Rookies You Should Draft in Fantasy This Year: Tight Ends Edition
As all series do, this one too must come to a close.
So far we’ve gone over rookie quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers that could help bolster your fantasy rosters this year. With only one offensive fantasy position left (besides kicker, just draft Justin Tucker), we’re going to look at a few tight ends drafted this year that can start for you, or get you out of some serious bye week troubles.
While there weren’t many tight ends drafted this year, there’s always the select few in every position that make immediate impacts either as expected or unexpectedly. For my credential’s sake, the guys I’m picking here are definitely expected to make some splashes.
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
While the Lions may look to run the ball more after drafting Jahmyr Gibbs, LaPorta enters Detroit immediately looking at a great target share. Second-year Jameson Williams is out for the first six weeks of the season for gambling, giving LaPorta plenty of time to build chemistry with Jared Goff while only having to share targets mostly with Amon-Ra St. Brown.
He’s a built, dynamic playmaker that’s already receiving high praise from George Kittle, while also being compared to Kittle in terms of play style. He’ll be the most productive rookie tight end by a landslide.
The right time to draft a tight end (unless it’s Travis Kelce) can be tough, so if you’re one to fill your WR/RB slots first, then get LaPorta in round 5.
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
The first tight end taken off the board, Kincaid enters one of the most explosive offenses in football. I’m sure some of you are saying, “But what about Dawson Knox?” Doesn’t matter. His magnetic hands and elusiveness in man-to-man should put him above Knox on the depth chart in my opinion.
The number one target obviously remains Stefon Diggs, but the Bills operate much more fluently when the ball is shared evenly. He’ll have a solid rookie season.
Let your league-mates let him slide in your drafts, then snatch him in round 9 or 10 and laugh in their faces.
Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Waller is now a New York Giant. Derek Carr is now a New Orleans Saint. Mayer is a great replacement for Waller in Vegas, and Jimmy Garappolo is a great quarterback for Mayer.
Despite Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow being potential roadblocks for Mayer’s productivity, Garappolo owns a spread-it-around style that could work well in Mayer’s favor, and we all know Josh McDaniel’s history of tight ends on his offense.
I get it. There are things that could go wrong with the theory I just stated. But this dude caught everything in college, and the stats speak for themselves. He should receive a target share high enough to at least be rotated into your roster for some favorable matchups.
Make him your backup in round 11 or so. You’ll be glad you did.
Darnell Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers
Most simply put, Darnell Washington is an absolute unit. At 6’7” 265 pounds, he’s going to run through your favorite linebacker instead of trying to spin around him. Also, take a look at the one note in this article.
For those of you who were too lazy, it says he has the largest wingspan and second-largest hands recorded at the NFL Combine. Ever.
Did you read that tweet (can we still call it that?) too? Not that it necessarily applies to fantasy, but winning blocking reps against the league’s best linebacker is definitely worth noting.
He’s going to put an edge-rusher in the ground, catch the two-yard lob from Kenny Pickett, then run over anybody directly in front of him. Cha-f’ing-ching.
Pick him in round 6 or 7 and watch him become a redzone monster. Trust.
