Gunnar Helm Fantasy Overview

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Helm caught 44 balls for 357 yards and 2 TDs across 16 games last season. He finished 24th among TEs in catches but just 32nd in yards and tied for 36th in TDs.

Helm ranked 37th among TEs in PPR and half-PPR points per game. He finished as a top-12 PPR TE just three times, although all three came over his final nine games.

Usage & Role

Helm operated as Tennessee’s No. 2 TE behind Chig Okonkwo. His 37.5% route rate ranked 43rd among TEs. Helm’s 3.4 targets per game ranked 34th; his 10.1% target share 36th.

He worked primarily near the line of scrimmage, registering a 5.6-yard average target depth that ranked 30th among 49 TEs with 30+ targets.

Efficiency & Regression

Helm posted promising per-route metrics last year. His 0.23 target per route ranked eighth among those 49 TEs with 30+ targets. His 1.55 yards per route was good for 24th, just ahead of Okonkwo’s 1.49.

Helm wasn’t quite as impressive in film-based metrics. Among those 49 TEs, he ranked:

• 24th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade
• 29th in ESPN receiver score
• 36th in Fantasy Points separation score

Offensive Context

Helm played in a bad offense that ranked:

• 30th in points
• 31st in total yards
• 30th in passing yards
• 31st in passing TDs

Helm at least got to play alongside a weak WR corps that lost Calvin Ridley after just seven games. That left Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Van Jefferson as Tennessee’s top three.

Historical Production & Trends

The Titans selected Helm in Round 4 of the 2025 draft.

He played behind TE Ja’Tavion Sanders at Texas as a sophomore and junior but broke out in his 2024 senior campaign. Helm led the Longhorns with 60 catches and ranked second to only WR Matthew Golden with 786 yards and 7 TDs. His 21.1% Dominator Rating ranked eighth among 21 TEs at the 2025 Combine.

Helm was especially good after the catch in college, averaging 6.8 yards after the catch per reception for his career and 7.0 in 2024. He also posted a sterling 2.5% career drop rate.

Injury History & Durability

Helm missed last year’s finale with a toe injury. He didn’t suffer any notable injuries in college.

Projected Role & Competition

Helm tops the Titans’ depth chart heading into 2026 after Okonkwo left for Washington in free agency.

The team added TE Daniel Bellinger, who has notably spent all four of his NFL seasons under former Giants HC and current Titans OC Brian Daboll. But Bellinger has totaled just 88 catches and averaged 10.6 yards per catch.

We’ll see if Bellinger siphons snaps and routes, but Helm is the favorite to lead this TE room in targets and fantasy production.

He’ll face tougher target competition from the WR corps, though. The Titans spent the fourth pick of this spring’s draft on Carnell Tate and signed Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency. Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike also return from last year’s squad.

Supporting Cast

Helm and the Titans are hoping to get a better Year 2 from QB Cam Ward. He struggled as a rookie, ranking 36th or worse among 42 qualifying QBs in:

• Completion rate
• Adjusted completion rate
• Yards per attempt
• TD rate
• Pro Football Focus pass grade

Ward was in a tough spot last season and still boasts plenty of arm talent and athleticism. He’s capable of taking a big leap this year.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

Helm will be working in a new offense this season under Daboll. He flamed out as Giants HC but had a nice run as Bills OC from 2018-2021.

Daboll has been willing to adjust his play-calling based on his personnel. His later Bills teams leaned pass under QB Josh Allen, but the Giants shifted toward the run with much worse QB play. Expect this Titans offense to be balanced to run-leaning, depending on Ward’s development.

Daboll has consistently been heavy on 3-WR sets and has rarely featured a TE in his passing game. None of his last eight offenses ranked higher than 16th in total TE PPR points, with four of them finishing bottom eight.

Here’s where Daboll’s top TEs have finished in PPR points per game:

Paths to Ceiling

Helm has a chance to emerge as a Top-4 -- potentially even Top-3 -- target for Tennessee. If Ward improves significantly in his second season, Helm could emerge as a viable fantasy spot starter.

Risk Factors

Ward was one of the worst passers in the league last season, and TEs do not have a good track record in Daboll’s offense.

Helm could be an afterthought in this offense and in fantasy football.