Top 10 Best Tight Ends Going Into the 2026 NFL Season

The Top Ten

  1. Trey McBride

    Last season firmly established McBride as the league's premier tight end, as he set the record for most receptions in a season by a tight end. All of this on a downtrodden Cardinals team with tons of issues. Going forward, he'll be the top target for whatever quarterbacks they decide to throw out there.

  2. Brock Bowers

    Bowers slowed a little from his historic rookie season due to injuries and the general dysfunction of the Raiders, but he still put up a great season and made his second career Pro Bowl appearance. With Fernando Mendoza in the fold now, expect Bowers to be an important outlet for him early on.

  3. George Kittle

    Even despite getting up there in age and injuries slowing him down, Kittle is still a force of nature as both a receiver and a blocker. He still serves as the model for younger tight ends to shape their games after.

  4. Tucker Kraft

    We were truly robbed of an incredible season from Kraft last season, after he tore his ACL in early November. He was leading the NFL in quite a few tight end stats before he went down. He's a ferocious blocker and has incredible YAC ability, with a very similar playstyle to George Kittle. He should be healthy to start the season, so maybe he'll finally have his true All-Pro-level season.

  5. Travis Kelce

    Travis Michael Kelce is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He has played for the Chiefs since being drafted in 2013. Kelce is considered one of the top tight ends in NFL history and has been selected to multiple Pro Bowls.

    Kelce is one of the all-time greats at this point and has amazingly still continued to produce at a high level going into his late 30s. He's served as Patrick Mahomes' steadiest and favorite target throughout his career, and he will continue to do so going into this season, which could very well be his last.

  6. Colston Loveland

    It was a slow start to his rookie year for Loveland, but he really came alive down the stretch as he was a key target in Chicago's late-season surge. Now he's already begun to find himself in some great company going into his sophomore season.

  7. Tyler Warren

    Also a first-rounder last season, Warren's impact on his team was much more immediate, with him being a major factor in the resurgence of Daniel Jones and the Colts. Not to mention his unspoken blocking contributions. He's already one of the better all-around tight ends in the NFL.

  8. Sam LaPorta

    LaPorta missed about half of last season due to injury, but it's hard to forget his impact on Detroit in his first two seasons there. Combined with him, Kraft, and Loveland, the NFC North might be the best tight end division in the NFL.

  9. Jake Ferguson

    Ferguson has churned out a solid few seasons in the last couple years, even despite sharing targets with two of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He's been a steady presence for Dak Prescott and will continue to be so.

  10. Kyle Pitts

    Interestingly, Pitts decided to finally have a breakout season in the final year of his rookie deal. While he's still not much of a blocker at all, he is easily Atlanta's #2 receiver. Now playing on the franchise tag, all eyes will be on him to show even more improvement while working towards a true long-term extension.

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