Eli Raridon Rest-of-Season Outlook

Published June 17, 2026. Kept for reference; the take above replaces it.

New England spent the 95th overall pick on Raridon, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound Notre Dame product who slots in as TE2 behind Hunter Henry while battling Julian Hill and CJ Dippre for the early-down and pass-game scraps. His college tape was modest — 32 grabs for 482 yards and zero scores as a senior — and the redraft projection of roughly 19 catches, 196 yards and a touchdown reflects a near-zero role this fall. At an ADP near 256 (TE41) and rostered in about 1% of leagues, he's strictly a dynasty hold rather than a 2026 contributor.

The appeal is the runway. Henry hits free agency after this season, and at 22 with athletic testing that flashes (4.62 forty, strong jumps), Raridon profiles as the heir if New England lets the veteran walk. The caveat is health: two prior right-knee ACL tears (2021, 2022) and a still-raw route tree temper the ceiling even if he eventually wins the job.