TEs by Category
It can be fantasy’s most volatile position… but here’s how to think of a few big names.
😴 Deep Sleeper: Greg Dulcich (MIA)
Buried on ADP boards but not on Miami's depth chart, Dulcich is quietly positioned to be one of the best value plays at the position this year.
He's already emerging as one of the "primary targets" for new quarterback Malik Willis during spring practices and OTAs.
The Dolphins feature the league's cheapest wide receiver and tight end rooms after gutting the offense this offseason. They’ve left a massive target share up for grabs.
When healthy, the talent is undeniable… he finished last season ranked 2nd among all NFL tight ends in yards per route run (2.64) and yards after the catch per reception (7.69).
If he can stay on the field, the bull case puts him firmly in TE1 conversations from a cost that assumes he won't even see the field.
🎲 Risk/Reward: Dalton Kincaid (BUF)
Few tight ends carry a wider range of outcomes than Kincaid, who somehow delivered elite production while playing through a lingering knee injury.
It was revealed after the season that Kincaid played the entire 2025 campaign with a torn PCL suffered in 2024, which significantly limited his offensive snaps and route participation.
Despite that, he still ranked 1st among all NFL tight ends in yards per route run (3.02) and yards per target (11.7)… the per-play upside is real.
The risk: Buffalo's tight ends face a notably tougher schedule in 2026, dropping to the 5th-hardest projected this season.
Health is the only question mark here. A fully operational Kincaid in Joe Brady's new aggressive scheme could push toward true top-5 numbers… especially with Josh Allen.
📉 Overvalued: Dallas Goedert (PHI)
Last year’s 11 touchdowns look great on paper, but a deeper look at Goedert's profile suggests the price may not match the risk.
He's missed 22 games over the last five seasons, including a two-game absence in 2025, making him one of the higher-risk assets at the position, especially at age 31.
His underlying volume was middling at best: 82 targets (11th), 60 receptions (10th), and 591 yards (14th) across 15 games.
The Eagles used a Round 2 pick on Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers, adding fresh competition even though Goedert's starting job is considered secure for now.
The AJ Brown trade is fueling optimism, and could create somewhat of a target bump, but that upside remains speculative rather than guaranteed.
👶 Rookie Breakout: Kenyon Sadiq
The Jets used a premium first-round selection to add a true difference-maker to their passing game, and the early role projection backs up the investment.
New York selected Sadiq with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to serve as a high-upside receiving weapon.
He owns "elite athletic traits," headlined by a sub-4.4 40-yard dash (99th percentile) and a 43-inch vertical, letting him win matchups against linebackers.
Early outlooks have him as an immediate starter working primarily out of the slot, and new OC Frank Reich was brought in specifically to fix an offense that ranked 29th in yards in 2025.
A crowded target mix with Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and fellow rookie Omar Cooper Jr. caps his floor for now, but the athletic ceiling makes him a stash worth watching all season.
💰 Undervalued: Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE)
Fannin already proved he's the guy in Cleveland's passing game as a rookie, but in my opinion, the price still hasn’t fully caught up.
David Njoku's free agency departure cements Fannin as the undisputed No. 1 tight end for 2026, continuing a takeover that started when he pushed Njoku out of the rotation in the second half of last season.
The target numbers back it up: 107 targets (5th among TEs, 21.6% share) and a 25.5% target rate per route run (2nd among TEs).
New head coach Todd Monken is overhauling an "ultra-conservative" 2025 system that ranked 31st in passing yards into a more explosive attack.
He already finished as the fantasy TE6 as a 21-year-old rookie… with a full offensive overhaul and zero competition for targets, the ceiling only goes up from here.
🐴 Dark Horse #1 Overall: Colston Loveland (CHI)
If you're looking for the tight end most likely to crash the top of the position rankings, look no further than Chicago's ascending second-year weapon.
After a slow start, Loveland exploded for a 47-597-6 line over his final 10 games, finishing as the overall TE12 as a rookie.
With WR DJ Moore traded to Buffalo, he's expected to lead the team in targets (or at least compete for it) and has already built real trust with Caleb Williams.
Head coach Ben Johnson (who engineered Sam LaPorta's TE1 rookie season) remains in place, with Press Taylor promoted to OC to keep the same scheme intact.
Between the target vacuum, the proven system, and a late-season surge that already looked like a top-12 tight end, Loveland has as clean a path to TE1 overall as anyone at the position.
That’s the list…tight ends and how to view them in your fantasy draft this season.
-Joe