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While the 2023 fantasy football season is in the rearview mirror, the game is year-round. Unfortunately, fantasy players have to wait months for the upcoming season. Yet, it’s never too early to start preparing.
The best thing fantasy players can do when preparing for the upcoming season is to look at the past, especially players who had a surprise year.
Let’s look at the seven biggest tight end surprises from the 2023 fantasy football season, including a superstar rookie.
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Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Typically, tight ends have limited fantasy value in their first year in the NFL. However, LaPorta bucked that trend in 2023. The rookie finished the season as the TE1, averaging 11.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He was a go-to weapon for Jared Goff, leading the team with 10 receiving touchdowns. Furthermore, the former Iowa star was the only tight end in the league with more than six receiving touchdowns last year.
LaPorta was the first tight end to end the season as the TE1 in his rookie year since 1988. Despite splitting targets with superstar Amon-Ra St. Brown, the rookie was one of five tight ends in the NFL to have 110 or more targets last season. He ended his rookie year with 86 receptions on 120 targets for 984 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking top five among tight ends in every category.
Sam LaPorta was the first rookie TE since 1988 to finish as the overall fantasy TE1 🤯 pic.twitter.com/WNY74ZeejT
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) February 4, 2024
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
Many had concerns about Engram entering last season. The veteran tight end was a massive surprise during his first year with the Jaguars. Yet, the arrival of Calvin Ridley made many think that Engram would see his target volume decline in 2023. Instead, he had a massive season, ending the year as the TE2, averaging 10.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game despite totaling only four receiving touchdowns in 17 contests.
The veteran had 114 receptions on 143 targets for 963 receiving yards in 2023, ranking in the top three in every category among tight ends. Engram led the NFL in receptions and targets among tight ends, totaling at least 16 more than any other player at the position. He came three receptions short of breaking Zach Ertz’s 2018 record for the most catches in a season by a tight end (116).
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Unfortunately, not every surprise is a good one. Kelce got drafted in the first round of many fantasy football drafts last season. He ended the year as the TE3, averaging 11.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. While that is the same fantasy average as Sam LaPorta, fantasy players could have drafted the rookie in the later rounds of their draft. Meanwhile, Kelce was a bust as a first-round fantasy football draft pick.
Not only did the future Hall of Famer not live up to his draft cost, but Kelce let fantasy players down at the worst time. The veteran averaged eight fantasy points per game over his final eight regular-season contests, totaling seven or fewer in half of those matchups. Furthermore, he was the TE26 during the fantasy football playoffs, averaging 5.1 fantasy points per game, a lower average than Lucas Krull. While Kelce will play in 2024, he is no longer a lock as the first tight end off the board.
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
There were many popular sleeper candidate tight ends heading into the 2023 season. However, Ferguson was one of the less common sleeper candidates. The second-year tight end finished the season as the TE8, averaging 8.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He turned into Dak Prescott’s favorite target not named CeeDee Lamb, finishing second on the team in receptions (71), targets (102), and receiving yards (761). Ferguson also ranked third in receiving touchdowns (five), finishing behind Lamb (12) and Brandin Cooks (eight).
The former Wisconsin star wasn’t an elite fantasy football tight end. Ferguson had multiple poor performances, totaling 6.5 or fewer fantasy points in 41.2% of the games last year. Yet, he also offered fantasy players spike weeks, scoring 16.5 or more fantasy points in multiple games. More importantly, fantasy players should be encouraged about him for next season. Ferguson had 93 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys’ playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Another one for Jake Ferguson (his 3rd TD today)
Packers 48
Cowboys 32— The Fantasy Source (@FantasySource_) January 15, 2024
Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
McBride barely played as a rookie, with Zach Ertz locked in as the Cardinals’ starting tight end. Unfortunately, the 2023 season had a similar result for the Colorado tight end until the veteran suffered an injury in Week 7. Yet, McBride was the TE9 last year, averaging 8.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He was a league winner for fantasy players after taking over as the starting tight end despite catching passes from multiple quarterbacks.
The second-year tight end had 10 receptions on 14 targets for 95 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 20.5 fantasy points in his first game as the starter despite having Joshua Dobbs under center. While his performance slipped the following week with Clayton Tune at quarterback, McBride was a fantasy superstar once Kyler Murray made his season debut. McBride was the TE4 from Week 10 through Week 18, averaging 8.3 targets and 11.5 fantasy points per game.
Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Very few had concerns when the Eagles lost offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to the Indianapolis Colts last offseason. Many believed the team’s offense would be fine with head coach Nick Sirianni around. However, Philadelphia’s passing attack regressed in 2023. While A.J. Brown put up superstar numbers for most of the year, Goedert became a fantasy bust. The veteran ended the season as the TE14, averaging 7.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, his lowest average since his rookie year.
Unfortunately, Goedert has dealt with injuries in back-to-back seasons, missing five games in 2022 and three last year. More importantly, he has become less productive with his targets over the past few seasons. Goedert averaged 10.9 receiving yards per target and 14.8 yards per reception in 2021, both career highs. The veteran tight end has seen those averages decline in three consecutive years, totaling only 7.1 receiving yards per target and 10 yards per reception in 2023.
Darren Waller, New York Giants
Despite Waller having dealt with numerous injuries over the past few seasons, many in the fantasy football community had high expectations for him last year. The Giants lacked a go-to wide receiver, making the veteran tight end the favorite to lead all tight ends in targets in 2023. Unfortunately, New York’s passing attack was a disaster. More importantly, Waller couldn’t stay healthy, missing five games last season because of a hamstring injury.
The veteran was the TE20 last year, averaging 7.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, his lowest average since becoming a starting tight end. Waller had some spike weeks for fantasy players, scoring double-digit fantasy points in 25% of the contests. Furthermore, he scored 22.1% of his fantasy points for the season (19.3) in the Week 7 win over the Washington Commanders. Reportedly, Waller has considered retirement this offseason, making his dynasty fantasy football value next to nothing.
New York Giants Darren Waller is debating whether or not to hang up the cleats and retire. pic.twitter.com/dKUWCNqBy4
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) March 2, 2024
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