Colts' Tyler Warren Earns Illustrious Midseason Distinction

Warren has already implanted himself as one of the premier weapons for Steichen's offense. The former Penn State Nittany Lion has done it all through just eight career games.

Warren has secured an impressive 37 catches on 50 targets for an efficiency percentage of 74. Also, Warren has stacked up 492 receiving yards, which Lee points out is the best of all NFL tight ends.

Just seeing that statement for a rookie tight end is wild, especially considering that Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys), Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs), Tucker Kraft (Green Bay Packers), and Trey McBride (Arizona Cardinals) are running around the league.

Warren's consistency is also something that isn't discussed too often. Despite sharing targets with pass-catchers like Pittman, Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and even Taylor, Warren still has at least three catches in every game.

Warren has also shown value as a run-blocker for Taylor, posting a solid grade in the area per Pro Football Focus of 64.2 on 148 run snaps. Having Warren play in-line has proven valuable for Shane Steichen.

Another spot where Warren is valuable is when he's utilized out of the backfield, as one of his four touchdowns on the season came on the goal line as a fullback against the Los Angeles Rams.

Warren's versatility, consistency, veteran-like performances, and value in such a dynamic offense like Steichen's makes him deadly for opposing defenses to handle.

Tack on that quarterback Jones has shown an interest in getting the football into Warren's hands, and it brews a recipe for an Offensive Rookie of the Year-type season ahead for him.

Warren is only eight games into his professional football career, but is surfacing as a top tight end. He is also making the Chicago Bears look ridiculous for passing on him to take Michigan's Colston Loveland (11 catches for 116 receiving yards in six games).

It's still too soon to crown Warren a Pro Bowl-level tight end, but 'soon' needs context. If Warren finishes this season as strong as he's started, it will be very interesting to see how close he'll be in the quest to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Even more interesting will be how things shake out for his case to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, similar to what Las Vegas Raiders' tight end, Brock Bowers, did last season.

Keep an eye on what Steichen has cooked up for Warren for the final nine games of the 2025 regular season, as he hasn't even had a true breakout game despite being a safety blanket for Jones and the Colts' offense.