The Los Angeles Rams sit at the top of this position ranking ahead of the 2026 season.
The Los Angeles Rams' offense last season established itself as one of the more elite units in the sport. The Rams were at the top of many offensive categoies including total yards and scoring.
The Rams offense was a juggernaut, and that is expected to be the case as the 2026 season approaches. While all eyes are on Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, what took the offense to the next level last season was the tight end room.
The Rams' highly successful 13 personnel scheme (1 running back, 3 tight ends and 1 receiver) was a success as they ran it a little over 30 percent of their plays last season.
Led by Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Tyler Higbee, that group established itself as one of the elite units in football, to the point where it was recently ranked as the No. 1 tight end room heading into the season.
"What makes this group so difficult to defend is the variety of ways McVay can deploy them," Angel Atienza-Romero of The Big Lead wrote. "The Rams can create favorable matchups against linebackers and safeties while still maintaining a physical presence in the run game."
The trio of Higbee, Parkinson and Allen (and at times Terrance Ferguson) — defenses almost always responded with heavier fronts. With that, it created a major advantage on the field for the Rams, including fewer nickel/dime defenses on the field, slower linebackers forced into coverage and easier run/pass identifications for the offense.
The offense as a whole hit a new gear, as it unlocked the play-action game for Stafford. That allowed the Rams to throw over the middle, which allowed the offense to have more layered play-action shots and more one-on-one opportunities outside.
Where the tight ends really thrived wasn’t just as blockers, but they were interchangeable weapons. Higbee, Allen and Parkinson are solid tight ends; however, their ability to adapt and be versatile was the key to taking the offense above and beyond.
Defenses had a hard time predicting the Rams' next move as all formations looked the same pre-snap and assignments became harder to diagnose.
Individually, the Rams' trio of pass-catching tight ends may not stand out compared to some of the bigger names around the league, but together they help keep the offense operating at a high level. The Rams' success in 13 personnel was a major reason that unit earned the No. 1 ranking heading into the season, and with Parkinson, Allen and Higbee all returning in 2026, the expectation is for the offense to be just as dangerous — if not even better.
