Advertisement

Fantasy Football: 5 tight end sleepers to target for the 2020 season

Mike Masala
·4 min read

NFL teams are all at the beginning of their training camp sessions. This is just the start of fantasy football season. Without the benefits of public training camps, joint practices, or preseason games, predicting who will be able to help your team will be even more difficult than normal.

Hopefully, football, and more specifically, the fantasy game, will help take the mind away from all the serious issues that are happening in the world today. And, if you need a little help putting together your roster, maybe this is the place for you.

While using FantasyPros.com rankings from their PPR format, we are able to determine that these five tight ends may be drafted too low. One of these guys could be a great value addition for your fantasy team.

1. Eric Ebron, Steelers (ADP: 150th overall)

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Ebron’s production dropped off in 2019, his final season with Indianapolis. He recorded 31 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns. However, the year prior was Ebron’s best season, finishing with 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Now in Pittsburgh, Ebron is being drafted as the 20th tight end in fantasy football. With Ben Roethlisberger healthy, the 26-year-old tight end may be able to jump back up into TE1 production instead of the low TE2 he’s being drafted as.

2. O.J. Howard, Buccaneers (ADP: 220th overall)

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Gronkowski has found his way into Tampa Bay’s locker room and a lot of people are forgetting about Howard. Last season, despite Jameis Winston’s 30 interceptions, the Alabama product was able to put up 459 yards and one touchdown on 34 receptions.

Gronkowski is currently being drafted as 13th tight end off the board, while Howard is going 26th at his position. There’s just no way this should be the case. Howard has high-TE2 upside, and his current mid-TE3 draft position is unfair to his talent. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin also on the field, Tom Brady will have a guy open at all times, and Howard could very well be that guy.

3. Dawson Knox, Bills (ADP: 247th overall)

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The 2019 third-round pick had a successful rookie campaign in what was the Buffalo Bills’ best season in quite some time. In 15 games, Knox produced 388 yards and two touchdowns on 28 receptions.

Now in his second season, Knox will be asked to do even more in the Bills’ offense. If head coach Sean McDermott and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll are smart, they should use their tight end much more frequently this season, as a safety valve and red-zone threat for Josh Allen. Being the 29th tight end off the board is way too low.

4. Will Dissly, Seahawks (ADP: 265th overall)

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Dissly’s second season ended early after a torn Achilles tendon suffered in October, just six weeks into the season. Prior to the injury, he was having a breakout season, on-pace to record 61 receptions, 696 yards, and 11 touchdowns.

Obviously, it’s difficult for an athlete to return from such a significant injury, but if Dissly is able to do it, he’d be in prime position to compete for the starting tight end spot.

The Seahawks brought in veteran Greg Olsen in the offseason to battle with Dissly. Olsen is currently going as the 26th tight end, and Dissly is falling below him as the 30th. If Dissly is healthy, he should be able to win the job and be much more than a low-end TE3.

5. Cole Kmet, Bears (ADP: 287th overall)

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Kmet was the first tight end selected in this year’s draft after a rather successful three-year career at Notre Dame. In his junior season, his final as a Fighting Irish, the tight end finished with 43 receptions for 515 yards and six touchdowns.

The Chicago Bears took Kmet with the 43rd overall pick, adding him to a depth chart that was pretty full at the position but lacked high-quality talent. The rookie will battle it out with newly-acquired veteran Jimmy Graham for the starting job. Kmet’s skill-set is similar to Graham’s, so it should be an interesting battle.

With Kmet currently going as the 41st tight end in fantasy drafts, he has the potential to be the steal of this year’s fantasy season. Mitchell Trubisky, much like Allen in Buffalo, needs another weapon, especially in close. Kmet can provide just that.