Tell your friends (just not your leaguemates until next week)

by Bryan Rockwood

Published On: January 10th, 2026

You hear it all the time, but it bears repeating – dynasty is a year-round fantasy football game. Every week, subtle changes in the dynasty market force managers to react. I’ve even written a few pieces on that happening! 

For the fourth and final installment of this series, it’s time we look at the least exciting yet ever-important skill position. It’s time we give some love to the tight end. Recent trends have shown that rookie tight ends are entering the league and making immediate impacts, making it all the more vital for us as dynasty managers to keep our finger on the pulse of the tight end market. 

I’ve already covered a few QBs to watch, RBs to watch, and WRs to watch.

2026 Fantasy Football Rookie Draft: Tight End Prospects to Watch

Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!

Tight Ends to Watch:

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Kenyon Sadiq is, more likely than not, the first tight end off the board in 2026. Those who’ve watched any Oregon game this season would agree. Sadiq has the traits to be an NFL tight end from day one. There’s not a lot to dislike about Sadiq’s collegiate profile. The only issue you could bring up is his production – just 800 yards between the past two seasons isn’t fantastic. We love seeing 10 touchdowns in that span, eight of which came in this past year, but that was on just 70 catches. Let’s just chalk it up to being stuck behind Terrance Ferguson last year and get excited about a potential new fantasy TE. 

And counting.

Kenyon Sadiq is the new UO single-season record holder for receptions by a tight end.

Credits to: @oregonfootball

#OregonFootball #GoDucks #Pac12Football #OregonSports #DuckNation

[image or embed]

— Oregon Football (@oregon-football.bsky.social) January 4, 2026 at 4:30 AM

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

The All-American tight end from Vandy is coming off a banner year heading into this year’s draft. Quarterback Diego Pavia received most of the buzz around this year’s Vanderbilt squad, but Stowers is the player NFL teams really want. The QB-turned-TE amassed 1,400 yards between 2024 and 2025 and led the team in receptions in that same span. He’s a reliable chain mover who can slot into just about any roster in the NFL. Stowers is projected to land somewhere in the third round, giving him a solid amount of draft capital for us to get excited about.  

Michael Trigg, Baylor

Michael Trigg may not be the most perfect prospect of the bunch, but he certainly has one of the most impressive highlight reels amongst all tight ends. Trigg is a huge target with strong hands that can haul in any pass through traffic. He’s tricky to tackle once he has his legs moving, and isn’t afraid to deliver a hit. These good traits, unfortunately, don’t absolve him of his red flags. He did lead the TE class in drops, missing on seven passes this past year, which isn’t ideal. Trigg also has a relatively small window of meaningful production. In 2024, he had 30 catches for just shy of 400 yards (392). I’ll probably look to grab Trigg late in rookie drafts, because the upside is certainly there. 

#Baylor TE Michael Trigg made one of the catches of the year (👇) and his basketball background consistently shows up as a pass catcher. Needs refinement but he’ll make ‘wow’ catches look easy in 1-on-1 situations down at the @seniorbowl.bsky.social #SicEm

[image or embed]

— Fran Duffy (@fduffy.bsky.social) December 2, 2025 at 5:14 PM

Tanner Koziol, Houston

After the first three names on this list, I admittedly started to wonder who else could be a tight worth looking at in this draft. I’m embarrassed to say it took me longer than it should have to visit the Mackey Award page to review the semifinalist roster (it was only after starting this article that I saw that Sadiq, Trigg, and Stowers were all finalists). Tanner Koziol, the 6’7″ tight end out of Houston, was one of those semi-finalists. And he is a fascinating player to watch. He led the nation in receptions at the tight end position and was third in yards behind Trigg and Stowers. He is great at those contested catch moments, and his size allows him to be a lethal red zone target. With his size, he’s an immediate matchup nightmare for opposing linebackers trying to drop back into coverage. I’ll be eagerly awaiting his combine results as we march closer towards the NFL Draft.     

Justin Joly, NC State

It’s difficult to break into the conversation when you attend a “smaller” school. Players can do it, just look at Harold Fannin from last year. Justin Joly is one of those players who deserve a longer look despite spending time at UConn and NC State. The number that stands out in Joly’s season is his seven touchdowns on the year. He was the main target in this offense, leading the team with 49 receptions, along with leading the team in touchdowns. Joly is slightly smaller than other TEs at 6’3″, but that doesn’t stop him from playing larger than his size. If you’re looking for an interesting late-round guy to target, Joly could be a player who surprises us come September. 

Conclusions

And that will do it for this batch of players in this series! Thanks for following along as we glance at just the first few names at each fantasy position to get our rookie research going. 

And as always, there are still plenty of other names that will pop up from now, all the way up to draft day. This is a brief primer for those who want a starting point for their rookie prospect process. Please let us at Optimus know if there’s a name we didn’t mention that you think we should take a closer look at!

Bryan Rockwood is an Analyst with Optimus Fantasy who’s always on the lookout for the next deep dynasty sleeper. You can find him putting out articles here, on Fantrax, or FantasyNow+!

You hear it all the time, but it bears repeating – dynasty is a year-round fantasy football game. Every week, subtle changes in the dynasty market force managers to react. I’ve even written a few pieces on that happening! 

For the fourth and final installment of this series, it’s time we look at the least exciting yet ever-important skill position. It’s time we give some love to the tight end. Recent trends have shown that rookie tight ends are entering the league and making immediate impacts, making it all the more vital for us as dynasty managers to keep our finger on the pulse of the tight end market. 

I’ve already covered a few QBs to watch, RBs to watch, and WRs to watch.

2026 Fantasy Football Rookie Draft: Tight End Prospects to Watch

Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!

Tight Ends to Watch:

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Kenyon Sadiq is, more likely than not, the first tight end off the board in 2026. Those who’ve watched any Oregon game this season would agree. Sadiq has the traits to be an NFL tight end from day one. There’s not a lot to dislike about Sadiq’s collegiate profile. The only issue you could bring up is his production – just 800 yards between the past two seasons isn’t fantastic. We love seeing 10 touchdowns in that span, eight of which came in this past year, but that was on just 70 catches. Let’s just chalk it up to being stuck behind Terrance Ferguson last year and get excited about a potential new fantasy TE. 

And counting.

Kenyon Sadiq is the new UO single-season record holder for receptions by a tight end.

Credits to: @oregonfootball

#OregonFootball #GoDucks #Pac12Football #OregonSports #DuckNation

[image or embed]

— Oregon Football (@oregon-football.bsky.social) January 4, 2026 at 4:30 AM

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

The All-American tight end from Vandy is coming off a banner year heading into this year’s draft. Quarterback Diego Pavia received most of the buzz around this year’s Vanderbilt squad, but Stowers is the player NFL teams really want. The QB-turned-TE amassed 1,400 yards between 2024 and 2025 and led the team in receptions in that same span. He’s a reliable chain mover who can slot into just about any roster in the NFL. Stowers is projected to land somewhere in the third round, giving him a solid amount of draft capital for us to get excited about.  

Michael Trigg, Baylor

Michael Trigg may not be the most perfect prospect of the bunch, but he certainly has one of the most impressive highlight reels amongst all tight ends. Trigg is a huge target with strong hands that can haul in any pass through traffic. He’s tricky to tackle once he has his legs moving, and isn’t afraid to deliver a hit. These good traits, unfortunately, don’t absolve him of his red flags. He did lead the TE class in drops, missing on seven passes this past year, which isn’t ideal. Trigg also has a relatively small window of meaningful production. In 2024, he had 30 catches for just shy of 400 yards (392). I’ll probably look to grab Trigg late in rookie drafts, because the upside is certainly there. 

#Baylor TE Michael Trigg made one of the catches of the year (👇) and his basketball background consistently shows up as a pass catcher. Needs refinement but he’ll make ‘wow’ catches look easy in 1-on-1 situations down at the @seniorbowl.bsky.social #SicEm

[image or embed]

— Fran Duffy (@fduffy.bsky.social) December 2, 2025 at 5:14 PM

Tanner Koziol, Houston

After the first three names on this list, I admittedly started to wonder who else could be a tight worth looking at in this draft. I’m embarrassed to say it took me longer than it should have to visit the Mackey Award page to review the semifinalist roster (it was only after starting this article that I saw that Sadiq, Trigg, and Stowers were all finalists). Tanner Koziol, the 6’7″ tight end out of Houston, was one of those semi-finalists. And he is a fascinating player to watch. He led the nation in receptions at the tight end position and was third in yards behind Trigg and Stowers. He is great at those contested catch moments, and his size allows him to be a lethal red zone target. With his size, he’s an immediate matchup nightmare for opposing linebackers trying to drop back into coverage. I’ll be eagerly awaiting his combine results as we march closer towards the NFL Draft.     

Justin Joly, NC State

It’s difficult to break into the conversation when you attend a “smaller” school. Players can do it, just look at Harold Fannin from last year. Justin Joly is one of those players who deserve a longer look despite spending time at UConn and NC State. The number that stands out in Joly’s season is his seven touchdowns on the year. He was the main target in this offense, leading the team with 49 receptions, along with leading the team in touchdowns. Joly is slightly smaller than other TEs at 6’3″, but that doesn’t stop him from playing larger than his size. If you’re looking for an interesting late-round guy to target, Joly could be a player who surprises us come September. 

Conclusions

And that will do it for this batch of players in this series! Thanks for following along as we glance at just the first few names at each fantasy position to get our rookie research going. 

And as always, there are still plenty of other names that will pop up from now, all the way up to draft day. This is a brief primer for those who want a starting point for their rookie prospect process. Please let us at Optimus know if there’s a name we didn’t mention that you think we should take a closer look at!

Bryan Rockwood is an Analyst with Optimus Fantasy who’s always on the lookout for the next deep dynasty sleeper. You can find him putting out articles here, on Fantrax, or FantasyNow+!

You hear it all the time, but it bears repeating – dynasty is a year-round fantasy football game. Every week, subtle changes in the dynasty market force managers to react. I’ve even written a few pieces on that happening! 

For the fourth and final installment of this series, it’s time we look at the least exciting yet ever-important skill position. It’s time we give some love to the tight end. Recent trends have shown that rookie tight ends are entering the league and making immediate impacts, making it all the more vital for us as dynasty managers to keep our finger on the pulse of the tight end market. 

I’ve already covered a few QBs to watch, RBs to watch, and WRs to watch.

2026 Fantasy Football Rookie Draft: Tight End Prospects to Watch

Want more from Optimus Fantasy? Join our Discord!

Tight Ends to Watch:

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Kenyon Sadiq is, more likely than not, the first tight end off the board in 2026. Those who’ve watched any Oregon game this season would agree. Sadiq has the traits to be an NFL tight end from day one. There’s not a lot to dislike about Sadiq’s collegiate profile. The only issue you could bring up is his production – just 800 yards between the past two seasons isn’t fantastic. We love seeing 10 touchdowns in that span, eight of which came in this past year, but that was on just 70 catches. Let’s just chalk it up to being stuck behind Terrance Ferguson last year and get excited about a potential new fantasy TE. 

And counting.

Kenyon Sadiq is the new UO single-season record holder for receptions by a tight end.

Credits to: @oregonfootball

#OregonFootball #GoDucks #Pac12Football #OregonSports #DuckNation

[image or embed]

— Oregon Football (@oregon-football.bsky.social) January 4, 2026 at 4:30 AM

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

The All-American tight end from Vandy is coming off a banner year heading into this year’s draft. Quarterback Diego Pavia received most of the buzz around this year’s Vanderbilt squad, but Stowers is the player NFL teams really want. The QB-turned-TE amassed 1,400 yards between 2024 and 2025 and led the team in receptions in that same span. He’s a reliable chain mover who can slot into just about any roster in the NFL. Stowers is projected to land somewhere in the third round, giving him a solid amount of draft capital for us to get excited about.  

Michael Trigg, Baylor

Michael Trigg may not be the most perfect prospect of the bunch, but he certainly has one of the most impressive highlight reels amongst all tight ends. Trigg is a huge target with strong hands that can haul in any pass through traffic. He’s tricky to tackle once he has his legs moving, and isn’t afraid to deliver a hit. These good traits, unfortunately, don’t absolve him of his red flags. He did lead the TE class in drops, missing on seven passes this past year, which isn’t ideal. Trigg also has a relatively small window of meaningful production. In 2024, he had 30 catches for just shy of 400 yards (392). I’ll probably look to grab Trigg late in rookie drafts, because the upside is certainly there. 

#Baylor TE Michael Trigg made one of the catches of the year (👇) and his basketball background consistently shows up as a pass catcher. Needs refinement but he’ll make ‘wow’ catches look easy in 1-on-1 situations down at the @seniorbowl.bsky.social #SicEm

[image or embed]

— Fran Duffy (@fduffy.bsky.social) December 2, 2025 at 5:14 PM

Tanner Koziol, Houston

After the first three names on this list, I admittedly started to wonder who else could be a tight worth looking at in this draft. I’m embarrassed to say it took me longer than it should have to visit the Mackey Award page to review the semifinalist roster (it was only after starting this article that I saw that Sadiq, Trigg, and Stowers were all finalists). Tanner Koziol, the 6’7″ tight end out of Houston, was one of those semi-finalists. And he is a fascinating player to watch. He led the nation in receptions at the tight end position and was third in yards behind Trigg and Stowers. He is great at those contested catch moments, and his size allows him to be a lethal red zone target. With his size, he’s an immediate matchup nightmare for opposing linebackers trying to drop back into coverage. I’ll be eagerly awaiting his combine results as we march closer towards the NFL Draft.     

Justin Joly, NC State

It’s difficult to break into the conversation when you attend a “smaller” school. Players can do it, just look at Harold Fannin from last year. Justin Joly is one of those players who deserve a longer look despite spending time at UConn and NC State. The number that stands out in Joly’s season is his seven touchdowns on the year. He was the main target in this offense, leading the team with 49 receptions, along with leading the team in touchdowns. Joly is slightly smaller than other TEs at 6’3″, but that doesn’t stop him from playing larger than his size. If you’re looking for an interesting late-round guy to target, Joly could be a player who surprises us come September. 

Conclusions

And that will do it for this batch of players in this series! Thanks for following along as we glance at just the first few names at each fantasy position to get our rookie research going. 

And as always, there are still plenty of other names that will pop up from now, all the way up to draft day. This is a brief primer for those who want a starting point for their rookie prospect process. Please let us at Optimus know if there’s a name we didn’t mention that you think we should take a closer look at!

Bryan Rockwood is an Analyst with Optimus Fantasy who’s always on the lookout for the next deep dynasty sleeper. You can find him putting out articles here, on Fantrax, or FantasyNow+!

By Published On: January 10th, 2026

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