Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland: Which Fantasy Football TE Should You Draft?
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No fantasy position is quite as thin as the tight end, and that’s exactly why you need to find the right one on draft day.
With that in mind, fantasy managers are put in an interesting spot when having to choose between Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. Both second-year tight ends flash plenty of star power as rookies, but they now enter 2026 with completely different paths to fantasy success. Warren has established himself as a reliable option in the Colts’ offense, while Loveland went on a hot streak to end his opening season.
With both carrying major TE1 upside, who should managers target first: Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland?
Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
Colston Loveland (#48 ADP, #3 among TEs) started off the 2025 season slowly, but went on a tear to close out the remainder of the year.
Loveland was essentially nonexistent in Chicago’s offense to start the year, logging just 11 targets through the first eight weeks of the season. Then, he began lighting up the scoreboard. He would go on to average nearly 14 fantasy points per game through the final seven weeks, ultimately helping push him towards a TE12 finish in PPR leagues. Fantasy managers now hope that he’ll be able to build on that hot start heading into 2026.
Heading into this season, Loveland is widely considered fantasy’s TE3, sitting behind just Brock Bowers and Trey McBride. But there is still room for concern. For starters, Loveland faces a much more difficult schedule in 2026, with Chicago set to have the seventh-hardest slate for tight ends across the entire NFL.
And, arguably more importantly, he still has to compete in an offense that holds several talented wideouts. The departure of D.J. Moore certainly helps his case, but Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are both capable of snagging significant volume away from Loveland. Also, while Loveland proved that he can thrive with a major role, expecting him to maintain that for a full season may be asking a lot. He saw just 82 targets in 2025, and it remains to be seen if his share will jump this season.
Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Tyler Warren (#58 ADP, #4 among TEs), ironically, had the exact opposite season that Loveland did in 2025. He started hot, then fizzled out as the season went on.
Through the first seven weeks of the season, Warren averaged nearly 10 fantasy points per game and finished outside of the top ten of tight ends just once. Then, his profile went belly up. He would not break 10 fantasy points in another game the rest of the season, ultimately finishing the year as PPR’s TE4.
Some of that decline, however, can be attributed to Daniel Jones’ season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14. Jones had developed a strong connection with Warren as the season went on, and his absence threw the entire Indianapolis offense into uncertainty. He’s now expected to return healthy in 2026, which Warren should benefit from immensely.
There’s also plenty of reason to believe Warren could see more volume this year. After Indianapolis gave him 112 targets in 2025, the team traded clear WR1 Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh, immediately thinning their wide receiver room. And now, as a result, there are fewer receivers for Warren to compete with for targets. While the addition of Keenan Allen gives the offense another veteran weapon, Warren remains one of the team’s most crucial parts in the passing game.
Tyler Warren vs. Colston Loveland Fantasy Verdict
It’s hard to go against a player who finished out his season as strong as Loveland did, but Warren simply has too much opportunity in front of him to ignore.
Loveland does have the higher ceiling if he can carry his momentum into 2026, but Warren enters the year with a clearer path to consistent volume and thus a higher floor. With fewer weapons around him in Indianapolis, Warren could see a jump in both production and targets.
At nearly the same price, Warren’s clear runway to production makes him a safer fantasy bet in 2026.
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Zach is a Temple University graduate with a degree in journalism and sports media, bringing a lifelong passion for storytelling and athletics to his work. With years of experience covering a myriad of sports at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, he seeks to bring a polished and informed approach to every story he tells.
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