Strange has 17 yards against Broncos

Strange operated as the Jaguars’ primary receiving tight end, seeing three targets on the day. In a loaded passing attack, he still found opportunity in what was a very fantasy-friendly offense. Strange caught a 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter and was mostly quiet in a second half where the Jaguars were already up by four scores. The Jaguars wide receivers will take much of Lawrence’s targets but Strange has a role over the middle of the field; he profiles as TE2 for Week 2 against the Broncos.

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the deal is worth “up to” $48 million. A chunk of that figure is presumably based on incentives. The contract includes $25 million guaranteed. Strange posted a minor breakout in 2024 with 411 yards on 40 grabs. He upped the ante in 2025 to 46 catches for 540 yards despite missing five games. Strange was heading into the final year of his rookie deal before this extension and the team spent multiple draft picks on tight ends, making it look like they were considering letting him walk next offseason. Instead, Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol will primarily see the field for heavy offensive looks, something the team talked about after the draft. Strange will sit on the TE1/2 border in early fantasy drafts.

Shipley said the Jaguars drafting Texas A&M TE Nate Boerkircher and Houston TE Tanner Koziol in the 2026 draft does not mean the Jaguars coaching staff has a smaller role planned for Strange, who last season 46 catches, 540 yards, and three touchdowns as the team’s TE1. Shipley expected Strange’s pass game involvement to grow as the Jaguars deploy more tight end-heavy offensive sets. The Jaguars, Shipley said, are “clearly hoping that injecting the [tight end] room with talent should allow Strange to produce at an even higher level than before.” Last season Strange was targeted on 21 percent of his routes, which ranked 25th out of 58 qualifying tight ends. Though he’ll likely be the team’s third or fourth option in the passing game, Strange should be a viable fantasy option in 12 and 14-team leagues this season.

It was pointed out by John Shipley a few days ago that Wan’Dale Robinson’s free agent contract might be a starting point for the Washington extension. Walker is entering his final season under his rookie contract’s fifth-year option. Strange and Washington are both on the final year of their rookie contracts. The Jaguars have been uncharacteristically (and probably smartly, given their success last year) quiet in free agency, so perhaps they’re just focusing on locking up their core.

Shipley refers to Jaguars starting TE Brenton Strange as “maybe the most underrated tight end in the entire NFL” and says the team knows “just how important he is to everything they do.” Sounds like Strange’s role is safe. Shipley believes TE Quintin Morris could have true TE2 potential, but Morris caught just 6-of-7 targets for 55 yards and one touchdown after signing with the Jaguars in free agency last year. His position on the depth chart sounds less secure. Strange can be viewed as a low-end TE1 candidate at this time.

A hip injury early in the year suppressed Strange’s numbers in what would have easily been a breakout season for the third-year tight end. He was placed on injured reserve and missed five games. Despite that, Strange’s 46 catches, 540 yards, and three touchdowns were all career-highs. He finished the year as a mid-range TE2 on a per-game basis. The Jags run four deep at receiver when everyone is healthy. Liam Coen dials up designed targets for his running backs a few times a week. That makes it hard for Strange to be a consistent target-earner, but he is a solid streaming option when bye weeks roll in. He will be stuck in the TE2 range in 2026 drafts.

Strange looks great in open space, generating 37 yards after the catch on just his three targets. But the Jaguars didn’t really take advantage of it often, and he’s not a featured red zone weapon just yet. Strange will be a borderline TE1 play against the Titans in Week 18.

Strange caught his second touchdown of the season on a first quarter red zone throw from Trevor Lawrence. Strange saw strong usage against Denver, logging a pass route on 33 of the Jaguars’ 46 drop backs and seeing the third most targets among Jacksonville pass catchers. In a red hot Jaguars offense, Strange should be started in most 12-team leagues every week. That includes Week 17 against the Colts. Strange had three receptions for 27 yards the last time he played Indy.

A disappointing box score on a day where the Jags produced 48 points, 330 yards net passing, and five aerial touchdowns. Strange could only watch as Trevor Lawrence kept finding running backs for passing scores. Strange had been operating as a high-floor TE1 since his Week 12 but ceiling has proven elusive. It figures to remain so for Week 16 against the Broncos’ elite pass defense in Denver, keeping Strange somewhere in the TE10-14 range.

Strange managed two red zone targets and was chugging towards the end zone early in the first quarter, but could not escape a tackle. He spent most of the game being more lauded for his strength (pushing Trevor Lawrence past the spot to gain on one fourth down, outright escorting Travis Etienne on a third-and-1 run by tackling him forward) than actually creating yardage. He’ll remain in the low-end TE1 ranks against the Jets in Week 15.