AFC
Baltimore Ravens
Josh Cuevas (BAL) vs. MIN: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 46 Yards
Matthew Hibner (BAL) vs. MIN: 2 Targets, 0 Receptions
Ty Pezza (BAL) vs. MIN: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
These three rookie tight ends for Baltimore shouldn’t have a ton of fantasy appeal with Mark Andrews still on the team, and both Matthew Hibner (fourth-round pick) and Josh Cuevas (fifth-round pick) are still listed behind Durham Smythe on the team’s depth chart. Cuevas was more involved early and often in this preseason, but Hibner would likely have the inside lane to relevance based on his slightly higher draft capital.
Buffalo Bills
Shane Zylstra (BUF) vs. CLE: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 29 Yards
Jackson Hawes (BUF) vs. CLE: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Keleki Latu (BUF) vs. CLE: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Shane Zylstra is a poor man’s Jackson Hawes, who is a poor man’s Dawson Knox, who is a poor man’s Dalton Kincaid. Hawes and/or Zylstra may contribute a touchdown here and there throughout the season, but there’s no fantasy-relevant takeaways here.
Cincinnati Bengals
Jack Endries vs. CHI: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Tanner Hudson vs. CHI: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards
Tight end is not where the Bengals make their money in the passing game, as Mike Gesicki is still the team’s top option at the position (but worst dancer). Nothing to see here.
Cleveland Browns
Blake Whiteheart (CLE) vs. BUF: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 16 Yards
Carsen Ryan (CLE) vs. BUF: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
Jermaine Terry II (CLE) vs. BUF: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Blake Whiteheart is listed as the Browns’ second tight end behind Harold Fannin Jr., but on a team that invested heavily at wide receiver in the draft and has a notorious problem at quarterback, that doesn’t mean much. Fannin should still be a solid TE1 with David Njoku enjoying the Los Angeles sunshine, but the other Cleveland tight ends can be ignored.
Denver Broncos
Adam Trautman (DEN) vs. GB: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Lucas Krull (DEN) vs. GB: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Justin Joly (DEN) vs. GB: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
Stop trying to make Adam Trautman happen. It’s never going to happen. With Evan Engram atop the depth chart, the next most interesting option would probably be rookie Justin Joly, but he’ll have to make the 53-man roster first. Keep an eye on him as a super-deep-league dynasty flier if you have very large rosters.
Houston Texans
Marlin Klein (HOU) vs. LVR: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 31 Yards
Foster Moreau (HOU) vs. LVR: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 23 Yards
Louis Hansen (HOU) vs. LVR: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Dalton Schultz is still on this Texans team as a not-sexy-but-somewhat-reliable TE1/2 borderline play, but it’s worth noting that the Texans spent a second-round pick on Marlin Klein, and he has been fairly involved in Houston’s first two preseason games. Klein still profiles as more of a blocking tight end than a receiving threat, and this Michigan fan was never too impressed with what I saw from him on the field during his collegiate career. He’s someone to monitor to see if he develops based on draft capital alone, but he’s off the fantasy radar for the time being.
Indianapolis Colts
Pharaoh Brown (IND) vs. ATL: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 8 Yards
Tyler Moore (IND) vs. ATL: 2 Targets, 0 Receptions
Tyler Warren is nursing a mild groin injury, but all signs point to him being ready to go for Week 1 of the regular season. On a team that just added Keenan Allen to its receiving room, there isn’t room for another fantasy-relevant TE on the Colts.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Hunter Long (JAX) vs. CAR: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Quintin Morris (JAX) vs. CAR: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
It’s the Brenton Strange show in Jacksonville when it comes to tight end, and there are several other pass catchers who will prevent other tight ends from rising to relevance.
Kansas City Chiefs
Jake Briningstool (KC) vs. TB: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards
Jared Wiley (KC) vs. TB: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 15 Yards
Tre Watson (KC) vs. TB: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Jake Briningstool and Jared Wiley both received plenty of volume in this one, but these two are listed third and fourth on the Chiefs’ tight end depth chart. Even if Travis Kelce lets Father Time catch up to him, these players have a long road to fantasy relevance.
Las Vegas Raiders
Ian Thomas vs. HOU: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards
Chris Myarick vs. HOU: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 17 Yards
Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. vs. HOU: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 1 Yard
This tight end room has a few “oh yeah, that guy!” options in Ian Thomas and Albert Okwuegbunam Jr., but they’d need to leapfrog Michael Mayer to claim the second spot behind superstar Brock Bowers. While it still feels unlikely to happen, there’s a stronger chance here than on most teams.
Los Angeles Chargers
Oronde Gadsden (LAC) vs. SF: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 24 Yards
Jerand Bradley (LAC) vs. SF: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 28 Yards, TD
Charlie Kolar (LAC) vs. SF: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
Johnny Pascuzzi (LAC) vs. SF: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Much has been said about Oronde Gadsden‘s impending demise with the addition of David Njoku and Mike McDaniel‘s tendency to use tight ends as blockers more often than pass catchers. While Charlie Kolar received a target in the team’s first drive with Justin Herbert under center, Gadsden did lead this group in targets and receptions. While I do view Gadsden as a buy-low in dynasty leagues based on reactions to the changing situation around him, he’s still a risky add in redraft leagues and I wouldn’t want him as my TE1.
Miami Dolphins
Seydou Traore (MIA) vs. NYG: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Will Kacmarek (MIA) vs. NYG: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Jeremiah Franklin (MIA) vs. NYG: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Man oh man, is this going to be a bad positional group on a bad team. Greg Dulcich is the “guy to roster” on this team, but it’s hard to view him as more than a TD-reliant TE2 at best.
New England Patriots
Jack Westover (NE) vs. PHI: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
CJ Dippre (NE) vs. PHI: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Hunter Henry just signed an extension with the Patriots this offseason and is the only Pats TE you’ll want to roster. As long as Henry is healthy, he should get plenty of looks from Drake Maye and is a solid, if not somewhat TD-dependent option for the season.
New York Jets
Jelani Woods (NYJ) vs. PIT: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
Mason Taylor (NYJ) vs. PIT: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 10 Yards
Chase Curtis (NYJ) vs. PIT: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Connor Hulstein (NYJ) vs. PIT: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
While Kenyon Sadiq is still on the mend after a setback related to a sports hernia surgery, it appears he should be ready for Week 1 of the regular season. Sadiq’s presence unfortunately makes second-year tight end Mason Taylor irrelevant, and Jelani Woods and the rest of the names here shouldn’t be on your fantasy radar either.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Lake McRee (PIT) vs. NYJ: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 46 Yards
Robert Tonyan (PIT) vs. NYJ: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards
Jaheim Bell (PIT) vs. NYJ: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 5 Yards
Darnell Washington (PIT) vs. NYJ: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Lance Mason (PIT) vs. NYJ: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
The addition of Robert Tonyan to a team that already has Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth does nothing to help clear the air on the TE to draft on this team. Maybe the answer is simply “none.”
Tennessee Titans
Joel Wilson (TEN) vs. SEA: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 20 Yards
Daniel Bellinger (TEN) vs. SEA: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 8 Yards
Kylen Granson (TEN) vs. SEA: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Gunnar Helm (TEN) vs. SEA: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Gunnar Helm got the start and nearly reeled in a long pass from Cam Ward after the latter scrambled away from pressure, but Helm was unable to get both of his feet down in bounds. With Chig Okonkwo moving on to Washington, Helm has the opportunity to take a big step forward, but his success largely hinges on Ward’s development. Helm is a great late-round dart throw with little risk and high reward.
NFC
Arizona Cardinals
Rivaldo Fairweather (ARI) vs. DAL: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 39 Yards
Shawn Bowman (ARI) vs. DAL: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 23 Yards
Teagan Quitoriano (ARI) vs. DAL: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
There isn’t much to say about the Cardinals’ tight ends when Trey McBride isn’t on the field. Backup Tip Reiman is currently nursing an injury and may start the season on the PUP list, which could open the door for Teagan Quitoriano to make the 53-man roster, but there isn’t any fantasy relevance there.
Atlanta Falcons
Nick Muse (ATL) vs. IND: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 26 Yards
Joshua Simon (ATL) vs. IND: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 21 Yards
Jack Velling (ATL) vs. IND: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
None of these tight ends are projected to be anywhere near the 53-man roster with Kyle Pitts Sr. and Austin Hooper sitting atop the depth chart.
Carolina Panthers
Tommy Tremble (CAR) vs. JAX: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 20 Yards
Ja’Tavion Sanders (CAR) vs. JAX: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
James Mitchell (CAR) vs. JAX: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 10 Yards
Feleipe Franks (CAR) vs. JAX: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Mitchell Evans (CAR) vs. JAX: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Revisiting the depth chart for the Carolina Panthers reminded me that Darren Waller is also on this team somehow, making this tight end room a veritable clustercuss, as Mr. Fox would say. Tommy Tremble is listed as the “starter” but has never eclipsed 250 receiving yards in a season. Ja’Tavion Sanders was once touted as a deep league flier in Dynasty formats, but his upside hasn’t materialized at this point in his career. Due to the number of bodies and an overall volatile offense, you should look elsewhere for your 2026 tight end.
Chicago Bears
Colston Loveland vs. CIN: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 10 Yards
Sam Roush vs. CIN: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 30 Yards
Stephen Carlson vs. CIN: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Qadir Ismail vs. CIN: 2 Targets, 0 Receptions
Caleb Williams went to Colston Loveland early and often in this game, targeting the second-year tight end three times on the team’s opening drive. Early indications are that Loveland is poised for a big season, and he should rightfully be the third tight end selected in most drafts.
Dallas Cowboys
Zack Kuntz (DAL) vs. ARI: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 36 Yards
Luke Schoonmaker (DAL) vs. ARI: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 19 Yards
The presence of Luke Schoonmaker and the absence of Brevyn Spann-Ford suggest that the latter has jumped the former for the backup role behind Jake Ferguson. While there are certainly interesting things happening in the battle for Dallas’ QB2, Ferguson is the only Cowboys tight end worth rostering for now.
Detroit Lions
Tyler Conklin vs. WAS: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 21 Yards
Brock Wright vs. WAS: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Sam LaPorta is nursing a hip injury, so the Lions’ TE room is a fair situation to monitor. Though Brock Wright has been with the team longer, he wasn’t very successful in LaPorta’s absence last season. Tyler Conklin is currently behind Wright on the depth chart but has had more success at the NFL level and would be my choice for a name to watch if LaPorta is forced to miss extended time.
Green Bay Packers
Messiah Swinson (GB) vs. DEN: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
Drake Dabney (GB) vs. DEN: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Thomas Yassmin (GB) vs. DEN: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Tucker Kraft is the only Packers tight end worth rostering in what’s already a fairly crowded receiving room, though he may be on a snap count through the first several weeks of the season. This doesn’t mean that Luke Musgrave or other names listed above are worth fliers, but you may need to temper expectations for Kraft early on.
Los Angeles Rams
Dan Villari (LAR) vs. NO: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 24 Yards
Max Klare (LAR) vs. NO: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 12 Yards
Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, and second-year Terrance Ferguson are all ahead of Villari and Klare on the depth chart. Though Ferguson is listed third, he’s probably my favorite asset of that group based on his high draft capital and the steeper learning curve for tight ends in the league.
Minnesota Vikings
Bryson Nesbit (MIN) vs. BAL: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 16 Yards
Gavin Bartholomew (MIN) vs. BAL: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 15 Yards
Marshall Lang (MIN) vs. BAL: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Ben Yurosek (MIN) vs. BAL: 1 Target, 1 Reception, -1 Yards
T.J. Hockenson is still atop the Vikings’ depth chart, though you have to wonder how much success he’ll have this season if Kyler Murray couldn’t capitalize on Trey McBride‘s talent in Arizona. Hock is a fine late flier as a bounce-back candidate who has shown elite numbers in the past, but none of these other tight ends will be rostered in your leagues.
New Orleans Saints
Moliki Matavao (NO) vs. LAR: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 34 Yards
Treyton Welch (NO) vs. LAR: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
Cody Hardy (NO) vs. LAR: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Zaire Mitchell-Paden (NO) vs. LAR: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
With Jordyn Tyson on the mend, there’s room for some targets to open up in the Saints’ receiving room. However, it’s not likely that the biggest beneficiary is coming anywhere from this group. Juwan Johnson did not play but receives the biggest boost with Tyson out for the first several weeks of the season. Johnson is undervalued as the TE17 based on FantasyPros ADP after reeling in 77 catches for 889 yards in 2025.
New York Giants
Thomas Fidone II (NYG) vs. MIA: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 29 Yards
Theo Johnson (NYG) vs. MIA: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 12 Yards
Tanner Conner (NYG) vs. MIA: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Chris Manhertz (NYG) vs. MIA: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
While Isaiah Likely is understandably the talk of the town in New York, Theo Johnson had some success as a trusted red zone target for Jaxson Dart last year. Likely is still the preferred option in drafts, but Johnson would have streamer appeal if Likely were to miss time.
Philadelphia Eagles
Stone Smartt (PHI) vs. NE: 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 37 Yards
Cameron Latu (PHI) vs. NE: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 14 Yards
E.J. Jenkins (PHI) vs. NE: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Eli Stowers (PHI) vs. NE: 2 Targets, 0 Receptions
While it was disappointing to see Eli Stowers miss on both of his targets, the first one was Andy Dalton‘s fault for missing him on a wide-open look. Stowers also set some nice blocks in this game, but he’s still behind Dallas Goedert on the depth chart for this year. Have patience with Stowers – while he’s talented, it’s likely to be more of a slow burn before he’s truly fantasy-relevant.
Dalton comes back on 3rd down and misses a wide-open Eli Stowers. Maybe he expects Stowers to break at more of an angle instead of flattening out toward the sideline. It's hard to say what the expectation is, but it's the 2nd straight play the Eagles missed an easy first down… pic.twitter.com/Xulu8vNtgI
— Shane Haff (@ShaneHaffNFL) August 24, 2026
Seattle Seahawks
Elijah Arroyo (SEA) vs. TEN: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 50 Yards, TD
Eric Saubert (SEA) vs. TEN: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Elijah Arroyo got the Seahawks off to a good start, catching a pass from Drew Lock on the team’s opening drive to open up the scoring. While third-year TE AJ Barner currently sits atop the team’s depth chart, Seattle took Arroyo with the 50th overall pick in the 2025 draft, so the former Hurricane could be in for a larger role this season. If you’re hurting at tight end in a Dynasty league and have the roster space, Arroyo is as good a flier as any, but he’s not quite worth a pick in redraft formats.
Drew Lock ➡️ Elijah Arroyo for a Seahawks TD!
SEAvsTEN on FOX
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mpb74cucFq— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2026
San Francisco 49ers
Luke Farrell vs. LAC: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
Brayden Willis vs. LAC: 2 Targets, 0 Receptions
George Kittle apparently has a “legitimate chance” to suit up in Week 1 after tearing his Achilles in January, which would be absurd, even for a man as tough as Kittle. Jake Tonges would be the player with streamer potential if Kittle does miss time or begin the season on a heavy snap count.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bauer Sharp (TB) vs. KC: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards
Ko Kieft (TB) vs. KC: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 4 Yards, TD
Kenny Fletcher Jr. (TB) vs. KC: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Cade Otton is the earliest Tampa Bay tight end being drafted, going off boards as TE27. That should tell you all you need to know about the other names on this list.
Washington Commanders
Chig Okonkwo (WAS) vs. DET: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 10 Yards
Lawrence Cager (WAS) vs. DET: 2 Targets, 0 Receptions
Colson Yankoff (WAS) vs. DET: 1 Target, 0 Receptions
Chig Okonkwo is a popular sleeper pick at tight end this season, and after playing with the starters for most of the first half, he should have the role and opportunity to take a jump forward from his time at Tennessee. Okonkwo could start the season as Jayden Daniels‘ third option in the passing game behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs.