Looking at the Colts for next year, I was reminded what a strong season Tyler Warren just had. And what an unusually strong group of rookies it was last year.
The Colts first-rounder was a top-5 tight end in PPR leagues last year, which was the third year in a row that a rookie had ranked at least that high. Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers ranked No. 1 at the position the previous two seasons. So much for rookie tight ends needing a lot of time to develop.
Not only was Warren 5th, but another rookie (Harold Fannin) was 6th, and Colston Loveland was 12th. Oronde Gadsden was a top-15 player at the position.
Looks like the position is in good hands for the next decade.
Table shows the top 50 seasons by first-round tight ends since 2000. Last column shows how they ranked at the position in their rookie year. The 2025 rookies are in bold.
| BEST ROOKIE TIGHT END SEASONS, 2000-PRESENT | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | No | Rec | TD | Pts | Rk |
| 2024 | Brock Bowers, L.V. | 153 | 112 | 1194 | 5 | 262.7 | 1 |
| 2023 | Sam LaPorta, Det. | 120 | 86 | 889 | 10 | 239.3 | 1 |
| 2025 | Tyler Warren, Ind. | 112 | 76 | 817 | 5 | 188.5 | 5 |
| 2025 | Harold Fannin, Cle. | 107 | 72 | 731 | 7 | 188.4 | 6 |
| 2021 | Kyle Pitts, Atl. | 110 | 68 | 1026 | 1 | 176.6 | 6 |
| 2002 | Jeremy Shockey, NYG | 128 | 74 | 894 | 2 | 175.4 | 3 |
| 2017 | Evan Engram, NYG | 115 | 64 | 722 | 6 | 173.6 | 5 |
| 2025 | Colston Loveland, Chi. | 82 | 58 | 713 | 6 | 165.1 | 12 |
| 2010 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 59 | 42 | 546 | 10 | 156.6 | 11 |
| 2021 | Pat Freiermuth, Pitt. | 79 | 60 | 497 | 7 | 153.7 | 13 |
| 2023 | Dalton Kincaid, Buff. | 91 | 73 | 673 | 2 | 152.3 | 11 |
| 2008 | John Carlson, Sea. | 80 | 55 | 627 | 5 | 147.7 | 7 |
| 2010 | Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | 64 | 45 | 563 | 6 | 142.0 | 14 |
| 2013 | Tim Wright, T.B. | 76 | 54 | 571 | 5 | 141.3 | 13 |
| 2025 | Oronde Gadsden, LAC | 69 | 49 | 664 | 3 | 133.4 | 15 |
| 2016 | Hunter Henry, S.D. | 53 | 36 | 478 | 8 | 131.8 | 18 |
| 2010 | Jermaine Gresham, Cin. | 83 | 52 | 471 | 4 | 125.1 | 16 |
| 2005 | Heath Miller, Pitt. | 52 | 39 | 459 | 6 | 120.9 | 14 |
| 2010 | Tony Moeaki, K.C. | 73 | 47 | 556 | 3 | 120.6 | 17 |
| 2008 | Dustin Keller, NYJ | 78 | 48 | 535 | 3 | 119.5 | 14 |
| 2012 | Dwayne Allen, Ind. | 66 | 45 | 521 | 3 | 115.6 | 25 |
| 2013 | Jordan Reed, Was. | 59 | 45 | 499 | 3 | 114.7 | 22 |
| 2018 | Chris Herndon, NYJ | 56 | 39 | 502 | 4 | 113.2 | 16 |
| 2019 | Noah Fant, Den. | 66 | 40 | 562 | 3 | 113.0 | 15 |
| 2002 | Randy McMichael, Mia. | 68 | 39 | 485 | 4 | 112.3 | 9 |
| 2018 | Mark Andrews, Balt. | 50 | 34 | 552 | 3 | 107.2 | 17 |
| 2013 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 57 | 36 | 469 | 4 | 106.9 | 23 |
| 2017 | George Kittle, S.F. | 63 | 43 | 515 | 2 | 106.5 | 19 |
| 2007 | Zach Miller, Oak. | 68 | 44 | 444 | 3 | 106.4 | 16 |
| 2015 | Will Tye, NYG | 62 | 42 | 464 | 3 | 106.4 | 25 |
| 2017 | O.J. Howard, T.B. | 39 | 26 | 432 | 6 | 105.2 | 20 |
| 2004 | Chris Cooley, Was. | 63 | 37 | 314 | 6 | 104.4 | 12 |
| 2013 | Mychal Rivera, Oak. | 60 | 38 | 407 | 4 | 102.7 | 24 |
| 2006 | Owen Daniels, Hou. | 51 | 34 | 352 | 5 | 99.2 | 14 |
| 2022 | Chig Okonkwo, Ten. | 46 | 32 | 450 | 3 | 97.2 | 25 |
| 2010 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 44 | 31 | 356 | 5 | 96.9 | 27 |
| 2001 | Eric Johnson, S.F. | 64 | 40 | 362 | 3 | 96.2 | 15 |
| 2013 | Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 60 | 39 | 445 | 2 | 95.5 | 26 |
| 2017 | David Njoku, Cle. | 60 | 32 | 386 | 4 | 94.7 | 24 |
| 2022 | Cade Otton, T.B. | 65 | 42 | 391 | 2 | 93.1 | 26 |
| 2007 | Greg Olsen, Chi. | 66 | 39 | 391 | 2 | 92.1 | 22 |
| 2025 | Gunnar Helm, Ten. | 55 | 44 | 357 | 2 | 91.7 | 31 |
| 2022 | Isaiah Likely, Balt. | 60 | 36 | 373 | 3 | 91.3 | 27 |
| 2018 | Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 44 | 33 | 334 | 4 | 90.4 | 20 |
| 2005 | Alex Smith, T.B. | 61 | 41 | 367 | 2 | 89.7 | 19 |
| 2025 | Mason Taylor, NYJ | 65 | 44 | 369 | 1 | 88.9 | 32 |
| 2022 | Greg Dulcich, Den. | 55 | 33 | 411 | 2 | 86.1 | 30 |
| 2002 | Doug Jolley, Oak. | 37 | 32 | 409 | 2 | 84.9 | 18 |
| 2014 | Jace Amaro, NYJ | 53 | 38 | 345 | 2 | 84.5 | 24 |
| 2013 | Joseph Fauria, Det. | 30 | 18 | 207 | 7 | 82.7 | 32 |
--Andy Richardson

