Fantasy Football Rookie Tight End Rankings (2026): Kenyon Sadiq, Eli Stowers, Max Klare, Michael Trigg, Jack Endries, and more

January 21, 2026

2026 dynasty fantasy football rookie tight end rankings. RotoBaller's top rookies and dynasty draft targets, including Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Nicholas Singleton, and more.

The upcoming rookie class isn't loaded at the tight end spot this year, but there are always late-round tight ends who end up making somewhat of an impact, and we should see at least one player at the scarce position selected in te the first round. To get your draft prep started, check out our 2026 NFL rookie tight end rankings. Below, you can see where the top 10 rookie TEs, such as Kenyon Sadiq, Eli Stowers, Max Klare, Michael Trigg, Jack Endries, and more

We will update these rookie rankings all offseason long, and there will be major shake-ups based on all of the NFL prospect offseason activities, including the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, and NFL Draft. It's worth noting that not all of these collegiate players have declared for the NFL Draft yet, and players will be removed and added as those announcements come out. It's never too early to start your research and homework on rising NFL players, so let's get to it! These initial 2026 rookie rankings are put together by Jackson Sparks and Phil Clark.

In addition to these rookie rankings, in our 2026 fantasy football rankings dashboard, you will also find our team's Dynasty League rankings. Bookmark that page, and use it to prepare for all of your 2026 fantasy football dynasty league drafts.

2026 NFL Rookie Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football

Check out our PPR fantasy football rankings and standard (non-PPR) fantasy football rankings as well:

Fantasy Football NFL Rookie Tight End News and Outlooks

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

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.

AN UNREAL HURDLE FROM OREGON'S KENYON SADIQ TO GIVE THEM THE LEAD ON THE OPENING DRIVE OF THE GAME 😱 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oC5rtFIUmV

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 8, 2024

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.

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers had a phenomenal two seasons at Vanderbilt following stints at Texas A&M and New Mexico State. Originally recruited as a quarterback, Stowers converted to a tight end after losing the quarterback battle to Diego Pavia at New Mexico State. He followed Pavia to Vanderbilt and ended up being his No. 1 target en route to a productive career with the Commodores. In 25 games over the last two years, Stowers hauled in 111 receptions for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns. He tallied career highs in receptions (62) and receiving yards (769) in 2025.

The 22-year-old is a potential second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he's widely viewed as the TE2 in the class, behind Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq. With just three seasons of experience at the position, Stowers could take time to develop at the NFL level, and his blocking ability leaves a lot to be desired at this point in his career.

Michael Trigg, Baylor

Baylor tight end Michael Trigg is coming off the most productive season of his career, setting career highs in receptions (50), receiving yards (694), and touchdowns (six) in 11 games. The 6'4" pass-catcher is an explosive athlete with contested catch ability, and he fights for extra yards after the reception. With many NFL teams moving back to using a lot of 12-personnel, Trigg could be an early contributor as a rookie if he lands inside the top four rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, as expected.

The 23-year-old spent one season at USC, two seasons at Ole Miss, and two seasons at Baylor, totaling 108 catches for 1,419 yards and 14 touchdowns in 38 career games. The upcoming tight end class isn't as strong as years past, so a team in need of a big-bodied tight end could pull the trigger on him earlier than expected. Trigg is currently a third-round value in dynasty rookie drafts.

Max Klare, Ohio State

Ohio State tight end Max Klare has officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, and many view him as the second-best tight end in the class, behind Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq. The 22-year-old joined the Buckeyes after three seasons with Purdue, and although he didn't have a monster season, he did enough to keep him in the running for TE2 status in the shallow upcoming tight end class. After a 685-yard season at Purdue in 2024, he tallied 43 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns in his lone season in Columbus.

His counting stats were not notable, but he shared a field with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate while catching passes from first-year starter Julian Sayin, which is important context. Klare is an explosive athlete with great blocking skills, and the NFL's shift toward more two-and-three tight end sets will give him the ability to be a valuable asset at the next level. He's likely to be a Round 2 or 3 pick in April's draft.

Justin Joly, NC State

NC State tight end Justin Joly has been one of the most productive players at the position over the last three college football seasons. The 21-year-old New York native began his career at UConn before spending his junior and senior seasons with the Wolfpack, hauling in 92 receptions for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns. He enjoyed great success at NC State, but his breakout campaign came as a sophomore with the Huskies in 2023, when he tallied 56 catches for 578 yards and two scores.

The 2025 first-team All-ACC selection is viewed as one of the top five tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft class, and he's currently projected to be a third-round selection in April. Joly thrives running intermediate and deep routes, making him a strong TE2 and second tight end in 12-personnel at the next level. His landing spot will determine his upside and placement in dynasty rookie drafts as part of a shallow incoming rookie tight end class.

Eli Raridon, Notre Dame

Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon was the full-time starter in South Bend for the first season of his career in 2025, and he tallied solid numbers on limited volume in 12 games. Overall, the 21-year-old secured 32 receptions for 482 yards, good for 15.1 yards per reception. For much of his career, he was stuck behind NFL tight ends Mitchell Evans and Michael Mayer, but he made the most of his one season to showcase his abilities to NFL teams.

Mind you Eli Raridon is 6-7 and 250 LBS doing this... pic.twitter.com/buo0M7lUNA

— Price Carter (@priceacarter) January 8, 2026

Raridon has real speed at the position, making him a vertical threat at the NFL level. He's also a willing and capable blocker, but he'll need more work in that area to become a consistent contributor in the early stages of his pro career. He projects as a fourth-round pick early in the process, but the athletic testing has caused tight ends to shoot up or down draft boards for many years.

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