Gunnar Helm

Career StatsC

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
Career		16	44	357	2
2025		16	44	357	2

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Gunnar Helm's Contract Value Index lands at B-, putting the deal in a defined slice of comparable signings. His rookie scale contract carries a $1.29M AAV across four years—a standard allocation for a fourth-round pick that aligns precisely with NFL draft economics—but the B- CVI reflects the tension between his modest 2025 production (357 receiving yards across 16 games) and the considerable media optimism surrounding his second-year potential. The tight end market rewards both immediate production and athletic upside, and Helm's profile skews decidedly toward the latter; his C performance grade from year one tells a story of a young player still developing, yet the B sentiment grade and consistent narrative framing around his "primed for breakout" trajectory suggest the market believes his best football lies ahead. At 23 years old in his rookie season, Helm occupies exactly the stage where modest production need not doom contract value—first-year tight ends routinely take time to develop chemistry and situational understanding—and the Titans' recent addition of a complementary tight end (Jaren Kanak) signals organizational confidence in Helm's long-term role rather than replacement anxiety. The four-year rookie deal itself carries minimal cap burden and zero dead-money risk, making this a low-pressure contract that allows the franchise flexibility to evaluate his trajectory without financial penalty. His media positioning as an ascending talent with legitimate athletic comparisons and a made-for-TV first touchdown moment reinforces the B- grade as fair value: solid youth investment with defined upside, but production still to prove.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Gunnar's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Gunnar Helm produces at a tier that grades a C performance mark for Tennessee. The 23-year-old tight end is a second-year player still working to establish consistent NFL production, and his 2025 season—357 receiving yards across 16 games—reflects the developmental arc typical of a fourth-round pick navigating the transition from college prospect to reliable offensive weapon. His receiving yardage represents his clearest statistical contribution, though the volume remains modest for a tight end operating in a full-season role. The one tackle on the stat sheet underscores his minimal impact as a run defender, a persistent weakness area for developmental pass-catchers at the position. Media sentiment around Helm has shifted decidedly positive heading into 2026, with analytical comparisons to proven playmakers and organizational decisions to add a complementary tight end suggesting the Titans view him as a long-term building block rather than a depth piece. His favorable trajectory in the public eye—buoyed by a made-for-TV moment in his first career touchdown—has positioned him as a prospect entering a critical sophomore window where sustained statistical growth will either validate the breakout narrative or expose it as premature optimism.

How Gunnar Compares at the Position

Gunnar Helm ranks 64th of 164 graded tight ends by performance. That slots Gunnar between Kylen Granson (C) just ahead and Treyton Welch (C) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Gunnar Helm enters the 2026 season riding a wave of optimistic media sentiment that has earned him a **B grade** for public perception. The Tennessee tight end has captured analysts' attention with his athletic upside and playmaking potential, drawing favorable Jimmy Graham comparisons that signal legitimate breakout expectations for his sophomore campaign. His first career touchdown arriving on National Tight Ends Day provided the kind of made-for-TV moment that validates positive narratives, while the Titans' decision to add a complementary tight end suggests organizational confidence in Helm's long-term role rather than replacement concerns. Media outlets consistently frame Helm as a player "primed for expansion," emphasizing his untapped potential despite modest career production (357 yards, 44 receptions). The convergence of coaching staff expectations, fan optimism, and analytical projections has positioned Helm favorably in the public eye as he enters what many consider a critical developmental window. His media positioning reflects the classic "ascending young talent" narrative that tends to generate positive sentiment regardless of current statistical output.