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Sam LaPorta, Kyle Pitts, or Harold Fannin Jr. -- who should I draft for fantasy football in 2026? Brandon's ADP Duel and pick recommendations for which TE to draft as your starter in the middle rounds.
In fantasy football, the tight end position has a way of making or breaking a roster more often than most managers care to admit. While the elite options fly off the board early, a large group of solid starters usually clusters together in the middle rounds, forcing tough decisions based on average draft position. For 2026, three names sit right in that critical range—Sam LaPorta of the Lions, Kyle Pitts Sr. of the Falcons, and Harold Fannin Jr. of the Browns—each offering a different path to weekly production. Picking the right one can give your team a reliable starting tight end without reaching too far or settling for a pure gamble later.
What separates these three is how their statistical profiles and projected schedules align with one another. LaPorta brings proven volume in a high-powered Detroit offense, Pitts still carries the athletic upside that once made him a top prospect, and Fannin is coming off a surprisingly productive rookie year that turned heads in Cleveland. Looking at recent target shares, yards after the catch, red-zone usage, and overall efficiency helps show which player is more likely to deliver consistent points. Layering in each team’s projected strength of schedule adds another layer—some will face softer secondaries in key weeks, while others may face tougher defensive matchups that could limit their ceiling.
Coming to the right choice among LaPorta, Pitts, and Fannin isn’t just about filling a roster spot; it’s about maximizing the value you get from a mid-round selection. A well-timed pick here can free up earlier capital for running backs or wide receivers while still locking in a tight end capable of winning you matchups. In the article ahead, I’ll dig into the numbers, the schemes, and the schedules that will help decide which of these three closely ranked options is the smartest bet for building a competitive 2026 fantasy roster. After weighing all these variables that come with this decision, a winner will be declared in this ADP Duel, but who will it be? Let’s find out!
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Sam LaPorta - TE, Detroit Lions
Position Rank: TE6
ADP: 77.4 (Via Rotoballer consensus ADP tool)
LaPorta burst onto the scene in 2023 as one of the most productive rookie tight ends in NFL history, hauling in 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns while earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. That debut season showed everything managers love—reliable hands, solid yards after the catch, and a real red-zone presence in Detroit’s high-powered offense.
The following two years brought more mixed results. In 2024, he still put up 60 catches for 726 yards and seven scores across 16 games, but target volume dipped. Then in 2025, a back injury limited him to just nine games (40 receptions, 489 yards, three touchdowns) before he was shut down for the rest of the year.
The positives remain clear: when healthy, he is a trusted target for Jared Goff and continues to improve in efficiency metrics like catch rate and yards per route run.
The biggest negatives are the injury history and the fact that Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jameson Williams all command a large share of the offense, which can cap his weekly ceiling.
Looking ahead to 2026, LaPorta’s outlook improves with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who previously helped turn Trey McBride into a high-volume star in Arizona.
Early projections put LaPorta in the range of roughly 70 receptions, 800 yards, and five or six touchdowns—solid mid-range TE1 numbers if he stays healthy for a full season.
Detroit’s projected schedule sits right around the middle of the pack for tight ends, offering a mix of favorable and tougher matchups rather than an especially soft or brutal slate.
At a current ADP that typically falls in the late seventh to early ninth round (around overall picks 75-85), the price feels reasonable for a proven producer in a still-explosive offense.
Managers who value a tight end with demonstrated upside and a scheme that could open more opportunities will find LaPorta a smart mid-round selection that can stabilize the position without requiring an early reach.
Kyle Pitts Sr. - TE, Atlanta Falcons
Position Rank: TE7
ADP: 79
Pitts arrived in the NFL with massive expectations after being selected fourth overall in 2021, and he immediately delivered a 1,000-yard rookie season with 68 catches for 1,026 yards. That explosive start showcased his rare size-speed combination and ability to stretch the field like a wide receiver.
The following three seasons were more frustrating, with injuries, quarterback instability, and inconsistent target volume limiting him to modest production—28 catches in an injury-shortened 2022, then 53 and 47 receptions in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The biggest positives remain his athletic tools and the flashes of dominance he still produces.
The main negatives have been the lack of consistent red-zone scoring early in his career and the fact that Atlanta’s offense has often leaned more heavily on Drake London and Bijan Robinson, which can leave Pitts with fewer high-value opportunities.
In 2025, Pitts finally put together his most complete season, finishing with career highs of 88 receptions, 928 yards, and five touchdowns while earning second-team All-Pro honors. That bounce-back, combined with a recent multi-year contract extension, suggests the Falcons are committed to featuring him more prominently.
Looking at 2026, early projections sit in the range of 65-75 catches and 800-plus yards if the quarterback situation stabilizes under either Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa.
Atlanta’s projected schedule is roughly average for tight ends, offering a balanced mix of matchups rather than an unusually tough slate.
At a current ADP that generally falls in the early eighth to early ninth round (around overall picks 75-90), the price looks attractive for a still-young athletic tight end coming off his best professional year.
Managers seeking upside at a position that often lacks it will find Pitts a solid mid-round option with the potential to outperform that draft cost.
Harold Fannin Jr. - TE, Cleveland Browns
Position Rank: TE8
ADP: 81.1
Fannin made an immediate impact as a third-round pick in 2025, setting a Cleveland Browns rookie record with 72 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns across 16 games. He quickly became a reliable target, especially after David Njoku’s absence opened up more opportunities, and finished near the top of the tight end rankings in fantasy scoring.
His ability to create yards after the catch and earn targets at a high rate stood out right away, turning what many expected to be a developmental year into a productive one.
The biggest positives are the early volume, his physical presence after the catch, and the fact that he already showed he can handle a significant role as a rookie.
The main drawbacks are the short sample size of just one season, Cleveland’s ongoing quarterback uncertainty, and the addition of young wide receivers who could compete for targets in 2026.
Looking ahead, Fannin enters his second year as the clear lead tight end with new head coach Todd Monken, who has a history of featuring the position heavily.
Early projections land around 75-80 catches, 800 yards, and five or six touchdowns, numbers that would keep him firmly in the TE1 conversation. Cleveland’s projected strength of schedule ranks among the more favorable for tight ends, offering a few softer matchups that could boost weekly output.
At a current ADP that typically falls in the eighth to ninth round (around overall picks 80-90), the price feels like solid value for a young player who already produced at a high level.
Managers looking for a tight end with proven volume and scheme upside will find Fannin one of the more appealing mid-round options for building a competitive 2026 roster.
Fantasy Football Verdict
When taking a look at the tight end landscape for 2026, the discussion has been whether or not to take one of the “Big Four” in the earlier rounds. But if you choose to wait a few rounds, these are the players that you find yourself looking at in the draft room.
So the question remains: who is the right choice when trying to decide among these three players? Is it the allure of the athletically gifted Pitts, who flashes all the right tools in small sample sizes, but tends to go through stretches where you contemplate dropping him to the waiver wire?
Could it be the second-year player in Fannin, who may progress forward with a full year under his belt, but also now must deal with a change in head coach and an influx of talented rookie receivers to take away the target share and red-zone opportunities that made him so valuable in 2025?
Then there is LaPorta. A player who is seemingly going unnoticed in drafts after leaving a bad taste in the mouths of fantasy managers due to his injury-plagued season while the Lions’ offense continued to put up arcade numbers.
Two years removed from being a consensus top tight end in drafts, a healthy LaPorta (which he will be, going into 2026) is a player who can be a true difference-maker at a position that lacks them in general.
In games in which he has run at minimum 25 routes, LaPorta has maintained around 17% in both target share and first-read target share, which keeps him right in line for second on the team with Williams.
For me, that consistency on an offense that is projected to be right at the top in the league in efficiency and points scored is enough to push LaPorta to the front of the line.
With that, I will be declaring him the winner of this ADP Duel!
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