In our latest episode, we discuss our 2026 TE strategies for auction drafts, as well as some of our targets and fades based on current AAV.
TE is a tricky one, and the main school of thought seem to be "great or late." I think it really depends on what type of roster you want to build, and how many starters you have. If you play in a league that only starts 2WRs and one flex, for example, you can probably afford to spend a little more on the position. You can be increasingly proactive and aggressive when you have fewer positions to worry about. If, on the other hand, your league starts 3WRs and multiple flex spots, perhaps you lean towards allocating resources there, and that's typically what I like to do. I won't avoid the most expensive TEs outright just because they're pricey. I'm always on the lookout for bargains, and adjusting your draft plan on the fly is important, especially during the draft when bids starts flying and the adrenaline is pumping.
I do usually recommend waiting until late to draft a TE, since it's one of the easiest positions to replace without needing to allocate much from your draft budget. The position has gotten deeper, perhaps the deepest we've seen in years, and the gap between mid-tier options continues to shrink.
The difference between the overall TE 6 and the TE 12 the past three seasons has been just over 2 fpts/g.
IMO, TE is not where you gain your biggest advantage, but it’s very easy to lose value by allocating too much of your budget there. That’s why waiting on TE fits nicely into the hero WR build I've been advocating for all summer. Spend up where scarcity exists, and save where replacement value is high.
My TE targets:
Dalton Kincaid
Current AAV (Last 30 days):
1QB $2 | SF $4
Admittedly, Kincaid is a higher injury risk than some other TEs. He's coming off a PCL injury, and over the last month, his AAV has been on a downward trajectory. I think the injury could be playing a role in how drafters view him, but his snap percentage might also be a factor. Kincaid missed a bunch of time last season. Looking at 2024, he only played a 58% snap share. 2023 was a little better at 63%, so perhaps he just isn't a full time player. But why I like him in auctions this year really just comes down to his price and the team he plays for. Kincaid is a good example of a low risk, high reward player. He was also the most efficient TE last season (0.27 TPRR, 3.19 YPRR). The Bills are tied for second with the Lions with the highest point total per game, and when Josh Allen is your quarterback, Kincaid has the potential to be a good fantasy TE for your team, even if he's not on the field as much as we'd all like. There's risk, absolutely, but you can pair him with another cheap TE (or two if you have a deep bench) and hedge your bet a little.
George Kittle
Current AAV (Last 30 days):
1QB $3 | SF $4
Almost everything I said about Kincaid can be said about Kittle, except for the part about his playing time. Kittle's been among the lead leaders in snap percentage for years now, and unlike Kincaid, he hardly ever comes off the field. His cost has never exceeded $6, which happened only once in the last month. Kittle might actually be my favorite TE target if you decide you want to avoid the highest priced guys and even some of the players in that $5-$10 range like Kraft, Fanin, and Pitts. We'll see what he looks like when training camp starts soon, and whether or not he's lost any of his explosiveness, but even with the injury concerns and his age, he's absolutely got top 5 potential. Like Kincaid, pair him with another high upside guy that won't cost you a lot, Gadsden, Likely, Okonkwo, or Brenton Strange all who could be considered breakout candidates.
My TE avoid:
Trey McBride
Current AAV (Last 30 days)
1QB $33 | SF $26
McBride may be a somewhat controversial name here, but over the last month, his AAV has eclipsed Bowers' for the most expensive TE in both formats and imo, that's pretty wild. McBride's an absolute beast, no doubt, but I can't quite understand why drafters are willing to pay such a premium for him. Maybe folks are chasing last year's points and assume that with Jacoby Brissett likely starting the year, McBride's again an automatic 17 or 18 pts/g. The Cardinals were the league's most pass heavy team last season, so I expect some regression there, and while I think Brissett will start, Arizona could quickly pivot to rookie Carson Beck, especially if they find themselves out of playoff contention early on. It's plausible they could go 1-7 or 0-8 and make the switch to Beck, which would probably be a big negative for all the Arizona pass catchers. I'd say that If you're debating between McBride or Bowers and you find yourself in a position to draft Bowers for less, you should immediately pounce. Alternatively, you could save yourself quite a bit and draft someone like Loveland (currently 45% cheaper in 1QB; 30% cheaper in SF) or Warren (currently 65% cheaper in 1QB; 55% cheaper in SF) and probably still feel really good about your TE and even better about the money you saved!
Other players we discussed:
Harold Fanin
Isaiah Likely
Orande Gadsden
\The current values are pulled directly from real-user completed mocks, making this the most accurate source available. They serve as the foundation for my annual AAV dataset.*
The site updates after every mock and can be accessed here: AAV.
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