Week 1 College Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings

September 2, 2026

RotoBaller's Week 1 college fantasy football tight end rankings for 2026. Set winning CFB fantasy lineups with these TE rankings for the top Power 4 players.

College football is officially back! We saw a small slate of games last week, but the majority of the country suits up in Week 1, and at RotoBaller, we'll have you covered all season long with updated college fantasy football rankings. Just like in the NFL version of the game, tight ends are scarce, and one big play and touchdown can lead to a TE being a top-12 scorer at the position. However, consistent tight end production is even more difficult to come by at this level. We're here to help you sort through it all with our Week 1 college fantasy football tight end rankings for 2026.

Where do big-name players and potential sleepers like Terrance Carter, Trey'Dez Green, Patrick Overmyer, Dylan Wade, Brody Foley, and Mason Mimi stand for Week 1? Navigate the table below to find out.

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Week 1 College Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings

Week 1 College Fantasy Football Tight End News, Outlooks

Brody Foley, Louisville

Louisville tight end Brody Foley joined the Cardinals' program this offseason after a productive season at Tulsa, in which he ranked second nationally among tight ends in touchdown receptions. Overall, he tallied 37 receptions for 528 yards and seven touchdown receptions.

He added two rushing scores across 11 games. With former Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz set to run the show in 2026, Foley projects to be one of the top options in the passing game alongside Vanderbilt transfer wide receiver Tre Richardson. Big-time production is hard to find at the tight end spot in college football, but Foley has the opportunity to be one of the best at his position in the ACC and in the country. With tailback Isaac Brown commanding a ton of attention in the running game, Louisville's passing attack could be underrated heading into 2026. Foley stands to benefit.

DJ Vonnahme, Iowa

Iowa tight end DJ Vonnahme is hoping to open the season in a big way, beginning in the team's first test against Northern Illinois on Saturday. He's coming off a 2025 campaign in which he went for 434 yards and three touchdowns across 29 receptions.

The tight end was actually the team's leading pass catcher with those numbers, which shows just what Iowa likes to do on offense: run the ball. Expect a run-heavy offense again from the Hawkeyes for the coming season, especially early on as they sort out a quarterback battle between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown. Vonnahme is an intriguing fantasy option, being the team's top returning pass catcher, though, and he'll be started in a good number of leagues, while being owned in nearly all of them. He's a better option in deeper setups to start the season, but the matchup this weekend could lead to one of his better fantasy scores.

Dylan Wade, UCF

UCF tight end Dylan Wade gets his season started on Thursday against Bethune-Cookman, which sets him up well as a fantasy asset. The Knights are heavy favorites, and Wade should factor in plenty during the starting offense's time on the field. The talent level on the field will be heavily in the Knights' favor, so a big offensive showing could be coming.

In his first season with UCF, Wade caught 43 passes for 523 yards and five touchdowns. He could be in store for even better numbers this coming season, but will need to prove it with new players all over the UCF offense. Transfer quarterback Alonza Barnett III is among the new faces, so Wade's fantasy upside will be determined by how he connects with his new QB. The matchup on Saturday is one to trust Wade in, and that makes him a solid fantasy starting option for Week 1.

Trey'Dez Green, LSU

LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green is set up to be one of the most productive tight ends in 2026. Last season, Green hauled in 33 receptions for 433 yards and seven touchdowns and finished the season as the ninth-best tight end in P4 leagues with 85.3 fantasy PPG. LSU made major changes in the offseason, bringing in quarterback Sam Leavitt and head coach Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin's 2025 offense supported another top-10 tight end in Dae'Quan Wright, and since 2020, Kiffin's offenses have averaged 300 passing yards per game, which raises Green's ceiling and floor. Green is currently ranked as RotoBaller's TE2, and he should have a big game in Death Valley against Clemson.

Jamari Johnson, Oregon

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson faces Boise State to kick off the season. The Broncos surrendered 175.6 passing yards per game a season ago, but also weren't playing the Ducks every week, and have had lots of turnover on defense since then. Johnson is expected to be a big part of the team's offense after tallying 510 yards and three touchdowns across 32 receptions last season. Add in an established connection with quarterback Dante Moore and Johnson could take a step forward and deliver even more this coming season.

There are other offensive skill players to contend with for production, though, including running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. and wide receivers Jeremiah McClellan, Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart. The Ducks' offense should be one of the top units in the country, leaving plenty for Johnson to provide for fantasy owners. The tight end is highly projected for Week 1, so expect to see him starting in most fantasy leagues.

Terrance Carter, Texas Tech

Texas Tech tight end Terrance Carter Jr. will face Abilene Christian to open the college football season. The Wildcats played in Week 0, losing to Lamar. Abilene Christian allowed a pair of Lamar tight ends to go for 65 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches in that contest. That sets Carter up for a possible big fantasy outing in Week 1. Carter is coming off a 55-catch season in which he produced 624 yards and five touchdowns.

The 12th-ranked Red Raiders have some new faces on offense and are led by quarterback Will Hammond, who has just three career starts, but the offense should have no problems excelling this coming week. Carter is a strong fantasy starting option based on what he did last season and what Abilene Christian allowed last week, so fire him up confidently this week. Carter could be a high-end fantasy TE for the full season as well.

Ethan Davis, Tennessee

Tennessee tight end Ethan Davis (lower body) is expected to play in the team's Saturday afternoon clash against Furman. Head coach Josh Heupel said Davis "ramped up this past week and looks really good," and added that he'd be available in week 1. The junior is the team's starting TE, so having him out there is a plus for the Volunteers and for any Davis fantasy owners out there. He caught 21 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns a season ago, and could be poised for even more in his fourth season with Tennessee.

He's projected as college fantasy TE19 in week 1 against Furman, who Tennessee should handle. In a game that could get lopsided, Tennessee could ease Davis into things, especially after he's missed some practice time of late. That makes him a bit of a risky fantasy starting option for the week, and he might be someone who is better skipped in lineups until he proves his worth in 2026.

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