The Chicago Bears could have gone most any direction with the 10th overall pick in April's draft and not been wrong, but it was an eye-opener when the took Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. Using that kind of draft capital on a tight end is rare, and the Bears already seemed to have a capable tight end in Cole Kmet.
But there is absolutely room in Ben Johnson's offense for Loveland and Kmet to contribute as trade buzz around Kmet fades, even if there are automatic plans to have Loveland heavily involved right away.
For fantasy managers this year, the Bears' offense has the proverbial "a lot of mouths to feed" and it might be hard to tab on a week-to-week basis. The best way to attack it in drafts might be to target quarterback Caleb Williams and get all the passing game production (and the requisite upside) under a single umbrella.
Colston Loveland lands as ideal option for a certain segment of fantasy managers
The stigma attached to rookie tight ends in fantasy is fading, highlighted by Sam LaPorta in 2023 and Brock Bowers last year. Expectations for Loveland should not be on that level, but there is a path for him to be a very useful fantasy tight end as a rookie.
ESPN's Matt Bowen recently offered a list of 10 pass catchers who are being undervalued in fantasy right now. Loveland landed in the group of five with higher upside than their current ADP reflects. Loveland's ADP is outside the top-10 tight ends, and the top 120 overall, regardless of scoring format right now. So, as Bowen noted, that puts him firmly on the radar of a specific section of fantasy managers.
"If you wait at the tight end position (which I always do in my drafts), then put Loveland on your target list this summer. The rookie had 117 receptions over his three seasons at Michigan with 57 grabs from in-line alignments and 50 more out of the slot. Loveland brings formation flexibility to Chicago, plus he has the lower-body control to slip press coverage and create separation. More than just a seam stretcher, Loveland can run the entire tree."
"This is an upside play, and I understand the risk when drafting rookie tight ends. But with an upgraded offensive system under new head coach Ben Johnson, I'm willing to take a shot here on Loveland, who can also be schemed in the red zone as a target for quarterback Caleb Williams."
Jason Katz of Pro Football Network hit the same note as he put Loveland on a list of five tight end sleepers for 2025.
"If I’ve punted the TE position, I’d rather take the swing on the talented unknown in the rookie. If it doesn’t work out, whoever I pick up will be no worse than whoever I could’ve drafted. But who I could’ve drafted would have had less upside than Loveland."
Many fantasy managers who wait to draft a tight end may end up doubling-up on the position in later rounds. Loveland is a nice upside option to target, ideally to pair with a less-exciting, high-floor option your leaguemates are sleeping on.