Out of Penn State University, Tyler Warren is the consensus number 1 tight end in this year’s NFL Draft. Warren finished his senior year with 104 receptions, 1,233 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Penn State lined up Warren in many ways during his collegiate career, which gives him versatility for any offense. This will lead to Warren being selected high in the 1st round, but what NFL team is the best fit for the tight end for fantasy purposes?
1. New York Jets
The New York Jets are entering the 2025 season with a facelift in all departments, including coaching staff and quarterback. With a solid foundation of a roster, the Jets could be in a position to add some playmakers in this year’s draft. Warren would join a team with an offensive coordinator, Tanner Engstrand, who was a part of the high-power offense in Detroit. Engstrand was the passing coordinator for the Lions, who, in essence, were responsible for Sam LaPorta, TE1 finished in his rookie season. The Jets could use Warren in the same ways the Lions used LaPorta.
The other benefit of this addition comes with the addition of new quarterback Justin Fields. This will be Fields’ third team in 3 years, but during his time as the full-time starter for the Chicago Bears, he has a QB6 finish to his resume. More importantly for Warren, Fields was the cause of Cole Kmet having back-to-back Top 10 TE finishes. Warren is by far a better prospect & player than Kmet is. Fields’s ability to extend plays and keep linebackers at bay could open the field for Warren.
We have seen rookie tight ends burst onto the scene in back-to-back seasons with Sam LaPorta in 2023 & Brock Bowers in 2024. The upside for Warren is that Bowers did not join a powerhouse of an offense in Las Vegas but still managed 112 receptions & 1,194 yards (both NFL rookie records). Tyler Warren’s best chance to continue the rookie TE1 streak alive is by being a New York Jet.
2. Chicago Bears
If you have been following this series, my favorite thing to do is to add offensive weapons to the Chicago Bears. The combination of Ben Johnson & Caleb Williams needs fuel to fill the fire that this offense could be. Ben Johnson can have a field day with the possibilities this Bears offense could look like. Coming over from Detroit, Johnson could have his Sam LaPorta replacement in Tyler Warren.
Internally, this would be a major upgrade from Cole Kmet to Tyler Warren. With Caleb Williams’ ability to extend plays, Warren could be found over the middle of the field for some extra yardage. The majority of Warren’s routes run in the short to intermediate levels of the field. This is an area that could be opened up with DJ Moore route-running abilities and Rome Odunze’s deep ball skill set.
Tight ends are becoming more and more important when it comes to building a championship fantasy squad. Tyler Warren could be the next breakout at the position, and if he ends up in a solid offense like the Bears, he could be in a great spot to make some serious fantasy noise.
3. New Orleans Saints
Sometimes a talented band-aid can make a deep, wounded salary-cap disaster improve everything. Tyler Warren to the New Orleans Saints could be exactly that for fantasy purposes. The Saints are in “no man’s land” in the NFL, but still have fantasy value all over the field. Quarterback Derek Carr will lead an offense featuring Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and a healthy Rashid Shaheed, a trio poised to earn plenty of fantasy roster spots this season.
During the offseason, the Saints hired a new head coach in Kellen Moore, who is coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles. Moore, with his offensive genius, is known for utilizing his tight ends. As mentioned before, the Saints are in the middle of the pack of the NFL. There are only two directions to go from there: destroy and then rebuild or refuel to compete. From the looks of their offseason moves, the Saints are staying put to compete for a division title.
Tyler Warren adds another versatile weapon to a loaded offense. This could be the opportunity for the Saints to have a TE1 since Jimmy Graham in 2013. Warren being paired with a veteran quarterback like Carr, who has thrown to top tight ends before, could set up for a high production year for the incoming rookie.
READ: Tight End Tactics: Draft Strategies and Sleepers
Honorable Mentions
- Indianapolis Colts
- Immediate TE1 on roster
- Safety blanket for either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones
- Intriguing trio of Michal Pittman Jr., Josh Downs & Tyler Warren
- Miami Dolphins
- Mike McDaniel’s offense just had Jonnu Smith as TE4
- J. Smith is 30 years old
- Explosive offense