The New York Jets will have to prepare for their first preseason game without one of their first-round picks, as tight end Kenyon Sadiq is going to be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time after suffering a “setback” from offseason hernia surgery. 

Head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters on Tuesday that he’s not “real worried” about Sadiq, but wants to make the right decision regarding his recovery so that the tight end is 100% healthy for the regular season. Glenn also said he’s “very confident” Sadiq will be ready for the Sept. 13 season opener against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

The No. 16 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was compared to Vernon Davis as a prospect, and caught 51 passes for 560 yards and eight touchdowns for the Oregon Ducks last season. No FBS tight end caught more touchdowns than Sadiq last year, and his 51 catches were the most ever recorded by a tight end in a single season in Oregon history. 

As the top tight end in this draft class, Sadiq is expected to play a legitimate role in this Frank Reich offense. He’s an intriguing chess piece at 6-foot-3, 241 pounds, and possesses legitimate speed. Sadiq actually ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. 

Even if Sadiq were to miss more time than expected, the Jets have a deep tight end room with Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert and Jelani Woods. Taylor caught 44 passes for 369 yards and one touchdown as a rookie last year, and Glenn previously indicated he was due for a breakout season. 

“I don’t think he’s flying under the radar, but I’m really looking forward to what Mason does this year,” Glenn said of Taylor back in March. “Yeah, I think Mason’s going to have a hell of a year, I really do, because there are some things that we talked about.”

New York kicks off the preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday, Aug. 14. 

Fantasy expectations for Kenyon Sadiq

Sadiq is going to be an intriguing name for fantasy football owners this season, since many will be willing to buy in on a rookie that possesses freak athleticism. The CBS Sports fantasy football team has released their projections for every position as we approach the start of the 2026 NFL season, and they have ranked Sadiq as TE22 in non-PPR leagues.

The 21-year-old is projected to catch 47 passes for 527 yards and six touchdowns this season. Those aren’t massive numbers, especially when you consider the kind of production rookie tight ends have had over the last few years. Tyler Warren of the Indianapolis Colts caught 76 passes for 817 yards and four touchdowns last season, while Brock Bowers broke records by catching 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. 

There’s plenty to consider when drafting a Jet this year. There are plenty of mouths to feed on offense with Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Omar Cooper Jr., then Geno Smith has to prove he’s not one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, as he was last year in Sin City. You also have to wonder how missing time at training camp could affect Sadiq’s return to the lineup once meaningful football starts next month.