Early 2026 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings: Redraft

January 19, 2026

RotoBaller's early 2026 fantasy football rankings for tight ends in redraft leagues. 2026 tiered rankings give an early look at 2026 drafts at TE.

The NFL season has not yet come to an end, but the 2025 fantasy football campaign is in the rear-view mirror, and it's never too early to get excited about next season. We saw several later-round tight ends produce in 2025, so hopefully, the momentum will carry into 2026. Let's kick things off with our early 2026 fantasy football tight end rankings.

These 2026 fantasy football rankings are put together by Nick Mariano, a top-accuracy industry ranker and the lead forecaster here at RotoBaller. The 2026 NFL rookies are not included in these rankings, but they will be added as updates are made constantly up until the NFL Draft, and after the draft as well.

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2026 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings: Redraft

2026 Fantasy Football Tight End Outlooks, News

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland capped off his impressive rookie campaign with 12 receptions for 193 yards in two postseason contests. The rookie from Michigan came on late after dealing with a lower-body injury to start his NFL career, collecting at least 56 receiving yards in four of his final five games. Loveland's regular season ended with a 58-catch, 713-yard, six-touchdown line, despite sharing the field with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Cole Kmet.

Quarterback Caleb Williams proved he can support fantasy-relevant pass-catchers as a sophomore, and if he takes a step forward in Year 3, Loveland could emerge as a game-changer at the TE spot. He's a clear TE1 option for 2026, and he has top-three upside at the position based on his debut campaign.

Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) said on Monday that he's targeting a Week 1 return for the start of the 2026 season this fall, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "By the time Week 1 rolls around, I'll be 10 months post-surgery and hopefully bulletproofed by then. I already feel pretty good. My progress so far has been great. Some would say even ahead of schedule," Kraft said. The 25-year-old tore his ACL in the Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Before the season-ending injury, Kraft was well on his way to a breakout campaign in his third year in the league, as he caught 32 of his 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight starts. In 2024, he had a 50-707-7 line in 17 regular-season games. Kraft's 2026 fantasy value will mainly be tied to whether he's ready for the season opener, and if he is, he should be considered a strong TE1 target.

George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) underwent successful surgery to fix his torn right Achilles tendon on Wednesday, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Kittle was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the playoffs. Because his injury occurred so late in the year, too, the 32-year-old veteran almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. In fact, he could end up missing a significant chunk of the next regular season after tearing his Achilles in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kittle, a seven-time Pro Bowler, still has high-end TE1 upside when healthy, but durability concerns will drastically affect his 2026 fantasy value.

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) said earlier this week that he's entering the next stage of his rehab from back surgery, and he plans to be fully cleared before the start of training camp at the end of July, according to Richard Silva of The Detroit News. LaPorta played in only nine games in 2025 before suffering a herniated disc in his back against the Washington Commanders on Nov. 9. In addition to his rehab, the 24-year-old will be focused on trying to ink a contract extension with the Lions this offseason.

LaPorta burst onto the scene in his rookie year in 2023 with 86 receptions, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He wasn't quite as good in 2024, but he still had a 60-726-7 line in 16 games. Obviously, LaPorta's production suffered in 2025 due to injury, but he'll be a prime bounce-back candidate at the TE position in 2026 for the Lions.

Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have high hopes for the long-term trajectory of rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., according to Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. "I have all the belief in the world in him, can't wait to see what he does next year," tight ends coach Christian Jones said about Fannin. The rookie out of Bowling Green led the team in receptions (72), receiving yards (731), and receiving touchdowns (six). Going into next season, Fannin is going to be a highly sought-after TE1 in fantasy football drafts.

Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) was placed on Injured Reserve in Week 18, ending his 2025 season early. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero notes that Bowers has been battling a lingering knee injury since Week 1, and the 2-13 Raiders were focused on making sure their star tight end is fully healthy for 2026.

Across 12 games this season, the 23-year-old recorded 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 targets. Bowers' sophomore season did not live up to his rookie campaign, but he's still a locked-in top-three tight end for 2026. Hopefully, Las Vegas will see better quarterback play next season, putting Bowers back into game-changing territory at the TE spot.

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride caught 10 of his 13 targets for 76 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. McBride continues to be the top-scoring tight end in fantasy football this season, and he widened the gap between himself and the rest of the tight end position on Sunday afternoon. Along the way, he also set a new NFL record for most catches by a tight end in a single season. It's safe to say that McBride is the best and most dependable tight end in the league.

He figures to be the first tight end off the board (and a potential first-round pick) in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon Ducks (2026 Rookie)

University of Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq is leaving school early and entering the 2026 NFL Draft, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. Across 14 games for the Ducks in 2025, Sadiq recorded 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. Sadiq, who will play the entirety of his rookie season in the NFL at just 21 years old, is widely considered the top tight end prospect in the draft and appears likely to be a first-round selection. Per Thamel, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Sadiq ranked as the number 10 overall player in the 2026 draft class.

Regardless of where he ends up being selected, Sadiq could have a chance to contribute at the NFL level immediately. For fantasy managers in both redraft and dynasty formats, Sadiq is a name to know heading into the 2026 season.

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