The 2024 season is almost upon us, so it's time for bold takes.
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We asked the Footballguys staff to give their ride-or-die takes for this season. Here's what they said.
A Bold Take from Jeff Haseley
Mark Andrews will finish outside of the top 6.
This prediction depends on the health and success of both Andrews and new addition, Derrick Henry. Andrews has missed nine games in the last two years, so his performance is uncertain. If Henry maintains his high performance in the running game, the passing game may see a decrease in volume, ultimately affecting Andrews. How will the Ravens offense look with Henry? How will it affect Lamar Jackson and the passing game? Will there be room for all three to thrive? These are just some of the factors that could affect Andrews and his 2024 season.
A Bold Take from Sigmund Bloom
Jonnu Smith will be a fantasy TE1 with peaks that make it worth absorbing the valleys a la George Kittle.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has already told us that the past usage of tight ends in Miami isn't necessarily the template for Smith's usage. He also talked up Smith's abilities after the catch (or handoff?). This is exciting because no offense creates more space to operate in defenses than Miami's. The Dolphins have been using Smith creatively in the preseason, and they don't have an entrenched #3 wide receiver. We think Smith was holding Kyle Pitts back in fantasy football last year, but what if Pitts was holding Smith back, too?
A Bold Take from Phil Alexander
Greg Dulcich will finish as Denver's second-leading pass catcher and a top-10 fantasy tight end.
The Broncos' preseason personnel usage suggests Dulcich is part of a timeshare that will prevent him from reaching this outcome. Then again, Denver's preseason rotations also pointed to Tim Patrick as the team's locked-in WR2 (right up until they cut ties with him ahead of the roster cutdown deadline). You don't have to draft Dulcich in standard 12-team leagues, but get ready to pounce the moment he shows signs of life. Serious hamstring injuries in consecutive seasons make it easy to forget he was a highly regarded third-round NFL draft pick whose game translated immediately as a rookie. Since 2000, Dulcich and Jordan Reed are the only two rookie tight ends to exceed 400 receiving yards while appearing in 10 or fewer games. Dulcich checks all of the breakout tight-end boxes -- elite athleticism, lack of target competition, a play-caller with a history of creative tight-end usage, and small-sample production at a young age. Don't be shocked when he delivers the quintessential "fantasy zombie" season seemingly out of nowhere.
A Bold Take from Jason Wood
Taysom Hill will outscore half the tight ends drafted in 12-team redraft leagues.
Look at the Saints roster and tell me who outside of Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara is a legitimate threat? New OC Klint Kubiak is going to use Hill as the goal line centerpiece and Hill should have 8 to 10 touchdowns; allowing him to well outpace many fliers being touted throughout the industry.
A Bold Take from Gary Davenport
Evan Engram will score more PPR points than Trey McBride and Dalton Kincaid.
Fantasy drafters are grabbing McBride and Kincaid (relatively) early in the hopes they will have the role we just saw Engram play in 2023. More targets than any tight end in the league. More catches than any tight end in the league. But that’s all supposed to change because Gabe "Go Deep or Don’t Go at All" Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. replaced Calvin Ridley—who was second on the team in targets? What if Engram’s pledge to be more of a downfield threat (something he’s absolutely capable of) in 2024 comes to pass? What if he ups last year’s four touchdowns? There’s a better chance Engram finishes as the overall TE1 than McBride does of matching his ADP. That’s right—I said it.