I've seen some hype for Rams second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson. I really don't get it. Talented guy in a great passing game, but the math just isn't mathing for any kind of a breakout season. There's still just one football right?
Ferguson was drafted in the second round a year ago. A lofty pick to be sure. About the same spot where the Rams drafted Max Klare, who caught 94 passes and 6 touchdowns his last two college seasons, back in April.
That draft capital is a couple of rounds earlier than the two tight ends who led the team in catches a year ago, Colby Parkinson (43 receptions and 8 TDs in 15 games) and Tyler Higbee (25 catches and 3 TDs in 10 games). Maybe the team is ready to move on from one of those veterans? Doesn't really seem like it, with the team giving Higbee a new 2-year deal in free agency and Parkinson also under contract for this season.
A year ago, 55 tight ends saw at least 25 targets. The Rams had 4 of them, all of whom averaged 2-4 targets per game. Those players are bolded in the table below, which is sorted by targets/game. Now they've added Klare to that mix with their top draft pick after selecting their future quarterback in the first round. I'm not sure Ferguson will even be one of their 2 best tight ends, and I'm definitely not expecting any kind of breakout season.
| TIGHT ENDS WITH 25-PLUS TARGETS IN '25 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Tgt/G |
| Trey McBride | 17 | 169 | 126 | 1239 | 11 | 9.9 |
| Brock Bowers | 12 | 86 | 64 | 680 | 7 | 7.2 |
| Kyle Pitts | 17 | 118 | 88 | 928 | 5 | 6.9 |
| Harold Fannin | 16 | 107 | 72 | 731 | 6 | 6.7 |
| Tyler Warren | 17 | 112 | 76 | 817 | 4 | 6.6 |
| Travis Kelce | 17 | 108 | 76 | 851 | 5 | 6.4 |
| George Kittle | 11 | 69 | 57 | 628 | 7 | 6.3 |
| Dalton Schultz | 17 | 106 | 82 | 777 | 3 | 6.2 |
| Jake Ferguson | 17 | 102 | 82 | 600 | 8 | 6.0 |
| Juwan Johnson | 17 | 102 | 77 | 889 | 3 | 6.0 |
| Zach Ertz | 13 | 72 | 50 | 504 | 4 | 5.5 |
| Tucker Kraft | 8 | 44 | 32 | 489 | 6 | 5.5 |
| Dallas Goedert | 15 | 82 | 60 | 591 | 11 | 5.5 |
| Sam LaPorta | 9 | 49 | 40 | 489 | 3 | 5.4 |
| Colston Loveland | 16 | 82 | 58 | 713 | 6 | 5.1 |
| Hunter Henry | 17 | 87 | 60 | 768 | 7 | 5.1 |
| Cade Otton | 16 | 81 | 59 | 572 | 1 | 5.1 |
| Brenton Strange | 12 | 60 | 46 | 540 | 3 | 5.0 |
| Mason Taylor | 13 | 65 | 44 | 369 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Theo Johnson | 15 | 74 | 45 | 528 | 5 | 4.9 |
| Evan Engram | 16 | 76 | 50 | 461 | 1 | 4.8 |
| Chig Okonkwo | 17 | 79 | 56 | 560 | 2 | 4.6 |
| Oronde Gadsden II | 15 | 69 | 49 | 664 | 3 | 4.6 |
| T.J. Hockenson | 15 | 66 | 51 | 438 | 3 | 4.4 |
| Mark Andrews | 17 | 70 | 48 | 422 | 5 | 4.1 |
| Dalton Kincaid | 12 | 49 | 39 | 571 | 5 | 4.1 |
| AJ Barner | 17 | 68 | 52 | 519 | 6 | 4.0 |
| David Njoku | 12 | 48 | 33 | 293 | 4 | 4.0 |
| Michael Mayer | 13 | 50 | 35 | 328 | 1 | 3.8 |
| Darren Waller | 9 | 34 | 24 | 283 | 6 | 3.8 |
| Colby Parkinson | 15 | 56 | 43 | 408 | 8 | 3.7 |
| Tyler Higbee | 10 | 36 | 25 | 281 | 3 | 3.6 |
| Gunnar Helm | 16 | 55 | 44 | 357 | 2 | 3.4 |
| Greg Dulcich | 10 | 33 | 26 | 335 | 1 | 3.3 |
| Mike Gesicki | 13 | 42 | 28 | 307 | 2 | 3.2 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 17 | 54 | 41 | 486 | 4 | 3.2 |
| Jonnu Smith | 17 | 54 | 38 | 222 | 2 | 3.2 |
| Cole Kmet | 16 | 48 | 30 | 347 | 2 | 3.0 |
| Dawson Knox | 17 | 49 | 36 | 417 | 4 | 2.9 |
| Noah Fant | 15 | 41 | 34 | 288 | 3 | 2.7 |
| Jake Tonges | 17 | 46 | 34 | 293 | 5 | 2.7 |
| Darnell Washington | 16 | 43 | 31 | 364 | 1 | 2.7 |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | 13 | 34 | 29 | 190 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Isaiah Likely | 14 | 36 | 27 | 307 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Noah Gray | 16 | 37 | 21 | 178 | 0 | 2.3 |
| Elijah Higgins | 17 | 37 | 30 | 301 | 0 | 2.2 |
| Tommy Tremble | 17 | 37 | 27 | 249 | 2 | 2.2 |
| Elijah Arroyo | 13 | 26 | 15 | 179 | 1 | 2.0 |
| Davis Allen | 17 | 33 | 24 | 208 | 3 | 1.9 |
| Luke Musgrave | 17 | 31 | 24 | 252 | 0 | 1.8 |
| Terrance Ferguson | 14 | 25 | 11 | 231 | 3 | 1.8 |
| Jeremy Ruckert | 17 | 29 | 23 | 179 | 1 | 1.7 |
| Austin Hooper | 16 | 26 | 21 | 263 | 2 | 1.6 |
| Daniel Bellinger | 16 | 26 | 19 | 286 | 2 | 1.6 |
| Mitchell Evans | 17 | 25 | 19 | 171 | 2 | 1.5 |
If we're in a dynasty league, I have some interest in Ferguson. He's one of the top 2 tight ends who play for the Rams who I'd think about rostering. But this season? I don't see it. There are lot of guys around the league more likely to be busy. A couple of them play for the Rams.
--Andy Richardson
