With the majority of fantasy football prospects either signed or waiting for the right opportunity, our fourth and final post-free agency stock report looks at how trades and 2020 NFL free agency have impacted dynasty tight end rankings.
Our tight end stock report looks at how Austin Hooper signing with Cleveland impacts his 2020 tight end dynasty ranking, plus the effect it has on new Atlanta Falcons’ tight end, Hayden Hurst. We also look at two super athletes, Jonnu Smith and Ian Thomas, with the potential to jump into TE1 territory.
Before you get started on free agency’s impact on our 2020 tight end dynasty rankings, don’t forget to check out my Quarterback, Running Back, and Wide Receiver stock reports heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.
2020 Dynasty Rankings: Tight Ends Stock Up
Tight ends that saw their dynasty fantasy football rankings increase after 2020 Free Agency:
Jonnu Smith
The Tennessee Titans’ decision to cut veteran Delanie Walker has potentially opened the door for former SPARQ standout Jonnu Smith to stake his claim as TE1 in Nashville. Coming off a career-year (35 receptions, 439 yards, 3TD) in which he reached TE2 status in fantasy football, Smith has the perfect opportunity to rise up 2020 dynasty rankings even further.
The Titans are likely pretty content with their current tight end group (Smith, Anthony Firkser, MyCole Pruitt) and Walker’s release opens up a ton of potential targets in Tennessee’s offense. Walker only played in eight total games in the past two seasons, but he was a key cog in the Titans’ offense before the injuries caught up to him. From 2013-2017, Walker finished as TE10, TE8, TE2, TE5, and TE4 in PPR leagues. That’s exactly the kind of upside that Smith is capable of, despite being stuck in a low-volume passing offense.
Hayden Hurst
It never quite worked out for 2018 first-round pick Hayden Hurst in Baltimore, but the tight end couldn’t have landed in a better spot moving forward. Sharing tight end snaps with pass-catching specialist Mark Andrews and elite-blocking tight end Nick Boyle, Hurst was an underused luxury item in Baltimore. That won’t be the case in Hurst’s new home.
After being traded to Atlanta, the former South Carolina standout will vault to the top of the Falcons tight end depth chart. The Falcons traded second and fifth-round picks for Hurst and a fourth-rounder to replace 2019 starter, Austin Hooper.
Hooper’s departure to Cleveland plus Atlanta’s willingness to give up a second-round pick are both signs of a team with a legit plan for Hurst this season. With Hurst already approaching his 27th birthday, 2020 could be a make-or-break season for the tight end’s fantasy stock moving forward.
Ian Thomas
Another former SPARQ star, 2018 fourth-rounder Ian Thomas is the current #1 tight end on an ugly Panthers depth chart. Thomas hasn’t exactly set the NFL world on fire in his first two seasons, but you can’t argue with the opportunity that currently presents itself in Carolina.
With veteran Greg Olsen off to Seattle, and veteran Seth DeValve the only current competition for tight end snaps in Carolina, Thomas has the opportunity and skill-set to excel as the Panthers’ TE1 moving forward. While Carolina seems likely to add a tight end during the 2020 NFL Draft, this particular class isn’t exactly full of players expected to contribute in year one.
Tight Ends Stock Down
Tight ends that saw their dynasty fantasy football rankings decrease after 2020 Free Agency:
Browns tight ends
Cleveland making Hooper the highest-paid tight end in the National Football League was great for his bank account, but it remains to be seen what it does to his fantasy football stock. Matt Ryan loved to sprinkle Hooper with receptions across the middle, but now the tight end is set to battle Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, and Kareem Hunt for targets in the Browns’ offense.
The biggest loser of Hooper signing in Cleveland is incumbent Browns’ tight end David Njoku. The former 2017 first-round pick has been a massive disappointment in Cleveland and barring a trade elsewhere, Hooper’s signing could be the final nail in Njoku’s fantasy coffin.
While there is plenty to be concerned about, one saving grace for Hooper and even Njoku is Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski. As Minnesota’s offensive coordinator a season ago, Stefanski ran 2+ TE sets on 53% of offensive snaps, which was easily the most in the league. In comparison, Minnesota only ran 18% of snaps in 3-WR sets, which could be an ominous sign of things to come for number three wide receivers in Cleveland.
Trey Burton
Once seen as a potential free-agent steal, tight end Trey Burton recently saw his Chicago Bears’ career come to a close after two disappointing seasons in the Windy City. After struggling through injuries, Burton only started five games in 2019, before eventually landing on injured reserve.
The former Florida Gators standout is a semi-talented “move” tight end that could still make an impact elsewhere, but the Bears’ decision to cut Burton despite still owing him $4 million guaranteed is a depressing sign for the future. With off-season hip surgery clouding his future moving forward, the fear is that Burton will never be healthy enough consistently to be an impact fantasy football player again.
Jordan Woodson is a writer for the Pro Football Network covering Devy and Dynasty Fantasy Football. You can follow him @Jordan_Woodson on Twitter.