Fantasy Football: Top Tier TEs and Guys to Snatch Up
Greetings CRR faithful! I was asked by a fellow comrade to focus on helping people gain an advantage in their fantasy football leagues. It’s no secret if you’re reading our posts that I love to focus on skill player positions. This knowledge helps me when it comes to winning the leagues that I get in. Today, I would like to start with TEs and hopefully give you some information that you did not have that may help you should there be an NFL season. Let the fun begin.
Snubbed? (Yes, I’m a “Homer”)
Of course, we know there are two players considered at the top of the list when it comes to TEs. Travis Kelce and George Kittle are household names in the fantasy game, and there is plenty of evidence to show why. However, neither of these fantasy beasts topped the league in TDs for TEs last season. In fact, neither of these swaggerific guys hit double digits in single-season total TDs. Only one TD did. This TE is disrespected in magazines and NFL Top 100 lists. Mark Andrews scored 10 TDs in 2019 and should be considered as a top tier TE coming into the 2020 season. These were obvious shots, and information should already know. If not, get your life together and google some stuff.
When it comes to the next tier of star performers at the position, should the three aforementioned be off the board, looking to Las Vegas and Philly for a solution may be the answer. The number two and three in targets last season were Zach Ertz and Darren Waller. In PPR leagues, anyone who has a TE averaging 8-targets per game is worth keeping around. Ok, let’s recap so far. If I am trying to grab a TE for my fantasy squad, this is the order for me.
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Travis Kelce (1st or 2nd round)
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Mark Andrews (as long as you’re not drafting against Ravens fans, 5th round)
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Rob Gronkowski (I’m not really a fan TBH due to injury history but eh upside is there. 3rd round)
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George Kittle (2nd round maybe 3rd)
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Darren Waller (6th or 7th round)
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Zach Ertz (6th or 7th round)
Now that we have pointed out the grown men, let’s take a look at this year’s sleeper that could very well come out of nowhere.
Cole Kmet
You’re probably ready to click off of the article but hear me out. Jimmy Graham is not even a shadow of what he used to be back in 2012. With the QB competition that is supposed to happen prior to the season start between Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky, there will be a heavy reliance on the TE position because Allen Robinson is all “Da Bears” have in the hands department at the WR spot. Look for Kmet to bring in about 5-targets per game. Look for him to bring in a little under 9 points per game. These are notable numbers considering the best TEs brought in 8-10 points per game last season. Here’s my justification. Middling QBs still trying to build chemistry will rely heavily on their largest targets, the TEs.
Hayden Hurst
Living in the shadow of the TE TD leader of 2020 has to be frustrating, especially as the number one selection of a team in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, now as the clear-cut number 1 TE in ATL, the NFC South needs to be put on notice that Rob Gronkowski is not the only monster on the loose down there. Don’t let the 30 catches for 349-yards and 2-TDs fool you. Hurst has homerun ability after the catch and a mean streak about a mile long. You could see the competitor in him last season even when he wasn’t catching the ball. Matt Ryan must have seen something because he said this in a recent interview according to Rotoworld:
“Ryan described Hurst as one of the “fastest and most athletic tight ends I’ve ever played with.”
You can catch this late-round steal in round 9 or 10 in most 12-man leagues. Don’t pass this one up.
Blake Jarwin
Should Dem Boyz get a deal for Dak Prescott, he’ll have plenty of targets. The less obvious one that could blow up in 2020 is Jarwin. Previously it was common knowledge that outside of the ground game that Dak would use Witten to move the ball downfield. With Witten gone now, Blake will get 70+targets this season, hauling in about 6.5 PPG. That may not look like much, but you’ll need every point you can get. Look to snag him around rounds 13-15.
I could go on and on about a few guys that you may want to look out for like Jared Cook and Jonnu Smith, but I need to move on to another position group. Hit me on up twitter or FB, and we can chat it up a bit.