The Lineup Show - Top 24 Tight End Rankings For Week 1 | Fantasy Football 2026

0:00Every game day you show up for your team. Now it's your time. We go, we go, we go, we go. Ask your prescriber about Wigovie, some Maglatide Injection 2.4 mg, a G.O.P.1. Call 1-8-3-3-4 Wigovie or visit Wigovie.com to view the Medication Guide and to learn more about Wigovie. Why wait? We go, we go. Football is back, baby. And whether you've been betting for years, you're just looking to put a little action on the games. My bookie needs to be added to your list of places to go line shopping. We've been talking about the teams we like and don't like for months. We're in on this Jets offense more than almost anybody. And we're terrified of this Falcons offense. Even though you got Bijan, you got Cow Pits. You got Drake London, but you got two bad left-handed quarterbacks. And you certainly don't need to be telling some fake betting expert on social media. Go to my bookie and find the place you already know you like and take a shot.

1:01That's what's cool about my bookie. You can find the action you want and bet it wherever you are when the game kicks off. And if you're new to the club, the betback bonus gives you protection on your first play. Sign up with promo code player to opt into the betback bonus and take your first shot with a safety net. If you're weighed your loses, you get it right back. No questions asked. Football is finally here. Get in now and cash in on the season with my bookie with promo code player to get that betback bonus. Bet on anything, anytime, anywhere. You're welcome. Welcome into the Lion Fantasy football show. I'm Mitch Anderson. I'm Justin Molo. And Molo, week one is here. We officially have football in two days and so it's time for our final rankings for week one here with the tight ends. We have a very special week coming up with four episodes. So make sure to leave us any and all start and sit questions you have in the comments and we'll answer them. Plus a very fun start sit flex episode coming tomorrow. But Molo, let's jump into our top 24 tight ends of week one. I think you're going to shock everyone here at number one. Yeah, this is going to break people's minds. We have Brock Bauer's

2:04as the tight end one in week one. He had the record breaking rookie season. The most receptions by any rookie ever, not just head ends any rookie ever most receptions back in 2024. Even last year, while injured, he was the tight end for it and points per game. Now he gets Clint Kubiak calling plays. He's going against Miami, maybe the worst team in football. He could just drop a 40 burger in week one. I 100% no notes. If you have Brock Bauer's, you obviously drafted him to start him. We don't have to blabber the point. Here's another guy that you probably drafted with a lot of confidence though at number two. That's Tramick Bride going up against the LH Chargers. I think a lot of the conversation around McBride this year and something that you've talked a lot about Molo is that we're likely to see some regression. I mean, he got an absolutely ungodly amount of targets. But even if we do, he's still going to be phenomenal and he's still going to be far and away at top three tight ends. So for me, I'm locking him in with absolutely no hesitation in a matchup where they should be throwing a lot against LH to keep up.

3:05Yeah, agreed. And similar with Bauer's, if you're taking him that high, you're starting him no question. And even if we see regression season long, it's like, oh, he'll go from the tight end three all time to the tight end like 12 all time. Oh no. That's horrible. So yeah, I'm definitely starting Tramick Bride without question. Same with Colston, Loveland at Carolina. I think this is a really good blowup spot going against the Panthers defense, which is unimpressive for lack of a better word. I think for all the talk around these receivers in Chicago and Luther Bird and Roma Dunesay, Colston, Loveland probably is going to be the one who leaves this team in targets. I think there's a good chance he doesn't week one. I think there's a good chance he does season long, a smash start in week one. I'm actually entirely with you on that point. Let's finish off the chalk here before we actually get interesting because these top four, like everyone's top four for the season. They just happen to fall this way for week one because of the matchups. But that's Tyler Warren taking on the Baltimore Ravens. And look, we saw the mini breakout last year. Takes a downturn in the back half with the Daniel Jones Achilles injury. But he should be in line

4:05for a lot of work this season. They vacated the fourth most adjusted targets in the NFL in Indian apolis. And so with now the key and Allen news and everything going on, it's hard to imagine that he's not going to be a volume monster no matter what you think of the Colts offense at large. So Tyler Warren should start out hot here. Yeah, no question. Like you said, another easy start. This is where it gets a little bit more open ended. But at five, we have Sam Laporta playing at home against the Saints. And we've talked about it in previous ranking episodes. We just want as many pieces from this game as we can get. So Sam Laporta is no exception. He's starting to kind of feel like the forgotten man in Detroit with all of these great weapons they have. But he's been a rock solid. Yeah, people are kind of like throwing him to the wayside. But he's a guy who's that a tight in one finish on a season before. He's always been rock solid when healthy and on the field throughout his career. We think there's going to be a lot of points in this game. If that comes to fruition, he could be one of the biggest beneficiaries. Yeah, I think the thing that you said

5:08that six with me is just how much we've talked about the game environment between New Orleans and Detroit. And we'll get into that a lot more on Thursday. But I just I want every piece of this game. And I think that the Lions are going to find the end zone a lot. And like if I'm taking my shots on who it's going to be, it's Jameer Gibbs. And then it's Amin Ra and then third up on that packing order is is Sam Laporta. So I think he's the perfect guy to slot in here at five. Once you're kind of in that ambiguous tight end range. But here at number six, a guy we're a little bit higher on than consensus. My guy Isaiah likely literally one of my my guys that I named for this season. We've got an extensive reports at this point that he should be operating as Jackson Darts wide receiver to for lack of a better term and what projects to be an explosive game environment. We saw it last year in week two of the NFL season. These are teams with bad defenses and offenses that are good enough to take advantage of it. I want the guy that should be getting the second most amount of targets from Jackson Darts in this game. And that's Isaiah likely. And who knows with some of the ambiguity around Malik neighbors right now, maybe the most targets like it's not valuable. And you think yeah, exactly. And then we have a meeting higher

6:12than we already do, which is higher than consensus. Another guy we have higher than consensus, though, is Dallas Goddard playing well above well above consensus as our title instead of in week one, going against the commanders. Until McCye lemon starts to get more comfortable and familiar with the offense, I still think Dallas Goddard is the number two receiver on this team, which all of the reports are, you know, McCye lemon's still coming along. He's not quite there. So with Goddard, you get the number two receiver on the team, probably the number one red zone weapon through the air at least. And I think the Eagles are going to be firing on all cylinders against this Washington defense, which they've historically kind of beat up on. So I love Dallas Goddard in week one. Yeah, I think it feels very contrary and to put him here, I think there's so much talk obviously about the age and they bring in Eli Stowers. Obviously they bring in McCye lemon. There's a lot of target competition was the 11 touchdowns last year fluke, but those two guys Stowers were obviously hearing like so many things about him not coming along quickly. McCye lemon's having his own issues. I think regardless of what you feel about Dallas Goddard season

7:16long, this should be a smash spot. And a guy that Jalen Hertz is comfortable with and this team's going to be doing anything they can to keep Jalen Hertz comfortable and confident early on to tight end eight. Let's talk about Harold fan in junior taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is a guy who had a genuinely historic target share as a rookie and this game script should keep them throwing but with so many new mouth to feed and that guy that they named as the starter at quarterback who'll be throwing in the ball. I just I want to see if he can keep it up here in year two before we rank him any higher like they go out and he's still commanding like 25 to 30% of the target share. Then like yeah, maybe we're wrong and we've got a rank Harold fan in higher weekend and we go but for me, I just I really got to see it before I feel confident slotting above those other guys. I'm in the same boat like I'm still starting him just because of the nature of the position but I'm not as confident as I know you're not as confident as most people are so we'll see what that target share starts to look like after a few weeks here. Our number nine guy on the week is Mitch's boy Kyle Pits at Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh had the fourth most points allowed to the

8:21tight end position last season. So that's obviously very favorable for pits. What's not favorable is this disgusting quarterback situation in Atlanta. That does not make me feel good at all whoever they end up rolling out under center. But there's clearly plenty of upside for a guy who had huge blow up spots last year and is going against this defense that again was not very good against the tight end last year. So there's upside in a week one for Kyle Pits. I like feel like I'm going to be in that little Sasquatch video where he's just like watching ESPN and there's going to be some like breaking news that the Falcons just signed me at quarterback and like wait what yeah no I don't know how this happened. Yeah that's obviously the huge knock on Kyle Pits but the situation's good and like I think he can be a big reliable easy target for a bad quarterback and I think there's a lot of upside there in a game that outside of that there's not a ton of excitement. But moving on to number 10 a tight end we had very highly ranked and that's Tucker Kraft taking on Minnesota. This is I think you would agree the toughest guy to rank. Obviously the questions around if

9:26there'll be limited snaps here in week one and just early on the season. If not this is the guy who was the tight end one and points per game before his injury last year in an offense that now projects to throw more with no Josh Jacobs. And so I'm firing him up if I'm feeling confident that he's going to get the majority of snaps. Yeah you're probably starting in regardless unless you have like some sort of luxurious tight end situation in your league and then you want to start someone a little safer. I love Tucker Kraft. It's just we'll see where the snaps and the usages that I just can't imagine a world where they're keeping him off the field enough that he's not better than a lot of the guys were saying after him. Exactly and that's probably why I'm starting him unless I have one of those other guys we talked about earlier. Yeah. Tight end 11 we have Travis Kelsey going against the division rival Broncos a team he's played probably a billion maybe two billion times on his career to this point on paper. It's a tough match up just given how good Denver's defense has been the last couple of years. But I don't think it's as tough as people might think off the top of

10:26their head for what it's worth in week 11 last year Kelsey erupted for nine receptions 91 yards and a touchdown against Denver. Now I don't expect that again here in week one but regardless he will undoubtedly be one of the biggest pieces in this chief's offense. Yeah and I know that everyone's not super excited about getting a ARP member Travis Kelsey on their team but like you do got to remember like him and my homes have the rapport obviously and he was the tight end three last year. This offense should be better if my homes can get up to speed quickly and so I don't think Travis Kelsey is the worst start weekend in week out. He just kind of lacks that like true high end upside on a week to week basis. Onto number 12 though let's talk about Jake Ferguson and let's get back to that incredible game environment between Dallas and New York. Opposite Isaiah likely obviously here but I think there's a world where it feels like he's such a boring star and he has such a boring game but then you check the box square after he has like four for 40 and a touchdown. There's just so many weapons I think in Dallas that he feels like a

11:28real forgotten man to me but he's kind of the perfect tear cut off to me is like the last true tight end one. Every game day you show up for your team now it's your time. Ask your prescriber about We GoVi some Maglatide injection 2.4 milligrams a GLP one call 18334 We GoVi or visit We GoVi.com to view the medication guide and to learn more about We GoVi. Why wait? We GoVi. Football is back baby and whether you've been betting for years you're just looking to put a little action on the games my bookie needs to be added to your list of places to go line shopping. We've been talking about the teams we like and don't like for months. We're in on this Jets offense more than almost anybody and we're terrified of this Falcons offense even though you got B-john you got cow pits. You got Drake London but you got two bad left-handed quarterbacks and you certainly don't need to be telling some fake betting expert on social media.

12:33Go to my bookie and find the place you already know you like and take a shot. That's what's cool about my bookie you can find the action you want and bet it wherever you are when the game kicks off and if you're new to the club the betback bonus gives you protection on your first play. Sign up with promo code player to opt into the betback bonus and take your first shot with a safety net. If you're weighed your loses you get it right back no questions asked. Football is finally here. Get in now and cash in on the season with my bookie with promo code player to get that betback bonus bet on anything anytime anywhere you're welcome. Yeah and because of the matchup especially I'm happy to start him the one thing I don't like is just how different his numbers were with both pickings and CD on the field last year versus when CD was out so I don't like that they'll both be on the field he won't maybe have the he might not have the target share you want but still in this matchup I'm happy starting in tight and 13 we have a guy whose target share I feel pretty good about right now and that is juwan Johnson at Detroit. I don't expect juwan Johnson season long to be

13:36the same level of fantasy asset as he was last year but I do really like this spot for him like we keep talking about this game like we want pieces of this game and especially with Jordan Tyson on IR juwan Johnson should be the number two receiver for the Saints in a dome game where we expect a lot of points so I don't mind starting him one day. No I don't mind it either it feels kind of gross but like if you truly punted tight and you might be able to get away with it here. This also just reminds me I'm so excited to talk about a really gross weapon that I'm going to be firing up in DFS in this game and you just got me pumped for it. Holy. Onto number 14 let's talk about a our P member this is like Dinosaurus before they were extinct member Mark Andrews taking on the Indian apolis Colts. He to me is just truly a touchdown play. Start him if you don't have anybody else but don't expect a lot of volume. If you play Andrews you're hoping he soaks up a few red zone targets and converts one of them and you kind of get out of the situation unscathed but I just don't have a

14:37ton of confidence in him specifically not in PPR leagues. No he's going to have two receptions on three targets for 14 yards. It just matters if one of those receptions is a touchdown which is a pretty high chance compared to most players but if he doesn't get it you're your screw that's just what I tell you just become at this point in his career. Tight N15 another guy we have well above consensus that is Greg Doolchitch at the Las Vegas Raiders. We do like him more than consensus and we want to apologize for it. We are Greg Doolchitch guys and it's largely because somebody besides Devon H&N has to catch the ball for the dolphins and Doolchitch seems to be getting a lot of that buzz so it very well could be him and this matchup is just phenomenal. Las Vegas last year had pro football focuses single lowest graded defense. This is as beautiful of a situation you're going to get. Doolchitch is a sneaky great start at tight end if you're desperate. I actually I like love this pick so much. I just think this this is a true you could maybe get away with a guy if

15:38you're starting him. He's a great guy if you want put some props on him or throw him in a DFS line up. It reminds me a lot of the Isaiah likely situation in terms of what the reports of looked like this summer where it's like Malik Willis is widers, he or two is Greg Doolchitch, his widers, he or one is of course Devon H&N and the rest of them are widers, he or five six seven eight. But he should be in line for a lot of targets in a game that they're still somehow under dogs but they'll be able to keep pace and keep it interesting onto number 16. And this is one that we are going to have to monitor down to the last minute. But George Kittell taking on the LA Rams. The The situation right now is that they expect him to play, but similar to Tucker Kraft, it's just kind of a tough ranking because one, we don't know how many snaps he's gonna get, and two, we really don't know how healthy he'll look, but with how depleted this 49ers team is, I think if he's out there, he should get enough volume to make him a viable starter. We just have him ranked here because there's better options you could be more comfortable with. Yeah, as somebody who loves George Kittle,

16:40like truly one of my favorite players to watch of all time, I just don't trust it. Like, at his age, tearing you at Killy's in January to be ready for week one alone is just miraculous. Even if he's out there, I'm probably looking another way, but it's tough. It's easier to say than do because it's George Kittle, and if George Kittle is on the field, it's very difficult not to start him. Yeah, it's been less than 200 days since a 32-year-old Torraza Killy's, and I'm still getting over rolling my ankle 12 years ago. I coughed two hours ago and my ribs still hurt, so I don't, it makes me feel pathetic. Moving on to Titan 17, we have Dalton Concade at Houston. I personally have trouble trusting a Titan who's on the field for fewer than 50% of snaps. I just don't like that, which is why we're lower than consensus, I think in week one, as well as season long. But I will admit Houston's defense while it seems elite, and it is elite, they did allow the 13th most fantasy points to opposing Titans last year, not that that's putrid,

17:40but I think worse than people would guess given that it's Houston. And we've seen Concade have big blow up spots before, we've seen him have big games, so he's not a bad ceiling play, but I'm personally looking elsewhere if you want a bad, inconsistent volume. Yeah, I just think if you're reaching to put a guy in your lineup and he's playing against the Houston Texans defense, that feels like a bad idea. It feels like I'm always comfortable playing the premium guys against them, and then otherwise I don't really want to touch anyone, and for me that's how I feel with Dalton Concade. Onto number 18 though, a lineup favorite. We're talking about our guy, Chica Conqueau taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. It's nice just be Jane Daniels new favorite target, Mellow. We've been on the hype drain all summer long, and I'm just so excited to see what this actually looks like. I think this could be the start to a serious post-type sleeper campaign. For week one, I'm probably leaving him on the bench, but if I have him sitting on my bench, I'm gonna be watching intently hoping that we're gonna actually get the real breakout we've been hoping for. Yeah, I think the dig-signing put a little bit of a damper on it,

18:40but not enough where I'm like out. Like I still think Conqueau is a guy who could sneak he'd just be the Tata Nate this year, the Tata 9 this year, who knows, maybe even better. So I don't mind getting a shot in week one if you're truly reaching deep into the barrel. Similar to our Tata 19 here, AJ Barner going against the Patriots. Mitch, I know you've been a big AJ Barner guy. I'm starting to heat up myself to somebody who's been here. Here we go, all right. Season long and just in week one. We saw the target share creep up toward the end of last year. And the last time he played this Patriots team, which was obviously the Super Bowl, he logged 54 receptions, or 54 receptions. That'd be crazy. 54 yards on four receptions and a touchdown. He did find the end zone. So he's somebody I do think could be someone you can start. Again, if you're desperate, as we're kind of saying with all these guys, there's definitely a lot better options, but there's many worse ones as well. I think of the last few guys we talk about here. He's one of the ones I can truly say I like more on a season long basis than week one. We're going to talk here about Dalton Schultz,

19:41who quietly was a tight end one last year, but like, I have no interest in him. That really just came from like availability being the best ability, and then you look at the week one matchup and like the bills are brutal against tight ends. So I would really not try to start him, or if we're being fully honest, try to roster him. Yeah, I agree. This is just like, I mean, if you're in a weird format with like two tight ends and you just want like a full floor play out of your tight end too. That's where Dalton Schultz is for me, other than that, like I'm not interested in. Also, that's a redraft comment. If you have him in Dynasty, I'm not going to tell you to cut him, but in redraft, there's better guys that can be filling up your bench. Absolutely, very good point. Kind of a similar guy here at Ted in 21 Hunter Henry in that same game we were talking about earlier, the Patriots in Seahawks. I'll be the first we met as a pass fan. Hunter Henry is as boring as they come at this point in this career, but he's a relatively safe options to get targets if you're just looking for a floor play. He very sneaky was the tight at nine overall last year in PPR, tight and seven and a half point PPR.

20:43It wasn't always glamorous. It's kind of boring and low ceiling kind of play, but I mean, go for it if that's what you're looking for. I feel like every person who plays fantasy football has a story from the past five years that they desperately needed a tight end during a by week and Hunter Henry like crushed for them. Yeah. I think every single person has that story. But onto number 22, Brenton Strange taking on the Cleveland Browns, I think if you want to cheat pieces of his offense, here it is. This is a guy they paid a lot of money to this off season, but to me he just doesn't like inspire a whole lot of confidence. I want pieces of Jaguars. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg for them. I think there's just like such a drop off in what I expect for volume with Brenton Strange. And so specifically in this game against Cleveland, if they get off to a hot start, we could see a situation where they're running the ball down their throats and Brenton Strange doesn't get a ton of volume. So he is startable. I think just like start with caution knowing there's a really low floor. Yeah, he's probably someone I'm not starting like five players.

21:45Just like you said, if you want a cheap piece of this Jags offense, like that is your cheap piece, but I'm probably not starting him similar to our tight end 23 TJ Hawkinson going against the Green Bay Packers. This one's a real gamble. Yeah. The gamble is that he's fully healthy now and he's back to his old self when he was two or three years ago. And also that Kyler Murray can support at least two pass catchers, if not three, when you account for the fact that Jordan Addison is there as well, what will his target share look like? So with all of that, like I said, it is a big gamble. But it is one I will admit has upside against this Packers defense that has a lot of holes in question marks right now. I'm not really sure what this defense is going to look like early on in the year without Michael Parsons. So I mean, if you just want to swing for the fences, go for it. It's just, I don't know the risk is worth the reward. We are in that range where you simply have to have someone better. If you're playing in a two tight end league, though, I do love the swing on TJ Hawkinson. Let's move on to number 24 though and wrap this thing up.

22:46This guy is one that this is like the definition of I love him week one and there's just no shot. I have any interest for the rest of the season. Kate Auden against Cincinnati, like I do not hate him in this game environment with a healthy Baker Mayfield, some Q tags across the White or Seaver room. And it just feels like a sneaky spot that makes everybody on Twitter be like, is Kate Auden back and then you start in week two and he has like one catch for 12 yards. So I like him this week. I think if you're playing DFS, if you're trying to make prop picks or whatever, Kate Auden's a guy to look like I just wouldn't expect much past this game in this game environment. Was was Kate Auden ever here? Did I miss the memo? He's been back from here. It was that two years ago. He had that run at the end of the year. Yeah, he had like four good game. No, I know what you're talking about. Also, anytime I think about it, Tide ends playing against the Bengals, I will just for the rest of my life, forever think about that Colston, Lovelin, Somerelle, forever, like that could be Kate Auden, and Keke one. Maybe it will be, maybe it will be, he'll be back. Those were our top 24 Tide ends for week one of the NFL season.

23:48Mellow, we've made it. If you have any start or sit questions or any questions about your lineup, leave them down below in the comments and we'll try to answer every single one. But Mellow, before we get out of here, did we miss anything? I got nothing. All right, we'll catch you guys next episode. Every game day, you show up for your team. Now, it's your time. We go, we go, we go, we go. Ask your prescriber about We Govi, some Maglatide Injection 2.4 milligrams, a GOP1. Call 1-8-334 We Govi or visit We Govi.com to view the medication guide and to learn more about We Govi. Why wait? We Govi. Football is back, baby. And whether you've been betting for years, you're just looking to put a little action on the games. My bookie needs to be added to your list of places to go line shopping. We've been talking about the teams we like and don't like for months. We're in on this Jets offense more than almost anybody. And we're terrified of this Falcons offense.

24:50Even though you got Bijan, you got Cowpits. You got Drake London, but you got two bad left-handed quarterbacks. And you certainly don't need to be telling some fake betting expert on social media. Go to my bookie and find the place you already know you like and take a shot. That's what's cool about my bookie. You can find the action you want and bet it wherever you are when the game kicks off. And if you're new to the club, the betback bonus gives you protection on your first play. Sign up with promo code player to opt into the betback bonus and take your first shot with a safety net. If you wade your loses, you get it right back. No questions asked. Football is finally here. Get in now and cash in on the season with my bookie with promo code player to get that betback bonus bet on anything, anytime, anywhere. You're welcome.