2026 NFL Draft TE rankings: Kenyon Sadiq has the fast track to big stats, but others are sneaky sleepers

We were so spoiled last year. Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren were top-15 picks. Harold Fannin Jr. was a big surprise; Oronde Gadsden II was a little surprise. Four other tight ends, each of whom have 2026 sleeper appeal, were taken in the first four rounds.

And we were spoiled the year before that when Brock Bowers went in Round 1, and the year before that when Sam LaPorta, Dalton Kincaid and Tucker Kraft came into the league and eventually into our Fantasy brains. Trey McBride was the top tight end in 2022.

The top Fantasy tight end addition for 2026 figures to be Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, who is way more of a receiver than a blocker. His playing style is very much like Kyle Pitts, but hopefully he doesn't end up like Kyle Pitts. You know what I mean.

Is Sadiq the only tight end worth a darn for Fantasy? Not exactly. There are a number of solid tight ends who can run, catch and score, but they'll all need to find their own opportunity to realize their Fantasy potential. It won't be given to them like it will be to Sadiq. But if Fannin taught us one thing from last season it's that finding the opportunity to be a good player on a bad team with poorly performing teammates can lead to a bundle of Fantasy points. An opportunity like that would be awesome for some of these tight ends not named Sadiq.

Here are the top 2026 tight end prospects in order of how I have them ranked:

1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

6-3 1/8, 247 lbs., 4.39 speed in the 40-yard dash

Stats: 67 targets, 51 catches, 560 yards (11.0 yards per catch) and 8 touchdowns

Strengths: Phenomenal athleticism and very good speed. Big 10-inch hands help him bring in off-target throws. Solid suddenness with good cuts. Very good tracking skills. Outrageous vertical jump (43.5).

Concerns: Not quite as tall as you'd want from a traditional tight end. Slowish acceleration -- it takes him a few steps to get to top speed. Needs to totally trust his hands and stop bringing balls into his body, which led to some drops in college (technically had six drops on 67 targets last year but one came on a Hail Mary ricochet drop, so it's more like five, which is still not super). Doesn't play with enough strength. Had a 58.3% contested catch rate last year with just four career catches with 10-plus yards after first contact. Still has untapped potential in terms of exploiting zone coverage, route running and blocking.

Best advanced stats: Was top-eight among qualifying FBS tight ends (at least 50 targets) in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, average depth of target (8.31), explosive catch rate (22.4%),

Worst advanced stat: Definitely the 9% drop rate.

FIVE PLAYS: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

1. You can already see Sadiq's size when he motions into the slot. Good burst off the snap but the quick cut he makes to move outside is an example of what's all over his film. One of his better traits. The rest of the play -- running back… pic.twitter.com/XX0p6h3wyQ

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) March 5, 2026

2. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

6-3 3/4, 239 lbs., 4.51 speed in the 40-yard dash

Stats: 85 targets, 62 catches, 769 yards (12.4 yards per catch) and 4 touchdowns

Strengths: Intoxicating quickness for a guy his size used to help him win on hitches, slants and digs. Played in the slot 70% of his snaps. Also can get down the seam in a hurry. Good at finding soft spots in zone coverage. Very good hands with a big catch radius. Mackey Award winner.

Concerns: Narrow body with leanish arms. Questionable physicality means he might get destroyed as a blocker in the pros which could lead to limited playing time. Contested catches could also be a problem. Multiple shoulder injuries going back to high school forced a position change.

Best advanced stats: Led qualifying FBS tight ends in receiving yards and yards per route run (2.71), helped by a 29.9% target per route run rate (second best).

Worst advanced stat: 14.5% avoided tackle rate was below average.

3. Oscar Delp, Georgia

6-4 7/8, 245 lbs., 4.49 speed in the 40-yard dash

Stats: 28 targets, 20 catches, 261 yards (13.1 yards per catch) and 1 touchdown

Strengths: Lots of potential. Bigger body that could actually benefit from a little more muscle. Startingly good burst off the snap and acceleration for his size. Good speed, too. Can leap high for passes and make contested grabs. Tough -- played through a hairline fracture in his foot in 2025.

Concerns: Short arms impact his receiving skills including his catch radius. Will need to learn more routes and the nuances of zone coverage to be totally effective. Better blocker in space than on the line. Production is a real question mark -- in two years without Brock Bowers he had 41 catches on 58 targets over 28 games for 509 yards (12.4 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. Also had just five end-zone targets in those two years. Was it because of the foot injury in 2025? A scheme change?

Best advanced stat: Despite the limited targets Delp averaged a 24.1% explosive catch rate over his last two seasons. That means nearly one out of every four catches he made went for 15 or more yards.

Worst advanced stat: A 9.8% avoided tackle rate over his past two seasons means he avoided FOUR tackles in two seasons.

4. Max Klare, Ohio State

6-4 3/8, 246 lbs., did not run the 40-yard dash

Stats: 55 targets, 43 catches, 448 yards (10.4 yards per catch) and 2 touchdowns

Strengths: Long strider with good burst off the snap and after the catch. Good cutting skills and good enough top speed even if it takes him a few steps to get there. Good body control and hands to make tough catches.

Concerns: Lean build means liability in physicality in many ways: no power after catch, no power as a blocker. Lack of acceleration will keep defenders on him. Didn't have more than seven yards after contact in 2025 (three plays with 10-plus yards after contact in 2024, though two had barely any contact). Three fumbles and a 5.4% drop rate in his past two years. Had better numbers on a higher target per route run rate with Purdue in 2024.

Best advanced stat: 78.2% catch rate was second-best among qualifying FBS tight ends in 2025. He was at 68.9% in 2024.

Worst advanced stats: None of his other advanced metrics ranked him in the top-12 at the position in 2025. In 2024 he did have better metrics related to catching in relation to the number of routes he ran but was still far from the top-12 at the position in explosive catch rate (17.6% was 18th) and avoided tackle rate (13.7% was 23rd).

5. Michael Trigg, Baylor

6-3 3/4, 240 lbs., did not run the 40-yard dash

Stats: 85 targets, 50 catches, 694 yards (13.9 yards per catch) and 6 touchdowns

Strengths: Built like a power forward with long arms. Enough power to beat press coverage. Coordinated athlete with good quickness and very good speed considering his size. Massive catch radius. Physical player who fights for extra yards and is a willing blocker. Size/speed combo yielded a number of pass interference calls from inferior college defenders.

Concerns: Route running needs refinement and can't tip his routes and make life easier on defenders. Was sometimes clumsy as a route runner and receiver. Seven drops means his hands aren't totally reliable. Behavioral issues led to one-game suspensions in 2022 and 2024, and was involved in a sideline incident with the Baylor athletic director in 2025.

Best advanced stat: 34% avoided tackle rate was second best among qualifying FBS tight ends.

Worst advanced stat: 58.8% catch rate (hurt by an 8.2% drop rate) is problematic; his 2024 catch rate was 61.2% (2% drop rate).

Two more tight ends to know for Fantasy

Justin Joly, N.C. State: WR-turned-TE has good athleticism that wasn't really put on display at N.C. State -- just eight catches of 16-plus air yards in 2025. Has potential to be a good receiving threat.

Marlin Klein, Michigan: Tall and long-armed. Good short-area quicks and lateral agility to get himself open with a burst of speed. Potential to be a better route runner and blocker. Three drops over 41 targets in 2025 stinks, but he had one drop over 22 targets in 2024.