Tyler Higbee Fantasy 2026
Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee is likely to see reduced playing time this upcoming season, and the numbers behind that expectation are hard to ignore. He signed a two-year deal worth up to $8 million in March, but the contract is only half guaranteed, hardly a sign of a team building its offense around him.
Part of the reason is the sheer amount of company in the room. The Rams return all four of last season’s primary tight ends, Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson, and Davis Allen, and added Ohio State product Max Klare in the second round of this year’s draft. That’s a genuine five-man rotation, and reporting out of camp suggests Los Angeles could realistically keep all five on the 53-man roster given how each fits into a scheme that leans heavily on multiple-tight-end sets.
Higbee’s standing within that group has clearly slipped. Colby Parkinson is currently viewed as the room’s No. 1 tight end, having emerged as the featured pass-catcher in 2025 with 43 receptions for 408 yards and four touchdowns, while Higbee’s production fell to its lowest levels in nearly a decade; his 281 receiving yards were his fewest in any qualifying season since 2016, and his 25 catches were his fewest since 2018. A torn ACL and MCL in 2023 remains the clearest turning point in his decline, and he’s missed 21 of Los Angeles’ last 34 games since.
Ferguson, entering his second season after a strong finish to his rookie year, and Klare, a well-regarded rookie prospect, both figure to eat further into snaps that once belonged to Higbee. Allen has also steadily increased his role and production each season in the league.
At 33 and entering his 11th season, Higbee was almost certainly brought back for his leadership and experience as much as any expectation of featured offensive work. He’ll likely still see the field in specific packages, particularly given the multiple-tight-end looks Los Angeles favors, but a return to consistent receiving relevance looks unlikely given both the roster crowding around him and his declining, injury-affected production. For fantasy purposes, it’s best to leave Higbee on the waiver wire to begin the season.
