Fantasy Football TE ADP: Are McBride and Bowers Worth the Early Picks?
The latest fantasy football ADP data reveals some intriguing values at the tight end position.
Let's continue going over late fantasy football average draft position data as the 2026 NFL regular season nears! We'll look at tight ends next.
We looked at quarterbacks yesterday, and will discuss running backs and wide receivers in stories to come yet.
Fantasy football average draft position data can be found on FantasySP in the leadup to the 2026 NFL season! Conduct your fantasy football mock drafts through FantasySP too - you can now customize the scoring settings to tailor to your fantasy leagues!
1. Brock Bowers
As the preseason ends, Bowers has overtaken McBride as the top-drafted fantasy tight end, both in PPR and standard formats. We'll use PPR numbers for the rest of this article - Bowers is going at pick 21 in PPR leagues so far.
He underwhelmed in 2025, in large part because of injuries he battled throughout the season. His team's QB play also wasn't great. Fantasy owners are thinking Bowers bounces back in 2026, with Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza as the team's new QBs.
That pick is a bit too early for my liking, especially because I don't like Bowers the most of the fantasy tight ends this season.
2. Trey McBride
The guy I like the most is McBride, who is sitting at pick 22.5 on average.
He was TE1 a season ago, and I don't see much reason to expect anything less in 2026. Arizona still doesn't have too many great playmakers, so I expect McBride to shine.
It's still an early pick to use on a fantasy TE, so only take McBride that early if you are confident in your drafting skills in the later rounds, where you'll be chasing running backs and wide receivers.
Loveland is the third fantasy TE taken, going at pick 53.5.
He enjoyed a good rookie season with Chicago, and is poised for more in year 2. Chicago does have several pass catchers on the roster, so that at least makes me pause when thinking about Loveland's outlook for 2026.
I think he's a better pick near his ADP than Bowers and McBride are at theirs, but there's not a ton of room for Loveland to exceed expectations either, so if you don't love him, skip him as well.
4. Tyler Warren
Warren is next up, going 71st overall on average.
He's dealt with a groin injury in the leadup to the season, and that's helped him go a bit later in fantasy drafts. Warren was also pretty solid in his rookie year, and his outlook for this year is even better given the team's options at wide receiver.
Warren is a bit risky because of the injury issue, but he's the first one on the ADP list where you should feel best about taking a TE, because most of your RB and WR spots should be filled by then.
5. Tucker Kraft
Kraft is next off draft boards, but not going until pick 102.25.
I think that's stellar draft value for a guy who was headed to a monster season in 2025 before suffering a major injury. He's going to play early this season, but could have his snaps monitored - at that ADP though, I think he's a good value pick.
I'd love to take Kraft as my fantasy TE1, but would still consider a second option, especially if you are set at your other positions.
Fannin is sitting at pick 103.75, so he's right by Kraft.
Fannin showed promise as a rookie, but probably has the weakest outlook of any fantasy TE we've discussed so far thanks to the offense he's on. I still wouldn't mind getting him near that ADP, and as my top fantasy TE - again though, I'd probably look to add another TE later on, just in case Fannin isn't the weekly starting option we hope he becomes.
Pitts is going at pick 108, making him the seventh TE off PPR draft boards.
He's coming off a big 2025 season, but was inconsistent in his performances. Pitts should be a big part of the Atlanta offense, but with major question marks at quarterback, he's going deeper in fantasy drafts.
I like him better as a weekly starting option, not a locked-in guy, so definitely take a second fantasy TE alongside him.
8. Sam LaPorta
LaPorta is going eighth among tight ends, sitting at pick 115.5 overall.
He's struggled to replicate his rookie season over the past two years, and missed time last season with an injury, while also battling injuries early on this season. It makes him a bit risky to pick, but at this ADP, and given his high-end performance in the past, I don't hate taking him there.
Get another fantasy TE option in case LaPorta deals with injuries throughout 2026, but he also could re-emerge as a weekly starting option and become a major draft steal.
Kittle is sitting at pick 132, and that's even after he was cleared for practice and the start of the season.
I think that's stellar draft value, and that he could be one of the biggest fantasy draft steals if he turns in even a semi-healthy 2026 campaign. There's risk involved for sure given his injury history, and coming off a major injury, but the upside is simply too good to pass on.
I don't even mind getting Kittle a couple rounds before his current ADP. I think he's worth the gamble, knowing what he's capable of.
10. Travis Kelce
Kelce rounds out the top 10, and is going at pick 143.75 on average.
That barely puts him inside standard redraft leagues, but seeing him 10th means he should be picked in most of those leagues. Again, I see a good amount of value in landing Kelce near that pick, even if he's well past his prime.
Kelce should be a solid weekly starting option as a big part of the Chiefs' offense still.
The Next TEs Picked
Isaiah Likely is barely outside the top 10 and top-150 picks, going at 150.25 overall. He's the top TE for the Giants, who are lacking playmakers, so Likely could also emerge as a weekly starting option.
Jake Ferguson (156.25) is another tight end I really like, and you can sometimes scoop him up for free after your drafts end. He's the third-best pass catcher in Dallas, but on a high-powered offense, that leaves plenty for Ferguson, so don't overlook him as a fantasy asset.
Dalton Kincaid (157.75) is 13th among tight ends right now. He's never really developed into the guy we expected him to be in Buffalo, but he's still got the chance to do just that, so get him as a second fantasy TE and maybe you end up with a weekly starter down the line.
Dallas Goedert (162.25) is another fantasy TE I like, and he's oftentimes skipped in drafts. Philly needs pass catchers to step up, and there's a chance Goedert delivers big, so keep him in mind if you miss out on the stud fantasy TEs.
Mark Andrews (169) is the 15th fantasy TE off draft boards, so we'll stop going into detail on guys after him. Baltimore doesn't have Likely any more, and needs more guys to step up alongside Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers, so maybe Andrews turns back the clock and becomes another weekly fantasy starting option.
There's several other tight ends who will work their way into standard leagues at points in 2026. Some guys that I really like are Juwan Johnson, Hunter Henry, Oronde Gadsden, Kenyon Sadiq and Dalton Schultz. Others, like Brenton Strange, T.J. Hockenson and Chig Okonkwo, could also work into the mix.
Basically, if you miss out on the top-end fantasy tight ends, be ready to pivot often throughout the upcoming season. Tight end is the toughest spot to get consistent production at, and that will likely prove true again in 2026.
