National TE Day TDs
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#6 - Trey McBride (Tail best line)
Trey McBride gets a favorable coverage matchup against Denver, and his league-leading red-zone involvement makes him one of the strongest touchdown candidates for National Tight Ends Day.
• Leads all TEs with 13 targets inside the 20 and 9 inside the 10, averaging 2.2 and 1.5 per game
• Denver plays man coverage on 41.3% of snaps, 8th-most in the NFL, while McBride draws targets on 28.7% of his routes against man, 3rd-highest among TEs
• Ranks 2nd among TEs with a 31.8% first-read target share
McBride has scored in 3 of 6 games, and Arizona passes on 61% of its red-zone plays, 4th-highest in the NFL. OddsJam is showing a strong +EV edge on his touchdown number, and his unmatched usage near the goal line gives him an excellent opportunity to find the end zone.
#5 - Tyler Higbee (Tail best line)
Tyler Higbee gets one of the best tight end matchups on the slate against a Las Vegas defense that's consistently surrendered touchdowns to the position.
• Las Vegas allows 1 touchdown per game to TEs, 3rd-most in the NFL
• The Raiders allow a 73.9% red-zone touchdown rate, 6th-highest, and 3.8 red-zone trips per game, 8th-most
• With Davante Adams out, Higbee owns 19.4% of Los Angeles' targets and leads the team with 7 red-zone targets
Higbee already has 3 touchdowns, and Los Angeles carries a 26-point implied team total, 6th-highest on the slate. His increased involvement and favorable matchup give him a strong opportunity to add another score.
#4 - Tucker Kraft (Tail best line)
Tucker Kraft draws the most favorable tight end matchup in football against a Detroit defense that's been unable to keep the position out of the end zone.
• Detroit allows 1.8 touchdowns and 13 targets per game to TEs, both the most in the NFL
• The Lions allow a 76.2% red-zone touchdown rate, 5th-highest, while opponents pass on 62.1% of their red-zone plays, 3rd-highest
• Kraft owns a 19.6% target share over his last 3 games, 7th-highest among TEs, and has 6 targets inside the 20
Detroit also allows 29.6 points per game, 2nd-most in the NFL, giving Green Bay a favorable scoring environment. Kraft has scored on National Tight Ends Day in both 2024 and 2025, totaling 3 touchdowns across those two games, and this matchup gives him an excellent chance to keep that tradition going.
#3 - T. Kelce (Tail best line)
Travis Kelce gets a Seattle defense that's been especially vulnerable near the goal line, and its coverage tendencies play directly into his strengths.
• Seattle plays zone on 81.7% of snaps, most in the NFL, while Kelce averages 11.5 yards per target against zone, tied for 5th among TEs
• Seattle allows an 84.6% red-zone touchdown rate, the highest in the league
• Kelce has 2 touchdowns on 3 targets inside the 20 and commands 22.2% of Kansas City's first-read targets
Kelce also runs a route on 73.1% of Kansas City's dropbacks, keeping him heavily involved in the passing attack. With 4 career National Tight Ends Day touchdowns, including one in 2024, he gets another favorable opportunity to deliver on the holiday.
#2 - S. LaPorta (Tail best line)
Sam LaPorta has found the end zone in back-to-back games and gets another favorable scoring environment with Detroit carrying the highest implied team total on the slate.
• Has 9 targets inside the 20 and 7 inside the 10, both tied for 2nd-most among TEs
• Owns a 19.4% target share, 7th-highest among TEs, and runs a route on 82.1% of dropbacks, 5th-highest
• Green Bay allows a 68.2% red-zone touchdown rate, 10th-highest, and 3.7 red-zone trips per game, tied for 9th-most
Detroit enters with a 28.3-point implied team total, and LaPorta's consistent involvement near the goal line gives him plenty of scoring upside. OddsJam's Sharp Money tool is also picking up action on his touchdown number, adding to an already strong outlook for a player who scored on National Tight Ends Day in 2024.
#1 - G. Kittle (Tail best line)
George Kittle has been one of the NFL's most productive touchdown scorers this season, and Atlanta gives him another excellent opportunity to deliver on National Tight Ends Day.
• Tied for the TE lead with 5 touchdowns, scoring in 4 of 6 games
• Has 9 targets inside the 20 and 7 inside the 10, tied for 2nd-most among TEs in both categories
• Atlanta allows 4.2 red-zone trips per game, tied for 4th-most, and opponents pass on 61% of their red-zone plays, 5th-highest
Kittle leads all tight ends with a target on 32% of his routes, and his involvement could grow with Deebo Samuel out and Mike Evans questionable. He also has 3 career National Tight Ends Day touchdowns, scoring on the holiday in both 2024 and 2025, giving him an excellent chance to add another this year.
That’s the list. National Tight Ends Day is here, and we’ve got six of the league’s top tight ends ready to find the end zone and celebrate the holiday the right way.
See you out there,
-Joe