Fantasy Upside
Drafted No. 20 overall, Noah Fant should immediately be an important part of the Broncos passing attack. In his final two seasons at Iowa, he grabbed 69 passes for 1,013 yards and 18 TDs, while sharing the spotlight with fellow TE and first-round pick T.J. Hockenson. Fant has good speed, soft hands, and, at 6’4” and 250 pounds, will become one of Joe Flacco’s favorite targets.
Fantasy Downside
Rookie TEs usually take some time to adjust to the NFL game. Since ’00, first-round TEs have averaged 38 receptions for 429 yards and three TDs per 16 games – not exactly earth-shattering. While he’s expected to be the starter, Denver also has Jeff Heuerman and Jake Butt in the TE mix.
2018 Bottom Line
A Broncos tight end hasn’t recorded a 100-yard game since 2016, but Fant has a chance to end that streak at some point this year. While the rookie makes for a great keeper league addition, temper expectations a bit, especially with the crowd at the TE position. Fant may be the main player in the role, but it may not be until the second half of the season.