last year. He’s also been dealing with a partially torn PCL in his left knee since late 2024. The injury won’t require surgery, but Bills GM Brandon Beane has said that Kincaid’s 2026 workload might have to be managed. It would be hard for Kincaid to improve upon his efficiency numbers, so he would probably need bigger snap counts to have a more impactful fantasy season in 2026. The outlook for that is murky, and if he plays limited snaps again this season and his efficiency numbers regress to career norms, Kincaid could disappoint. It’s best to regard him as a high-end TE2 for fantasy drafts.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

George Kittle (SF)

George Kittle tore his right Achilles in the 49ers’ Wild Card win over the Eagles on Jan. 11. Kittle says his goal is to play in the 49ers’ 2026 season opener against the Rams in Australia, defying the typical recovery timeline for an Achilles tear. It’s possible the 32-year-old Kittle misses time early in the season, and it’s possible he won’t offer the normal Kittle-level production upon his return. But there will be an injury discount on Kittle in 2026 fantasy drafts, and the possibility that he’s back to peak form in time for the fantasy playoffs is appealing. Over the last four seasons, Kittle has averaged 4.6 catches, 63.4 yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Kittle has been remarkably efficient over his career, averaging 10.0 yards per catch and 2.27 yards per target – better career numbers than superstar WR Ja’Marr Chase in both categories.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Jake Ferguson (DAL)

Jake Ferguson is a competent pass catcher in a prolific offense, but the presence of two star receivers in Dallas could limit Ferguson’s fantasy upside. Ferguson had 82 catches for 600 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. The reception and TD totals were career highs, but Ferguson averaged only 7.3 yards per catch, a career low.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Best Fantasy Football Tight Ends for 2026: Positional Rankings & Tiers

RK	TIERS	PLAYER NAME	TEAM	BEST	WORST	AVG.	STD.DEV	ECR VS. ADP
1	1	Trey McBride	ARI	1	3	1.5	0.6	0
2	1	Brock Bowers	LV	1	2	1.5	0.5	0
3	1	Colston Loveland	CHI	2	9	3.4	1.3	0
4	1	Tyler Warren	IND	4	6	4.4	0.5	0
5	2	Tucker Kraft	GB	3	10	5.2	1.4	1
6	2	Harold Fannin Jr.	CLE	5	10	6.1	1	-1
7	2	Kyle Pitts Sr.	ATL	5	10	7.5	1.2	0
8	2	Sam LaPorta	DET	5	10	7.5	0.9	0
9	3	Travis Kelce	KC	7	19	11.2	2.4	1
10	3	Dalton Kincaid	BUF	8	21	11.3	2.6	3
11	3	George Kittle	SF	3	22	12.4	3.3	-2
12	3	Jake Ferguson	DAL	9	17	12.4	1.9	-1
13	3	Isaiah Likely	NYG	8	24	13.8	3.6	-1
14	3	Dallas Goedert	PHI	10	19	14.1	2.1	1
15	3	Oronde Gadsden II	LAC	8	28	15.4	5.6	1
16	3	Mark Andrews	BAL	8	20	15.7	2.7	-2
17	3	Juwan Johnson	NO	11	23	16.7	2.6	1
18	3	Brenton Strange	JAC	10	24	17.5	3.1	4
19	3	Hunter Henry	NE	13	21	18	1.8	1
20	4	Chig Okonkwo	WAS	11	31	20.5	4.2	-1
21	4	Dalton Schultz	HOU	11	27	20.9	2.7	2
22	4	T.J. Hockenson	MIN	18	27	22.7	2.1	-1
23	4	Kenyon Sadiq	NYJ	15	62	22.8	7	-6
24	4	AJ Barner	SEA	18	28	23.3	2.1	1
25	4	Gunnar Helm	TEN	20	35	26.9	2.6	1
26	4	David Njoku	LAC	21	35	27.7	3.2	-2
27	4	Terrance Ferguson	LAR	22	52	27.9	5.5	8
28	4	Pat Freiermuth	PIT	19	39	30.1	3.5	1
29	4	Cade Otton	TB	25	36	30.1	2.7	-1
30	4	Eli Stowers	PHI	21	54	30.7	6.3	-3
31	5	Colby Parkinson	LAR	21	54	31.6	5	-1
32	5	Mason Taylor	NYJ	23	50	32.2	5.2	8
33	5	Evan Engram	DEN	27	38	33.2	2.7	1
34	5	Theo Johnson	NYG	21	46	34.2	4.6	5
35	5	Max Klare	LAR	33	48	38.6	4.1	13
36	5	Jake Tonges	SF	24	49	34.4	4.5	-4

Best Tight Ends by Draft Strategy

Best Early-Round Tight Ends

Trey McBride
Brock Bowers
Colston Loveland

Best Mid-Round Tight Ends

Tucker Kraft
Tyler Warren
Harold Fannin Jr.

Best Late-Round Tight Ends

Isaiah Likely
Mark Andrews
George Kittle

Best High-Upside Tight Ends

George Kittle
Dalton Kincaid
Sam LaPorta

How to Draft Tight Ends in Fantasy Football 2026

Tight end strategy often comes down to one question: should you pay up for an elite option or wait for value later in the draft?

Elite tight ends can create a weekly scoring advantage because of the significant gap between the top players and the middle tier. However, fantasy managers can often find value by targeting ascending players with increasing roles later in drafts.

Fantasy managers can improve their tight end draft strategy by using:

Understanding positional scarcity is one of the most important factors when evaluating fantasy football tight ends.

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