PodcastFrom Fantasy Football Today
2026 TE Tiers DISCUSSION! Rankings, Projections & Draft Strategy (07/16 Fantasy Football Podcast)
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
59 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Jul 16, 2026
Published
Thu, July 16, 2026
18
Player insights
18
Players mentioned
Topics
Alvin KamaraBrock BowersChris BellColston LovelandDe'Von AchaneGeorge KittleIsaiah LikelyJake FergusonJalen TolbertKyle PittsMalik WashingtonPatrick MahomesSam LaPortaTony Pollard
Player analysis
Player insights
Alvin Kamara
NegativeProjection0:09
Kamara, who turns 31 next week, averaged career lows of 3.6 yards per carry and 5.6 yards per catch in 2025. He's now a late-round flyer in a handcuff/pass-catching role with limited ceiling due to Kellen Moore's offensive scheme.
Insight pageBrock Bowers
PositiveProjection0:00
Bowers is one of the consensus tier-one tight ends for 2026, going around 20th overall on Fantasy Pros, and is expected to be first on his team in targets.
Insight pageChris Bell
PositiveBreakout0:12
Bell, a rookie from Louisville coming off an ACL tear, has the best ceiling among Dolphins receivers if he's healthy for week one, though his availability is uncertain.
Insight pageColston Loveland
PositiveBreakout0:01
Loveland is the most likely tight end to make a leap and outperform Bowers or McBride, with everything to love about his situation including the loss of DJ Moore, Ben Johnson's offense, and his strong finish to last season. He's going around 40-44th overall.
Insight pageDe'Von Achane
PositiveRole0:13
Achane is hoped to get a lot of opportunities in the Dolphins offense, but there's skepticism about his role and target volume.
Insight pageGeorge Kittle
PositiveValue0:04
Kittle is highlighted as a great value pick as he gets healthier, despite health concerns being a stretch for him to lead his team in targets.
Insight pageIsaiah Likely
PositiveRole0:03
Likely might lead his team in targets if Malik Neighbor starts the year on the PUP list, and could be a steal if that happens.
Insight pageJake Ferguson
PositiveProjection0:00
Ferguson was the fifth-ranked tight end overall in 2025 (drafted round 12), but is not prominently discussed in the tier rankings for 2026.
Insight pageJalen Tolbert
PositiveRole0:12
Tolbert appeared to be the top target for Malik Willis this offseason and is ranked as the highest Dolphins wide receiver with the best floor if targeting a Miami receiver.
Insight pageKyle Pitts
NegativeProjection0:05
Pitts is projected for 6 touchdowns but the Falcons have been 24th or worse in touchdown passes in four of his five seasons, suggesting his projection may be optimistic.
Insight pageMalik Washington
PositiveRole0:12
Washington was mentioned in offseason reports as a top target for Malik Willis and is one of the two receivers (along with Tolbert) with the best floor for targeting a Dolphins wide receiver.
Insight pagePatrick Mahomes
Sam LaPorta
PositiveProjection0:06
Laporta has been tight end 3, 9, and 7 in his three seasons and is currently being drafted around 95th overall (tight end 6-7). He's mentioned as a potential leap candidate but came into 2025 hurt and had a slow start before closing strong.
Insight pageTony Pollard
PositiveProjection0:10
Pollard is going 69th overall (74th on Fantasy Pros) compared to Etienne at 38th, but there's uncertainty about whether he'll have more touches despite being in a better offense. He's ranked RB22 with Etienne at RB21.
Insight pageTravis Etienne
NegativeProjection0:09
Etienne is going 38th overall but his ceiling has been lowered due to Kellen Moore's offensive scheme not featuring running backs heavily in the passing game. The earliest he should be taken is round four, and that might be too soon.
Insight pageTrey McBride
PositiveProjection0:00
McBride was the top tight end overall in 2025 (drafted round 3) and is one of the consensus tier-one tight ends alongside Bowers for 2026, going around 27th overall on Fantasy Pros.
Insight pageTucker Kraft
PositiveProjection0:00
Craft was a round-10 pick (111th overall) in 2025 and has been remarkably efficient, averaging 9.1 yards after the catch per reception (best among all tight ends since true media tracking) and gaining 312 more yards than McBride on 13 fewer targets with four more touchdowns.
Insight pageTyler Warren
PositiveBreakout0:00
Warren was the fifth-ranked tight end overall in 2025 and is mentioned as having potential to take a leap and outperform his current draft position in 2026.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00There's never been a better time to get outside and experience the benefits of nature.
0:05Discover nearby trails and explore the outdoors with AllTrails.
0:08Download the free app today and find your outside.
0:11This is Fantasy Football Today from CBS Sports. It's time to dominate your fantasy league.
0:15Off to the races and he stays on his feet.
0:19He's just going to go the distance. Now here's some combination of Adam, Dave, Jamie and Heath.
0:24The top five tight ends in fantasy in 2025 were drafted in rounds 3, 12, 6, 12 and 8 last year.
0:31That would be Trey McBride, Kyle Pitts, Travis Kelsey, Jake Ferguson and Tyler Warren.
0:35Those are your top five overall, not per game.
0:38That doesn't include George Kittle, doesn't include Brock Bowers.
0:41Those guys were top five per game, but that's just...
0:44Tucker Craft. Tucker Craft. He was, he was, let's see what round Tucker Craft was last year.
0:50He was 111th overall. That's a round 10 pick for Tucker Craft.
0:54So, great or late, it was in effect again last year.
0:57What's up, guys? Good morning. Good morning. Okay, well that's all I have.
1:02That's the show. Don't draft me tears. Good show.
1:04Good show. Good show. Let's see how messed up Heath and Jamie's tears are.
1:09Yeah, it's, it's once again, it's like there's just one or two tears early that if they were just combined for one
1:16of you, your tears would be almost the same.
1:19But tight end, luckily not as many names to throw at you, but here are some group chat stats to throw at you.
1:26All right, first of all, only four tight ends in the last 10 seasons have finished top five at the position and
1:33not been first or second on their team and targets.
1:37So, keep that in mind. Maybe Colson Loveland will be first or second or maybe he will just buck the trend.
1:43This I love. Trey McBride had 15 more targets last year than Tucker Craft has had in his entire three year career.
1:50That's interesting. It's a great set. Yeah, but craft has taken those 13 fewer targets and gained 312 more yards than McBride with four more touchdowns.
1:59And you know what I was thinking like I was thinking about Tucker Craft, but also I wanted to say that over
2:06the last three years, Christian Watson and Jaden Reed are both top five in fantasy points per target or something like that.
2:13And Tucker Craft is basically the new George Kittle.
2:16Is it just Matt LaFleur's offense at you, right?
2:19Heath, because Jordan Love has been hyper efficient. I mean that Packers offense, man, they just deliver on a, on a per play basis.
2:27Well, we've seen, yeah, I mean, we've seen the 49ers do it for years and it's easier to do it when you're
2:34a run heavy team that doesn't throw the ball near as much.
2:37And they've taken that to the extreme over the last couple of years.
2:42And Jordan Love, I don't think we should give LaFleur all the credit.
2:46I think we should give Jordan Love some credit.
2:49We must give Tucker Craft some credit. So yeah, they're, they're a very efficient offense.
2:54How many tight ends do you think will be first on their team and targets?
2:58Great question. Two right out of the gate. Bowers and McGregor.
3:02Yeah. I can see craft. We need steam targets.
3:05You look at the targets on the Packers. I only looked at the last three years.
3:10I don't think anyone's reached a hundred facts. I'm a positive.
3:14No one's reached the hundred. It's usually quite bunched up.
3:17You have had guys have been on pace for more than a hundred.
3:21I think Romeo Dobbs had a season like that, but I mean, there was one season where like four guys had 70 to 80 targets.
3:29So yeah, craft will be. I'm going to say three or four.
3:33Who? I have, I mean, Bowers McBride are the two obvious ones.
3:37I have Colston Loveland tied for the team leading targets.
3:40I think there's a chance that Tucker craft leads his team in targets.
3:44And then if Malik neighbor starts the year on the pup, Isaiah likely might.
3:49I think you could see Dolchitz lead his team in targets.
3:52You could, you could see Tyler Warren. I think you can see Tyler Warren lead his team in targets.
3:58You could see Harold fan and do it again.
4:01For sure. Last year. You could see. Kittle's a stretch just because of health, but Kelsey could.
4:07Oh man. I don't know. With rice back. I don't know.
4:10I mean, I'm not, I'm not projecting it that way, but rice is at a hard time playing full season.
4:17Yeah. Travis Kelsey could be a steal. He was tight end.
4:20Likely could. If, if neighbors misses the first five or six games.
4:24That's a good point. Yeah. I just don't think he will.
4:28I think he'll fly up the draft boards. If, if he starts the year.
4:32Also, I was being a smart aleck. Cause I said that two minutes ago.
4:37Oh, I pulled the tape. Well, Kelsey, Kelsey top six per game with Patrick.
4:41Holmes last year. All right. A few more group chat stats.
4:45Tucker craft has averaged 9.1 yards after the catch per reception in his career.
4:49Yeah. I'm guessing that's the most ever in NFL history, but it's the most, it's the best yak per catch for Tucker craft.
4:57It best yak per catch of any tight end in, in, since true media has been tracking the stat.
5:03Harold fan and junior averaged 15.9 PPR points per game in five games without David Njoku or with Njoku leaving early with an injury.
5:10And that doesn't include week 17 where fan and played 23% of the snaps and caught a long touchdown was awesome.
5:17Um, here's one he's how many projected, how many touchdowns do you have Kyle pits projected for?
5:23Um, obviously six. Yeah. Obviously six. Why is that obvious?
5:26Because every year of his career, he scores one more.
5:29He had won his first year to a second year, three, four or five.
5:34This is your six. So he's going to score six.
5:37That's right. The Falcons though have been 24th or worse in touchdown passes in four of pits is five seasons.
5:43Do you really have them projected for six? Um, let's look at the actual projections.
5:48Like I knew what it was. I haven't met 5.5.
5:51So basically, um, it would be funny if, uh, he's at like four going into like week 14 and they just, you
5:58know, do the McBride thing that we saw two years ago.
6:02So yeah, he's never been a big touchdown guy though.
6:05For sure. I'll say if he scores six in the first half of the season, you sell, uh, Dalton and Kade led
6:12all tight ends and yards per out run tight ends with a minimum of 40 targets.
6:17And Sam Laporta has been tight end three, tight end nine and tight end seven in his three seasons.
6:24And, uh, right now he's being drafted. I think it's tight ends seven, six or seven.
6:29He's a tight end seven, 95th overall Sam Laporta.
6:32And I know he's going to really like that one.
6:35A couple of things to promote. Oh, draft a thon.
6:38You say, yeah, it's pretty much that time of year.
6:41It's July 16th. And, uh, later today we'll have our mailbag episode, our Festivus mailbag episode where Dan and I will air
6:48grievances about what we did at FSGA last week, the fantasy sports and gaming association conference.
6:53But while we were there, our main goal was to recruit people to be in the FFT open.
6:59And we're going to have some, some more big names from around the industry.
7:04I won't say anything yet until it's official, but I've been talking with some people.
7:09I think you're going to be really excited about who's, you know, captaining a division in the FFT open.
7:15What is the FFT open? Well, it's a tournament that's gone from eight leagues to 12 to 24 last year, 36 leagues this year.
7:22So you have that many, 396 spots. I guess that is available.
7:26And you play in a 12 team division. And if you win the division, you move on to the tournament rounds.
7:33And if you win the FFT open, you rock.
7:36Now this year, we're going to give the people who won the division last year, the chance to buy a spot in
7:43that same division, or I guess any division, I don't know, but I think in that same division before the spots are open to the general public.
7:52So if you won your division last year, you can get first dibs at being in the FFT open.
7:58Jamie, congratulations. You won your division last year. You can be in the FFT open this year.
8:03Thank you. But anyway, it's $250 a spot. It all goes to St.
8:08Jude. And if we sell out all of our spots this year, that is $99,000 we'll raise for St.
8:14Jude. So that's just part of draft-a-thon, which is coming up in the next couple of weeks.
8:19It'll start and continue through the rest of draft season.
8:22Oh, and Scott Fish is in the chat today.
8:25Scott Fish is one of our division captains in the FFT open.
8:29You can be in the Scott Fish division, for example.
8:32I invited him on the mailbag show. He hasn't responded yet.
8:36Oh, let's go, Scott. It's at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday.
8:39So it's in the middle of a work day.
8:42So I don't know if he'll be able to do it.
8:46Yeah, he wants to be on the grievance of the show, but we'll see.
8:50The other thing I want to promote is we had an amazing episode with Scott Turner, former offensive coordinator, a few weeks ago.
8:58He's coming on Tuesday for his second edition of FFT.
9:01If you have any questions for Scott Turner, please email fantasyfootball at cbsi.com.
9:05That's the letter I. Fantasyfootball at cbsi.com. Put something like Scott Turner question in the subject line, and we'll gather them and
9:12ask him some good questions next week. And don't forget to wish Dave a happy birthday.
9:17Yes. For the entire month. Yeah. News and notes.
9:20All right, Jamie, the Saints, they reworked Alvin Kamara's contract.
9:24Yay. He'll be back. He turns 31 next week.
9:26He averaged a career low 3.6 yards per carry.
9:29He also averaged a career low 5.6 yards per catch.
9:33He's been pretty low. Like three years ago, he averaged 6.2 yards per catch and then rebounded with 8 the following year.
9:40They also had a really bad offensive line last year.
9:43But anyway, what does this mean for Kamara and ETN?
9:46I mean, for Kamara, it's really just you're taking a late-round flyer on him at this point.
9:52So, you know, handcuff, pass-catching role, you know, you'd love for him to be, if both guys stay healthy, like Kenneth Gainwell.
9:59But that's just not Kellen Moore's offense to throw to his running backs to that level, at least based on his track
10:06record in the three previous stops he's been in, even last year with the Saints.
10:11It just lowers the ceiling for Travis E. You know, I think the potential is still there for him to be a
10:18very successful fantasy running back because he's going to be in an explosive offense based on what we saw last year with
10:25Tyler Shuck and obviously Kellen Moore's history. But if you were hoping for him to be, at least for me, you know,
10:32top 12 guy, someone that you should take in the first three rounds, I'm out.
10:37The earliest I would take a chance on him is round four, and that might even be too soon.
10:43Heath, what do you think? Yeah, I don't really know.
10:46What I was really kind of thinking about this morning, and I've kind of, this felt like one of those things where
10:53somebody in every draft was drafting him as if Kamara was going to be gone at some point.
10:59Like whoever took him in round three was drafting him kind of like, well, Kamara is not going to be there.
11:06And so now, like I agree with Jamie, the guy that I'm kind of struggling with him with is Tony Pollard.
11:12It's a better offense, but I'm not sure that he's going to have more touches.
11:17And I have those two back to back right now, RB21 and RB22.
11:21I mean, they are not even close in ADP, right?
11:25So ETN on CBS is going 38th. Tony Pollard.
11:28Where's A-Chan going? E-T-N-Chan. And the thing is, I went back and I watched his press conference because people are saying that
11:35I was pronouncing it wrong when I said A-Chan.
11:38And he said A-Chan. And then he even spelled it out like A-Chan.
11:42So I just, I hope it's not confusing for people.
11:45But Travis E is going 38th, I think I said.
11:48And Tony Pollard is going 69th. And on Fantasy Pros, it's basically the same.
11:53He's going 39th. Travis E-Chan for the Saints. And Tony Pollard is going 74th.
11:57All right. We'll talk more about that some other time.
12:00Let's do a few more notes here. Ian Rappaport thinks Patrick Mahomes is on track for week one.
12:06Cool. David Ferroner. Don't know how to pronounce the name.
12:09Ferroners of the Sun Sentinel. Sorry, David. Said that Jalen Tolbert appeared to be the top target for Malik Willis this offseason.
12:16And that's not the first time we've heard something like that.
12:20So is that the guy, if you were going to draft a Dolphins wide receiver, Jamie, would you draft Tolbert?
12:26He was the one I had ranked the highest.
12:29And then there was the last offseason report, minicamp or whatever, that it was Malik Washington.
12:35So I think it's those two guys based on their track records as the two you want to target if you're looking
12:42for who probably has the best floor. I still think if you're looking for who has the best ceiling, you're hoping Chris
12:49Bell is going to be healthy and able to play week one, the rookie that they drafted at Louisville coming off an ACL tear.
12:56That being said, it's just such an open canvas of anyone could be the guy for Malik Willis.
13:02And really, I think the reality is, is like you hope just Devon A.
13:07Chan gets a lot of opportunities, but that's what we're skeptical of.
13:11We're going to talk about Greg Dolshitz a little bit in terms of what his chances are, because he could be the guy for Miami.
13:19It's just I think you get to the end of your draft.
13:23It's similar to the Raiders at a lesser scale.
13:25So just take a shot on a Dolphins receiver, and if that guy gets off to a hot start, then you may
13:32have had a pretty good sleeper and somebody you got with a great pick.
13:37And Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com thinks that TyJ Spears has a chance for a bigger role as a rusher and a receiver this season.
13:45And he also, Jim Wyatt, expected a bigger role for Spears last season, but then Spears hurt his ankle in the first
13:52preseason game he started the year on IR. So it's possible that he just has a bigger chunk.
13:58Maybe he just wasn't really healthy last year. So after week five, because week five is his first game back and he only played 25% of the snaps.
14:07After that, he averaged 9.5 touches per game. Not a lot.
14:10I think when you're talking, you know, who's going to be the next this, next that.
14:15To me, TyJ Spears could be the next Kenneth Gainwell.
14:19Yeah, he's their third down guy. I mean, he had 45 catches on 50 targets in what, 12 games?
14:25I don't know. We can look it up. He had 45 catches on 50 targets in 13 games.
14:3013. But technically, he had zero targets in one of those games.
14:34So he did have 45 catches on 50 targets in 12 games.
14:38Again, like I don't think if Tony Pollard's healthy, TyJ Spears is great as a standalone running back.
14:44But he could be a potential flex in deeper leagues and PPR.
14:48Yeah, I mean, it wasn't a huge difference. If you look at the last two years, Tony Pollard.
14:54I mean, it's kind of is a big difference, right?
14:57Tony Pollard in 2024 averaged 13.9 carries when Spears was healthy, like played a normal snapshot.
15:02So that number went from 13.9 in 2024 to 14.5 in 2025.
15:06So that's not nothing, I guess, half a carry per game.
15:09And there's the wild card of Singleton, the rookie that they drafted.
15:13Yeah. And there's the break that we're going to take.
15:17And when we come back, how many tight ends in tier one?
15:20Is it just the two guys or did Colston Loveland sneak in there?
15:25Depends who you ask. We'll be right back on Fantasy Football today.
15:28All right. Obviously, these guys agree that tier one is just the top two guys.
15:33It's Bowers and McBride. Oh, no! Never mind. It's three guys for Heath.
15:37So for Jamie, it's Bowers and McBride. For Heath, it's Bowers, McBride, and Colston Loveland.
15:42Really interesting, Heath. Why is Loveland in a tier with those two studs?
15:46Because I didn't want to put Colston Loveland in a tier by himself and mess up the graphics for the next 17 tiers.
15:54But it turns out that happened anyway. I have Colston Loveland much closer in terms of my rankings and projections to McBride
16:01and Bowers than I do to the guys who are behind him.
16:05I think if there is a guy who makes the leap and outscores McBride or Bowers, Loveland is definitely the most likely guy to do that.
16:13I would have no argument if somebody wanted to have Bowers and McBride in tier one and Loveland in tier two and then another tier three.
16:22But I was just trying to put some guys together.
16:25So, Jamie, how did you approach it with Loveland?
16:28He's obviously not in the Bowers-McBride tier. But did you think about putting him in his own tier?
16:33Yeah, I agree with Heath. You know, he's the one that's got the most potential to take a leap.
16:40I mean, obviously, Tyler Warren could. Sam Laporta could.
16:42Kyle Pitts could. You know, all those guys could.
16:45But Loveland, just based on the way he finished last season, the loss of DJ Moore, Ben Johnson's offense, his history with tight ends.
16:53Like, there's just everything to love about this guy.
16:56And I do think if there's anybody that's going to be drafted in the first three rounds along with Bowers and McBride, it's definitely Loveland.
17:04So, I did consider putting him in a tier by himself.
17:08But I kind of lumped him with the next group of guys, which I think is where most fantasy managers are going
17:15to try and target their tight ends. Because a lot of people just don't want to reach for Bowers or McBride or
17:22McBride-Bowers, whoever you have ranked, in the first three rounds, I guess.
17:26So, on CBS right now, looking at average draft position, McBride and Bowers are going at the 1-2 turn.
17:32And Colson Loveland is going at the 1-2 turn.
17:351-2 turn or 2-3 turn? 2-3 turn. Thank you.
17:382-3 turn. And Loveland's going about 40th overall. On Fantasy Pros, McBride, it's similar.
17:42McBride's going 27th. Bowers is actually going 20th. That's a huge difference and a little surprising to me anyway.
17:48And Loveland, 44th overall. And I do think that it brings up an interesting dilemma if you have a pick around the 1-2 turn.
17:56So, you have one of the first three picks, maybe more like the first two picks in the draft.
18:02And you're up in round two. And you're going, there's just no way I can get Colson Loveland 47th, 48th.
18:08That just seems like… So, you're saying the 2-3 turn.
18:12What did I say? I said 1-2 again? You said 1-2 again.
18:16Sorry. Thank you. All right. So, you're sitting there at the 2-3 turn.
18:20And you're like, I don't know if I want McBride or Bowers, but there's almost no way I can get Loveland.
18:27What do you do? Jamie, what do you do at the 2-3 turn when it comes to tight end?
18:33I think your philosophy makes a lot of sense if it's a 2-receiver league or a 3-receiver league.
18:38So, if you are in the 3-receiver league, I'm probably looking wide receiver there.
18:43If you're in a 2-receiver league, I'd be more inclined to take the tight end.
18:48So, if Bowers, McBride there, not a bad spot.
18:51Look, Loveland has a tremendous opportunity to take a huge step forward.
18:55So does Tyler Warren. So does the other guys that I listed.
18:58I think if you're not comfortable taking the tight end there and you love the other players, whatever round you're up, but you love the other players there.
19:07Like, you can wait probably around. Laporta's kind of the one that slips.
19:12Pitts is the one people are scared of. Likely is still going to be there a little bit later.
19:18I think the healthier George Kittle gets, that's a great value pick.
19:22Travis Kelsey, as you noted, it was the first 14 games of the season last year because Travis, Patrick Mills got hurt week 15.
19:29So, 14 games of what Travis Kelsey gave you at 35 years old.
19:33I know he's 36 and I know Rashi Rice is back, but still great value pick as well.
19:39It's just, you know, year of the tight end.
19:42We say it every year, but last year was really the year of the tight end.
19:47And I think it could be replicated based on the talent that we have.
19:52So, I would probably wait unless you just love the potential of what these guys can be and don't love anybody else on the board.
20:00Really, that latter part of it, I think, is what stands out.
20:04Yes, that's exactly what I was going to say is like if you're at the 2-3 turn, I'm just not drafting a
20:11tight end there and I'm not going to get Colston Loveland.
20:14I'm going to take one of the guys in the next tier in round five or six or seven or eight.
20:21Okay, yeah, just be aware. I mean, I don't think you need me to tell you, but if you don't take, if
20:28you want one of those top three tight ends and you're up at the 2-3 turn and you don't take Bowers or
20:35McBride, you're probably not getting one of the top three tight ends.
20:39Just to finish up on Colston Loveland, we spent a lot of time talking about these guys and there'll be more time to do it.
20:47But the last three sophomore tight ends that were hyped up all flopped.
20:51Kyle Pitts, Sam Laporta, and Brock Bowers. They all had circumstances that were sort of out of their control, especially Pitts and Bowers.
20:59You know, Bowers, obviously, the knee injury in week one.
21:02Um, Pitts, he played only 10 games and they had one of the worst passing offenses you could, like they had Mariota
21:09and Ritter and they added Drake London. Laporta. And he was hurt.
21:13Yeah, I said, yeah, he was hurt. Yeah. Um, Laporta also, I think, came into the year.
21:18He did. He came into the year hurt. He got off to a pretty bad start.
21:24I think he was tight end 16 in his first 11 games.
21:27Um, but Jamison Williams got more involved. That was a big difference between Laporta in his rookie year and his second season.
21:35And he wasn't bad or anything. He just, he wasn't great.
21:38Um, he closed the season. Fantastic. He did, but they all did.
21:42And when he closed the season, fantastic. Like Jared golf was throwing 40 times a game was on pace for 5,500 yards.
21:49It was just an amazing environment for everyone on that team.
21:53Uh, but it is worth noting like these three young tight ends, they just did not live up to the hype in their second season.
22:01They all had extenuating circumstances. I don't know if it's, I don't think it really applies to Colston Loveland.
22:07Hopefully he doesn't get hurt. That's basically my takeaway.
22:10And they've, yeah, right. And they've removed a wide receiver that didn't add a Drake London.
22:15They removed DJ more who didn't have that many targets, but that's kind of like, we're going to see that I'm, I'm
22:22trying to just push Harold Fannin back up because I hate after last year being lower than him on everybody else.
22:29But that's kind of the difference between the three second year tight ends is Loveland.
22:34They removed a wide receiver Warren. They removed a wide receiver fan and they added two wide receivers at the same time for Loveland.
22:41Oh, duns. They did miss a chunk of time and Luther burden didn't even have 50 targets.
22:47Right. So that, you know, things, things will even out, I guess a little bit from terms of targets.
22:53Okay. Let's go to tiers two and three here.
22:56Ooh. Yeah. So look at that. Right. So for, um, for Jamie defeats the whole purpose, but you got the, you got the names the same at least.
23:05Right. That's what I'm trying to do for, for Jamie.
23:08This is tier two for Jamie. Right. It's Loveland Warren Laporta craft pits fan.
23:12So Loveland. So Loveland, who we, you know, we already discussed Warren Laporta craft pits fan.
23:18And that is, uh, that is, uh, eight tight ends deep at this point for Heath tier two is the port of pits and Warren.
23:26Tier three is fan in craft and Isaiah likely.
23:29So that's the only guy. So that's the only guy that's just like, not in Jamie's second tier.
23:34So we'll come back to likely in a minute, but he's the reason I put the, put the graphics up like this
23:41with Jamie having Loveland, Warren, Laporta, craft pits, and fan and all in one tier.
23:46And he's having Laporta pits and Warren in one tier fan and craft in a different tier.
23:52I want to talk about that. Why Heath are Laporta pits and Warren in a different tier ahead of Harold fan and junior and Tucker craft.
24:00So for the, like the simplest answer is I have those three guys projected for more targets than the other three guys.
24:07Tucker craft. If he is a full go in training camp may jump into that tier two for me.
24:13Um, Harold Fannin, if Shador Sanders wins the starting job.
24:17Could move up a little bit for me. I'm, I'm pretty terrified of Deshaun Watson.
24:21Um, and I also like the Browns offense, I think is definitely the worst of all of these guys.
24:28So that who, who is the third? No, there isn't a third for Jamie.
24:32So yeah. And I have a hard time putting Colston Loveland in the same tier as Harold Fannin because my expectations for
24:39the two of them are not, um, are not anywhere similar.
24:43Yeah. I mean, I think Jamie already said he could have put Loveland in a tier by himself.
24:48So we, we understand that. But again, Heath has Laporta pits and Warren ahead of Fannin and craft, not just ahead of
24:56in a, in a tier ahead of Fannin and craft and Isaiah likely for that matter.
25:01Whereas Jamie has Warren Laporta, craft pits and Fannin and junior all in the same tier.
25:06So Jamie, yeah, I guess you don't see quite as much separation.
25:10Um, I mean, there, there's definitely separation, you know, so there's almost like tears within the tier, but I think just looking
25:17at it, like this is the, you know, early mid round group of guys.
25:21If that makes sense, you know, sort of like rounds three through six, three through seven of where I expect most of these guys to go.
25:30Um, the, the one that is sort of the wild card for me is, is craft coming off the injury.
25:36If he was not hurt, he might be tight end three because of what he accomplished last year.
25:42It was on pace to accomplish last year. And then you're removing two guys.
25:46You know, we talk about the, the other guys that are losing players, Loveland, losing somebody, Warren, losing somebody craft lost one
25:53significant player in Romeo Dobbs and another part-time player and Don Tavian wicks.
25:58But now we're hoping to see concentrated targets in green Bay.
26:01And if craft is healthy based on what he's done and again, was on pace to do as a breakout tight end
26:08was number two in terms of points per game last year.
26:12Like there's just so much to love about the situation for him.
26:16So I, as the reports get better, you know, he may, uh, jump Laporta for me.
26:21I don't think he'll get ahead of Warren or Loveland, but I mean, the chance for Tucker craft to be a superstar is there.
26:29I did see one of the, uh, Twitter is it?
26:32I don't mean this derogatory, the Twitter doctors talking about the Packers, um, being one of the more conservative teams when it
26:39comes to bringing players back from injury. So I guess I'm just a little bit more concerned that they slow play it with craft.
26:47And I would say like the other guy that I have in this tier, Isaiah likely is kind of the opposite.
26:53If Malik neighbors is a full go in training camp, he's going to fall out of this tier.
26:59But if he's not, then likely he'll be up here.
27:02And you know, I, I think craft craft himself has said he expects to be full go for week one.
27:09So we'll see. Um, and for what it's worth, Christian Watson coming off an ACL tear later in the year.
27:15Yeah. Was healthy much sooner than a lot of people expected.
27:19And also for what it's worth Watson and craft, I think they played one game together, maybe one and a half.
27:26So we never really saw them on the field at the same time.
27:30However, when craft was healthy, you had over 50 targets in eight games for Romeo Dobbs.
27:35So you still had that guy, like Jamie said, that was getting a lot of targets and Romeo Dobbs.
27:41Um, and the good thing is, you know, Jamie, you mentioned rounds four through six.
27:46Well, on CBS, Sam Laporta is a mid round six pick.
27:49Warren obviously is ahead of that. He's around five pick, but Fannin or pits, Fannin and craft.
27:55They're around seven guys. And on fantasy pros pits is 91st fan is 99th craft is 81st and Laporta is 95th.
28:02So people are not drafting these guys in rounds four through six, uh, at least according to fantasy pros ADP.
28:08And that's pretty cool. Cause even if you don't like some of them and you're like, I'm nervous about cop hits.
28:15I understand the arguments for pits, but I'm nervous about them.
28:18But at Kyle pits is ADP at 91st. Yeah.
28:21I'll take them every day, any day. Yeah. And that, and that, and that makes it really difficult to take the, the,
28:28the top, the top tight ends at the two, three term.
28:32However, if we just focus on this tier or the, or these tiers for Heath, I'm going to save likely for a little bit later.
28:40When we get to him and Jamie's tier, like, does it make sense?
28:44Okay. If Tyler Warren is a mid round five pick, um, how early would the other guys have to be going for
28:51you to say, well, I'm just going to take Tyler Warren.
28:55In other words, I'd rather have Warren in the fifth than Sam LaPorta, Tucker craft, Kyle pits, and Harold fan and jr.
29:02In the, maybe the seventh round. But if they're in the ninth red, they're in the eighth round of the ninth round.
29:09I'll just take the, I'll take the non Warren guy.
29:12Heath, does my question make any sense? And can you answer it?
29:16It makes more sense to Jamie because I like LaPorta and pits more than Warren.
29:21Okay. Okay. Then Jamie, I'll ask you, um, how much separation does there need to be between Warren and the other guys
29:28for that to say like, okay, I'm not taking Tyler Warren anymore.
29:32Now I'm just going to wait for the other guys.
29:35Probably two rounds. And it kind of goes back to the last two shows that we've done because that's the range of
29:42some still good running backs and some excellent wide receivers.
29:45So, you know, again, whatever tight end you want to talk about, if you look at the board and you say, cause
29:52it's still early enough, your, your team is not by any stretch complete.
29:57And you say, wow, three receiver league. I love this as my second receiver, maybe even more importantly, your third receiver, or
30:04this is the second running back that I want to dive into and, you know, put on my roster.
30:10And I can wait and hopefully get one of these guys later.
30:14And again, that factors in for, for Heath likely in, in this group for me, like we, it's just a little bit later.
30:21And then Kelsey and Kittle, like there's still very good tight ends that are on the board.
30:27So I think if you just don't love the receivers and running backs or you didn't take your quarterback yet, don't like
30:34that guy either, then pull the trigger on the tight end and know that you're getting a potential breakout candidate.
30:40Cause Tyler Warren was excellent with Daniel Jones last year and now loses 111 targets with Michael Pittman.
30:46I sure do. And guess who led the team in targets?
30:49It was Tyler Warren by one over Michael Pittman.
30:52I was just looking. I have, that's another one.
30:55I have Warren projected to lead his team in targets.
30:58So I'm going to say four to five tight ends lead their team in targets.
31:03He also led the team in red zone targets and green zone targets in the first seven games of the year.
31:10He was the number three tight end per game.
31:13Then he cooled off a little bit, but in 12 games with Daniel Jones, Tyler Warren was the number seven tight end per game.
31:21And then in five games without Daniel Jones, he was horrible.
31:24He was on pace with 116 targets, but no touchdowns, just, just like dreadful.
31:29I know Harold Fannin probably should be in this conversation, but as you know, Heath alluded to with the receiver receivers that they added, he's probably not.
31:37But Warren's first half of the season, beginning part of the season, first 10 games with, with Daniel Jones.
31:44Colston Loveland was miserable during that stretch. Colston Loveland was amazing at the end of the season into the playoffs, 10 targets per game.
31:51We saw everything that he was capable of doing.
31:54If Warren had finished the way Colston Loveland had finished.
31:57And then you say you're losing Michael Pittman. See some comments in the chat about, I'll take Warren over Loveland.
32:04I'll take Warren at his cost over Loveland. Like it's not hard to see a better season for Tyler Warren.
32:10Yeah, it's obviously, I don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to breaking down tape.
32:16But when I watched the two of them in college, I liked Warren a lot more than Loveland.
32:22When I watched the two of them in the NFL, I liked Loveland pretty significant.
32:26I don't know about a lot, but more than, than Warren.
32:30I don't really know why they were, they were very different players.
32:34One thing I like about Warren is that they ran, they designed a lot of plays for him.
32:40A lot of screen passes, a lot of easy stuff for him.
32:43Whereas Loveland was more of a downfield guy. I don't know how he ran a kind of a slowish 40.
32:50Cause he looks super fast out there with Colston Loveland.
32:53But Warren at least would get these like easy catches, but he just didn't.
32:58Just didn't look as explosive to me as, as Loveland.
33:01It was, it was weird. I mean, I think we have our, our, our Gronk Graham, our Gonzalez Gates.
33:07Like, like these two guys are going to be pretty special for a long time.
33:12I hope so. Obviously I think people are going to favor the bears offense, except I just will remind everyone.
33:18The Colts were the highest scoring team in football with, uh, with Daniel Jones.
33:23But I also favor the bears offense and that's what it'll come down to.
33:27Um, before we go to break for a lot of people, uh, before we go to break Heath, the arguments for Laporta
33:34and pits, you know, how much of it is the new head coach or, or offensive coordinator and their tight end tendencies?
33:41That is a, it probably maybe half of it.
33:44And then I think it's probably worth saying that rookie year Laporta was better than any of these second year tight ends that we're excited about.
33:53Um, last year pits was better than any of these second year tight ends were excited about like that.
33:59They are not bums who just got new tight ends, uh, centric coaches.
34:03And so now we're elevating them up. They are exceptional tight ends in their own right.
34:08Okay. I think is the one that you have to have a little bit more.
34:13You got to make a little bit more of an argument for not because of his talent, because I think it is evident.
34:20It's just, is there enough opportunities for him because of a mom around St.
34:25Brown? Who's going to, you know, get the final say in play calling?
34:29Cause I still think there's some questions that as the season unfolds, I don't think going into the year, I think it's
34:36going to be Petsing, but like we can see why Petsing has used his tight ends.
34:41We can see where he's come from and Kevin Stefanski's offense, but I think, and I know you're not doing this, but
34:48I think if, if anybody's like, I love Sam LaPorta because Petsing did this with Trey McBride.
34:54He did this with Trey McBride because McBride is a different player and that offense is different and they needed McBride.
35:01They don't need LaPorta to be McBride. And so LaPorta, if he gets back to his rookie level production, which for the
35:08most part, a lot of his success came from his touchdowns.
35:11He scored 10 plus touchdowns. If he can get back to doing that and maybe add a little bit more out, he
35:18doesn't have to score 10, but you know, a plus if he could do a little bit more and hopefully, and this
35:25is the, you know, pro con versus Jamison Williams, keep Jamison Williams a little bit in a sort of third tier type of role.
35:33Because as we talked about with Jamison Williams, he didn't really take off until LaPorta's back injury.
35:39And so if LaPorta is healthy, can everybody contribute and be successful?
35:42It's hard to imagine that. So you know what St.
35:46Brown's going to do. And then it really comes down to what LaPorta does versus Jamison Williams.
35:51And can both of them coexist and be successful fantasy options?
35:55I'm going to lead more toward LaPorta. We'll see how it all pans out.
35:59Adam, we always talk about how tight ends, I think you already said it once on the show, like tight ends who
36:06are good are generally top 10, two on their team and targets.
36:10How, what's your expectation for the target share for LaPorta, Jamison and Gibbs?
36:14Because he doesn't have to beat out, like he's not, he doesn't have to ding St.
36:20Brown at all. He just has to, he has to be the clear number.
36:24He has to be the number two. Yeah. And he had a, he had a, he was in the first, in the,
36:31in his, before his injury, he was the clear number two, but he still only had 49 targets in nine games.
36:38My expectation is, uh, I would say LaPorta full season about, geez, a hundred and a hundred to a hundred and five
36:45targets at pretty close to Jamison Williams. And then Gibbs, maybe 75.
36:49Just numbers out. I've got it. 116 for LaPorta 99 for Jamo 87 for Gibbs.
36:54Yeah. Everything is, everything's on the table there. Um, I like, I like LaPorta better than pits.
36:59You, do we all like LaPorta better than pits?
37:02Yes. Yes. Okay. But he has LaPorta and pits ahead of Tyler Warren, which is different and we'll take a break and
37:09get to the next tier and good players, still good players that you might, you might be living in this world at
37:16tight end, um, tiers four and five or three and four, depending on which analyst we'll be right back on FFT.
37:23Oh, that game was so good yesterday. Oh man.
37:26The soccer game. Jeez. I'm so happy. We get one more messy game and it's not France.
37:31Uh, I tell you, uh, why not? Why are you happy that it's not France?
37:36I don't know. I just, I, I really grew to dislike them watching them.
37:41And so I was, I was cheering against them and, um, I'm very happy about it.
37:46I'm sorry. If you like France, they really, this world cup has been incredible.
37:50Yes. Listen, I don't know much about, I don't know much about soccer, but I do know it's not usually this good.
37:57It's amazing. What'd you say? It's been a fun tournament.
38:01Yeah, it really has. Okay. Let's get to the next tier.
38:04So this is basically tiers three and four for Jamie and tier four for Heath.
38:09And they both have Kelsey Kittle, Andrews and Goddard, uh, in some order, Kelsey Kittle, Andrews and Goddard.
38:15And also Jamie has likely in here. So let's just say we're at the point where toward the back end of the
38:22top 12 and maybe a little bit past that.
38:25We're looking at guys rounds probably nine or later for the most part Kittle, or let's say eight or later Kittle, Kelsey
38:32likely who was a tier earlier for Heath. Um, Dallas Goddard and Mark Andrews.
38:36But Jamie has Chigo Conquo and Dalton Kincaid in here to have Oconquo and Kincaid in the same tier as future hall of famers, George Kittle, Travis Kelsey.
38:45Not the same tier. Oh, damn it. I'm sorry.
38:48Right. Cause we combine them crap. This is how you mess things up, Adam.
38:53Yes. Good. You're banished. We have Adam gone. Adam's face gone again.
38:57This is fantastic. I actually got a little bit, um, I maybe shouldn't have done this cause there are some guys that
39:04are in similar projections with my tier, whatever this is now, um, from Adam.
39:08I think it's my tier four. Oh, that's, you look fantastic at him.
39:12Um, but I kind of just went with the old guys who might be awesome in, in Kelsey, Andrews, Kittle and Goddard.
39:20Okay. Um, all right. So Jamie, I'm sorry to mix that up there.
39:24Your tier three is Kittle, Kelsey and likely your tier four is Oconquo, Goddard Kincaid and Andrews.
39:29Um, all right. So what, what are we looking at here?
39:33Heath in terms of old guys likely to be awesome.
39:36Um, uh, how, how bad could they be though?
39:39Kelsey, Andrews, Kittle and Goddard. I mean, I think Andrews and Goddard could be bad just because they're bad.
39:45Don't score touchdowns. They are the touchdown dependent borderline tight end ones, but they also have shown us.
39:51And especially in their offenses that they can, they may be amongst the most likely guys to score 10 touchdowns in a
39:58season, even though they may not have a hundred targets.
40:01Um, Kittle could be bad because he's not healthy or his Yaks gone, which it was last year.
40:07I think the worst Kelsey is going to be if he's healthy is just kind of mid.
40:12Like, I think he's going to be a top 12 tight end just because he's going to get the targets and at
40:19least in full PPR, maybe not in none. And Jamie, when you consider the fact that based on average draft position, Isaiah likely is absolutely in this tier.
40:28Uh, what's different, you know, why wouldn't I draft from this tier?
40:32Kittle, Kelsey likely Goddard Andrews compared to, you know, the Fannins and the Portas and Pitzes of the world.
40:38It's fantastic. I mean, again, you know, this first time I said this a few weeks ago, first time since Kelsey's rookie
40:46season that he's not a top five tight end based on ADP.
40:49Um, Kittle is the hardest one to, you know, sort of rank and project because of we's, because of his injury, you
40:56know, suffering an Achilles tear in the wildcard round of the playoffs.
41:00And, you know, I mean, it, it's easy to be optimistic about it after you see him with the video footage from
41:07tight end you and he's running around and looking fine.
41:11Like that's extremely encouraging last year. He didn't have the same type of talent around him from a receiver standpoint.
41:17You know, now they have Mike Evans, they have Christian Kirk, they have a second round rookie and just on dribbling.
41:24Like there's competition that he didn't really have to deal with.
41:27And listen, he's had a hard time staying healthy last year.
41:31He missed, you know, uh, the first half of the season or a good portion of the first half of the season with a hamstring injury.
41:39So at 32 coming off the Achilles tear, but his track record is so amazing.
41:44Uh, eight straight seasons. Um, I, we we've posted our, our, uh, tears.
41:48Dave's again, I said this yesterday, Dave's are done.
41:51Mine will be done this week. I actually wrote tight ends last week.
41:55So just one little switch that I made after I sent in my, my tears, I switched Andrews and Kincaid from a ranking standpoint.
42:03Um, but Kittle eight straight years of 10 plus half PPR points per game, which is unreal, uh, of what is just consistency has been.
42:11Now he misses time. So you have to understand that, but just track records there likely.
42:16I love the upside. I mean, couldn't agree more with Heath of, I think where he could end up, especially if neighbors
42:23misses part of the season, but we keep hearing this drum beat about want to run the ball, want to run the ball.
42:31And it's not just that they added likely. I think we kind of overlooked the fact.
42:36I know Dan and maybe he reiterates it today.
42:39If he still feels the same way when they signed Darnell Mooney, he was so excited about Mooney and the fit for Jackson dart.
42:47Malachi fields is going to, I think, take away some touchdown opportunities if he does see the field enough.
42:53And then obviously if neighbors is there, I think likely ceiling could be limited.
42:57That being said, he's never had this opportunity before.
43:00And there's a reason I think he goes with Harbaugh Harbaugh hopefully will unleash his potential nine games in his career with at least six targets.
43:09And averaged over 16 PPR points per game in those nine games, you know?
43:13So like just give him opportunities and he can be an absolute stud.
43:17So if you don't want to go early with the two tight ends, you don't want to jump in with that group
43:24of Loveland, Warren, uh, pits, Laporta, whatever, like wait for Kittle, Kelsey or likely whatever, or do you think they're going to
43:31go and even wait a step further for Okonk was kind of in pencil because I think there could be somebody coming
43:38in Washington, which would take him out of this group.
43:42Goddard 11 touchdowns last year, top 10 tight end for almost every year of his career, six years in a row for sure.
43:49Uh, Kincaid, you mentioned targets per route run was amazing last year.
43:53He's got to stay healthy and Andrews no likely, uh, a tight end guru in Declan Doyle.
43:58Uh, I made the joke half-heartedly he's related to Mike Ditka.
44:02He was a tight ends coach in his previous two stops.
44:06Like tight end is in his DNA. And if he doesn't use Mark Andrews, who should be second on the team of
44:13targets, I don't know what he's doing with this Ravens offense.
44:16And we don't really talk about Goddard with, without AJ Brown enough.
44:20I just, well, maybe we just don't boost him that much.
44:24Whereas I feel Devante Smith obviously got a huge boost about him.
44:27He was great. Yeah. And obviously all the touchdowns last year, but as you mentioned, Jamie, I haven't missed top 10 per
44:34game in five of the last six seasons, top 13 per game in seven straight seasons.
44:40And that's in full PPR. He's usually a little bit better and not in half PPR, uh, in, in four seasons with
44:47AJ Brown, he's been fifth, 12th, 10th and sixth per game.
44:50So he's got an opportunity here to, uh, be even more involved.
44:54He's only at 82 targets in 15 games. Why do we think Mark Andrews Heath can be great with, uh, two years
45:01in a row of him just really not being targeted?
45:04Um, Isaiah likely is gone and Lamar Jackson's awesome.
45:07And they only threw 420 times last year and they're probably going to throw maybe 20% more this year.
45:13And Andrews has shown the ability to score double digit touchdowns.
45:17Yeah. Just two years ago, he was eighth per game at the position, but he did that with, uh, with, uh, 11 touchdowns.
45:24I think it was 11 touchdowns on 69 targets in 17 games, which is bonkers.
45:29Last year he was 26 per game. Mark Andrews.
45:32Uh, okay. Jamie, uh, quick thoughts on Okonko on you and Kincaid.
45:36I know you, you said Okonkwo was in pencil, but do you really think he could perform like Goddard and likely in
45:43Kelsey and Kittle and be even close to them?
45:46Well, I guess he's in a difference here than Kittle, Kelsey, and likely, but Goddard and Andrews and Kincaid, I guess.
45:53And yeah, Okonko and Kincaid discuss. So a lot of vacated targets with Debo Samuel and Zach Ertz gone.
45:59You know, I think it's like 150 targets in that range, 99 for Samuel.
46:03I think it was like 40 some odd for, um, for Ertz.
46:07Ertz in 2024 with a healthy Jane Daniels was a top 12 tight end.
46:12And so now you're giving opportunity. You have a quarterback that has leaned on his tight end before.
46:18At least that's a track record. Okonko, similar to what I said about Isaiah, likely I don't have the numbers in front
46:25of me, but a small sample size, six plus targets.
46:28He's obviously had success. So, you know, again, assigning target opportunities to him, that should be huge.
46:33Uh, look, once you get past for me, the first 11 tight ends, cause I think that's going to be what it
46:40shakes out based on average draft position. Maybe Cotter sneaks into that group.
46:45If people are concerned about kill, I just haven't seen that.
46:48Maybe, uh, the same thing with Andrews. Again, if, if we get a setback for any of the tight ends that are
46:55dealing with injuries, uh, but tight end 12, I think there's three guys.
46:59Goddard and Andrews are easy to say because they've done it before.
47:03Goddard coming off the season, just had loses AJ Brown.
47:06I think Okonko, there's always these guys that kind of take that step forward.
47:11And this is his chance. Now he's had trouble with dropping the football.
47:15You have Jane Daniels injury, but you said at the start of show first or second on the team and targets, he
47:22could easily be second on the team and targets, not a stretch.
47:26And so Goddard has the Makai lemon potential problem there.
47:29Andrews. Is it just falling off at 30 years old?
47:33And let's not forget. They also drafted two rookie wide receivers.
47:36That could be a factor for Lamar Jackson, as well as Rashad Bateman being there.
47:41So maybe Andrews just is not good anymore, but I would buy back into him.
47:46But still, I'm looking for upside. And that's kind of where I look at with Okonkwo.
47:51We had a good comment from the chat. It says, I rarely use two tight ends, but this year I may flex a second tight end.
47:59I remember my second year at CBS, I drafted Kelsey and Kittle or Kelsey or Gronk.
48:04And Adam told me it was the stupidest thing anybody's ever done in a draft.
48:09But just for reference, these guys in tier four for me and most of the guys in tier three or four for
48:16Jamie, I have projected right around wide receiver 44 in full PPR, right around RB 33 in full PPR.
48:22So I don't think it's insane. Like if you already have a tight end and you really like Kelsey's been there in
48:30round 11 of some of our drafts or Kittle's there and you want to just plan on flexing a tight end, you can do that.
48:38Sure, you can. Please do it in my league.
48:41I mean, I did do it last year also.
48:43I think I took Bowers and McBride, right? In the FFT league?
48:47Yes. And I don't remember how I finished that league, but I made the playoffs.
48:52And yeah, I think, I mean, correct me if I'm wrong here, but going to be more likely to be doing this,
48:59pun intended, I guess, if you're in a three receiver league, you know, then I could see your flex being a tight end.
49:07But if you're in a two receiver league, two running backs, two receivers, and your flex is a tight end, I think
49:14you probably don't have good enough receivers. Well, if you're in a two receiver league, then you should have a double flex.
49:21You should, but a lot of people don't. Dalton Kincaid, you know, look, the guy's actually, he gets targeted a lot.
49:2827.2%, 24.3% target per route run rate the last two seasons.
49:31But he just, he's been so bothered by injuries.
49:34He's not been able to run a lot of routes.
49:37Unfortunately, they added DJ more or so, but he's still probably a good player.
49:42First round pick. All right, let's go to our next tier here.
49:46Tier five. Big one for Jamie. It's Jake Ferguson, Greg Dulcich, Orande Gadsden, Brenton Strange, Gunnar Helm, Dalton Schultz, Juwan Johnson, and Kenyon Sadiq.
49:53Ferguson, Dulcich, Gadsden, Strange, Gunnar Helm, Schultz, Juwan Johnson, Kenyon Sadiq.
49:57And interestingly, only two of those guys are in tier five for Heath, Schultz and Strange.
50:02But Kincaid is also in tier five for Heath.
50:05He's a tier earlier for Jamie. And Heath has Hunter Henry in this tier.
50:09All right. We don't want anyone here. I don't know.
50:13I don't know why. Oh, that's fantastic. You know, he was once upon a time.
50:17I don't know why you didn't put my tier six on here so that we could have more of the guys matched up.
50:25Listen, man, I don't know what I'm doing anymore.
50:28I'm so glad Tears Week is over from a video standpoint.
50:31But we don't want any of these guys to be our starters, right?
50:35No. Ideally, no. And ideally, you shouldn't have to.
50:38You know, especially... Sorry, Heath. Go ahead. No, I had muted.
50:42I was telling somebody that was knocking on my door that I was currently on a podcast.
50:47I think from the perspective of if you factor in the previous tier, like if you believe in Andrews, Goddard, Okonkwo, you
50:54know, I guess if you want to throw these guys for Heath, you know, Schultz and maybe Strange, Kincaid as well.
51:01Like that's kind of where I think it should cut off.
51:0514 team leagues a little bit different. Somebody's going to take two tight ends.
51:09You might get screwed. But, like, you should be able to find one of the, at least for, you know, my list,
51:16one of the top 15 guys to be your starter, and I'd be okay with that.
51:22Okay. So, the two players to me that sort of stand out as a little different in this mega tier for Jamie,
51:29out of Ferguson, Dulcich, Gadsden, Strange, Helm, Schultz, Jawan Johnson, and Sadiq.
51:32I guess I'd say Dulcich because he has a chance to be number one on the team in targets.
51:39And I guess I'd say Gadsden because he might be the most, well, Sadiq is the most, maybe the most explosive, but, you know, he's a rookie.
51:47It's going to be tough. Yeah, I want to move Gadsden up.
51:51The Chargers are not making things easier. It's like every week they leak another player's name that they are really excited to get the ball to.
52:00Like, we've got now, Amarian Hampton, Kamani Vidal, and Keaton Mitchell are all going to have a role at running back.
52:06We've got three wide receivers. We've got three tight ends.
52:10It was Charlie Kohler week this week, I think.
52:12They have David Njoku on the team also. It's just, I really, I don't like their lack of clarity.
52:19If they had not signed Njoku, Strange would have been two tiers up.
52:23Gadsden. I'm sorry, Gadsden would have been two tiers up.
52:26Strange is so much target competition that I don't even know that he would be worth starting if there was one injury at wide receiver.
52:34Right. You know, whereas Jake Ferguson could be a top five guy if there was one injury at wide receiver.
52:40It's funny to think about, like, Ferguson's year last year because it was so quiet in the second half of the season.
52:48Yeah. He still had 100 targets. He was outperforming George Pickens early in the year.
52:52He was Kyle Pitts, man. He did everything when Lamb was out, right?
52:57Yeah. And Pitts did it all when London was out.
53:00I thought Ferguson had a little success early in the year when everybody was healthy.
53:05It was Lamb early in the season before Pickens became a thing, and then it was a little bit of before Lamb came back.
53:12Or sorry, right when Lamb came back when he still wasn't 100% healthy.
53:17Well, okay. There's only two games before Lamb got hurt.
53:20And, you know, he had six targets at Philadelphia at 7.3 points, Jake Ferguson.
53:24And then he had nine catches for 78 yards on 12 targets in an overtime shootout against the Giants.
53:30And then, yeah, he went bonkers. And with Lamb out, he scored 21.2, 17, 23.9, and 12.3 points.
53:36And then he had 21.9 points in Lamb's first game back against a horrible Washington team.
53:41And then he was pretty bad, like really bad rest of season.
53:45Didn't even reach 12 points the entire rest of season.
53:48So, yeah, I mean, Ferguson would be, if Lamb or Pickens missed any time, Ferguson would be the lead of the waiver wire column.
53:56Jamie, I'll write it for you now. Wow. But it's tough.
54:00He's in a tough spot in that regard. I think you might have been discounting Strange just a little bit.
54:06They do have too much target competition. But he's going to play.
54:10He's pretty much a full-time player. He's going to play 80% of the snaps most weeks.
54:15Or 75. And so, I think he might be a borderline top 12 tight end, even if nobody gets hurt.
54:22Look, it happens every year. Someone from this tier is probably going to emerge and be really good.
54:27It's just that's the kind of position this is.
54:30Obviously, injuries will play a big part of it because targets are everything at this position.
54:35What about Hunter Henry, Heath? You have him in your fifth tier.
54:39He just kind of seems like he's always in this range.
54:43He's probably going to average nine fantasy points per game, and he's going to have some touchdown weeks where he's a good streamer.
54:50I'm not excited to draft him. Tight end 14 per game last year.
54:54Obviously, the A.J. Brown edition hurts Hunter Henry. What's that?
54:58And Dobbs. Yeah. Yeah. Do we have time for another tier?
55:01Do we even have another tier? We do. Let's see.
55:04Some guys on this list that used to be in earlier tiers like Najoku, Hawkinson, and Ingram.
55:10So, Jamie's tier six is Hunter Henry, Najoku, Hawkinson, Ingram, A.J.
55:13Barner, Terrence Ferguson, Michael Mayer, Pat Friermuth, Kate Otten.
55:16I know a lot of names there to digest if you're listening.
55:20And for Heath, it's Juwan Johnson, who is in tier five for Jamie.
55:24Greg Dolsich, who is in tier five for Jamie.
55:27TJ Hawkinson, who is also in tier six for Jamie.
55:30Chico Conquo, who is in tier four, I believe, for Jamie.
55:34And Oronde Gadsden, who is in tier five for Jamie.
55:37When you look at Hawkinson and Ingram, who's most likely to bounce back?
55:41Hawkinson. Hawkinson? I hope Hawkinson. I bet Ingram's going to have to bounce back to like eight years ago.
55:48Hawkinson. Hawkinson. And let's see. Is it disappointing to you that some of the year two tight ends are not in, you
55:55know, like you do have Terrence Ferguson in here, but.
55:58But Arroyo is not in here. I mean, the tier two tight ends were in tier one.
56:03We're in tier one and two. There was like Mason Taylor.
56:07Taylor, Elijah Royer. Taylor got crushed, obviously, for Sadiq's addition.
56:10Ferguson and Arroyo are interesting. I think Ferguson's just got so much, you know, the fact that they added another tight end
56:17from Michigan in the draft, that they still have Parkinson, that they still have Higby.
56:22Like, you can talk about his talent all you want to.
56:26It's just not opportunities there. All right. I don't have much to say about this, but he's.
56:31You don't need to. Yeah. Give me your thoughts on Juwan Johnson.
56:35We haven't talked about him. I'm Jordan Tyson's there now.
56:38Yeah. Okay. Well, that was a good show. Let's get tier seven up there, Thomas.
56:43Just kidding. That's it for the tight ends. Oh, very.
56:46Jamie, how excited are you for the mailbag? I was just going to say, I'm very excited.
56:52I was going to ask Keith, who do you think is going to.
56:56I guess I'll play the role of judge, like in the airing of grievances.
57:00Who do you think I'm going to side with?
57:03So I hope Scott Fish is there because he's so nice and these guys are going to be so unbearable.
57:10Scott's going to have a hard time being nice.
57:13But I, you know, I think you'll probably side with Dan because Dan usually sides with you when he's on the show.
57:20And so that'll help. And I probably also depends as well as like whether Adam brings the booster seat back or not,
57:27because he has a more commanding presence when he sits a little higher in his chair.
57:32I don't have a booster seat. Okay. One of my airing of grievances is used own fork for family style serving.
57:39So I'm really excited to talk about that one.
57:42What is this? Oh, wait. He has his own fork in the community food.
57:46We were out at dinner, like a nice dinner in Philadelphia, and he used his own fork at family style.
57:52After he'd taken bites? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay.
57:55Yeah. That's a good one. You win that one.
57:58No, but there's more to it than that. I won't.
58:02He's George Costanza. That's it. There's more to it.
58:04That's a little unfair to him. It's a little unfair to him.
58:08I'm leaving out some of the context, but that is the headline.
58:12It's funny how you get upset about that. Why?
58:15What do you mean? What's that? Because that's my thing is I'll usually leave out a key point.
58:21Oh, you are. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Jamie will just be like, Adam stole something from another company, and then it'll be like the most innocuous thing.
58:30All right. Anyway, Festivus episode. If you're a YouTuber, it's on Thursday.
58:34If you're audio, it'll be on Friday. We'll air our grievances, and we will.
58:38We'll talk to you later on Fantasy Football Today.
58:41On podcasts. Criminal Minds Evolution is back on Paramount+.
58:44We are going to go where the evidence takes us.
58:47This season, evil is contagious. Once it starts, it can't be stopped.
58:51Criminal Minds Evolution. New season now streaming on Paramount+.
