Rookies at first blush (pt. 3)

By: Josh Frey-Sam

The tight end position in fantasy football is anything but sexy.

There’s a distinguished upper-echelon of about three players, followed by another small group of guys who carry name power but are anything but certainties, then there’s a clear drop-off.

It would be a stretch to say this year’s rookie class changes the narrative, but it does beautify the position a bit, especially in dynasty leagues.

This was a strong tight end class as far as real football is concerned. Many guys will be leaned upon to produce immediately; the key question is, to what extent?

Let’s take a look at the most notable tight ends to emerge from the class and what kind of impact they could have for your dynasty team.

Note: these are not rankings. Players are listed in no particular order.

Tight ends

Tyler Warren: As of right now, I’m not worried about the QB situation in Indy. My gut says Warren will be a key part of this offence, not to the extent of Brock Bowers, but still very relevant for fantasy. The Colts have been looking for a difference-maker at tight end for a while now, so it’s intriguing to think about his role now that Shane Steinchen has one.

Colston Loveland: He’s Travis Kelce Jr. I struggle with Loveland a bit, though. Most fans just expect the Bears’ offence to be a powerhouse, that HC Ben Johnson will just game plan this team to success, and every offensive weapon will eat. Make no mistake, there are a lot of mouths to feed, and we still don’t know what this team’s identity will be. Working in Loveland’s favour is his draft position (10th overall) and Johnson’s recent history with tight ends. Sam LaPorta was pretty good as a rookie.

Terrance Ferguson: Ferguson might be one of those guys who has more of an impact in real football than he does for fantasy. Not because he can’t produce as a pass-catcher, but because of the way the Los Angeles Rams’ offence runs. Ferguson is still work drafting, though, and he could be a guy who pops a few times a year. Keep in mind, the Rams tried trading up for Brock Bowers last year, so there’s obviously something McVay has in mind for a capable tight end in his offence.

Mason Taylor: Is it crazy to think Mason Taylor could emerge as the most productive rookie from this group? Maybe that’s a stretch, but I do believe there’s a path to solid production for him in this Jets offence. Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand comes from the same tree as Ben Johnson, and with a second-round pick at TE, it’s possible he looks to Taylor as a field-stretcher and chain-mover. My gut says touchdowns could be scarce, but he could eat in between the 20s.

Elijah Arroyo: There’s a lot of potential here, which maybe Arroyo, a second-round pick of the Seahawks, an intriguing option. He’s got every trait you’d want in a vertical-threatening TE, he just has some durability concerns. I think the Seahawks are still trying to sort out these weapons on offence, but Arroyo could very well emerge as a key piece of this unit.

Harold Fannin Jr.: Fannin Jr. doesn’t project as an immediate contributor. David Njoku is still there. But this looks like Njoku’s last year as a Brown, so a year of learning could serve Fannin Jr., a trustworthy set of hands, well. Stash him and pray he has a competent QB throwing him the ball in 2026.

Gunnar Helm: Similar to Fannin Jr, Helm might not produce right away with Chig Okonkwo, but could see an elevated role in 2026 should Okonkwo leave in free agency. I don’t really see a ton of upside with Helm for fantasy, regardless. A true flier.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh