May 3, 2026

As a 2025 first-round pick out of Penn State, Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren's 76 receptions as a rookie led all first-year players, and he was firmly in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation until Daniel Jones' Week 14 Achilles tear derailed the Colts' offense. With Jones' recovery going exceptionally well by all accounts, there are expectations that he could be back for the start of the 2026 season, and when he returns, Warren projects to be his primary target earner. Dating back to the midseason trade that sent Adonai Mitchell to New York as part of a deal to acquire Sauce Gardner, the Colts have been thinning their receiver ranks, continuing this offseason by trading away Michael Pittman Jr., the team's target leader in each of the past five seasons. With Indianapolis spending big to retain 2025 breakout Alec Pierce, the most significant outside acquisitions to the receiver room were seventh-round pick Deion Burks and seven-year veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who caught only 11 passes last year in Miami. The Colts 2026 passing offense is shaping up to run through Warren, Pierce, and Josh Downs, and with neither receiver coming within 20 targets of Warren in his rookie campaign, the 24-year-old tight end could see monumental volume in year two. As one of the few tight ends in the league capable of leading his team in targets every week, he offers a rare positional advantage, and at RotoBaller's TE4, Warren is worth spending up on in the early rounds of redraft leagues.--Patrick McGrath