• Tyler Warren has been a chunk-play machine: His 17 first downs are the most by any rookie tight end in the PFF era.

• Dominance against zone coverage: Warren’s 2.81 yards per route run against shell looks are the second-most among tight ends in the NFL.

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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

The tight end position can easily be described as a slow burn upon entering the NFL. It has been conceptually viewed as one of the tougher positions to get a grasp of when transitioning from the college level to the pros.

Even the most basic of numbers will back up that claim. Of all the tight ends drafted in Rounds 1-3 over the past decade, less than half have eclipsed a mere 100 yards over their first five NFL games.

So, when somebody like Tyler Warren comes along and puts up 307 receiving yards over his first five games in Indianapolis, people should take notice. Warren’s 17 total first downs (rushing and receiving) through five weeks are the most of any rookie tight end in the PFF era (since 2006).

The other side of the argument is that we have entered a new age of tight ends. Between 2006 and 2020, no rookie tight end amassed more than 250 yards in their first five NFL contests. It has now happened four times since. Are fans growing apathetic to all of the young tight end talent pouring into the league?

After all, we’re only one year removed from Brock Bowers’ historic rookie campaign. One year prior, we watched rookie Sam LaPorta get off to an electric start. Some may even forget how fast Kyle Pitts exploded out of the blocks back in 2021.

In the case of Bowers in particular, the parallels he shares with Warren’s first five NFL games are astonishing:

These are virtually identical starts. Bowers would go on to break the NFL records for receptions and yards by a rookie tight end, and tie the record for touchdowns. His 112 receptions last year were the most from any rookie ever, including wideouts.

One area where Warren has a leg up on Bowers is in the explosive plays category. The Colts rookie has already hauled in 10 receptions of 15-plus yards over his opening five games — tied for the most of any rookie tight end in the PFF era. It took Bowers until Week 9 to reach that mark in 2024. However, Bowers eclipses Warren in overall PFF grade over his first five starts (82.7 vs. 72.7).

Bowers’ astonishing debut campaign has undoubtedly taken some of the shine off Warren’s early returns — but it shouldn’t. This level of rookie production at tight end is exceedingly rare. These are two freak talents who just happened to enter the league in back-to-back seasons.

Despite his impressive receiving numbers so far, Warren isn’t cut from the same cloth as most modern pass-catching tight ends. Warren follows a much more traditional style. Of the top five tight ends in receiving yards this season, Warren is the only one who lines up in-line more than 40% of the time.

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The Colts don’t just do this to emit the vibe of an old-fashioned, fundamental offense, though — Warren has been a legitimate net positive for Shane Steichen’s offense as an in-line blocking tight end. Out of the 20 tight ends with 100-plus blocking snaps this season, Warren’s 72.7 PFF blocking grade places him in a very respectable fifth place.

This is a nice improvement from his 52.8 blocking mark in his final year at Penn State, which ranked 102nd out of 158 Power Four tight ends last year. Developing this area of his game only solidifies Warren as one of the most versatile tight ends in the sport. He can win up the middle (3 seam route receptions for 60 yards); he can win out in space (7 flat/out route receptions for 69 yards); and he can win in the screen game (32 yards on 2 receptions).

The Colts have even been attempting to revive Warren’s rushing success from Penn State. He has the natural build of a fullback who can barrel over second-level defenders — proven when he ran for 218 yards in his senior season at Penn State. While the Colts have limited Warren to rushing only in short-yardage situations (4 carries, 2 conversions, 1 TD), I believe we could see more of him in the backfield in the months ahead.

The one area of the game where Warren hasn’t excelled is when he’s faced with man coverage. On 25 routes in man-to-man coverage, Warren has caught just one pass for nine yards.

Tyler Warren‘s Yards Per Route Run Comparison

Colston Loveland’s more natural ability to separate is the primary reason why he was drafted ahead of Warren this past April. Will man coverage be the solution for teams looking to silence the Colts’ offense, or can Steichen continue to find ways to scheme Warren open as he chases Bowers’ tail for his various rookie records?

Regardless, Warren’s early trajectory puts him among the most complete rookie tight ends we’ve seen in PFF history.