This preseason we gave you reason to hope that Isaial Likely and Dalton Kincaid could be starters. Likely was getting away from Mark Andrews and he had flashes of awesomeness in the past when Andrews was out. Kincaid led the position in yards per route run in 2025 and there was talk that he was going to play more in 2026. Those hopes were validates in Week 1, with Likely leading the position in Fantasy points and Kincaid finishing as a top five option. For Week 2 we aren’t just hoping they can be starters, we are ranking it that way, and hoping we do so for the rest of the season.

Likely ran a route on 67% of Jaxson Dart’s drop backs in Week 1 and earned a 27.6% target share. What was more impressive was what he did when he was targeted. He caught all eight targets and scored a pair of touchdowns. He won’t be this good every week, but he showed me enough to rank him top six this week, ahead of Harold Fannin Jr. and Kyle Pitts, who were both drafted before him.

Kincaid’s 72% snap share was his highest mark since Week 9 of 2024. His YPRR was a ridiculous 5.91 and his target share of 21% was tied with Khalil Shakir for the second highest on the team. This was against a very good Texans defense that had been stingy against tight ends. In Week 2 he faces the Lions in the game with highest over under of Week 2. I would start him over Pitts and Fannin as well and his TE10 ranking for Week 2 could just be a jumping off point for an even higher ranking in the future. It seems all Kincaid needs to do is stay healthy to fulfill his breakout potential.

Here’s everything else you need to know about tight end in Week 2:

Week 2 TE Preview

• 52.6% — More than half of Cooper Rush’s passes went to Bijan Robinson. Bench Kyle Pitts until one of the other QBs are healthy, but don’t drop him.
• 13.6% — Harold Fannin’s 13.6% target share ranked 23rd amongst tight ends in Week 1. I am not optimistic that will improve until Shedeur Sanders takes over.
• 47.2% — George Kittle ran a route on less than half of Brock Purdy’s drop backs. Hopefully he is more involved in Week 2 but it could be a very run heavy script against the Dolphins.
• 17.6% — Mark Andrews had a 17.6% target share in the first half when Zay Flowers was healthy. That ballooned to 42.9% in the second half without Flowers. 
• 34 — Colston Loveland’s 34 routes were tied for second amongst tight ends in Week 1. He’ll probably be fine.
• 59 — Travis Kelce’s 59 yard reception was his longest receiving play since 2021.
• 460 — Hunter Henry led the Patriots with 460 routes run last year. With A.J. Brown hurt, Henry could become Drake Maye’s favorite target.

My full set of Week 2 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don’t live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 2. Projected stats for all starting tight ends are updated throughout the week so check back before you set your lineup for the latest information.