Noah Fant

Fant was traded to Seattle in the offseason deal that sent Russell Wilson to Denver. Also included in the trade was quarterback Drew Lock, from whom Fant caught passes last season in addition to Teddy Bridgewater. Fant finished eighth in catches and 10th in yards among tight ends last year in what was nearly a carbon copy of his 2020 campaign, but with 4.50 speed at 249 pounds, the 24-year-old still has time to grow his skill set. While the familiarity with Lock could have been a positive for Fant if the former had won the quarterback competition with Geno Smith, the 2019 first-round pick out of Iowa once again finds himself in an offense helmed by one of the league's least productive starting quarterbacks. And now he will have to compete for targets with a pair of established wide receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. There should be enough targets left behind Metcalf and Lockett - the Seahawks do not have a proven No. 3 wide receiver - for Fant to replicate last year's numbers, but he might not get many high-quality looks in a Seattle offense with Smith under center Week 1.

If not for a Week 4 ankle sprain, Fant might've enjoyed a breakout season in 2020. He caught 14 passes for 184 yards and two TDs in the first three weeks before exiting early in Week 4 and sitting out Week 5. Fant then averaged only 34.1 yards (with no TDs) the next eight games, though he eventually got back on track with 18 catches the final three weeks. While consistency has been elusive, the 20th overall pick from 2019 has displayed no shortage of potential through two seasons, locking down a spot as Denver's starting TE. The 23-year-old is an elite athlete at his position even by modern standards, running a 4.50 40 at 249 pounds. His development figures to be a priority, but if Fant continues to struggle with drops (10 in two seasons), he may end up as only the third or fourth option in Denver's passing game. Wideouts Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy both have flashed superstar potential, and 2020 second-round pick KJ Hamler also has upside. Fant's rare combination of size and athleticism should make him a welcome asset for starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who tends to favor quick, short passes over slower-developing throws.

Fant's rookie season was a match for the pre-draft scouting profile, with his 4.5 speed evident on three gains of 40-plus yards, while his flaws manifested in a 6.2 percent drop rate (10th worst among TEs) and a brutal 45.4 PFF grade for run blocking. Despite his inconsistency, the No. 20 overall pick finished 14th at his position with 704 offensive snaps, benefiting from an utter lack of competition for playing time. Fant's 8.3 YAC average tied Jonnu Smith for the lead among tight ends, albeit with nearly half his 332 after-catch yards coming in two games. Fant caught just one of eight targets traveling 20-plus yards downfield, but he went 12-for-17 on targets of 10-19 yards, proving to be more than just a dump-and-run tight end. And for what it's worth, Fant saw only 14 targets in Drew Lock's five December starts, but the limited chances were efficiently converted to a 10-188-1 receiving line. Incoming draft picks Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler will boost the target competition coming from Denver's wide receivers, while fourth-round TE Albert Okwuegbunam shouldn't be an immediate threat, perhaps profiling as a slightly lesser version of Fant - long on athleticism, short on polish. Courtland Sutton is still the top dog, but a Year 2 breakout for Lock would create room for both Fant and Jeudy to thrive. On the other hand, a disappointing sophomore campaign for the young QB could leave behind a ton of fantasy wreckage for an offense loaded with skill-position talent.

Fant's splashy film at Iowa caught everyone's attention, especially since the scouting community is desperately looking for the next George Kittle - another Hawkeye -to come about. Fant's good-but-not-dominant college stats can be directly tied to the depth of the Iowa roster; No. 8 overall pick T.J. Hockenson shared work with Fant in a run-first offense the last couple years. The prospect hounds were drooling when Fant destroyed the combine with a 4.5 40-yard dash and 39.5-inch vertical, but sometimes his play on the field wasn't as interesting - he struggled with dropped passes in college. Add it all up and the usual rules apply. We're plenty interested in Fant's future, but rookie tight ends are generally seen and not heard from, at least for fantasy purposes. The Broncos also have some other competition for TE snaps, bringing back Jeff Heuerman on a two-year, $8 million contract despite his uninspired performance last year. Toss in a shaky quarterback situation and it's a lot for a rookie tight end to overcome.