Tight end usage across the NFL just blew up, hitting a whopping 33.2 percent of offensive snaps with two or more tight ends on the field! That is a full three percent jump over the previous high set back in 2024, a massive surge in just one year. What does that tell you? It screams opportunity, and this 2026 rookie class is walking straight into a goldmine. We saw four of the ten best rookie tight end receiving yard seasons of the last decade go down just last year. The league is undeniably doubling down on the position, and the 2026 NFL Draft proved it, with a wild 22 tight ends selected and nine of those guys going in the top 100 overall. That is a serious investment, showing exactly where offenses are headed.
Rookies Ready to Eat in the Trenches
So, who is actually going to crush it? When you are talking about projected production for these first-year playmakers, opportunity is everything. Look at Eli Raridon, snatched up by the Patriots in the top 100. He is landing in a prime spot because veteran Hunter Henry, who has recorded at least 35 receptions in every healthy season, is definitely closer to the finish line than the starting gun, dating back to his Chargers days in San Diego. Raridon is the clear heir apparent there. While New England was actually below average in two-plus tight end usage last season, Raridon’s path is wide open compared to other top-100 guys. Think about it: Sam Roush in Chicago has to battle Cole Kmet and last year’s first-rounder Colston Loveland. Los Angeles is stacked with Terrance Ferguson and now Max Klare. The Texans have Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover, and Marlin Klein. And the Saints? Oscar Delp joins Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant. Raridon is projected for 22 catches, 241 yards, and two touchdowns, good for 55.8 fantasy points. That is a solid start for a rookie in a league suddenly desperate for tight end talent.
The Blockers and the Athletes Looking to Break Out
Then we have Nate Boerkircher, the third tight end off the board, who had everyone on the big boards talking. Jacksonville clearly believes in this Texas A&M product and you know they will be motivated to prove their choice was brilliant. He is definitely more adept as a blocker, so his impact might not always be the flashiest thing in the box score. The Jaguars were actually near the bottom of the league, ninth-lowest, in two-plus tight end usage last year, at 24.9% of snaps. But when you add Boerkircher to Brenton Strange, that number almost certainly has to climb. Our fantasy experts are looking at him for 32 grabs, 237 yards, and two scores, which translates to 54.1 PPR points.
And you absolutely cannot sleep on Eli Stowers in Philadelphia. This dude was a college quarterback, so he is still developing his body and learning the tight end position. But man, his athleticism and what he can bring in the pass game are just incredibly endearing! He is exactly the kind of raw talent who can thrive as this position evolves. Whether it is a guy like Kenyon Sadiq for the Jets, or following the footsteps of impact players like Harold Fannin Jr. and Oronde Gadsden from 2025, these rookies are stepping into an offensive goldmine. It is going to be unreal to watch which of these guys becomes the next big thing as the season unfolds.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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