Week 3 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings 2026: By FantasyLineups | Rankings updated September 23, 2026 | Full PPR
Trey McBride leads our Week 3 fantasy football tight end rankings, but there is movement behind him. Dalton Kincaid’s strong start puts him near the top, Dalton Schultz offers an appealing PPR option, and Brock Bowers’ injury status remains a key decision for fantasy managers.
These are our top 12 tight ends for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season. The order weighs projected opportunity, recent usage, matchups and injury news. In full PPR, consistent receiving opportunities matter: chasing last week’s touchdown can leave you overlooking a better start.
Rank
Tight end
Week 3 outlook
1.Trey McBride — Arizona Cardinals
Our top projected target total at the position makes McBride the preferred PPR start. His receiving workload gives him paths to a strong afternoon without needing a touchdown.
2.Dalton Kincaid — Buffalo Bills
Twelve catches for 225 yards through two games support the move up. Start him against the Chargers, while recognizing that his early yardage efficiency could cool.
3.George Kittle — San Francisco 49ers
Kittle produced 80 yards and a touchdown on four catches last week. His scoring upside keeps him near the top against Arizona, even with some workload uncertainty.
4.Travis Kelce — Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce remains one of our preferred starts against Miami. His connection with Patrick Mahomes makes him an appealing option for managers seeking both receptions and touchdown upside.
5.Brock Bowers — Las Vegas Raiders
This ranking assumes he plays. Bowers belongs among the leading options if cleared, but managers should keep a replacement available until his status is confirmed.
6.Sam LaPorta — Detroit Lions
LaPorta rounds out our top six against the Jets. Detroit’s competition for targets adds variability, but his receiving and scoring projections keep him comfortably inside our starting group.
7.Dalton Schultz — Houston Texans
His 12-catch, 140-yard Week 2 deserves attention. Another large workload is possible if Nico Collins misses time, although managers should not expect last week’s production every Sunday.
8.Tucker Kraft — Green Bay Packers
Kraft is a bounce-back candidate against Atlanta on Thursday. Jayden Reed’s absence creates opportunity, but Kraft still needs a larger share of targets to turn that opportunity into points.
9.Isaiah Likely — New York Giants
Ten targets last week are encouraging for PPR managers. The transition to Jameis Winston introduces uncertainty, but that recent involvement earns Likely a place among our Week 3 starters.
10.Mark Andrews — Baltimore Ravens
Andrews offers a reasonable combination of receiving opportunity and touchdown upside against Dallas. He remains a starting option, with a lower PPR ranking than the volume leaders above him.
11.Tyler Warren — Indianapolis Colts
Our receiving projection keeps Warren inside the top 12 against Houston. He is a viable starter for managers without a higher-ranked option, with less margin for a quiet game.
12.Juwan Johnson — New Orleans Saints
Johnson closes out the list against Las Vegas. His projected receiving involvement makes him a practical streaming option, particularly when the alternative depends heavily on scoring a touchdown.
Bowers’ availability is the biggest injury checkpoint on this list. Also monitor Collins: he missed Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury, but that does not establish his Sunday status. A return could change Schultz’s target outlook.
Need help beyond the top 12? FantasyLineups subscribers can find the complete tight end rankings, rankings at other positions and daily updates in the Articles section. Visit FantasyLineups.com and join before setting your Week 3 lineup.
