Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has thus far been a wild ride this season. In terms of fantasy football analysis, Andrews feels like a bust based on his draft price. But has he been that bad, or were his expectations just too high from the start?
Mark Andrews’ 2021 so far
You drafted Andrews to lead your team to victory. However, it’s probably been a lot more stressful than you’d hoped it would be.
Expectations heading into the season
Heading into draft season, Andrews was widely considered part of the top tier at his position. His consensus ADP was TE5 after Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, George Kittle, and rookie Kyle Pitts. He was a solid fourth-round pick in most drafts, and his managers expected him to perform like it.
Those expectations might have been a little bit lofty, but given the landscape at tight end, it wasn’t shocking. Finding a good tight end in leagues where you’re required to start one is significantly more difficult than finding an RB2 or superflex player. Stud tight ends are so rare that the few that earn the title rarely lose it. Andrews has definitely earned it, even this year.
Mark Andrews’ 2021 stats paint quite a picture
Andrews is a star tight end. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. His stats this year support that claim, even though his weekly performance has been somewhat messy.
On the year, Andrews has 42 catches on 61 targets for 560 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s scored a total of 120 PPR points through eight games, an 11.9 average. Believe it or not, these numbers put him at TE2 on the year. While some of this could be attributed to a generally down year at the position, being second-best and clear of your bye week is a great place to be regardless.
Andrews’ best week was the Ravens’ Monday night 31-25 overtime win against the Colts. The entire offense was on fire in that game. He caught 11 of 13 targets for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns. Andrews finished as TE1 and the third-best fantasy scorer on the week in PPR. He was dominant on the stat sheet and on the field.
But let’s look a little closer at that game. QB Lamar Jackson and Baltimore’s offense didn’t look great at all in the first half. Jackson had to lean on Andrews and WR Marquise Brown in the fourth quarter. Outside of that one game, Andrews has only scored more than 10 PPR games in five of eight games. His second-highest fantasy output was 17.8 in Week 7 against the Chargers. He’s got a predictably high ceiling but a surprisingly low floor.
Should you start or sit Andrews for fantasy this week?
The Ravens’ Week 10 opponent, the Miami Dolphins, have been average against opposing tight ends. With all of the variation in Andrews’ scoring, should you rely on him Thursday night?
The Dolphins versus tight ends
The Dolphins have allowed 123.3 PPR fantasy points to tight ends this year. This is an average of 13.7 PPR points per week, the 12th-worst in the league. This makes Andrews seem like a solid starting option, even with his inconsistent play.
On top of that, Miami’s defense has allowed 2,670 receiving yards on the year. They’ve also allowed 132 receiving first downs. Both of these are more than any other team in the NFL. If the Dolphins are giving up a lot of yards and first downs to opposing receivers, this definitely bodes well for Andrews this week, no matter your league’s scoring settings.
Andrews’ Week 10 fantasy outlook
Let’s cut to the chase: if you have Andrews on your roster, you’re likely playing him. It’s hard to imagine you have a better option on your bench. Even if you do, you might be tempted to play two tight ends this week with all the byes and injuries fantasy managers are facing.
No matter how you slice it, Andrews is still a stud at a position where studs are hard to find. Sure, he’s inconsistent and has the potential to make you pull your hair out — but the same goes for almost every other tight end in the game right now. There’s nothing so far that would make me nervous enough to bench Andrews, especially this week. Fire him up and enjoy the ride!