Late-Round Tight End Targets For 2026: Is Hunter Henry Going Overlooked?

For years, the tight end position has been fantasy football's version of roulette. If you didn't land one of the elite options, you were crossing your fingers every Sunday and hoping for a miracle.

Players like Harold Fannin Jr., Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland enter Year 2 already projected to finish near the top of the position. That leaves fewer opportunities for an under-the-radar tight end to emerge, but those league-winning surprises still happen.

Who had Juwan Johnson finishing inside the top 10 last year?

Late-Round Tight Ends To Draft In 2026 Fantasy Football

Hunter Henry | NE

Hunter Henry may have been even more productive last season had he and Stefon Diggs not operated in similar areas of the field, allowing defenses to crowd the middle. With Diggs gone and A.J. Brown now in New England, the Patriots have a true perimeter threat capable of stretching defenses and creating more favorable matchups for Henry against linebackers and safeties.

No stranger to the end zone, Henry has averaged 5.2 touchdowns per season throughout his career. While many tight ends are surprisingly under-utilized near the goal line, Henry remains a focal point. He was one of just three tight ends to see at least 23 targets in the red zone last season.

Henry turned that opportunity into seven touchdowns, the third-highest total of his career, while posting a career-best fantasy season. If New England's offense takes a step forward, another top-10 finish is well within reach, with top-five upside not completely out of the question. At a Round 12 price tag in most 12-team drafts, that's the type of value fantasy managers should be targeting.

Chig Okonkwo | WAS

Being trapped in one of the NFL's worst offenses made it difficult for Chig Okonkwo to break out in Tennessee. That's why Washington feels like such a perfect landing spot.

The Commanders have 122 receptions to replace following the departures of Zach Ertz and Deebo Samuel. Okonkwo won't absorb all of that volume, but he has a realistic path to the largest role of his career.

Offensive coordinator David Blough understands what makes his new tight end dangerous. Okonkwo's athleticism creates matchup problems for linebackers and safeties, allowing him to attack seams downfield and generate yards after the catch. After years of waiting for a larger role, Okonkwo finally finds himself in an offense that appears ready to feature his strengths.

Washington was one of the NFL's heaviest users of 12 personnel last season, and Okonkwo's versatility could make those packages even more dangerous. He can line up in-line, in the slot or split wide, creating favorable mismatches across the field.

That's why Kendall Valenzuela's point in the Fantasy Life Magazine stood out. Jayden Daniels finished 12th in on-target throw rate last season, giving Washington an accurate quarterback capable of maximizing Okonkwo's skill set.

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At a 12th-round cost, Okonkwo offers the type of upside fantasy managers should be chasing. If Washington finally gives him the volume many have been waiting for, he could emerge as one of the biggest tight end values in fantasy football this season.

Charlie Kolar | LAC

Digging so deep into our fantasy pockets, we're scraping the ankle bone, and that's where you'll find Charlie Kolar. The kind of player who won't show up on most draft boards but could sneak into a few best ball-winning lineups.

Yes, he's currently the third tight end on the Chargers' depth chart. Yet if things break right, Kolar could post the most productive season of his career. That's not saying much. His career high is only 36.2 PPR points, but your final draft pick isn't about proven production. It's about finding a path to it.

Kolar never had a realistic chance to carve out a fantasy role in Baltimore. Not with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely standing in front of him. Talent wasn't the issue. Opportunity was.

The Chargers added competition at tight end this offseason, but Kolar's blocking ability could help him earn a regular role. Coaches trust players who contribute in both the run and pass game, and that trust often leads to extra snaps.

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Effort plays like the one above are exactly how Kolar earns a role in Los Angeles. If the Chargers lean more heavily on 12 personnel, Kolar could benefit from increased playing time and additional opportunities near the goal line, maybe more.

Kolar isn't being drafted for volume. He's being drafted for the possibility that an every-down role turns a forgotten player into a touchdown-dependent fantasy asset.