Fantasy Football Tight End Sleepers: Isaiah Likely Headlines Our List Of Breakout Stars

The top tight end sleepers for the 2026 fantasy football season.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) on the sidelines against the Baltimore Ravens during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fantasy owners love to wait on tight ends and target a sleeper rather than spend up for a stud. It makes sense, being that you generally only have to start one and can stream the position if necessary. However, the best-case scenario is if you can find a stud late in your draft who ends up being a strong weekly starter. These are our top tight end sleepers for the 2026 fantasy football season.

Isaiah Likely, New York Giants

Likely finally escaped his role as Mark Andrews' backup with the Baltimore Ravens and reunited with John Harbaugh in free agency with the New York Giants. Fantasy owners have been waiting for him to get his opportunity for years now, and we finally get to see if he can be the fantasy stud we believe he can be.

It looks like he could be the second option in the Giants' passing attack, and if things go sideways with Malik Nabers' knee injury, he could see a ton of volume. Likely has the athleticism, and we've seen him flash his upside when Andrews missed time in Baltimore. He has major breakout potential.

Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders

This is my favorite sleeper tight end this season. Okonkwo has everything you need to be a breakout fantasy star this season. He's always had the skill and athleticism, but had been stuck in a subpar Tennessee Titans' offense.

Now, he gets to catch passes from Jayden Daniels in an offense that loves to utilize the tight end. He can provide PPR value with solid volume and be a field-stretching playmaker down the seam. We have him locked in as a top-10 tight end this season.

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

Strange was set to have a breakout 2025 campaign, but injuries limited him to just 12 games. Still, he caught 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns. We expect a lot more out of him this season.

There is a chance that he ends up being the most consistent option in the Jags' passing attack this season. He has the talent and is in a system where he could top 800 yards and make a push towards double-digit touchdowns if he can remain healthy for 17 games.

Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins

Dulcich looked good last year in Miami and has been a fantasy darling since coming into the league. He's just never managed to pan out. Miami's target share looks very muddy right now, but there is a real chance that Dulcich could end up leading their pass-catchers in targets or coming close to it.

With his athleticism, he could develop into a valuable fantasy asset who you can essentially get for free at the end of drafts. If Malik Willis proves to be a good passer, Dulcich will be a very interesting fantasy option this season.

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