With a week until the NFL Draft, analyst Joel Smyth breaks down the 2026 TE class for fantasy football. With several teams looking for hope this offseason, who are the college tight ends that can provide fantasy value while boosting the stock of others?
More Positional Draft Previews
Kenyon Sadiq, University of Oregon
Measurables: 6’3, 241 lbs
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Projected Draft Pick: Mid-Round 1
I’ve seen Kenyon Sadiq go as high as 1.05 in dynasty drafts and as low as 1.10. He truly is an athletic freak. Looks like a Create-A-Player, dominated the combine and shows it on tape. The ceiling is tremendous, but the concerns are hard to look past as well.
He just turned 21, so keep that in mind, although he did not become a full-time starter until this season. After a couple of mediocre years statistically, he broke out with eight touchdowns and a solid 540 receiving yards — which isn’t bad, but as a high first-round selection, it’s … okay. Of recent players, Brock Bowers averaged 71.4 receiving yards and Tyler Warren 77.1 yards (+218 rush yards). Even Colston Loveland, on a poor passing offense, averaged 58.2 and a ridiculous 38.6% of team receiving yards.
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(Also, hilarious stat: in the three games without Loveland, Michigan averaged 56 yards passing, how is that even possible?!)
So, although Sadiq put up solid numbers, in comparison they’re a slight concern with having an NFL prospect at QB. Sadiq averaged exactly 40 yards per game and a low 15.2% of Oregon’s receiving yards.
Similar to the next TE up, Sadiq’s athleticism is off the charts, yet that comes with a smaller frame. Sadiq’s weight is in the 15th percentile and will be more of a receiving talent than a beast in the run game. His versatility as a pass catcher is incredible for fantasy purposes, but we still need him to be counted on in the run schemes to live up to his true potential.
Kenyon Sadiq percentiles vs. other tight ends. (Photo by Joel Smyth/NFL Draft Buzz)
I’d be timid to select him in fantasy if he lands at a spot with multiple other established receiving threats. If he is selected early to a team with plenty of targets to go around, I’ll take a shot, but if he’s in a spot that screams a continuation of a lower target share, I’d rather select a rookie WR.
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Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Measurables: 6’3″ 3/4, 239 lbs
Projected Draft Pick: Round 2
Eli Stowers is an intriguing prospect as he isn’t necessarily a traditional TE. His athletic scores are the best you could imagine, but the size and usage are not those of an NFL TE. Think Dalton Kincaid. On the Bills, Kincaid played 35% of snaps as an inline TE while playing the rest out wide or in the slot. He is also only in on a quarter of run plays as a blocker. Stowers could be similar, as a receiving weapon that is personnel-dependent.
At Vanderbilt, Stowers led the team in receptions each season since arriving in 2024. His production as a whole was one of the best in the class to pair with his top athleticism scores. Similar to Sadiq, not only is TE one of the most important positions for the combine, but he is better than great. His broad jump was a TE record, and his 45.5” vertical jump was (somehow only) second-best in history.
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In a less-talented rookie class, he can slip into the end of Round 1 dynasty drafts. If he can get on the field more consistently than 2-TE sets alone, he can have the volume potential to be a long-term top-12 asset at the position.
Max Klare, Ohio State
Measurables: 6’4”, 3/8, 246 lbs
Projected Draft Pick: Round 3
A year ago, Klare was the No. 1 TE prospect in the transfer portal out of Purdue. There, he controlled over 31% of the receiving yards for a struggling one-win team. That dropped to under 12% on a 12-win Ohio State team in his senior year. Is it a red flag? I wouldn’t say so. OSU had Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith, multiple other 5-star WRs and NFL TE prospect Will Kacmarek, who is one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the class, for Klare to battle alongside. He played a different role, but still showed up in big moments throughout the season, bringing in 43 receptions to finish third on the team.
Klare is a true all-around player in comparison to the top TE prospects of the class. His receiving is well-rounded with a blend of playmaking downfield and being a chain-mover underneath. His blocking also improved after moving to Ohio State. He may not be the most exciting pick in the draft, yet I could see him becoming a big-time contributor as a player who never has to be taken off the field, can be a QB’s best friend, and is relied on confidently.
He should be the third TE taken in dynasty drafts as a more traditional wait-and-see TE rather than banking on another top rookie TE season we’ve seen so much lately.
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Likely Day 3 Tight Ends
Oscar Delp, Georgia – Projected to be drafted first of this group regardless of his lack of production in college. His best season saw only 20 yards per game, which surprisingly came when Brock Bowers was still in school.
Eli Raridon, Notre Dame – Began his college career with multiple ACL tears. In his final season, he showed out with nearly 500 receiving yards, oddly coming in either big chunks versus top competition or next to nothing at all.
Sam Roush, Stanford – You select Roush to bank on his 99.4 percentile athleticism score, which isn’t a bad choice for a late-round TE. His four career touchdowns don’t provide much excitement, but he does have all the tools to grow into a big-time player.
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Michael Trigg, Baylor – The main red flag is next to no production at his first two stops and first three years in college. His 99th-percentile wingspan is limited in contested catch situations with a 5th-percentile vertical. Will most likely be a situational receiving TE.
Justin Joly, NC State – Athletic testing was not the best for Joly. He produced for three consecutive years in college and provides another red zone and downfield threat for a team in need, similar to how Oronde Gadsden II was used in Los Angeles last season.
Jack Endries, Texas – After being Fernando Mendoza’s leading receiver at Cal, Endries transferred to Texas for his final season. He was very impressively a freshman starter after walking on. He’s a versatile TE who is limited, but doesn’t make mistakes in the receiving game.
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Joe Royer, Cincinnati – An Ohio State transfer who broke out in a big way in 2024 with 50 receptions. This past year, as a fifth-year senior that dipped significantly, with under 15% of the team receiving yards and only 29 receptions despite great QB play.
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