His new contract (3 years, $40M) and reunion with HC John Harbaugh signals legitimate TE1 intent; the departures of Daniel Bellinger and Wan'Dale Robinson clear a direct path to volume as QB Jaxson Dart's primary safety valve in the slot.

Despite limited opportunity in 2025 (27 catches, 307 yards suppressed by his backup role and a foot injury), Likely ranked 6th in target separation (2.27 yds), 13th in yards per target (8.3), and 14th in yards per reception (11.4)… elite efficiency marks that hint at what full-time usage can unlock.

The schedule sets him up beautifully: NYG projects as the 2nd-easiest TE schedule in 2026 (a massive leap from 27th in 2025), giving him consistent matchup advantages week after week.

In 11 games last season, Kittle ranked as the TE3 in fantasy points per game (14.7), posted a 22.8% target share (3rd), and put up 2.24 yards per route run (3rd)… numbers that confirm the elite talent is still very much intact inside Kyle Shanahan's system.

The Achilles tear he suffered in the Wild Card win is the critical variable: his return timeline governs everything, with a real possibility he begins the year on the PUP list (mandatory 4-game absence). Training camp participation in August is the single most important data point before you draft him.

Even with added weapons (Mike Evans signed, De'Zhaun Stribling drafted in Round 2), no one on San Francisco's roster replicates Kittle's role in play-action and red zone — his target share is safe if he's healthy. That said, the schedule drops sharply, from 13th to 29th easiest for TEs, a real ceiling cap even in a healthy season.

Before going down in Week 9, Kraft ranked 6th at the position in fantasy PPG (14.7), sat 2nd among TEs in yards per route run (2.56), and was on a 17-game pace for over 1,000 receiving yards. He also led all qualified tight ends in yards after catch per reception (9.1), making him the league's premier YAC machine.

He was Jordan Love's go-to scorer in the red zone, ranking 3rd in red zone target share (33.3%) with 6 touchdowns in just 8 games. That role doesn't disappear when he returns.

He has publicly stated he expects no pitch count or limitations for Week 1, and while he'll likely start camp on PUP for conditioning purposes only, the messaging from the team and player is as optimistic as possible at this stage of recovery.

Despite back surgery ending his 2025 season after nine games, LaPorta ranked 6th in fantasy PPG (11.9) when on the field, ranked 3rd in yards per target (10.0), and ranked 5th in yards per route run (2.0) among all TEs… elite efficiency in a crowded, high-octane offense that ranked 3rd in passing yards (4,303) and 4th in points scored (481).

New OC Drew Petzing runs a historically TE-heavy scheme, and pass game coordinator Mike Kafka brings another layer of system knowledge that projects favorably for LaPorta's role and target volume out of the slot.

He's a proven red zone presence (20 touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons), and projects as a "buy-low" candidate at ADP 97 for a player analysts see rebounding to his 2023 TE3 overall form.

His 2025 production was legitimate: 88 catches, 928 yards, 118 targets (2nd among all TEs), a 22.7% target share, 860 air yards (2nd), and a 12.4 fantasy PPG finish (4th). The volume was real and the efficiency confirmed him as a true TE1 asset.

New HC Kevin Stefanski brings a historically TE-friendly system designed to exploit Pitts' hybrid receiver traits (264 slot snaps, 516 total routes, 3rd-most among TEs), while the arrival of QB Tua Tagovailoa provides the accuracy and rhythm passing that was missing in Atlanta's offense last year.

His schedule is elite (5th easiest projected for TEs in 2026), and his red zone efficiency is a massive upside lever: despite 5 touchdowns, he ranked just 15th in red zone targets (11), meaning a targeted effort from Stefanski in scoring position could push him into the TE1 conversation with ease.