The Buffalo Bills will face a gauntlet in their 2026 schedule, featuring several legitimate Super Bowl contenders throughout. Those teams are obviously loaded with talent, presenting a number of challenges for the Bills on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, they are going to have to figure out how to handle a number of talented tight ends. It should say something about how good this group is when Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, and T.J. Hockenson don’t crack the list. As the Bills figure out their own position battles, these are the five best tight ends (with a bit of a cheat in the last spot) the Bills will have to figure out this season.
5.) The Los Angeles Rams TE Room - Week 5 (MNF)
This is cheating a bit, but it really underscores how talented this group is. Head coach Sean McVay runs a lot of 12 personnel, and has the perfect group to push defenses in the passing game and as run blockers.
Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, and Terrance Ferguson were exceptional. They added second-round pick Max Klare to the mix, and defenses will once again have their hands full with all of these guys. They are talented enough on their own but downright deadly with McVay moving them around the chess board.
4.) Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions - Week 2 (TNF)
Physically, there are few tight ends in the NFL as talented as Sam LaPorta. Injuries limited him to just nine games in 2025, so he will no doubt be looking to come back healthy, refreshed, and looking to replicate the numbers he put up as a rookie in 2023 (86 receptions, 889 yards, 10 touchdowns).
Injuries were a big issue for the Lions in 2025, but the talent is there for LaPorta to be a problem once again. With weapons like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs around him, LaPorta should have ample opportunity to make defenses pay.
3.) Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers - Week 14 (SNF)
Tucker Kraft was limited to just eight games thanks to a season-ending injury, but he was emerging as one of the beast weapons at the position until that point. With 32 catches, 489 yards, and six touchdowns, he had become a clear favorite of quarterback Jordan Love.
Kraft has a deep knowledge of the Packers offense and the trust of Love. His athleticism may not be quite to the level of others on the list, but he finds gaps in the defense and exploits them to perfection. Kraft will no doubt be back with a vengeance and again a favorite target of Love.
2.) Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears - Week 15 (Saturday Night Football)
The Bears had a breakout offensive season with third-year quarterback Caleb Williams at the helm. A big part of that was the performance of Colston Loveland, the team’s 2025 first-round pick. He gained steam as the season progressed, racking up 713 yards and six touchdowns.
At 6-foot-6, 241 pounds, Loveland has a massive frame and the freak athleticism to take another step forward. Head coach Ben Johnson utilized tight ends well as the offensive coordinator in Detroit, so it stands to reason that Loveland will be a huge problem for defenses in 2026.
1.) Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders - Week 6
Brock Bowers, when healthy, has been a monster. The 2024 first-round pick played in just 12 games after an 1,194-yard, five touchdown rookie season.
Bowers can line up anywhere in the offense, has the size (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), and the athleticism to break away from defenders. With 12 touchdowns in 24 career starts, he has been one of the few Raiders to consistently perform. He is going to be a headache no matter what pieces are around him in the Raider offense.
Clash of the elite TE rooms
The Bills know a thing or two about talented tight ends and have one of the most talented groups in the league with Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes. The Bills defense will have the benefit of practicing against one of the best tight end rooms out there, a potentially underrated benefit.
The Bills have a lot of challenges on their plate in 2026. New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will need to find a way to defend against the plethora of weapons that Bills opponents will bring to the table on a near-weekly basis.
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