Somewhat overshadowed in the Rams' narrow playoff loss at Detroit was a significant personnel loss, with Tyler Higbee tearing both his ACL and MCL in that late January game. Very unlikely he'll be ready for the start of the season, giving Davis Allen some appeal.
Higbee barely snuck into the top 25 at the position last year, but is just a year removed from finishing as the No. 6 tight end in PPR leagues. The Rams had given him a two-year, $17 million extension last September, but they'll probably need a new starter at least the first month to six weeks of the season (should Higbee start out on the PUP list). That's where Allen, the team's fifth-round pick last year, comes in.
Allen didn't do much as a rookie, catching only 10 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. But he seems to be a capable enough receiver, catching 39 passes for 443 yards and 5 touchdowns in his final season at Clemson. And his rookie-year production all came when he got the opportunity to play. Just twice did he play even half the snaps last year, and in each of those games he caught 4 passes, for a total of 75 yards and a score. Only one of the 11 passes thrown his way last season was incomplete.
We tend to regard fifth-round picks lightly, but tight end is one position where hits occasionally happen. George Kittle, obviously, but he's not the only one.
This century, a tight end drafted in the fifth round has ranked in the top 20 in PPR leagues 25 times, so just over once a year. Seven different fifth-rounders have done it multiple times. Kittle is the headliner, but most fantasy coaches have a passing familiarity with some of the others: Brent Celek, Gary Barnidge and perhaps Kevin Boss or Donald Lee. (Most recently Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah, albeit with a slightly lower ceiling.)
| 5TH-ROUND TES IN THE TOP 20, 2000-PRESENT | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Rk |
| 2022 | George Kittle, S.F. | 86 | 60 | 765 | 11 | 3 |
| 2019 | George Kittle, S.F. | 107 | 85 | 1053 | 5 | 3 |
| 2018 | George Kittle, S.F. | 136 | 88 | 1377 | 5 | 3 |
| 2009 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 112 | 76 | 971 | 8 | 4 |
| 2015 | Gary Barnidge, Cle. | 125 | 79 | 1043 | 9 | 4 |
| 2021 | George Kittle, S.F. | 94 | 71 | 910 | 6 | 4 |
| 2023 | George Kittle, S.F. | 90 | 65 | 1020 | 6 | 6 |
| 2007 | Donald Lee, G.B. | 63 | 48 | 575 | 6 | 9 |
| 2011 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 98 | 62 | 811 | 5 | 11 |
| 2009 | Kevin Boss, NYG | 69 | 42 | 567 | 5 | 16 |
| 2021 | Tyler Conklin, Min. | 87 | 61 | 593 | 3 | 16 |
| 2022 | Tyler Conklin, NYJ | 87 | 58 | 552 | 3 | 16 |
| 2012 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 88 | 57 | 684 | 1 | 17 |
| 2008 | Kevin Boss, NYG | 55 | 33 | 384 | 6 | 17 |
| 2018 | C.J. Uzomah, Cin. | 64 | 43 | 439 | 3 | 18 |
| 2010 | Kevin Boss, NYG | 70 | 35 | 531 | 5 | 18 |
| 2023 | Tyler Conklin, NYJ | 87 | 61 | 621 | 0 | 18 |
| 2010 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 79 | 42 | 511 | 4 | 19 |
| 2021 | C.J. Uzomah, Cin. | 63 | 49 | 493 | 5 | 19 |
| 2016 | Gary Barnidge, Cle. | 82 | 55 | 612 | 2 | 19 |
| 2020 | George Kittle, S.F. | 63 | 48 | 634 | 2 | 19 |
| 2017 | George Kittle, S.F. | 63 | 43 | 515 | 2 | 19 |
| 2007 | Jeff King, Car. | 80 | 46 | 406 | 2 | 19 |
| 2013 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 51 | 32 | 502 | 6 | 20 |
| 2008 | Donald Lee, G.B. | 50 | 39 | 303 | 5 | 20 |
Dynasty league with an open waiver wire or early best-ball draft? There are worse fliers than Davis Allen.
--Andy Richardson