A story in The Athletic indicates that the Rams are unlikely to bring back free agent tight end Gerald Everett (pictured). They've got Tyler Higbee under contract for the next several seasons, so they'll likely go with a cheap option as their 2nd tight end. Fourth-rounder Brycen Hopkins, most likely. Should be a good thing for both veterans.
Most will recall Higbee blowing up down the stretch during the 2019 season, when Everett was hurt. He went over 100 receiving yards in four straight games. That kind of production didn't happen with Everett healthy all year in 2020 (Higbee had more than 60 yards in a game only once), but Everett's removal from the picture -- besides making Hopkins a potential dynasty stash -- should benefit Higbee next season. Hopkins was active for only five games last season, playing almost exclusively special teams.
If you were to roll Higbee and Everett together their 85 catches, 938 yards and 6 touchdowns would have been the 3rd-highest (catches and yards) total at tight end in the league last year (behind Travis Kelce and Darren Waller). The Rams will still use 2 tight ends and that won't be all Higbee, but the potential is there for a big step up, should Hopkins come along slower than the team would like. And Everett, if he lands in the right spot, could also be in line for a breakout season.
Even in that committee last year, Higbee finished 18th among tight ends (PPR scoring). Everett was 24th. The only other teams to put 2 tight ends into the top 30 at the position were Tennessee and Indianapolis.
| TOP TIGHT ENDS, PPR SCORING, 2020 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | No | Yds | TD | PPR | Rk |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | 145 | 105 | 1416 | 11 | 314.8 | 1 |
| Darren Waller, L.V. | 145 | 107 | 1196 | 9 | 282.6 | 2 |
| T.J. Hockenson, Det. | 101 | 67 | 723 | 6 | 177.3 | 3 |
| Logan Thomas, Was. | 110 | 72 | 670 | 6 | 176.9 | 4 |
| Robert Tonyan, G.B. | 59 | 52 | 586 | 11 | 176.6 | 5 |
| Mark Andrews, Balt. | 88 | 58 | 701 | 7 | 170.1 | 6 |
| Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 85 | 53 | 703 | 6 | 159.3 | 7 |
| Noah Fant, Den. | 93 | 62 | 673 | 3 | 149.3 | 8 |
| Rob Gronkowski, T.B. | 77 | 45 | 623 | 7 | 149.3 | 9 |
| Hayden Hurst, Atl. | 88 | 56 | 571 | 6 | 149.1 | 10 |
| Dalton Schultz, Dall. | 89 | 63 | 615 | 4 | 148.5 | 11 |
| Hunter Henry, LAC | 93 | 60 | 613 | 4 | 145.3 | 12 |
| Eric Ebron, Pitt. | 91 | 56 | 558 | 5 | 143.8 | 13 |
| Jimmy Graham, Chi. | 76 | 50 | 456 | 8 | 143.6 | 14 |
| Evan Engram, NYG | 109 | 63 | 654 | 1 | 143.0 | 15 |
| Jonnu Smith, Ten. | 65 | 41 | 448 | 8 | 140.2 | 16 |
| Jared Cook, N.O. | 60 | 37 | 504 | 7 | 129.4 | 17 |
| Tyler Higbee, LAR | 60 | 44 | 521 | 5 | 128.2 | 18 |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 63 | 48 | 634 | 2 | 125.1 | 19 |
| Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 65 | 46 | 524 | 3 | 116.4 | 20 |
| Austin Hooper, Cle. | 70 | 46 | 435 | 4 | 113.5 | 21 |
| Dan Arnold, Ariz. | 45 | 31 | 438 | 4 | 98.8 | 22 |
| Irv Smith, Min. | 43 | 30 | 365 | 5 | 98.5 | 23 |
| Gerald Everett, LAR | 62 | 41 | 417 | 1 | 94.9 | 24 |
| Anthony Firkser, Ten. | 53 | 39 | 387 | 1 | 83.7 | 25 |
| Jordan Akins, Hou. | 49 | 37 | 403 | 1 | 83.7 | 26 |
| Trey Burton, Ind. | 47 | 28 | 250 | 3 | 83.3 | 27 |
| Tyler Eifert, Jac. | 60 | 36 | 349 | 2 | 82.9 | 28 |
| Mo Alie-Cox, Ind. | 39 | 31 | 394 | 2 | 82.4 | 29 |
| Drew Sample, Cin. | 53 | 40 | 349 | 1 | 80.9 | 30 |
Unless you were in a TE-premium league, or one with multiple flex positions where starting more than one tight end made sense, neither Higbee nor Everett was a great choice last year. But next year both might be regular starters in most fantasy leagues. Hopkins should be on a roster in dynasty leagues, just in case.
--Andy Richardson