Who are the best AFC South tight ends? Who are those players, who are solid blockers as well as go-to receivers? Having a quality tight end will make any quarterback happy as it certainly makes their job easier.
The 2026 NFL regular season is right around the corner, which has every pro football fan full of joy. Here are the five best AFC South tight ends right now.
Ranking the Top AFC South Tight Ends for 2026
5. Nate Boerkircher
The list begins with someone who hasn’t even played an NFL preseason game yet. However, Nate Boerkircher has a ton of talent and potential. He caught 38 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns during his college career at Nebraska and Texas A&M. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Boerkircher, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound rookie, is a good blocker and an underrated receiver, who should be the perfect complement for Jaguars starter Brenton Strange. Plus, he should be a dangerous weapon for franchise signal-caller Trevor Lawrence in 2026.
4. Gunnar Helm
Speaking of players who played at a Texas school, Gunnar Helm comes in at No. 4 on the Top AFC South Tight Ends list. The former Texas Longhorn was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Last season, tight end Chig Okonkwo led the Titans in receptions (56) and receiving yards (560). But now that he’s with the Washington Commanders, Helm becomes the man in the tight end room. Snagging 44 catches for 357 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, Helm could take a huge step forward in 2026, helping out young quarterback Cam Ward in Tennessee.
3. Brenton Strange
The Jaguars obviously want Strange to be part of their future. The team signed him to a three-year, $48 million contract extension earlier this offseason.
Strange is a versatile blocker, who can make plays downfield and create after the catch. Despite missing five games last season, he recorded 46 catches, 540 receiving yards, and three touchdowns, which were all career-highs.
The Jaguars boast one of the league’s deepest wide receiver rooms, which includes guys like Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter. But don’t forget about the team’s tight end crew with Strange leading the way.
2. Dalton Schultz
After spending the first five years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, Dalton Schultz signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent in 2023. The former fourth-round pick would quickly emerge as one of the top AFC South tight ends. In 2025, he caught 82 passes for 777 yards and three touchdowns.
Schultz has become a trusted target for C.J. Stroud in Houston, contributing to the quarterback winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Schultz has also helped the Texans reach the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, including back-to-back AFC South titles. Will he help Stroud and Co. make it four straight postseason appearances?
1. Tyler Warren
Leading up to the 2025 NFL draft, it seemed like most Indianapolis Colts fans wanted their team to take Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Those fans got their wish as Indy drafted him with the 14th overall pick.
Warren did not disappoint anyone last season, as he finished twith 76 receptions for 817 yards and four touchdowns. He even had a rushing touchdown as well. For his efforts, he was named to the Pro Bowl and earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
In 2026, Warren will surely be one of the best AFC South tight ends, serving as an elite pass-catcher for quarterback Daniel Jones and the Colts. Warren just might become the best tight end in all of football. He has that kind of talent.
Main Image: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
