Fantasy
3/22/23
4 min read
Fantasy Football NFL Free Agency Impact: Tight Ends
Free agent signings and a few high-impact trades have changed the landscape for a number of NFL teams. What kind of impact will those moves have in fantasy football? Josh Larky and Ryan Reynolds close out our free agent series by exploring fantasy-relevant tight ends.
All contract figures are from Ari Meirov's Free Agent Tracker, and all data comes from our flagship tool, The Edge.
Other Fantasy Impact Stories: QB | WR | RB
Fantasy Free Agent TE Impact
Darren Waller
Traded to the Giants
- Darren Waller had at least 90 receptions and 1,145 yards receiving in 2019 and 2020 before back-to-back injury-plagued seasons.
- He’s the clear No. 1 option in the New York Giants’ pass game and a great best ball target who should be going in Round 6.
- Injuries are a concern with every tight end not named Travis Kelce, and Waller should smash ADP if he can remain relatively healthy.
Evan Engram
Franchise Tagged by Jaguars for 1 year, $11.34M
- Evan Engram set career highs in receptions (73) and receiving yards (766) in his first year with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Engram had at least 113 yards in two of his final five games, and he likely puts up a similar overall stat line in 2023.
- His 74.5 percent catch rate likely regresses, but he has a good chance to improve upon his four total touchdowns from 2023.
Dalton Schultz
Signed with Texans for 1 year, $6.25M
- Dalton Schultz has been a solid fantasy option for three consecutive seasons, but he’ll have much less quarterback stability this season with the Houston Texans.
- The lack of significant target competition is the only reason Houston is a neutral landing spot for Schultz in fantasy.
- Re-signing with the Dallas Cowboys or reuniting with former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore with the Los Angeles Chargers would have been preferred destinations.
- A one-year deal with less average money per year than what Hayden Hurst signed for is surprising.
- Schultz is currently TE11 on Underdog, putting him at the front of the mid-range tight end tier.
Hayden Hurst
Signed with Panthers for 3 years, $21.7M
- The Carolina Panthers have a bottom-five wide receiver room, which could lead to increased volume for Hurst.
- Consider Hurst a back-of-the-draft option with more value in full PPR formats.
- In season-long, Hurst will start the year as a streaming option in most leagues.
Mike Gesicki
Signed with Patriots for 1 year, $4.5M
- Mike Gesicki is a plus athlete for the position with an interesting skill set, but he was never able to turn that into consistent production with the Miami Dolphins.
- Gesicki actually played more snaps in the slot last season than as an in-line tight end, per TruMedia.
- The New England Patriots are an unexpected landing spot for Gesicki; that comes with limited enthusiasm for Gesicki in current best ball drafts.
Jonnu Smith
Traded to Falcons
- Jonnu Smith is unlikely to be fantasy relevant himself, though he is reunited with Arthur Smith, his former offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020 with the Tennessee Titans.
- Jonnu Smith totaled 76 catches, 887 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns over that two-year span.
- Smith is most likely a situational red zone weapon, as he caught eight touchdowns on only 41 receptions in 2020.
- I wouldn’t target Smith much in best ball, as he only has a chance at fantasy relevance should Kyle Pitts go down because of an injury. Think of him as a speculative handcuff tight end for fantasy.
