Durham Smythe

The decision to re-sign Smythe to a two-year contract even after handing Mike Gesicki the franchise tag speaks volumes about his value as a role player. A plus blocker and passable receiver, Smythe is an excellent complement to Gesicki, though he's not a candidate for fantasy relevance outside of multi-TE leagues.

Smythe has emerged as a valuable depth tight end, as he's a reliable blocker and capable of catching passes when necessary. The arrival of rookie third-round pick Hunter Long, however, threaten's Smythe's grip on the No. 2 gig. In any case, Mike Gesicki figures to dominate looks in the receiving game.

The 2018 fourth-round pick took significant steps forward in his development in 2019, allowing him to secure the No. 2 role behind Mike Gesicki, an athletic standout who was selected two rounds prior to Smyth in the same draft class. However, Smyth does most of his damage as a blocker and only offers marginal pass-catching upside, having corralled just seven of 14 targets for 65 yards across a full 16-game slate last year.

The 123rd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Smythe was selected by the Dolphins with the clear intention of being developed into a blocking specialist. Smythe made enough strides during his rookie season to carve out a rotational role during the last five weeks of the season, but the addition of Dwayne Allen, one of the league's best blocking tight ends, could notably limit the 23-year-old's snap count for 2019. Smythe will likely have to beat of Nick O'Leary and Clive Walford for what could be one roster spot.

Smythe is one of two rookie tight ends joining the Dolphins in 2018, along with red-zone weapon Mike Gesicki. With two draft picks spent on tight ends, Miami hopes to put an end to their series of failed experiments at the position since losing Charles Clay in 2015. One of the draft's top blocking specialists, Smythe fills a very different need at the position than Gesicki. Despite some praise for his route-running, Smythe caught only 28 passes during his college career. The fourth-rounder is set to compete with MarQueis Gray and Gavin Escobar for snaps at the in-line position, where Miami hopes he'll make a difference in run blocking and pass protection.