Harold Fannin Jr., George Kittle, And 2 Other Must-Have TEs For Fantasy Football

A few TEs to not pass up in fantasy football drafts for the upcoming 2026 season.

Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is tons of value at the TE position this season in fantasy football, with many players having the capability of having breakout seasons. With that, here are four TEs to go after in fantasy drafts.

George Kittle

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) looks on during warmups prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Injury issues are the main call for concern for San Fransico 49ers TE1, George Kittle. The good thing is his production is not. In 2024 and 2023, Kittle recorded over 1,000 receiving yards. He would have been well on his way to accomplishing that feat again in 2026 if it were not for a severe hamstring injury he had in week one against the Seattle Seahawks. 

In 11 games, Kittle had 628 receiving yards and seven TDs. He did suffer another injury in Week 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles: a torn Achilles. Because the injury happened so late, there is a real chance that Kittle misses time to start the 2026 season. As a result of that, he is at a discount, and with his talent level, he is worth going after in fantasy football.

ESPN in PPR fantasy formats for the 2026 season has Kittle ranked as TE8.

Tucker Kraft

Oct 26, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) returns to the locker room before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another TE coming off a major injury in the 2025 season, Green Bay Packers TE1 Tucker Kraft, should be a prime TE target for fantasy managers in drafts. There is also a significantly higher chance that Kraft is available in Week 1 of 2026 than Kittle, with his injury taking place in Week 9 of the 2025 season.

Kraft, prior to getting hurt, was one of Jordan Love’s favorite targets. In two of his last three games, he had nine or more targets, and in those outings he scored a combined three TDs. Kraft could also see more usage in the Packers’ passing game in 2026 with them no longer having WR Romeo Doubs, who is now on the New England Patriots. 

Harold Fannin Jr.

Sep 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) reacts after a play during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harold Fannin Jr. will be the Cleveland Browns' TE1, with them no longer having David Njoku. He showed great promise in his rookie season to excel in that role, and with him set to have that role for all of 2026, he has top-three TE potential in fantasy football.

Fannin Jr. last season had 732 receiving yards and six TDs. The main risk with Fannin Jr. in fantasy is that the Browns' QB play is a bit uncertain; his fantasy stock will likely boom or bust with their QB play.

Brenton Strange

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) runs on the field before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC South title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

TE for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Brenton Strange, had a great close to his 2025 season. In his last four games, he had five or more targets in every game, and in two out of three of those games he caught a TD. Over that stretch of play, he ranked as TE3 in PPR  fantasy football formats.

ESPN in PPR formats for the 2026 season has Strange ranked as TE21. With the ceiling he displayed late in 2025, fantasy managers should go after him as their team’s TE2 late in fantasy drafts.