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Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Trade for These TEs in Dynasty Fantasy Football
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: Kyle Pitts #8 of the Atlanta Falcons runs for extra yardage after a ... More reception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 27, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by) If you haven't read any of my other work about players to buy in dynasty fantasy football, we've covered running back, wide receiver, and quarterback. Now it's time to dive into the tight ends. As always, we'll be targeting players who can provide value to any dynasty team, no matter what stage you're in. For that reason, we'll be looking at three young players who should increase in value from the current market price. In order to get a baseline for these market prices, we'll refer to Keep Trade Cut. With that being said, let's dive into the article. Trade for These TEs in Dynasty Fantasy Football A lot of people are going to be scared away from Kyle Pitts, and that's totally understandable. Since coming into the league with high expectations, Pitts has let fantasy owners down every single year. That being said, the upside is worth the risk. Pitts is going at the TE12 range, and you're not going to find a difference maker outside the top five in most seasons. If Pitts can finally break out this season, there's a very good chance he becomes a top three tight end dynasty. Just looking back to November 3rd of 2021, Pitts was able to keep his TE1 status all the way through October 2nd of 2022. When evaluating Pitts as a prospect, he was just as good, if not better, than Brock Bowers, who is the 10th-ranked player (TE1) in dynasty fantasy football. Pitts is a 6'6' and 246 lb tight end who also ran an unofficial 4.44, 40-yard dash. At Florida, Pitts showed that he can play anywhere on the field with elite releases and the ability to high-point the football. With Pitts being a younger prospect, he's still just 24 years old, and tight ends typically take longer to break out due to the complex nature of the position. Now Darnell Mooney is missing valuable time with sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr, giving Pitts time to take over that number two target role. It's certainly a risk based on what we've seen from Pitts so far, but the upside is worth it. Outside of Pitts, these last two players are outside of the top 30 tight ends. While Pitts is fairly cheap, these other tight ends are effectively lottery tickets. Michael Mayer is one of the more interesting players in dynasty because he's also only 24 years old. Mayer wasn't an elite prospect, but he was highly talked about and was selected 35th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. While Mayer got to start 12 games as a rookie, he didn't find much success, only drawing 40 targets, catching 27 of them for 304 yards. Then, just a year later, the Las Vegas Raiders shocked a lot of people by selecting Bowers. We talked about how good Bowers is above, and this move tanked Mayer's dynasty value. Mayer was once the TE8 in dynasty (April 8th, 2023) and has now dropped down to TE33. While Mayer isn't going to overcome Bowers, he's set to become a free agent in 2027, which could lead to the Raiders trading him even sooner than that. If Mayer lands in a new home, he should skyrocket in value as people will remember the prospect that he was at Notre Dame. SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: Oronde Gadsden II #19 of the Syracuse Orange scores a touchdown ... More during the fourth quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at JMA Wireless Dome on September 17, 2022 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) The last player on this list is Oronde Gadsden, a rookie. Gadsden is going just behind Mayer at TE34, but he has the worst draft capital of anyone on this list. Gadsden was a 5th-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft due to the fact that he's not a typical tight end. At 6'5' and 236 lbs, Gadsden is very undersized in terms of his weight to be an NFL starter. Gadsden fails to pick up blockers due to his size, which is going to limit him in the NFL. That said, Gadsden could be used as a 'big slot,' which would be the best-case scenario for his fantasy football impact. At Syracuse, Gadsden actually started out as a wide receiver, and he caught 61 passes for 975 yards as a sophomore. Gadsden would make the switch just one year later, before only playing in two games during that 2023 season. In 2024, though, Gadsden had 73 catches for 934 yards as a tight end. Gadsden would post a 4.65, 40-yard dash, which helped him score a 'great' composite speed score per his Relative Athletic Score. The Los Angeles Chargers are an offense without an established number two target, which makes Gadsden extremely interesting. Tre Harris and Quentin Johnston are the two main threats right now, but neither has proven themselves yet. With Justin Herbert at the helm, he should be able to get the most out of Gadsden. If Gadsden isn't used correctly, he'll almost certainly flame out, but at cost, he's worth the risk in dynasty fantasy football.
NBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- NBC News
Colorado coach Deion Sanders had bladder cancer 'cured' after surgery
Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders announced Monday he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had surgery to remove his bladder. His doctors announced the procedure resulted in Sanders being "cured." "We're going to beat it, aren't we?" Sanders asked Dr. Janet Kukreja on stage at a news conference in Boulder. "It's beaten," she answered. Sanders, 57, said he expects to coach on the sidelines next season. Sanders played 14 seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. A star defensive back, he earned six All-Pro honors and nine Pro Bowl teams while leading the 49ers and Cowboys to Super Bowl victories in 1994 and 1995, respectively. He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Sanders was named head coach of Jackson State in Mississippi in 2020 and helped turn around the FCS program. After a 4-3 first season (that was shortened due to COVID), he led the Tigers to an 11-2 record in 2021 with a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship. They repeated as titleholders the next year with a 12-1 record. Colorado hired Sanders in 2023 to lead the Buffaloes. Despite a 4-8 initial year, the Buffaloes went 9-4 in 2024 with an Alamo Bowl appearance. Sanders' son, Shadeur Sanders, threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns with 10 interceptions en route to being named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders was not with Colorado in June due to an unspecified health issue, he said on social media. 'Wow, I am truly blessed for the abundance of well wishes, for all the thoughts and all of the prayers,' Sanders wrote. 'THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! 🙏🏾 I can assure you all that everything is OKAY and will continue to be so. God got me like no other. I have so much more work to do to Glorify God so please believe God got me! I'm excited to get back to Colorado to be at home with my staff, team & all associated to our program. When we arrive back to Boulder you will be updated on everything. Until then, I'M COMING BABY, #CoachPrime.' In a video released by Sanders' son, Deion Sanders Jr., on Sunday, Sanders said he had made a will. 'Mentally, emotionally, last night was tough, yesterday was tough, because I had to make a will,' he said in a video. 'That's not easy at all, to think that you may not be here.' Sanders in March that runs through the 2029 season.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons training camp: Highlights, updates from Day 3
Training camp is in full swing for the Atlanta Falcons. The team completed its third practice on Sunday morning, and Falcons legend Matt Ryan even stopped by to get a look at the new crew. While Atlanta has been cautious with players thus far, things got a little testy between the offense and defense. Center Ryan Neuzil, rookie James Pearce Jr., guard Matthew Bergeron and linebacker Leonard Floyd got into a minor scuffle. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich didn't like what happened but said he was pleased with Pearce's ability to make "amazing plays" after the incident, per 11Alive reporter Maria Martin. The Falcons practiced without their other first-round pick, Jalon Walker, along with defensive lineman Zach Harrison and wide receiver Darnell Mooney. While there's been no major update on Mooney's status, ESPN and NFL Network reported that he would be out a "few weeks." The team is off Monday but will return on Tuesday for a fully padded practice. The Falcons' video team released a highlight compilation from Day 3 on the team's official YouTube channel. Watch below. Falcons training camp: Highlights from Day 3 Falcons open practice schedule July 29: 9:30 a.m. ET July 31: 9:30 a.m. ET August 4: 9:30 a.m. ET August 5: 9:30 a.m. ET August 6: 9:30 a.m. ET August 11: 9:30 a.m. ET August 12: 9:40 a.m. ET (joint practice) August 13: 9:40 a.m. ET (joint practice) This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Training camp highlights, updates from Day 3
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Falcons rookie in spotlight after back-to-back scuffles as pre-draft red flags resurface
The Atlanta Falcons were enthusiastic about how the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft unfolded. However, they made a bold move by trading up for James Pearce Jr., a player with notable character concerns heading into the draft. The decision drew heavy criticism, particularly regarding what the team gave up to acquire him. 'This isn't about the player; it's about the price the Falcons paid to move up for him. Atlanta needed edge rush help and already got some earlier in the round with Jalon Walker. Trading next year's first-round pick to get Pearce felt like a massive overpay,' ESPN's Dan Graziano said. Pearce was a dominant force in college, routinely disrupting opposing offenses. Still, his off-field issues led to a slight draft slide. Former Tennessee Vols writer Wes Rucker called him one of the steals of the draft. 'There aren't 25 players better than James Pearce Jr. in this draft. If he grows up and behaves like a professional, that's a steal of a pick. But he'll have to grow up in Atlanta. So ... we'll see,' Rucker posted. However, after the third day of training camp on Sunday, those character concerns resurfaced. Pearce was involved in two scuffles during practice. 'Rookie James Pearce Jr. was the main character today. He set off two scrums on back-to-back plays — the first going at it with Ryan Neuzil and Matthew Bergeron (who had some words), and the second with Kaleb McGary,' wrote Adnan Ikic of The Falcoholic. Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp During media availability, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich commented on the defense's intensity that day — a remark that may have been indirectly aimed at Pearce. 'We're trying to develop a culture. And part of that is the violence. Today, it went a little too far,' Ulbrich said. There's no denying Pearce's immense talent, but as a rookie, he can't afford to get into repeated altercations with teammates. One incident can be brushed off; three separate conflicts raise red flags. Pearce is clearly trying to earn playing time, but there are better ways to prove himself than through on-field fights.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
LOOK: Matt Ryan makes appearance at Falcons training camp
Former Falcons QB was in attendance for Sunday's training camp practice The Atlanta Falcons had a special visitor in attendance as they went through their third training camp practice on Sunday morning. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan brought his sons down to the Flowery Branch facility to get a closer look at this year's team. Ryan, who started for Atlanta from 2008 to 2021, has made the transition to television analyst following his retirement. The former league MVP met with second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. over the offseason to pass along some wisdom. Penix, who is entering his first full season as the Falcons' starting QB, said he received advice on how to plan for the offseason from Ryan. Since the team has not made the playoffs since Ryan was still playing for Atlanta, having him back around couldn't hurt. During his 14-year run with the Falcons, Ryan passed for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns and 170 interceptions. The former third overall pick made four Pro Bowls, one All-Pro team, and was the 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Penix started the final three games of the 2024 season in relief of Kirk Cousins, passing for 775 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for a score on the ground during his impressive 312-yard, three-touchdown performance in the season finale. The future looks bright with Penix under center as the team attempts to finally snap its seven-year playoff drought in 2025.
