NFL Player News

John Shipley of SI.com considers Boerkircher the favorite to secure the Jaguars' No. 2 TE role behind Brenton Strange.

Strange inked a lucrative extension with the team last month and remains Jacksonville's clear-cut No. 1 TE on the heels of a 46-catch effort in 12 regular-season games in 2025. Boerkircher -- whom the Jaguars took 56th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft -- is thus slated to compete with fellow rookie Tanner Koziol, as well as returnees Quintin Morris and Hunter Long for slotting behind Strange ahead of Week 1. After logging a total of 38 career catches through five collegiate seasons, Boerkircher figures to make his initial mark as a pro in the blocking game, with the 24-year-old's long-term fantasy upside hinging on whether he's able to make strides as a pass catcher down the road.

As the regular season approaches, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today notes that Parkinson is expected to remain the Rams' No. 1 tight end.

During the 2025 regular season, Parkinson made his mark by catching 43 of his 56 targets for 408 yards and eight TDs in 15 contests. Though Los Angeles' current TE room is crowded, with Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, Max Klare and Davis Allen also in the mix, DaSilva relays that Parkinson should be the Rams' primary inline tight end once again and will almost always be on the field when the team deploys TE-heavy sets. In that context, the 27-year-old retains a modest degree of fantasy utility in a passing attack that continues to feature high-volume WRs Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, in particular if Parkinson retains a key red-zone role in 2026.

Arroyo will enter training camp as a candidate to secure an expanded role on offense with the Seahawks, Justin Melo of USA Today reports.

Arroyo is expected to see more opportunities in 2026 after catching 15 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown across 13 regular-season games as a rookie. AJ Barner remains atop Seattle's depth chart, but Arroyo's athleticism gives him a path to increased usage in passing situations and two-tight end sets. Injuries limited Arroyo's involvement last season, so better health could be all the 2025 second-rounder requires to take a notable step forward.

Ferguson remains the Cowboys' unquestioned starting tight end ahead of training camp, Chris Amaya of ExpressNews.com reports.

Ferguson signed a four-year, $50 million extension with Dallas last offseason, so the 27-year-old remains positioned as Dak Prescott's top target at the tight end position for the foreseeable future. He caught 82 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games last year, giving him a steady fantasy floor through volume and red-zone usage. It's worth noting, though, that Ferguson's average depth of catch has dropped in three consecutive seasons, from 10.7 yards in 2023 to 8.4 in 2024, then just 7.3 yards per catch in 2025.

Raridon will enter training camp with an opportunity to establish himself as the No. 2 tight end behind starter Hunter Henry, Jordy McElroy of USA Today reports.

The Patriots selected Raridon in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he has a clear path to snaps with Julian Hill (knee) on season-ending IR and Austin Hooper having signed with the Falcons. At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, the Notre Dame standout possesses the athleticism, speed and catch radius to threaten defenses down the seam and provide Drake Maye with another receiving option. Raridon still needs refinement as a blocker, but a strong training camp could position him for a meaningful rookie-year role. Meanwhile, Henry is positioned to hit free agency in 2027.

Bellinger is poised to enter training camp with a chance to carve out a meaningful role in the Titans' offense, Jim Wyatt of the team's official site reports.

Bellinger spent the last four seasons playing under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll with the Giants, making him one of Tennessee's most familiar additions to the new offensive scheme. While 2025 fourth-rounder Gunnar Helm is expected to handle plenty of receiving work following the departure of Chig Okonkwo (now with the Commanders), Bellinger's blocking ability makes him a natural fit for the heavier personnel packages Daboll is expected to employ. That familiarity, combined with the vacancy created by Okonkwo's departure, gives the 25-year-old a legitimate chance to earn consistent snaps with the Titans.

Mayer is poised for a complementary role behind Brock Bowers in head coach Klint Kubiak's offense, which is expected to feature frequent two-tight end formations, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.

Mayer enters the final year of his rookie contract with an opportunity to carve out the biggest role of his NFL career, per Jared Feinberg of SI.com. While Bowers remains the focal point of the passing game for new quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza, Mayer's combination of in-line blocking and reliable short-area receiving makes him an ideal fit for Kubiak's outside-zone scheme and heavy personnel packages. If Las Vegas leans into an approach heavy on 12 personnel, Mayer could see consistent enough snaps to surpass the career-best 35-328-1 receiving line he recorded while suiting up for 13 regular-season games last year.

Sadiq (abdomen) is expected to be ready for training camp, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Sadiq missed OTAs and minicamp due to hernia surgery, which stemmed from a college injury that the Jets said they were aware of when they drafted Sadiq with the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Sadiq will have to play catch-up once healthy, but offensive coordinator Frank Reich has a plan for getting the athletic tight end up to speed. Reich views Sadiq as a mismatch for defenders due to the rookie's mix of speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash) and size (6-foot-3, 241 pounds).

As the coming season approaches, Gesicki profiles as the main receiving option in a Bengals tight end corps that also features Drew Sample, who makes most of his impact as an inline blocker, John Sheeran of A to Z Sports reports.

Also competing for TE slotting are Erick All (knee), Tanner Hudson, Jack Endries, Cam Grandy and Josh Kattus. Gesicki saw his production drop last season to 28 catches (on 42 targets) for 307 yards and two TDs in 13 regular-season games, down from the 65-665-2 line he posted in 2024, his first year with Cincinnati. Four missed games of his own, along with injuries limiting star QB Joe Burrow to eight regular-season appearances in 2025, didn't help Gesicki's cause, but with Noah Fant (34 catches on 41 targets) no longer in the mix, Gesicki has a chance to rebound as a secondary target with some streaming utility in a 2026 passing attack that will continue to lean heavily on WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, as well as RB Chase Brown.

Coach Mike Vrabel indicated the Patriots plan to add to a tight-end corps led by Henry before training camp in the wake of the season-ending injury Julian Hill (knee) sustained during OTAs, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

With Hill on IR and Austin Hooper now with the Falcons, 2026 third-rounder Eli Raridon is next up behind Henry on the depth chart, with CJ Dippre, Tanner Arkin and FB/TE Jack Westover also currently in the mix. Henry -- who is heading into the final season of the three-year deal he signed with New England in March 2024 -- put up a 60/768/7 receiving line on 87 targets in 17 regular-season games in 2025. He's slated to remain a key target for rising young QB Drake Maye in 2026, a context that gives Henry a stable weekly floor from a fantasy perspective.