The NFC West tight ends room arguably has the best top two at their position of any division in the NFL, but the rest of the position group in the division is intriguing too. While the stats might not pop off the table for some of these guys, there’s a reason this division was one of the best in football in 2025, and all of these players contributed to that.<\/p>\n
Here’s a look at the top five tight ends in the NFC West as the 2026 season approaches.<\/p>\n
Starting off, here’s a guy who has the upside to perform better than this ranking, but availability might be the biggest hindrance to that happening. Higbee<\/a> is entering his age-33 season and has played just 13 games over the past two years for a Rams<\/a> team that has largely gone with a tight end-by-committee approach.<\/p>\n Higbee, when he’s available, is a good pass catcher, as he secured 25 receptions for 281 yards and three touchdowns over 10 games in the 2025 season. He is also a competent blocker in the run game, opening up holes for Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Rams coach Sean McVay even said Higbee was the “glue guy” for the team during a Jan. 2026 interview.<\/a><\/p>\n But, with all that said, the injury issues and age are a concern for Higbee, and availability is the best ability. If Higbee has a healthy 2026, he could easily be as high as third on this list. As it stands right now, Higbee comes in at five.<\/p>\n Now it’s time to move on to the second member of the Rams on this list, Colby Parkinson<\/a>. No disrespect to Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson, or rookie Max Klare, but Parkinson is the safest pick for a second Ram on this list.<\/p>\n Parkinson compiled 43 catches for 408 yards and eight touchdowns over 15 games as he stepped into a larger pass-catching role than expected during the 2025 season with Higbee missing so much time. Those numbers were all career highs for the 6-foot-7, 266-pound 27-year-old tight end, with the eight touchdown grabs quadrupling his previous season high (two). Parkinson, like Higbee and all the other tight ends in this Rams offense, is a good blocker, which makes him useful even when he isn’t receiving the ball.<\/p>\n Parkinson has played in 15 games or more in each of his last four seasons. While he could take a step back if Higbee is healthy or rookie Max Klare<\/a> emerges, the sheer consistency of staying on the field, being a red-zone target for an offense that gets there often, and being a good blocker makes Parkinson a strong number four on this list.<\/p>\n Now for the youngest member of this list, 24-year-old AJ Barner<\/a> of the reigning Super Bowl champs<\/a>. The 6-foot-6, 251-pound Barner broke out in his second NFL season with 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns. He also became a weapon for the Seahawks<\/a> in their sneak game<\/a> as they tried to protect quarterback Sam Darnold.<\/p>\n The best part for the Seahawks is that Barner was initially drafted in 2024<\/a> as an elite blocking tight end who could open up the run game for the Seahawks’ former two-headed beast of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. The pass-catching ability he displayed in 2025 was just the icing on the cake for a team that won the Super Bowl, making the future all the more exciting for both Barner and his team.<\/p>\n Barner is the first member of this list who is clearly the starter on his team, and while he might be stuck in this spot on the list for a while, that’s not due to any wrongdoing on his part. Barner is on a phenomenal trajectory to become one of the better tight ends in the NFL.<\/p>\n The top two players on this list are just that good.<\/p>\n Honestly, ranking the top two on this list was as difficult as it gets. Both of the following guys are worthy of not only being the best tight end in this division, but in the entire NFL. But someone has to come in second, so before we get to number one, it’s time to talk about one of the most selfless players in the entire league: George Kittle.<\/a><\/p>\n The 6-foot-4, 250-pound seven-time Pro-Bowler is entering his age-33 season, all of which have come with the\u00a0Niners<\/a>. Finding flaws in Kittle’s game is difficult, as he caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns over just 11 games in 2025, while also being one of the most willing and best-blocking tight ends in the NFL. Kittle also has a Pro Football Focus<\/a> (PFF) career run-blocking grade of 83.6, which is the best of any tight end since he entered the league in 2017.<\/p>\n If there are any flaws with Kittle, one could say it would be availability. Kittle played in just 11 games during the 2025 season and hasn’t played in a full season since 2018. With that said, he did play in 15 or 16 games during the 2022-2024 seasons, so the question marks about availability might be overblown as well.<\/p>\n All in all, Kittle is as elite as they come at his position, and one could argue he has been the most impactful player on a really good Niners team for a long time.<\/p>\n And now for possibly the best tight end in the entire NFL: Trey McBride<\/a> of the Arizona Cardinals<\/a>.<\/p>\n It’s somewhat ironic that the best player on this list comes from a team that went 3-14 in 2025 (the only team in the NFC West with fewer than 12 wins), but that goes to show that football is the ultimate team sport.<\/p>\n The 6-foot-4, 246-pound McBride is as good as it gets as a pass catcher. He tallied 126 receptions for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025 while playing in all 17 games. Those 126 catches<\/a> ranked second in the entire league behind only Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, who had 129. Beyond that, the two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro has 347 receptions for 3,475 yards and 17 touchdowns since being drafted<\/a> out of Colorado State in 2022.<\/p>\n That yardage total ranks 4th all-time through a tight end’s first four seasons in the league behind only Jimmy Graham, Mike Ditka, and Kittle.<\/p>\nThe Best NFC West Tight Ends for 2026<\/h2>\n
5. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams<\/h3>\n
4. Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams<\/h3>\n
3. AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks<\/h3>\n
2. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers<\/h3>\n
1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals<\/h3>\n