Colby Parkinson Fantasy Overview

He Scored How Many TDs?

Parkinson set career highs with 43 catches, 408 yards, and 8 TDs in 15 games.

He didn’t post his first top-12 PPR fantasy line until Week 10. From then on, he finished as a top-12 TE in seven of his final nine games.

Reliant on Red Zone Usage

Parkinson garnered a low 10.4% target share in his 15 games. That dropped to 9.2% in 11 games shared with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Red-zone usage made Parkinson fantasy relevant. Only eight players drew more red-zone targets than his 20, and only seven topped his 10 targets inside the 10-yard line.

MVP Play From His QB

Parkinson benefited from a Rams offense that saw MVP-level play from QB Matthew Stafford.

The 38-year-old played all 17 games and led the league in passing yards (4,707) and TDs (46).

The Rams also finished top-8 in total plays, pass rate over expected, and red-zone pass rate over expected.

He Overcame Early Season Injuries

Parkinson didn’t miss a game from 2022 through 2024. That streak ended early last year after he sustained a Week 1 shoulder sprain, costing him one game.

Parkinson also missed one game following a Week 5 concussion. But neither injury presents concern for 2026.

Rams Add Competition

Parkinson enters the final year of his contract as the best bet to lead Rams TEs in production. He led that group last year in:

• Catch rate (75.4%)
• TDs (8)
• Yards per route run (1.67)
• Targets per route run (23%)
• Pro Football Focus receiving grade (75.5)

But he’s not a lock to remain on top and certainly doesn’t look like a true lead TE.

The team returns Terrance Ferguson, a 2025 Round 2 pick. He flashed as a rookie with 231 yards and 3 TDs on only 11 catches.

GM Les Snead added another Round 2 TE this spring in Ohio State’s Max Klare. He drew a Jake Ferguson comp from our prospect guru Shane Hallam, and the rookie’s early draft capital suggests he could contribute in Year 1.

The Rams also brought Tyler Higbee back on a new two-year deal. He’s missed 21 games over the past two seasons with knee and ankle injuries and turned 33 in January, but he’ll compete for snaps if healthy.

This passing game will still funnel through Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, who combined for a huge 55.1% target share last season and project similarly for 2026.

Keep an Eye on 13 Personnel Usage

L.A. led the league in 1-RB, 3-TE sets (“13” personnel) last year at 30.5%, well ahead of the No. 2 team (Pittsburgh, 14.2%). Interestingly, the Rams finished with the third-lowest rate of 2-TE sets (9.6%).

The Rams lost OC Mike LaFleur to the Cardinals, but this has long been HC Sean McVay’s offense. Look for the Rams to continue leaning into three-TE sets, especially after spending a high pick at TE in back-to-back drafts.

Risk Factors

Parkinson will face stiffer target competition in the fall, so his ability to repeat 2025 will come down to scoring.

He did it last year with 8 scores on an 18.6% TD rate. Expecting a repeat would be risky given his pre-2025 TD rate of just 5.7%.

You also can’t expect Stafford to repeat his league-leading 46 TDs and 4,707 yards from 2025. At age 38, that kind of production is rare: only Tom Brady has thrown for 40+ TDs at 38 or older, and only Brady, Peyton Manning, and Philip Rivers have reached 4,500 yards.

Consider Parkinson a lock for TD regression, with current projections pegging him for 5 TDs.