Tight end remains one of the most difficult positions to navigate in fantasy football because the difference between a low-end starter and an irrelevant option is often decided by opportunity rather than talent. Once the elite players come off the board, fantasy managers should be looking for tight ends with clear paths to expanded roles, favorable quarterback situations, and the potential to become one of the top two targets in their offense.
This year’s late-round group features several players who fit that profile. Greg Dulcich, Chig Okonkwo, Gunnar Helm, and Isaiah Likely all carry some level of uncertainty, but each has a realistic path to significantly outperforming his current draft price. Rather than spending meaningful draft capital on a replaceable mid-tier option, these are the types of upside swings fantasy managers should be taking in the final rounds.
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Greg Dulcich, TE, Miami Dolphins
Finding upside at tight end in the final rounds of fantasy football drafts is difficult, but Greg Dulcich offers one of the clearest paths to dramatically outperforming his draft position. Through four NFL seasons, injuries and inconsistent opportunities have prevented him from fully breaking out, as he has totaled just 799 receiving yards and three touchdowns for his career. Despite that underwhelming production, Dulcich enters one of the best opportunity situations he has had since entering the league. Miami has arguably the least proven group of pass catchers in football, with no returning wide receiver on the roster surpassing 610 career receiving yards. Early reports from the offseason have also been encouraging, as Dulcich has reportedly emerged as one of the most heavily targeted players in the offense. At an ADP outside the top 180 picks, fantasy managers are paying virtually nothing for a player who could realistically finish second on his team in targets.
Miami’s offense still carries plenty of uncertainty, but someone has to emerge as Malik Willis’ security blanket, and Dulcich has the athletic profile to fill that role. Jeff Hafley arrives from Green Bay, where tight ends remained heavily involved within the offensive structure, and Miami’s lack of established receiving talent should create a much easier path to consistent routes. Dulcich also benefits from the easiest projected schedule among fantasy tight ends, which could play a major role in sustaining usable weekly production. There is certainly risk attached to betting on a player who has never stayed healthy or produced consistently, but that risk is already reflected in his TE23 price. If Dulcich establishes himself as Miami’s primary intermediate target, he could become one of the better late-round values at the position.
Chig Okonkwo, TE, Washington Commanders
Chig Okonkwo has quietly produced at least 50 receptions in three consecutive seasons despite spending his entire career in one of the league’s least productive passing attacks. He set career highs with 56 catches and 560 receiving yards last season while playing in a Tennessee offense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in passing production. Okonkwo has never played with a quarterback who surpassed 3,200 passing yards or 15 touchdowns in a season, making his move to Washington a significant upgrade. The Commanders rewarded him with a three-year, $27 million contract, and early offseason reports suggest he has already developed a strong connection with Jayden Daniels. That combination of financial investment and improved quarterback play creates a legitimate opportunity for Okonkwo to finally convert steady receiving volume into meaningful fantasy production.
The opening in Washington’s target hierarchy is what makes Okonkwo especially appealing. Terry McLaurin remains the clear top option, but the Commanders lack an established second target after moving on from Zach Ertz. Daniels supported Ertz to a TE8 finish as a rookie, targeting him 91 times, and Okonkwo is younger and considerably more athletic at this stage of his career. The concern is that Okonkwo has never commanded more than a modest target share or scored more than three touchdowns in a season, so counting on a complete breakout would be aggressive. Still, he does not need to become an elite player to outperform a TE22 price. If Daniels remains healthy and Okonkwo settles in as Washington’s second or third option, he has a realistic path to a career-best season and could push for a low-end TE1 finish.
Gunnar Helm, TE, Tennessee Titans
Gunnar Helm enters his second season with a much clearer path to playing time after putting together an encouraging rookie campaign. A fourth-round pick out of Texas, Helm caught 44 of his 55 targets for 357 yards and two touchdowns despite operating in one of the NFL’s least efficient passing attacks. His 80% catch rate and 1.45 yards per route run were respectable marks for a rookie tight end, especially one splitting opportunities with Chig Okonkwo. Helm also set a franchise record for receptions by a rookie tight end while finishing fourth on the team in both catches and receiving yards. With Okonkwo now in Washington and Tennessee waiting until the seventh round to add another tight end, the organization appears comfortable giving Helm a significantly larger role.
The arrival of Brian Daboll adds another layer of intrigue to Helm’s outlook. Daboll has consistently utilized tight ends as important pieces of his passing attacks, and Tennessee should be more functional if Cam Ward takes a step forward in his second season. Calvin Ridley, Carnell Tate, and Wan’Dale Robinson will likely sit ahead of Helm in the target hierarchy, which limits his chances of becoming a true focal point. However, he should have a near-monopoly on the position’s routes after competing primarily with Daniel Bellinger and Kylen Granson. Helm has also earned praise from Robert Saleh for the physical development he made during the offseason. At his current TE24 price, fantasy managers are not paying for a breakout. They are simply betting that increased routes, improved quarterback play, and natural Year 2 development can push him into weekly streaming consideration.
Isaiah Likely, TE, New York Giants
Isaiah Likely finally has the opportunity fantasy managers have been waiting for after spending four seasons behind Mark Andrews in Baltimore. Likely flashed significant receiving upside whenever Andrews missed time, but his overall production remained inconsistent because he rarely operated as the Ravens’ primary tight end. He totaled 135 receptions, 1,568 yards, and 15 touchdowns across his first four seasons despite frequently playing a secondary role. New York clearly believes he can handle more, signing him to a three-year, $40 million contract after John Harbaugh made the move from Baltimore to the Giants. Early reports also suggest Likely has already developed chemistry with Jaxson Dart, giving him a chance to immediately become one of the quarterback’s most trusted targets.
The most important change will be Likely’s route participation. He ran a route on only 53% of Baltimore’s passing plays last season, while former Giants tight end Theo Johnson was closer to 73%. If Likely receives that type of full-time usage, his athleticism and ability to create mismatches from the slot could make him a consistent fantasy starter. Malik Nabers’ uncertain recovery also creates the possibility that Likely begins the season with an even larger role, particularly in the red zone. New York’s offense still carries risk, and Likely has never proven he can maintain production over a full season as a featured option. However, his ceiling is considerably higher than most tight ends available in the same range. The combination of talent, financial commitment, coaching familiarity, and a clear path to more routes makes Likely one of the strongest late-round tight end targets in 2026.
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