Eagles Upgraded TE w/ Better Receiving Ertz

The Philadelphia Eagles added to a strength by letting move tight end Trey Burton sign a big deal in Chicago and selecting Dallas Goedert…

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Eagles Upgraded TE w/ Better Receiving Ertz

Goedert has potential to be elite receiving tight end at NFL level.

The Philadelphia Eagles added to a strength by letting move tight end Trey Burton sign a big deal in Chicago and selecting Dallas Goedert with the 49th pick in the draft. Goedert Gesicki was a solid college performer who was a 2nd or early 3rd down prospect when he went to the combine, however after delivering one of the best athletic tight end testing performances in combine history, he shot up boards. The challenge in projecting his fantasy performance both near & long-term is the offensive system and coach he plays for. Adam Gase simply hasn’t prioritized the position and that means Gesicki will likely be overvalued in fantasy leagues.

TE Dallas Goedert

• Size: 6’5” / 260
• Draft Selection: #49 (2018)
• Depth Chart: TE2 (competing for #2 role on Eagles)
• ’18 Outlook: TE2- (TE1 if he quickly adapts to NFL and Ertz missed time)
• Athletic Profile: Good (Player Profiler)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallasgoedert/
• NFL Comparison: Jason Witten (as receiver; needs to work on in-line blocking)

Outlook: Goedert put up silly numbers at the FCS level (198 Catches, 2998 Yards, and 21 TD’s over the past 2 years; exceeding 70 catches & 1k yards in each of the past two seasons). Landing in the most tight end friendly offense in the NFL is ideal, though he’s behind one of the best young versatile tight ends, Zach Ertz, means his near term opportunity is limited. Temper fantasy expectations in ’18 but this is a player who could eventually be the primary receiving option, even ahead of Ertz, as soon as ’20.

Opportunity: Philadelphia has sent a minimum of 160 targets to the TE position in each of the past 3 years, leading the NFL in two of those seasons. They’ve historically leaned on a primary TE (Ertz) with more than 100 targets and funneled between 30 to 60 to a secondary option (Trey Burton). Given Goedert’s draft capital, it’s safe to project him in that secondary role and TE2 status. With excellent quarterback play (Went + Foles), a solid offensive line and quality receivers, the recent trends of tight end usage appear likely to continue. The only chance for Goedert to outperform this would be a significant injury to Zach Ertz.

Long-term: Goedert is this rookie classes premier receiving tight end, an immediate mismatch in the slot. He has the potential to be a perennial top 5 fantasy performer once he ascends to a larger role (aka leaves Philadelphia or Ertz moves on). In the next year or two though, he’ll be relegated to high-end TE2 level production. I love this landing spot and project that by 2020 he will emerge as the next wave of great receiving tight ends.