Tight End Breakouts For Fantasy Football 2026: Brenton Strange, Chig Okonkwo And More

The tight end position has recently seen a resurgence. Last year, 10 tight ends played at least 15 games and averaged over 10 points, up from five in 2022.

There are some sleeper tight ends who have a chance to accomplish this and become stars. Here are three tight ends that could break out in 2026.

Breakout TEs for Fantasy Football 2026

Isaiah Likely | New York Giants

Isaiah Likely has always had fantasy upside, even as a backup in Baltimore. Now that he is in New York, he has the chance to make that next step into stardom.

Over the first four years of his career, he has lived in Mark Andrews’ shadow, waiting to fully show off his skills. He has had flashes occasionally; in the eight career games where he has at least 6 targets, he’s averaging 13.3 fantasy points.

At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Likely is a big target like any of the top tight ends in the league, but he also possesses the athleticism you want from a receiver. Last year, his 7.9 average depth of target was ninth among tight ends.

What could make Likely into Dart’s favorite target is if he can replicate the 2.27 yards of separation he had last year, which was sixth best for a tight end. For a sophomore quarterback who likes to improvise and throw on the run, having someone who can get open like that is very valuable.

Chig Okonkwo | Washington Commanders

Chig Okonkwo is another player with a chance at a fresh start who could reach his full potential. He spent the first four years of his career on a below-average Tennessee team that went through several quarterbacks. Now he’s in Washington, D.C., with the quarterback who is a former Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Okonkwo could be one of Jayden Daniels’ favorite targets, especially when you see how he previously favored his tight ends. If Okonkwo can get the Zach Ertz treatment from 2024, then he has a chance to be heavily featured.

In 2024, Ertz had nine games with 11 or more fantasy points; his 29% red-zone target share was fourth among TEs, and he finished that season as the TE7. What should be especially exciting is that Okonkwo can extend plays, as he averaged 6.2 yards after the catch, which was sixth best among tight ends last year.

The Commanders' pass-catching room is slim. Terry McLaurin will likely be the top option, and they may sign a veteran receiver during the summer, but do not be surprised if Okonkwo is second on the team in targets.

Brenton Strange | Jacksonville Jaguars

In 2024, we saw a glimpse of Strange’s potential. He concluded the year as the TE31, but had three top-10 weekly finishes. There was a lot of optimism heading into the 2025 season, but he had a slow start, averaging 6.0 points over his first five games. It’s possible the hip injury that forced him to miss five games could have played a part. When he returned, we saw what we were hoping for; in his final six games, he finished with over 11 fantasy points three times and ranked as the TE8.

During this time, the Jaguars were one of the top offenses in the league. From Weeks 12-18, they ranked fourth in scoring drives (49%) and third in passing red-zone touchdowns (78%).

The Jaguars are going all in on Strange being their tight end of the future, signing him to an extension. It also becomes less worrisome about the Jags drafting TE Nate Boerkircher in the second round. He’s mainly used as a blocker and has caught only 38 passes in four years at Nebraska and Texas A&M.

The good news is that Grant Udkinski returned as the Jaguars' offensive coordinator, and Strange should be a prominent part of the offense.