Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) tosses a football Thursday, July 24, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Colts' Tyler Warren Secures All-Rookie Prestige

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Drake Wally | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Indianapolis Colts are preparing for their Week 1 home clash against the AFC East competitor, the Miami Dolphins.

While all attention is focused on Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson Sr., Chris Ballard, and Shane Steichen, there are a multitude of other things to discuss with this team in mind. One intriguing subject to see this year is how the rookie tight end Tyler Warren will play after an impressive preseason.

Warren's preseason was actually so good that Pro Football Focus made note of him on the 2025 All-Rookie preseason team. This list highlights the top-graded rookies at every position. For tight end, no rookie was better than Warren.

Warren wasn't just the top-graded rookie tight end in the league; he was at the zenith for all Colts offensive players with a mark of 86.8.

Here's the analysis on Warren from Bradley Locker.

"The 14th overall selection played 34 total snaps, registering an 86.8 overall PFF grade — the second-best among all qualified tight ends in August. Warren displayed his receiving prowess with an elite 89.1 PFF receiving grade, averaging a whopping 3.25 yards per route run with a 13.2-yard average depth of target. Further, Warren’s 64.2 PFF run-blocking mark was higher than his 52.8 grade in that department in his last year at Penn State, although the sample size is considerably smaller.

Ideal NFL debut for Tyler Warren last night. Never came off the field, earned 3 targets, caught them all.
pic.twitter.com/XzMDgICE2j
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) August 8, 2025

Warren secured four catches on six targets for 65 receiving yards and a long of 25 during the preseason. While this isn't much as far as receiving, Warren made the most of every single snap he took during the preseason, looking like the true starting tight end Indianapolis has been seeking since the retirement of Jack Doyle.

Warren brings everything to Shane Steichen's offense that a tight end can. He can run solid routes, use his frame to take advantage of defenders, block effectively, and generate yards after catch. He's also a natural-born leader.

As was on display in his time at Penn State, he's also a versatile weapon that can be used all over the field, especially with a mind like Steichen operating things. Given that the new quarterback is Jones, his ultra-conservative and accurate play style will greatly benefit a player like Warren.

Warren is just a rookie and will definitely take his lumps this season, but so far, he looks like an enforcer at the position for the Colts. Warren likely sees vast usage immediately, as he can damage a defense in so many ways that it's almost guaranteed he'll make a great impact.