2026 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings: Post-NFL Draft

May 6, 2026

RotoBaller's updated 2026 fantasy football tight end rankings for redraft leagues. These 2026 tiered TE rankings are for after the 2026 NFL Draft.

The tight end spot never gets easier to navigate for fantasy football managers, especially if you don't land one of the top studs. However, landing a top stud requires an expensive investment in the early rounds, so many managers prefer to throw darts on high-upside TEs later in a draft. We're here to help you sort through the studs, sleepers, and busts with our updated 2026 fantasy football tight end rankings.

These post-NFL Draft 2026 fantasy football TE rankings are put together by Nick Mariano, a top-accuracy industry ranker and the lead forecaster here at RotoBaller. Below, check out where Tyler Warren, Harold Fannin Jr., Sam LaPorta, Kyle Pitts, Kenyon Sadiq, and Jake Ferguson stand, among others.

In addition to these rookie rankings, in our 2026 fantasy football rankings dashboard, you will also find our team's Dynasty League rankings and Rookie Rankings. Bookmark those pages, and use them to prepare for all of your 2026 fantasy football drafts.

2026 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings

2026 Fantasy Football Tight End Outlooks

Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren converted 106 targets into 76 receptions, 817 yards, and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, and his opportunities could be even more bountiful in Year 2. The Colts have been shedding wide receivers since their mid-season trade for cornerback Sauce Gardner, in which they sent 2024 second-round pick Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets. Shortly into the new league year, the team dealt Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers, and while they committed to Alec Pierce with a four-year, $114 million deal, Indianapolis has made no significant outside acquisitions through free agency or the draft.

With Pittman gone, there is no player on the roster besides Warren who saw more than 84 targets last season, and the majority of passing work should now be divvied up between the trifecta of Warren, Pierce, and Josh Downs. Warren did see a significant decline in production following the season-ending Achilles injury suffered by Daniel Jones, so the quarterback situation in Indianapolis could hold significant weight in his ability to take the next step, but by all accounts, Jones is progressing well, and the team believes he will be ready for the start of the 2026 season.

At RotoBaller's dynasty TE4, Warren is one of the few tight ends in the league in position to lead his team in targets and should remain a true fantasy difference-maker for the foreseeable future.

Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Sirius XM NFL Radio that tight end Tucker Kraft's (knee) rehab from a torn right ACL is "going great," and he's expected to return "early in the season." Kraft was on his way to a career breakout in 2025 before tearing his ACL, catching 32 of his 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight starts.

Gutekunst said in mid-January that the 25-year-old was ahead of schedule in his recovery, so barring a setback during training camp this summer, it's safe to assume that he'll be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Kraft is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but the Packers have already engaged him in talks on a potential long-term extension. Despite tearing his ACL in 2025, Kraft is expected to be a big part of Green Bay's offense again this year, making him an easy top-10 fantasy TE. Right now, RotoBaller has Kraft as the No. 6 overall player at his position.

George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told ESPN that tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is "shooting to return" Week 1 against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams after tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles in January, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. It's unclear if Kittle is actually on track to be ready for the season opener, but it's where he's aiming. Kittle suffered a clean tear of his Achilles, which is expected to allow him to return quicker than usual for someone with a torn Achilles.

While Kittle is hoping to be ready for Week 1, there's still a good chance he won't be ready for the start of the 2026 season, which will make him a pretty risky and volatile high-end TE1 target in fantasy football drafts. If Kittle is not ready to go by Week 1, Jake Tonges will be in play as a streaming option at the position early on. The 32-year-old Kittle only played in 11 games last year due to injuries and finished as the TE13 in half-PPR scoring. When healthy, he's been one of the top TEs in the league, though, catching at least six touchdown passes in five straight seasons.

Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden had some historic moments as a rookie in 2025, and consistency will now be key to making him a reliable fantasy presence in Year 2 and beyond. His 164 receiving yards in Week 7 were the most by a first-year tight end in 40 years, while he was only the third rookie tight end since 1970 to top 300 yards across a three-game span, joining Kyle Pitts Sr. and Brock Bowers. The Chargers' tendencies were streaky under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, with the team averaging 39.2 pass attempts through the first seven weeks but only 29.4 the rest of the way.

Now under Mike McDaniel, Gadsden brings rare tools to a scheme that has seen Jonnu Smith and a 33-year-old Darren Waller churn out week-winning performances over the past two seasons. With bookend tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater also expected back, there will be less of a need to pull Gadsden from the field in favor of blocking tight ends like the newly acquired Charlie Kolar.

With the Chargers bypassing the position entirely in a loaded 2026 NFL Draft, Gadsden's jumbo slot role looks to be secure heading into year two, and at RotoBaller's dynasty TE10, it's possible he's still being slept on despite already showing a ceiling that few players in the league are capable of reaching.

Isaiah Likely, New York Giants

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, tight end Isaiah Likely landed a three-year, $40 million deal with the New York Giants in free agency. Likely flashed upside throughout his time with Baltimore, but his path to consistently fantasy-relevant production was often blocked by the presence of veteran Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. In New York, Likely could find himself in another timeshare for tight end snaps with incumbent Giants tight end Theo Johnson.

Johnson had a solid year in 2025, recording 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets across 15 games. However, given the financial investment the Giants made in Likely and the fact that he's following former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York, it wouldn't be shocking to see Likely open the year as the clear TE1.

The Giants also do not have an obvious second option in the passing game behind star wideout Malik Nabers (knee), which could further open the door for a breakout year from Likely. A significant jump in production for Likely is not guaranteed, but his dynasty value is in a better spot after his move to New York.

More Fantasy Football Analysis