Fantasy Football Today: Sleepers, breakouts, busts at tight plus the biggest questions for preseason Week 2

OK, so if, as I wrote in yesterday’s newsletter, betting on the tight finish place to be something however a disappointment is a mistake, how do you have to really strategy the place in your drafts? It is simple to say it’s best to solely draft the three elite tight ends, however that is not really a viable technique — except you play in a three-team league, I suppose. 

Who ought to you draft? And who do you have to keep away from, particularly? That is what I am taking a look at for in the present day’s publication, as I discover my sleepers, breakouts, and busts for the place in 2021. It is a place the place loads can go unsuitable, however it’s additionally a place the place, for those who guess proper, the payoff could possibly be big. 

I even have 10 huge questions I am searching for solutions to from Week 2 of the preseason — which kicked off Thursday night time with Cam Newton holding serve in his battle with Mac Jones to be the starter and with little or no of word from the sport in any other case. The nice news for the Patriots stays that each have continued to look strong, however I am hoping meaning Newton stays within the driver’s seat for the beginning job, principally as a result of I’ve drafted him as a late-round starter so usually. 

If you happen to’re drafting this weekend, ensure you bookmark the CBS Fantasy Football Draft Prep page, the place you’ll find all of our newest content material, from our QB, RB, WR and TE previews from the previous few weeks to our newest mock drafts, rankings, staff previews, sleepers/breakouts/busts, positional tiers and a lot extra.

And in case you have  any questions, be happy to succeed in out to me at Chris.Towers@CBSi.com and I will attempt to get to as many as I can this weekend. We’re lower than three weeks away from the beginning of Week 1. Let’s ensure you have every thing you want. 

Sleepers, Breakouts and Busts

Sleeper tight ends

Sleeper [ slee-per ] (noun) — A player whose value would not mirror the influence they’ll make to your staff. 

• Evan Engram — There are loads of causes opinions on Engram have soured. His struggles catching the ball in 2020 — a career-high 10.1% drop price particularly stands out — stick out in most individuals’s minds, and the signing of Kyle Rudolph this offseason appeared to sign the same lack of religion within the soon-to-be 27-year-old. Add within the acquisition of Kenny Golladay to be the Giants No. 1 receiver and it looks like Engram’s probabilities of breaking out are slimmer than ever. However he would not have to interrupt out to be a very good choose at his present value, which is TE20 at 148.4 total in CBS ADP. Engram wasn’t good final season, and he left a ton of factors on the board along with his drops, however he additionally hadn’t actually struggled with drops like that earlier than, so it isn’t precisely assured to be an issue once more. And, with Rudolph nonetheless held out of form after present process offseason foot surgical procedure — he “would not seem notably near returning” both, per The Athletic — Engram may nonetheless have a big position on this offense. If you wish to wait on the place and take a late-round flier, why not do it with Engram?
• Zach Ertz –The longer Ertz stays in Eagles camp, the extra it is sensible to focus on him as a late-round tight finish sleeper. He regarded completed final season, however that additionally got here early on in an offense that regarded fully damaged with Carson Wentz at QB, after which Ertz got here again from a critical harm that he perhaps should not have. By all accounts, he is regarded good in camp, and it isn’t even clear if Dallas Goedert is essentially forward of him when it comes to the receiving hierarchy. There’s nonetheless time for Ertz to be traded, however I would not count on that to harm his Fantasy worth anyway. His presence is sending Goedert’s value tumbling, and whereas I’d nonetheless somewhat have Goedert, Ertz may find yourself being the higher choose.

• All the FFT staff has damaged down their favourite sleeper quarterbacks. You could find the remainder of those picks here. Additionally, test again on CBSSports.com/Fantasy/Football within the coming days and you will find our workers’s favourite quarterbacks bust and breakout picks. 

Breakout tight ends

Breakout [ breyk-out ] (noun) — A player who can take their sport to a different stage this season. 

• Noah Fant — There is not any query in my thoughts that Noah Fant has the expertise to be top-of-the-line tight ends in Fantasy. He is a large goal with elite athleticism and has proven elite capability to make performs with the ball in his palms. In reality, he was behind solely George Kittle in common yards after catch in 2020, and he leads all tight ends because the begin of 2019. One of many nice differentiators on the tight finish place is the flexibility to show these brief, secure performs in the midst of the sector into huge performs, and Fant has that. There are considerations concerning the stage of quarterback play in Denver in addition to his place within the receiving hierarchy alongside Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, however if you wish to guess on expertise after the highest six on the place are gone, he is the apparent guess. 
• Kyle Pitts — I am actually having some hassle developing with a second breakout for the place. Irv Smith and Jonnu Smith each have the potential, however I do not really really feel all that assured of their possibilities to take action of their offenses. So I will go along with what’s going to most likely find yourself being the default choose. Rookie tight ends usually do not produce sufficient to be Fantasy related, however rookie tight ends usually do not get drafted within the prime 5 of the NFL Draft. And Tight ends usually haven’t got 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight video games as 20-year-old juniors within the SEC. Pitts will should be an outlier amongst rookie tight ends to justify his draft value, positive. However this is the factor: He is already an outlier. If ever you had been going to guess on one. For extra on Pitts’ potential, Dave Richard went to Miami and Atlanta’s joint practices this week and wrote about how the Falcons are using Pitts and what it could mean for his breakout chances. 

Bust tight ends

Bust [ buhst ] (noun) — A player who may actually allow you to down this season. 

• T.J. Hockenson — I wish to be clear about this: I don’t assume Hockenson is prone to be a bust within the conventional sense. He has a really secure ground because the presumed No. 1 goal in his offense, and that alone ought to make him a strong weekly starter. I simply surprise if he’ll ever be something greater than that. He was TE5 in PPR scoring in 2020, so with a fair larger position within the offense, who could make a case in opposition to him moving into that very same vary in 2021 drafts. The issue is, although he completed that top total, he was only one PPR level forward of TE12 and a couple of.0 forward of TE18 in factors per sport. He wasn’t a distinction maker final season, in different phrases. And I am simply not satisfied he is set as much as be a distinction maker this season regardless of the doubtless enhance in targets, as a result of I am unsure he has difference-making abilities. He is a very good athlete, however not essentially a particular one, and he is been a very good playmaker (ninth in common YAC since coming into the league), however once more, not a particular one. Hockenson took an enormous step ahead in 2020 and was nonetheless at simply 7.1 yards per goal, however that was simply twenty sixth among the many prime 50 tight ends in Fantasy scoring. He’ll face extra defensive consideration and has a downgrade at QB going from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff. If you’ll attain into the fifth spherical for a decent finish, you want somebody with celebrity potential. I simply do not assume Hockenson has that. 
• Robert Tonyan — The case in opposition to Tonyan needs to be pretty apparent at this level, and the truth that he is not being drafted within the highest 100 proper now is an indication of how a lot sharper the Fantasy trade has gotten over the previous few years. Nonetheless, I do not actually assume there’s any purpose to draft Tonyan in any respect. He wanted 11 touchdowns on 59 targets to even be Fantasy related. If you happen to lower his 18.6% landing price in half, it nonetheless would have been the third-highest amongst TE with at the least as many targets as he had, he would have been TE13, simply forward of the likes of Eric Ebron and Hayden Hurst. He is a touchdown-or-bust streamer, and it’s best to deal with him like that.

Largest questions for preseason Week 2

We nonetheless do not fairly know what to anticipate from most groups in terms of how they’re dealing with the preseason, since they solely have three video games, not 4. It was once that the third sport was once we would see the first-teamers, and that could possibly be what occurs this weekend. Or, perhaps they’re ready till Week 3? Both manner, there’s loads of storylines we have to regulate this weekend, and this is what I wish to get some solutions for: 

• Can we lastly see Ben Roethlsiberger? — It positive sounds prefer it, at the least for those who hear Roethlisberger tell it. I am fascinated to see what Pittsburgh’s offense goes to seem like this season, particularly how comfy Roethlisberger seems in it. He is been working a lot of the identical stuff for such a very long time, and it feels like he’ll be taking part in beneath middle and in play motion greater than he has in years. If he can present a consolation stage with that early, there’s clearly a ton of upside. If he seems as uncomfortable as he did for a lot of the second half of 2020, this might get ugly shortly.  
• Who’s main QB competitions in Denver and New Orleans? — If I needed to handicap them proper now, I’d say Drew Lock and Jameis Winston stay the most definitely starters for these groups, however this sport may inform us loads. Lock remains to be principally splitting first-team reps evenly with Teddy Bridgewater, however he is held serve all through camp, so it is his job to lose. I feel the identical is true of Newton, who was as soon as once more the starter in Thursday’s preseason game and performed properly, although I do get the sense that the Patriots are most likely searching for extra causes to change to Mac Jones than the Broncos are to Bridgewater. And the Saints are, fairly actually, a complete guess. I am choosing Winston over Taysom Hill for now as a result of I feel he is the higher alternative and I have not learn a lot to counsel they’re leaning Hill’s manner. But when the Saints begin Hill once more, that could possibly be an indication. 
• Can Justin Fields hold stress on Andy Dalton? — I do not assume there’s a lot of an opportunity Fields begins in Week 1, but when he performs like he did within the preseason opener, he will make it a really powerful name. There’s elite upside with Fields for each Fantasy and for the Bears, and it is most likely in everybody’s finest pursuits if he turns into the starter sooner somewhat than later. I am on the level the place I am concentrating on Fields in all leagues with the expectation he’ll be the starter earlier than lengthy. 
• Does Malcolm Brown stay the No. 1 again for the Dolphins? — It was fairly a shock to see Brown handled just like the lead again for the Dolphins, with Myles Gaskin relegated to a clearly complementary position within the first sport. By all accounts, the Dolphins plan on utilizing Brown, Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed this season, however will Gaskin get his probability to begin and dominate first-team touches this week? If not, we’ll need to assume Brown is the starter. 
• Will Antonio Gibson get in on third downs? — Of us across the soccer staff are saying all the appropriate issues about Gibson — these Christian McCaffrey comps are nonetheless being thrown round willy-nilly! — however Gibson did not play on any of the staff’s 5 third downs within the preseason opener. That is OK, it is one sport, they wished to get Peyton Barber some reps, and we all know J.D. McKissic will at all times have a task on third downs. Nevertheless, Gibson’s upside goes to be capped if he is strictly used as an early-downs again, so if he stays a minor half (or non-existent half, even worse) of the third-down sport plan, it may be value revisiting our expectations for him. 
• Does Clyde Edwards-Helaire get third-down and short-yardage work? — Edwards-Helaire dominated snaps with the first-team offense in Week 1, logging the primary 10 snaps, together with all of them with Patrick Mahomes. After all, Mahomes solely performed 4 snaps, so we did not actually get to see a lot situational work from anybody. Edwards-Helaire needs to be the apparent lead again right here, however like Gibson, his probabilities of reaching his final upside are tied to how usually he comes off the sector in crucial conditions — contained in the 10-yard line and in passing conditions. 
• How a lot do Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones play? — Final week, they break up work precisely evenly with Giovani Bernard, two snaps apiece. Tom Brady will not be taking part in on this one, however I am hoping we’ll see extra from the remainder of the first-teamers, which incorporates all three working backs at this level. We all know Bernard is prone to dominate snaps in apparent passing conditions, but when he works into some early downs as properly, that might spell hassle for Jones and Fournette. This can be a high-upside offense, however there’s only one too many individuals concerned proper now among the many working backs, and if that continues to be the case, Bernard is prone to be the one constant Fantasy producer amongst them. We would like to see one in every of Jones or Fournette take a lead. 
• How do Amari Cooper and Courtland Sutton look? — Each carry vital upside, however that is additionally the primary time we’re prone to see them since their accidents. Sutton (knee) and Cooper (ankle) are additionally getting back from surgical procedure. Getting some sport reps in with out concern will go an extended solution to quieting no matter considerations are on the market. Seeing them play properly can be even higher. 
• Does Marquez Callaway stay the No. 1 for the Saints? — Tre’Quan Smith returned to follow this week and will make his preseason debut, which would be the first check for this “Callaway is the No. 1 WR” narrative that has shaped. I like concentrating on Callaway within the late rounds of all my drafts, principally as a result of I feel the probabilities of the 25-year-old Smith breaking out 40 video games into his NFL profession are fairly restricted. The thrill in camp has all been about Callaway, so it would not be an excellent signal if Smith performed and outperformed him this week. 

So which sleepers, breakouts and busts do you have to goal and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-five efficiency? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Josh Allen’s huge season, and discover out.

Accidents, news and notes

• D’Andre Swift (groin) practiced Thursday — And he took on a “heavy load of reps,” per the staff’s official website reporters. Swift had missed a lot of the final two weeks on account of his harm, however it looks like he is on observe to be prepared for Week 1, as anticipated. Swift has critical breakout potential and needs to be a focus of the Lions offense this season. The one query, actually, is whether or not this offense might be adequate to let him dwell as much as his appreciable potential. He is most likely the final RB drafted in most leagues with authentic top-five potential. 
• Dak Prescott (shoulder) is making progress — In reality, he instructed Gil Brandt on Wednesday that he expects to play in Week 1 in opposition to the Buccaneers, in three weeks. Prescott is recovering from a lat/shoulder pressure, however has been in a position to enhance his reps in follow in current days. He isn’t throwing at full power or with full reps at this level, and it is attainable we could not see that till the times earlier than the season to keep away from any extra points. Both manner, it feels like he’ll be on the market for the beginning of the season, and so long as that’s the case, Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb are must-starts (as is Ezekiel Elliott), and Blake Jarwin and Michael Gallup are high-upside streamers. 
• Mark Andrews left follow — Andrews needed to be helped off the sector and was given an IV, and the Ravens had an ambulance come, however it seems like he averted a critical concern. Andrews was coping with extreme cramping throughout an particularly sizzling and humid day at follow. Hopefully that is all it was and there are not any lingering points past Thursday. 
• The Payments are hoping to have Stefon Diggs (knee) back at practice soon — However he will not play within the staff’s subsequent preseason sport, per head coach Sean McDermott. “He is not going to play within the sport. We hope to get him again right here in a extra energetic position on the sector at the least within the subsequent couple of days to subsequent week,” McDermott stated. Diggs has nothing to show in preseason or follow at this level, so so long as he is a full participant prematurely of Week 1, he stays a top-five huge receiver. 
• Robby Anderson is dealing with a hamstring injury — At this level it would not sound as if this can be a critical concern at this level, however it’s one to watch — as all hamstring accidents are. Anderson has top-24 upside and a demonstrated chemistry with new Panthers QB Sam Darnold, and he is a strong add to any staff after the primary 60 picks or so, assuming he’s wholesome. 
• Sammy Watkins returned to practice — The Ravens receiving corps has been beat up in camp, however at the least Watkins has been in a position to return to staff drills on a restricted foundation. Marquise Brown, coping with a hamstring concern, has been noticed in current days working off the aspect, an indication that he could possibly be getting near returning to follow. With Rashod Bateman doubtless out by way of the beginning of the season following core-muscle surgical procedure, the Ravens want Watkins and Brown to make it by way of the preseason wholesome. Hopefully, they’re transferring in the appropriate course. 
• Denzel Mims left follow Thursday — It isn’t clear what Mims’ harm is, however he limped off the sector with a coach and didn’t return to follow, so we’ll regulate this one. Mims is combating for a roster spot, seemingly, and appears to be as little as fifth or sixth on the depth chart, so any form of harm that prices him time could possibly be pricey. In deeper leagues, the large, quick second-year WR has some sleeper attraction, however in your normal 12-teamer, he is off the draft board at this level. 
• Tyree Jackson suffered a fracture in his back — Jackson is a transformed QB who has been taking part in tight finish for the Eagles and drawing actually sturdy reviews in camp, however now it seems like he will begin the season on IR. The Eagles appear to love his potential loads, and it is attainable his growth may need made an eventual Zach Ertz commerce somewhat simpler to swallow, however they will not have him for at the least the primary half of the season. He is an fascinating prospect for Dynasty leagues even after the harm.