-2026 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2026 Draft Kit
A third-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, Harold Fannin was surprisingly impactful as a rookie, racking up 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns to finish TE6 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring. Perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised by Fannin's first-year success. He had 117 catches for 1,555 yards in his final college season at Bowling Green, leading all FBS pass catchers in both categories. The Browns have an unappealing QB situation, and the arrival of rookie WRs KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston could cut into Fannin's target share. But the Browns' new head coach, Todd Monken, has historically been a very TE-friendly playcaller. Fannin should be regarded as a midrange TE1 in 2026 fantasy drafts.
Oronde Gadsden II posted strong numbers in 2025, hauling in 49 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns. He even enjoyed a thrilling mid-season boom run as the overall TE1. Under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, athletic receiving tight ends historically see a heavy dose of target volume. If Gadsden establishes himself as a safety blanket for Justin Herbert, he possesses top-12 upside. The problem is that the Chargers signed veteran tight end David Njoku in May, which creates a crowded tight end room. While Gadsden is expected to maintain his pass-catching role, Njoku's presence may limit his blocking-free snaps. While his electric pass-catching ability makes him a coveted late-round dart throw, his target share is threatened by the off-season addition of Njoku. That's why we like him as a high-upside TE2 in fantasy.
While he led the New York Jets in rookie catches (44 for 369 yards and 1 TD), a crowded depth chart limits Mason Taylor's immediate floor. However, coaching staffs project a sophomore leap with a highly upgraded passing game. Taylor is expected to benefit massively from the arrival of Geno Smith and the offensive scheme of Frank Reich, both of which should elevate the quality of his targets over his erratic rookie season. He demonstrated an elite contested-catch ability as a rookie, making him a strong candidate to vulture red-zone touchdowns. The Jets selected tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. This could lead to a two-tight end scheme, though it may cap Taylor's overall volume. Head Coach Aaron Glenn noted he anticipates Taylor will take a "big step" in his second year. For fantasy, given the competition for targets (especially with the Jets investing a first rounder on Sadiq), Taylor profiles as a high-upside, late-round stash or streaming option for 2026.
The 10th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Colston Loveland put together an impressive rookie season that got better and better as it wore on. Loveland finished TE12 in half-point PPR scoring as a rookie with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns. From Week 9 on, Loveland was TE2 in fantasy scoring behind only Trey McBride. Over Chicago's last four games - two in the regular season, two in the playoffs - Bears head coach Ben Johnson had fully unleashed Loveland. The rookie tight end had 10 or more targets in each of those games, averaging 12.0 targets, 7.0 catches and 94.5 receiving yards over that stretch, with a pair of TDs. In the Bears' playoff win over the Packers, Loveland was targeted 15 times and had eight catches for 137 yards. The 6-6, 241-pound Loveland is a matchup nightmare with his size and speed. Loveland is the consensus TE3 for 2026 fantasy drafts behind only Brock Bowers and Trey McBride.
Tyler Warren's rookie season got off to a fast start, but his production slowed down markedly late in the season, leaving us with a challenging evaluation for 2026. Over his first 10 games of 2025, Warren averaged 5.0 catches, 61.7 receiving yards and 11.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, with four touchdowns. Over his last seven games, Warren averaged 3.7 catches, 28.6 receiving yards and 5.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, with one touchdown. The net result: 76 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns (plus one TD run) and a TE5 fantasy finish. Daniel Jones' late-season Achilles injury might partly account for Warren's late-season slowdown, and Jones' health status might still be an issue early in the 2026 season. But the Colts traded away WR Michael Pittman in the offseason and didn't make any significant pass-catching acquisitions in free agency or the draft, bolstering Warren's 2026 target outlook. Warren might not be one of the elite fantasy TEs in 2026, but he should still be one of the first five tight ends off the board in this year's drafts.
Second-year man Gunnar Helm sits atop the Titans' depth chart at tight end now that veteran Chig Okonkwo has moved on to Washington via free agency. A fourth-round pick out of the University Of Texas, Helm turned in a solid if unspectacular rookie season, catching 44 passes for 357 yards and two touchdown in an offense that struggled for much of the season. Helm caught 80% of his targets and averaged a respectable 1.45 yards per route run. Titans QB Cam Ward had a rough rookie season overall but played much better late in the season. If Ward can continue to make strides, Helmn could become a fantasy-viable TE option in 2026.