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BDL Discussion Thread 2024


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6 hours ago, Xmad said:

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the best WR in the in the AFC North is George Pickens. 

Trust me when I say this man is legitimately the best WR in the AFC north. Swap him and chase's QBs the last two years and you'd see the difference.

Tee Higgins is a close third.

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On 7/24/2024 at 6:28 PM, Xmad said:

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the best WR in the in the AFC North is George Pickens. 

Trust me when I say this man is legitimately the best WR in the AFC north. Swap him and chase's QBs the last two years and you'd see the difference.

Tee Higgins is a close third.

As a Steelers fan, no way is Pickens the best WR in the AFC North. I don't even think he really has the potential to be that level of guy, I think he can be a solid number 1 but not like a top tier starter. I'd say there's maybe an argument he's the third best but I don't see how you could put him any higher than that.

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21 minutes ago, rackcs said:

As a Steelers fan, no way is Pickens the best WR in the AFC North. I don't even think he really has the potential to be that level of guy, I think he can be a solid number 1 but not like a top tier starter. I'd say there's maybe an argument he's the third best but I don't see how you could put him any higher than that.

He was literally the most explosive player in the league last year with a YPR of 18.1

I think with a 25% target increase (106 in 2023) and actually.....good QB play. He can show his potential. 

Right now I think he's below Chase but only because Zac Taylor's focuses on getting the ball to the WR1 (145 targets) and chase has the better track record.

But with Russell Wilson and his ability to forcefeed WRs and Justin Fields ability to somehow have good passing stats despite being a terrible QB he might produce at his talent level.

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TE Rankings

Disclamer: These rankings are subjective and a combination of both production from last year and projection of this year. Differences of opinion here is valid. It’s my rankings and I welcome any difference of opinion.

Tier 1: Seniority Wins

1. Travis Kelce: Kelce didn’t have his best year but turned the clock back in the playoffs. Hall of famer.

2. George Kittle: Kittle finally stayed healthy for an entire season and put up numbers we expect from a player of his caliber. No one from SF beyond McCaffery is hitting their statistical ceiling but Kittle’s blocking is an added boost and solidifies his tier 1 status.

Tier 2: WR production

3. Sam Laporta: Had we done this ranking around week 15 of last season, Laporta would’ve been #1. We knew the receiver upside was real (my comp for him was Dallas Clark), but the blocking was top notch too. He’s challenging for the top spot this year.

4. Mark Andrews: Andrews remains an elite receiver and WR1 for Baltimore. He ended the season with an injury and has another TE1 behind him in Likely. When he’s right however you’re looking at one of the games best. 

Tier 3: The Well Rounded Ones

5. David Njoku: One of the complete players at the position, Njoku finally got the target share that his talent warrants. The blocking ability was always there but the productivity as a receiver last year is why he makes the top 5. 

6. TJ Hockenson: If you exclude the wicked injury from last season, Hock could be a tier 1 player and possibly the top TE in this ranking. He’s not at the point of his career where he won’t bounce back but next year seems like more of a catch up than continuing from last year type of season.

7. Pat Freiermuth: Another quality blocker, Muth isn’t the player in space as everyone above him on this list. He remains a high end TE due to his ability in every other aspect of the position. Never had a high end passer so far in his career either.

8. Dallas Goedert: The last of the true quality blocker and proven receiver group, Goedert has been more productive than the aforementioned players in this tier. His injury hampered his production a bit so I ding him a few points in part to Njoku taking a big step forward last season.

Tier 4: Pluses

9. Dalton Kincaid: I wanted to move Kincaid higher than this but he’s not a blocker and remains in a timeshare with Dawson Knox. When he got real opportunity however, he challenged the top TEs as a receiver. There is a sky high ceiling here.

10. Cole Kmet: Kmet has quietly rounded out into a really good TE. He’s always been a good blocker but was a nice underneath weapon for Justin Fields last season. Caleb Williams won’t have to rely on him with Allen and Onduze on the team but he still remains a high upside talent with a stabilized role.

11. Trey McBride: McBride had a really good season on paper last year with over 80 receptions. He’s an established TE1 who probably won’t get the same target share this season. He will however remain a stable option for Kyler Murray this year.

12. Dalton Schultz: Not known as a quality blocker, Schultz is very capable as a receiver. He’s put together back to back years of strong production and has to be mentioned in the upper tier of TEs as a receiver.

Tier 5: What’s your flavor

13. Isaiah Likely: We may never know how good Likely is in Baltimore due to Mark Andrews. The flashes we have seen are enticing, nonetheless. Likely is a good blocker and a quality receiver already so timing and opportunity could very much result in a significant rise in the rankings when it happens.

14. Evan Engram: Engram is a receiver with a TE frame. He’s always had elite ability but the inconsistency stuff we saw earlier in his career has worn off. He could be Trevor’s WR1 this year in a ceiling season. This is close to his floor. He finished with over 100 receptions last year but could do more vertically considering his elite athletic profile. 

15. Jake Ferguson: A byproduct of opportunity, Dallas did not miss Schultz at all because Ferguson seamlessly adapted to his role and put up big numbers. He can play a big slot role and function as an in-line blocker.

16. Kyle Pitts: Similar to Trevor Lawrence, Pitts top asset right now is the eye test. The numbers haven’t been there. Asking him to block is a poor usage of his skill set, and he was in a true timeshare role with Jonnu Smith last year. If you’re building someone to play TE, Pitts looks a lot like the final result. Kirk Cousins could change the narrative so we’ll see how it plays out this year.

 

Next Man Up: 

17. Taysom Hill: I was torn between Hill, Jonnu Smith, and Hunter Henry for the final spot. Hill is obviously as unique a weapon as you can find and ironically not much of a true option as a receiver or blocker. He’s a solid player and the best at his role because no one else can lineup at QB and give you the threat of a passer like Hill can. He’s on the backend of his career but we’ll see what he conjures as the Saints offense will have some snaps taken over by Hill and his run first, big YAC ability.

Honorable Mention (No Order): Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Josh Oliver, Michael Meyer, Tyler Conklin, Cade Otton, Luke Musgrave

Edited by MD4L
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Really says something when a guy averaging 9 yards a catch is "challenging" the top players at the position.

Really though, this is why I didn't bother with the tight end position in FA. If you don't have one of the top 8 guys, you're either betting on a young guy breaking out or they're all kinda BDL replacement level.

Edited by Blue
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.dlaregztiF yrraL ylraelc si LFN eht ni ET tseB ehT

2 minutes ago, Ragnarok said:

Freiermuth is my big disagreement here.  I'd put a half dozen or so guys ahead of him.

.thgir yltcaxe s'eh siht ot gnidrocca os ht7 yllaretil s'eH

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1 hour ago, Ragnarok said:

Freiermuth is my big disagreement here.  I'd put a half dozen or so guys ahead of him.

I like Muth a lot. He’d get a lot more appreciation and recognition if he has better QB play.

A valid counterpoint is you can say is a lot of people would be better with better QB play (*looks at Kyle Pitts*) but Muth is also a solid blocker which holds real value in how I rank players.

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On 7/24/2024 at 3:52 PM, Blue said:

I see what's going on here--Frogs is buying big on the Jets' offense this year. Don't think I'd put that kind of money on a 40 year old QB coming off a lost year and playing behind a makeshift OL, but I see where Frogs is coming from.

The disrespect for Chris Olave after putting Garrett Wilson at 8 is unreal, tho haha I'm an idiot who TOTALLY skipped over Olave at 11, laugh at me along with me

I almost just did the same thing with Amari Cooper, thought after I didn't see him on Honorable mention it was absurd.... Luckily I read it over a 2nd time before posting.

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