Boerkircher was a Round 2 pick in the NFL Draft but can likely be ignored in all formats. His high draft selection is a product of the NFL's movement towards more tight ends on the field, and his role will be primarily as a blocker. He never had even 200 receiving yards in a season in college, and Brenton Strange will be the primary pass-catching tight end in 2026. If you want to take a shot on a Jacksonville tight end in a rookie draft, we prefer fifth-round pick Tanner Koziol, who is less likely to see the field in 2026 but more likely to eventually matter for Fantasy.
Jaguars' Nate Boerkircher: Sidelined for Friday's preseason loss
Rotowire
Boerkircher did not participate in Friday's 34-17 preseason loss to Carolina.
The rookie second-rounder joined Brenton Strange on the sidelines for Friday's game, with fellow rookie Tanner Koziol seeing action against the Panthers. Boerkircher figures to be the favorite to enter the regular season as the Jaguars' TE2 behind Strange, with the former competing against Koziol, Quintin Morris and Hunter Long. The Jaguars wrap up their slate of preseason games this Friday against the Buccaneers.
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Jaguars' Nate Boerkircher: Competing for No. 2 TE role
Rotowire
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.
