The NFC North tight ends room features one of the youngest, and due to that, highest upside position groups in the NFL.
Nobody on this list is older than 29 and three out of the five players are 25 or younger. The only reason this position group wasn’t one of the strongest in 2025 was injuries and poor quarterback play for one player on this list (we’ll get there soon enough) but otherwise the upside is through the roof with these guys.
With hopes that those hinderances improve in 2026, here’s a look the top five tight ends in NFC North for the 2026 season.
The Best NFC North Tight Ends for 2026
5. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Kmet is the only player on this list who won’t be his teams’ top option at the position, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have immense utility as a player. The Chicago Bears former 2020 second round pick out of Notre Dame hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations he had coming out of college, but he was still a factor in the Bears surprise playoff run during 2025.
The 27-year-old tallied 30 receptions for 347 yards and two touchdowns during the 2025 season while playing in 16 of the teams 17 games. With so many different receiving options on the Bears team such as D.J. Moore (who is now a Bill), Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus (who is now a Falcon) and a future member of this list, Kmet didn’t have the target volume on the team to make a huge impact, but he did still catch at least one pass in every game.
Kmet also improved as a blocker (almost out of necessity) and had a Pro Football Focus (PFF) season high 80.7 run blocking grade and 76.7 pass blocking grade during a November game against the Giants.
There’s a chance someone else in this division emerges and Kmet falls off this list in next year’s edition, but for now he is a more than solid number two option at tight end for a Bears team looking to build on last season’s success.
4. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
First off, Hockenson not being higher on this list isn’t entirely his fault. Honestly, it might not be his fault at all.
In 2023, in Kirk Cousins’ final season with the Vikings (in which he only played eight games due to his Achillies injury), Hockenson collected 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns over 15 games played. He graded out as the fourth best tight end in the NFL according to PFF and at age 26 was just entering his prime.
In week 16 of that same season, Hockenson tore his ACL and MCL and Cousins never played another game for the Minnesota Vikings. Hockenson returned in October of the 2024 season to a new look Vikings team and hasn’t has the same role on the team since.
In 2024 and 2025 combined, Hockenson caught 92 passes for 893 yards and three touchdowns over 25 games played. He also had his lowest yards per reception since he entered the NFL in 2025 with only 8.6 yards per catch.
The 2024 season can more so be attributed to a change in offensive scheme with Sam Darnold at quarterback, as well as Hockenson coming off an injury. But 2025 on the other hand saw almost every Minnesota pass catcher struggle as rookie J.J. McCarthy took over as the signal caller.
Now 29 years old, the question for Hockenson is whether he can rediscover his former form and climb his way back into the elite ranks at the tight end position.
Whether it’s newcomer Kyler Murray or McCarthy starting at quarterback for the Vikings, there should be an emphasis in Minnesota on getting both Hockenson and star wide receiver Justin Jefferson much more involved in the offense than they were in 2025.
3. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Deciphering between the next three spots on this list was immensely difficult.
On one hand, LaPorta could have been in the top spot as his peak is the highest of the following three players, but this is a future facing list and because of that Laporta has to settle for the #3 spot.
As a rookie in 2023, the now 25-year-old LaPorta played in all 17 games for the Lions while catching 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl, selected as an All-Pro second team member and came third in the offensive rookie of the year race.
2024 wasn’t too bad either. LaPorta played in all 16 games and eclipsed 60 receptions for 726 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 12.1 yards per catch.
Then came 2025.
Statistically, LaPorta was his usual self. He had 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns and again averaged 12.2 yards per catch. PFF gave him a grade of 82 which was second in the NFL among qualified tight ends.
The problem was, he only played in nine games because in a week 10 win against the Washington Commanders he sustained a back injury which he was placed on the Injured Reserve list (IR) for before he eventually elected surgery and was ruled out for the season.
So, the main question for LaPorta isn’t whether he’s capable of being an elite tight end, it’s if he can regain his past form coming off back surgery.
At only 25-years-old, the hope is that LaPorta’s prime is still in his future.
2. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Again, similar to Laporta, Kraft is a player who is more than worthy of taking the top spot at tight end in his division.
The Packers 25-year-old totaled 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 all while averaging a whopping 15.3 yards per catch. 22 of his 32 catches resulted in first downs and while he didn’t qualify for a PFF grade due to snaps played, he surely would’ve been ranked highly.
But, again similar to Laporta, Kraft’s season was ended prematurely in week nine against the Carolina Panthers as he tore his ACL.
Kraft is expected to be ready for the start of the season, but with so many options on the Packers receiving core, including the newly extended Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden, it is still unknown just how involved he might be especially straight out of the gates.
There’s a scenario where Kraft is clearly the best tight end in the NFC North but due to the concerns of a torn ACL and its recovery, as well as this being just the first year since the injury, he has to settle for the #2 spot on the list.
If both Laporta and Kraft recover and return to their former selves, the race for #1 in this division will be nearly impossible to choose between.
1. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
And now for the NFC North’s #1 tight end: Colston Loveland.
The Bears 2025 tenth overall pick is one of the most exciting up and coming stars in the entire NFL as the 2026 season approaches.
After turning just 22 years old in April, Loveland has already played a full NFL season where he tallied 58 receptions for 713 yards and six touchdowns while starting only 11 of the Bears 16 games he played in as they eased him into the league.
Loveland averaged 12.3 yards per catch as a rookie and had a PFF grade of 81.7 which put him fifth in the league among qualified tight ends.
Adding to the intrigue, Loveland picked things up as the season went on including ending the last two games of the regular season with 16 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Then, in the Bears two playoff games, he combined to put up 12 catches for 193 yards.
In those four games combined Loveland saw an astonishing 48 targets from quarterback Caleb Williams.
The sky is the limit for this soon to be second year tight end and if his role in the Bears offense stays as consistent as it was over the back half of the 2025 season, the top spot in the NFC North might not be the only top spot Loveland is vying for come this time next year.
Main Image: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
