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It's never too early to start preparing for your fantasy football drafts, and Rotoballer is here to help! In this series, two RotoBaller experts will discuss the merits of two players with similar value and average draft position (ADP). Remember that situations will change for all players over the course of the summer and it may impact where they are selected in drafts.
Our next article comes from staff writers/editors, Pierre Camus (@pfunk00) and Harris Yudin (@hayudi18). They evaluate a pair of young, high-upside tight ends being drafted as TE2, but who have TE1 potential. Pierre defends former Hurricane and current Raider Clive Walford, while Harris is on the side of highly talented but beleaguered Buccaneer Austin Seferian Jenkins.
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Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE, TB) - Harris Yudin
Austin Seferian-Jenkins’ professional career has been a mess, so far. His first 27 months in the NFL have been plagued by injuries, inconsistent play and off-the-field concerns. In fact, he was sent home early from practice last month because he “didn’t know what he was doing,” and later took to Twitter to, uh, direct his frustrations towards the fans. Needless to say, the Bucs haven’t quite gotten what they were expecting to get out of their second round pick in 2014.
Still, the talent is there. And when you’re talking about a backup tight end in fantasy football, there’s nothing wrong with prioritizing talent over reliability. If he can get his act together just enough to remain focused on the field, he can do some damage.
ASJ posted 221 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 21 receptions as a rookie in 2014, and figured to make a much bigger contribution in 2015 with Jameis Winston at the helm. After putting on a show in Week 1 — five receptions for 110 yards and two scores — Seferian-Jenkins strained his shoulder in Week 2. He would remain sidelined until December, and caught just 23 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns over the last five weeks of the season.
Seferian-Jenkins is a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses— 6’5” and 262 lbs with huge hands and exceptional leaping ability. He is an imposing figure in the end zone, and uses his size, athleticism and separation skills to grab 50/50 balls.
If he can stay on the field, he could turn in a Tyler Eifert-like season, with 500-600 yards and double-digit scores. The only thing holding him back from becoming a focal point of an up-and-coming Buccaneers offense is himself.
Do I trust ASJ to produce on a consistent basis? Absolutely not. And I wouldn’t blame owners for having lost faith in the soon-to-be 24-year-old at this point. But given his potential — which has already been on display at times — he is worth a late-round flyer. Clive Walford also possesses solid upside, but has yet to show it off— he never posted more than 53 yards in a single game last year. He also caught fewer than half of his targets in 2015.
With Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree still in Oakland, Walford’s best-case scenario puts him as the No. 3 option, barring any injuries. In Tampa, Seferian-Jenkins really only has Mike Evans in front of him in the passing game.
Walford is a full year older with one fewer season under his belt. There should also be concerns about the knee injury he suffered in an ATV accident earlier this off-season.
Now, if we’re talking incredibly deep leagues, I wouldn’t trust Seferian-Jenkins to produce as my starter. However, when searching for a TE2 in the average 12-teamer, he is the clear choice to me given his upside. I'm giving him one more chance.
Clive Walford (TE, OAK) - Pierre Camus
Clive Walford could be on the verge of becoming the next great Raiders tight end in the tradition of Dave Casper, Todd Christensen, and Rickey Dudley. OK, calling Dudley great might be a stretch, but having him on my fantasy team sure helped me in 1999. Walford wasn't drafted in the third round to come in and block. He increased his receiving output each year at the University of Miami, finishing with 676 yards and seven TD his senior year. Need I remind you that "Tight End U" has produced the likes of NFL studs Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow, Jimmy Graham, and Greg Olsen?
Walford saw limited opportunities throughout his rookie year in the NFL and wound up with 28 receptions for 329 yards. Unlike Seferian-Jenkins, Walford was not limited by injuries or stupidity. Well, sort of... Walford got off to a slow start last season as he actually missed a chunk of training camp, but he didn't miss any games during the regular season. He should have no such issues this year and is ready to jump straight into the offense and continue building chemistry with QB Derek Carr. The aforementioned ATV accident held him out of OTAs, but Walford was out there on day one of training camp just days ago and is 100% ready to go.
In an offense surrounded by future stars Amari Cooper and Derek Carr, Walford is part of a dynamic young team that is on the rise. He could soon overtake Michael Crabtree as a red zone target if utilized properly. Coach Jack Del Rio may bring a more conservative approach and the defense should be greatly improved, meaning less deep balls and fourth quarter comebacks for the silver and black. This could actually bode well for intermediate passes to the tight end throughout the game, as opposed to bombing away to Cooper and company late. Del Rio has already stated he has big plans for Walford this season.
Walford has a great chance to double his output from last year and has no big red flags to speak of (his Twitter posts are actually kind of inspiring). Walford may not have blazing speed for a tight end and lacks the athleticism of a Jimmy Graham, but he is big enough at 6'4", 254 lbs to overpower linebackers and cause havoc in the red zone. I don't foresee him cracking the top ten of fantasy tight ends this season, but when it's time to select a backup at the position you should be looking for upside. Walford is on the verge of showing the league what he can do and I view him as one of the top TE2 targets available toward the end of fantasy drafts. Of course, you could always take a gamble on headcases like Jared Cook or Austin Seferian-Jenkins if you prefer.
