Fantasy projections for Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, other rookie TEs; what history says to expect Year 1

It's not often a tight end gets taken in the top 50 overall; here's how they've fared

By Josh Edwards

Jun 5, 2025 at 8:24 am ET • 2 min read

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Tight ends are not considered a premium position and therefore not often taken early in the NFL Draft. Prior to 2025, only 19 had been taken top 50 overall over the previous 10 years. Yet, Michigan's Colston Loveland and Penn State's Tyler Warren were first-round picks in April and five were taken among the top 50 overall.

In recent years, the league has witnessed breakout campaigns from the likes of Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta, but has that skewed the reality of what fans should expect from a rookie tight end?

CBSSports.com explored the past 10 years in an attempt to project rookie seasons for Loveland, Warren and other first-year tight ends taken in the top 50 overall.

First and foremost, there is a very exclusive club of tight ends drafted in the top 10 overall, which Loveland has now joined. It did not make sense to narrow the search to those parameters given the small sample size. Here's one example of how much different it is projecting rookie wide receiver production versus tight end: A 500-yard receiving season would be top 10 among rookie tight ends over the past 10 years.

Average depth of target and the overall number of targets within an offense have been limiting factors on a rookie tight end's production in the past.

With all that in mind, let's get to the projections for this year's tight end class:

Colston Loveland

CHI • TE • #84

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Round 1, pick 10

Colston Loveland's statistical output may not necessarily be an accurate representation of his performance this season. Chicago's offense has other options in the passing game, including tight end Cole Kmet. It is not a situation similar to Brock Bowers in Las Vegas a year ago when he was the primary target following the Davante Adams trade. Bowers produced the greatest single season ever by a rookie tight end: 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns.

If one were to average the top 10 seasons by a rookie tight end over the past 10 years, it would look as follows: 61.9 receptions for 713.2 yards and 4.3 touchdowns.

CBSSports.com's Fantasy football experts currently project 47 receptions for 501 yards and four scores for Loveland in Year 1.

As of writing this, the odds for Loveland to eclipse 600 receiving yards is -150 on DraftKings Sportsbook. (New users can activate $300 in bonus bets upon winning your first $5 bet.)

Tyler Warren

IND • TE • #84

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Round 1, pick 14

An average season by a tight end taken in the top 50 overall over the past 10 years would be 46.5 receptions for 529.9 yards and 3.7 touchdowns. The tight end position has been an integral role in Shane Steichen's offenses in the past. There is hardly any competition at the position for Warren, but the wide receiver group features Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell. That's a lot of mouths to feed, in addition to running back Jonathan Taylor.

CBSSports.com's Fantasy football experts project 52 receptions for 664 yards and five touchdowns for Warren in 2025 -- the highest totals among all rookie tight ends.

Four of the top 10 seasons by a rookie tight end over the past 10 years have been delivered by players drafted outside of the top 50 overall:

Player	Year	Round (pick)	Rec	Yds	TD
Mark Andrews (Ravens)	2018	3 (86)	34	552	3
George Kittle (49ers)	2017	5 (146)	43	515	2
Chris Herndon (Jets)	2018	4 (107)	39	502	4
Pat Freiermuth (Steelers)	2021	2 (55)	60	497	7