Diving into the NFL Draft isn’t just for the Dynasty fantasy football crowd anymore. Numerous rookies make an impact in regular redraft fantasy football leagues every season. Just look at Malik Nabers, Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, and Jayden Daniels in 2024, to name a few. Leading up to the NFL Draft, we’ll look at one or two of the top prospects at their position in each Rookies to Know post. We’ll ensure you know which rookies to keep an eye on when your fantasy football drafts roll around.
As the draft rapidly approaches, it would be irresponsible not to touch on the top two Tight Ends in this year’s class: Tyler Warren from Penn State and Colston Loveland from Michigan. Both are virtual locks to go in the first round and are names you should be aware of for best ball, redraft, and keeper league purposes. Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers (as mentioned earlier) were immediate major contributors as rookies in 2023 and 2024, respectively, and ended up being great draft day values for what they provided. Speaking from experience, snagging LaPorta in the 18th round of a re-draft league in 2023 is one of the best steals I’ve ever experienced. It’s a bit hard to imagine either Warren or Loveland lasting that long in drafts regardless of the format, but they absolutely can make a fantasy impact from the start and won’t command the draft capital that the top tight ends will require.
Tyler Warren
Hometown: Mechanicsville, Virginia
6’5 1/2, 256 pounds
Background:
Born and raised in Mechanicsville, Warren was a multi-sport athlete at Atlee High School, where he played baseball, basketball, and, of course, football. Warren played quarterback in high school before he switched to Tight End at Penn State, which we’ll touch on more later. As you’ll see, there aren’t a ton of questions when it comes to Warren’s prospect profile, except for the fact that he picked Subway as his preferred fast food choice in an interview with CBS Sports at the NFL Combine. I just can’t support that, but his draft stock remains high, regardless.
Strengths:
Warren is a versatile weapon who can line up all over the field, from out wide to inline, and even in the backfield in the Wildcat formation. Warren in the Wildcat was something to behold during his days at Penn State. As you see in this short film breakdown by Connor Rodgers of NBC Sports, Warren wasn’t just put in the Wildcat to get a first down in a short-yardage situation, but he’s a guy who could take it to the house at any given moment. He looks like a seasoned running back when he hits the open field. If I were the opposing defensive coordinator tasked with stopping a guy with his frame lining up all over the field, that would keep me up the night before a game, and probably all week.
Of course, for fantasy football purposes, we don’t want to rely on him just getting the ball in a formation used so sparingly, and luckily, we don’t have to. A major strength of Warren’s game is his ability to come down with contested catches in traffic. He exhibits exceptional body control and doesn’t need a perfect throw or to be wide open to help create explosive plays downfield. That’s perfect for fantasy football, as Warren doesn’t need conditions to be perfect to stuff the stat sheet.
When looking into Warren, a unique aspect of his game is his route tempo. He’s aware of how to pace his route to give his quarterback time to make the throw, something any quarterback will love and will help him to develop chemistry with whatever signal caller he lands with.
His production profile is nothing to sneeze at either. Warren compiled six rushing touchdowns in 2024 along with 20 plays of 20+ yards, according to nfldraftbuzz.com, showing how big plays are a norm for him, which is exactly what we want in fantasy football. His huge strides make for a tough guy to bring down in the open field and help add to his yards after catch abilities.
Not that it matters much for fantasy, but Warren is a solid blocker and can move defenders off the line of scrimmage. Sure, we don’t get points for great blocks, but there shouldn’t be much of a reason for Warren to come off the field, and that’s something to note.
Weaknesses:
Warren has a few areas where he can improve, starting with his route running. Running around defenders instead of into them as he’s into his route is an area where there can be some growth. He’s not quite the polished route runner that Colston Loveland is, which we’ll get to, but Warren didn’t start learning the Tight End position until he got to Penn State. It’s almost scary that Warren is this good of a Tight End prospect, considering he’s relatively new to the position. With experience and NFL coaching, there’s no reason to think this won’t improve.
Team Fits:
The 7th pick to the Jets is likely the ceiling for Warren’s selection unless a team like the Patriots or Jaguars decides they can’t pass up on a prospect that is truly the total package at his position. Historically, 7th overall is even a bit rich for a Tight End, but from a fantasy perspective, the Jets offer a good landing spot. They have a gaping hole at the Tight End position after Tyler Conklin skipped town for the Chargers. Stone Smartt and Jeremy Ruckert are currently the Jets’ top two Tight Ends, and adding a talent like Tyler Warren would immediately add an influx of talent to the Tight End room as well as the offense as a whole that it desperately needs. Outside of Garrett Wilson, no one else puts any fear in opposing defenses when it comes to the passing game (unless you want to count Breece Hall in the backfield). Wilson is the clear WR1, but after him, there are plenty of targets up for grabs with the departure of Davante Adams to the Rams. The Jets offer a good mix of a team that should offer no shortage of targets but have a dynamic receiver that commands attention, potentially opening up some space in the middle of the field for Warren.
Colston Loveland
Hometown: Bliss, Idaho
6’6, 248 pounds
Background:
Loveland grew up in a tiny Idaho town on a farm. He went to Gooding High School and earned the 2021 Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year award, where he was a four-star recruit. Loveland picked Michigan over offers from the likes of Alabama, LSU, and Auburn, among several others.
Strengths:
In watching Loveland’s film breakdowns, his route running was noticeable, for good reasons. Meticulous and nuanced are two great ways to describe his route running, and as a result, he’s able to create separation from defenders. He also has a good release package, getting into his routes that can put defenders at a disadvantage.
The Idaho native is what I like to call a YAC monster in the middle of the field. He’s a guy who can create explosive plays on his own and can make defenders miss, perfect for what we want in the fantasy football world. A tight end that turns around on a five-yard route and doesn’t offer much after-the-catch ability is boring and unhelpful, and that’s exactly the opposite of what Loveland is. He dealt with some injuries in 2024, but in 2023, he was third among all tight ends in the nation in yards per route run, trailing just Brock Bowers in the Power Five conferences.
While it was fun watching Loveland’s route running and ability to separate, we can’t forget his big catch radius and ability to come down with contested catches. At Michigan, he lined up all over the field, similar to Warren, from in the slot, to out wide and and inline. Loveland will be a unique weapon for whatever offense he finds himself in and has plenty of different ways where he can tally up the stats, from making a defender miss in the middle of the field to coming down with a tough contested catch for a 20-yard gain.
Weaknesses:
Not that it’s necessarily a weakness, but Loveland did deal with a pretty significant shoulder injury during the 2024 season. He suffered a Type V AC joint dislocation in his right shoulder and had surgery in January, requiring a 4-6 month recovery. That timeline should put him at 100% by the time the 2025 season comes around, barring a setback or an additional injury, but injuries impact availability, and any serious ones should be noted.
Like many modern-day Tight Ends, Loveland could improve as a blocker. Adding some weight to his 6’5 frame will allow him to avoid getting overpowered in the run game. Blocking doesn’t directly help us in fantasy football, but becoming a three-down player would, as it would give him more playing time and opportunities on the field to make plays. Who knows? That play where he stays in for a second as a blocker and sneaks out for a short touchdown in the redzone could make all the difference in winning a matchup in fantasy or even the championship, but if the team he lands with views him as a liability as a blocker it’ll be a lot tougher for that type of scenario to come to fruition.
The almost 21-year-old did have three drops against Penn State in 2024, so if you want to nitpick, you could point to his hands as somewhat of a concern. There’s a lot more to like with Loveland than to be concerned about, though, and he’ll likely hear his name called somewhere in the middle of the first round.
Team Fits:
Colston Loveland has one pretty obvious landing spot that would also be a positive in the fantasy world. It’s hard to imagine Jim Harbaugh passing up on his former college Tight End when the Chargers pick at 22, and it’s not just because of the Michigan connection. Justin Herbert needs more reliable weapons to get the ball to, and Colston Loveland would be just what the doctor ordered. Ladd McConkey had a great rookie season in 2024, but he can’t do it all alone. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston is up and down, and Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin (former Jet) aren’t long-term answers at the position. We know Harbaugh would have a great plan for Loveland if he ends up finding his way to LA, and catching passes from Justin Herbert wouldn’t be bad either.
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