The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and the biggest wave of free agency is over. That makes it a perfect time to take stock of NFL rosters as we head toward the 2026 season. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends for all 32 NFL Teams. I’ll be ranking each unit 1-16 in their conference. When it comes to taking stock of the whole unit, it’s not just about star power but depth. Today, it’s the second group of AFC tight end rooms. Teams appear in ascending order.
#8 Houston Texans
On the Roster: Dalton Schultz, Foster Moreau, Marlin Klein, Cade Stover, Prior Lane, Brevin Jordan, and Louis Hansen
About: Starting the top half of the draw in the AFC, we come to an interesting room in Houston. The team has depth. Moreau was added this off-season as a solid veteran, while the team snagged Klein in the draft. They also have prospects in Stover and Jordan taken from previous drafts. That gives them options. But they rise to this spot thanks to Schultz, who has been a solid veteran presence for the Texans for the past few seasons. He has 194 receptions and 10 touchdowns in three seasons for the Texans. He’s a solid piece of the passing game.
#7 Cleveland Browns
On the Roster: Harold Fannin, Blake Whiteheart, Joe Royer, Jack Stoll, Carsen Ryan, and Brenden Bates
About: The Browns are at No. 7 because of Fannin. He was one of the best pieces of the team’s offense in 2025 as a rookie. He finished as TE6. He was good enough that the team let David Njoku walk. But it’s a new offense under Todd Monken, with questions at quarterback and upgraded receivers. In addition, the Browns have very little depth behind Fannin. Royer, as a rookie, and Stoll were added this offseason. But it’s a question of what would happen if Fannin missed time. That keeps the Browns from moving higher on the list for me.
#6 Los Angeles Chargers
On the Roster: David Njoku, Oronde Gadsen II, Charlie Kolar, Evan Svoboda, Jerand Bradley, and Johnny Pascuzzi
About: The Chargers have an interesting room. As a rookie, Gadsen showed some flashes of brilliance. He finished as TE15, with a real boom-bust game log. This off-season, the team added veterans Kolar and Njoku. That gives them incredible depth and great diversity. But what will it mean for a potential year two leap for Gadsden? That’s the question. Overall, this unit is good enough to make the Top 6. But Gadsen’s ceiling could pull them even higher by next year.
#5 Buffalo Bills
On the Roster: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes, Keleki Latu, and Shane Zylstra
About: The Bills have a great duo. Kincaid has some great receiving upside, which we’ve seen in flashes. And Knox is a steady presence that seems to come through for the team in the most crucial moments. Hawes and Zylstra add some good depth, too. Some might view this as too high, and I could see the argument for placing the Chargers ahead of the Bills, but I like the duo of Kincaid and Knox and what they’ve meant to the Bills’ offense.
#4 Kansas City Chiefs
On the Roster: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, Jake Briningstool, Tre Watson, and John Michael Gyllenborg
About: The Chiefs land here because of Kelce. Is it his last year? It’s certainly possible. If so, he feels like a lock for the Hall of Fame. He is aging, but he’s still producing at a high level. He’s still been a vital part of the Chiefs’ offense. He finished as TE3 in 2025. He’s still a strong starting option for fantasy and one of the most reliable TEs in the NFL. Behind him, I like Gray. He’s shown himself a solid and capable backup. The Chiefs have some other prospects, but the upside of Kelce and Gray is enough to land them Top 4.
#3 Indianapolis Colts
On the Roster: Tyler Warren, Mo-Alie Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, Sean McKinnon, and Carson Newt
About: Warren was as good as advertised. As a rookie, he finished as TE4 in 2025. He has a higher ceiling and more upside than Kelce at this point, which helped push the Colts ahead of the Chiefs on my list. Behind him, the team has the veteran Cox and a couple of prospects in Ogletree and Mallory. But the strength here is Warren, who is one of the best young tight ends in the league.
#2 New York Jets
On the Roster: Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, Jelani Woods, and Chase Curtis
About: This is a bit of a speculative jump. Sadiq was the top rookie at the position, and Taylor was a great prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, poised to break out. So that’s a big part of why the Jets land at #2 for me. With Ruckert and Woods also in this room, this is one of the deepest rooms in the league. The Jets have plenty of options and great upside. That’s enough for me to place them second in the AFC.
#1 Las Vegas Raiders
On the Roster: Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas, Runyon Carter, Albert Okwuegbunam, Jr., and Patrick Gurd
About: Bowers missed time due to injury and was trapped in a horrendous offense last year, so it’s easy to forget how great he is. But he finished tied for TE2 on a points-per-game basis last year. He’s one of the best tight ends in football. Behind him, the team has a solid prospect in Mayer, who was taken just one year earlier. The Raiders also have prospects in Thomas and Albert O., who have produced in the past. That makes this a deep room with a crazy-high upside. The fact that the Raiders have a mediocre receiver room makes the prospect of a huge Bowers season even better.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
