Tag: irv smith jr.

Sleepers and Value Picks: Tight Ends

2022 Sleeper and Value Plays at Tight End

The Average Draft order shows a general picture of how your draft will unfold and where values/sleepers and bad values/busts likely exist. Any green highlight means the player is a good value that could be taken earlier. A red highlight signifies an overvalued player that is a bad value or just too high of a risk for that spot. No color means the pick is a reasonable value at that spot.

See also:

Average Draft order – Value picks

ADP Tm Tight End
1 KC Travis Kelce GOAT tight end. Period.
2 BAL Mark Andrews Lock for Top-5 and all that passing in 2021 propped him up to No 1. BAL intends less passing this year but Andrews still rock solid.
3 SF George Kittle Another lock for Top-5 when healthy. Change in QB could impact, but Kittle will remain heavily involved.
4 ATL Kyle Pitts Set rookie records and already broke 1,000 yards. Change in QB could hurt but Pitts will eventually be the next Travis Kelce.
5 LVR Darren Waller After two monster seasons, Waller regressed and missed five games. He’ll remain a factor, but addition of Davante Adams will knock down everyone’s targets.
6 DET T.J. Hockenson Was No. 5 in 2020 when healthy but finished 2021 on IR with the thumb injury. Influx of new receivers for Lions means Hockenson has to share more, but he’s a solid pick in a position that offers so few difference-makers.
7 DAL Dalton Schultz Ended as the No. 3 fantasy TE last year. Playing under franchise tag so everything to win with a big year. DAL running short of receivers to start the season.
8 PHI Dallas Goedert Has been a Top-8 TE for a few seasons, but should lose a few targets to A.J. Brown as the new possession guy. In a thin position, he won’t kill you but won’t be a difference-maker.
9 BUF Dawson Knox This is likely his ceiling, but scored nine times last year. If you waited on a TE1, Knox is a reasonable fall back.
10 ARI Zach Ertz Bounced back from a bad 2020 when he went to ARI and helped out when DeAndre Hopkins was out. This isn’t a bad pick but Cards added receivers and Ertz turns 32.
11 PIT Pat Freiermuth As a rookie, logged the No. 13 spot last year with 60 catches for 497 yards. Should be at least incrementally better with upside.
12 MIA Mike Gesicki MIA added Tyreek Hill and the offense has more weapons. This is about where Gesicki has been for three years.
13 NE Hunter Henry Went to NE where he still had his normal 600 yards but added a career-best nine touchdowns. Solid TE2 that can become a starter if needed.
14 CHI Cole Kmet The  touchdowns are lacking to be sure, but while the Bears struggled to pass in   2021, Kmet logged 60 catches for 612 yards. Only Darnell Mooney had more receptions for the Bears.
15 WAS Logan Thomas Tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus in December. Started camp on PUP. Not remotely interested.

Sleepers and overvalued players

ADP Tm Tight End
16 GB Robert Tonyan Jr. Tore his ACL in Week 8 last year and it was said to “remain unclear” if he’d be ready for Week 1. What is very clear is that he won’t be on my team.
17 IND Mo Alie-Cox Yeah, has never been better than the No. 26 in a position where only a dozen matter. I want at least the chance that my players can offer a fantasy start.
18 TEN Austin Hooper Had a couple of Top-10 seasons with the Falcons and now becomes the TE1 for the Titans. Solid backup with upside.
19 MIN Irv Smith Jr. He was touted as being a big part of the passing plans for Vikes. This deep is a great hold-and-see. Had thumb injury this month but is expected to be good for Week 1.
20 CIN Hayden Hurst Moves to CIN after stints in BAL and ATL. Becomes the TE1 and offers a bye week filler.
21 SEA Noah Fant Landed in Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade. Was solid with 60 catches for 650 yards in Denver for three years. Turnover at QB for Seahawks means there could be more upside in an offense re-establishing passing trends.
22 JAC Evan Engram He hasn’t looked great in camp for his new team, but this deep means he’s a hold to see if he catches any spark with the Jags.
23 LAR Tyler Higbee Bye week filler as another 500-yard TE.
24 TB Kyle Rudolph Signed a one-year deal to help replace Rob Gronkowski. But he’s turning 33 years old and hasn’t been better than No. 38 since 2019.

Best of the Rest

David Njoku (CLE) – Worth watching if not draft and hold for whatever happens when DeShaun Watson finally shows up. Previous peak was 56-639- 4 back in 2018.

Brevin Jordan (HOU) – Quiet rookie year but enters 2022 as the TE1 in Houston.  Worth a watch for any second-year progress.

Kevin O’Connell not ruling out tight end move for Vikings

O’Connell wants a next man up mentality, but he’s also open to a possible tight end move for the Vikings.

It’s a next man up mentality right now for the Minnesota Vikings in the wake of starting tight end Irv Smith Jr. going down with an injury, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.

There’s a respect element clearly coming into play with O’Connell allowing the process to play out a bit with his backups before jumping on the phone and calling in the next veteran replacement.

But then there’s the reality element as well.

Smith has an injured thumb with no guarantee he’ll be ready to play in the season-opener, Johnny Mundt is coming off a torn ACL injury and none of the other tight ends on the roster are proven.

So it’s no surprise O’Connell left the door open for an addition to the roster, when asked about it on Wednesday.

“We’ll continue to kind of look at that. If we feel like, at any point in time we want to do that, I’ll get with [Kwesi Adofo-Mensah] and his staff and we’ll talk about that,” O’Connell told media members. “…Ultimately, my goal is to see that group just kind of next man up mentality and thrive and take advantage of the unfortunate opportunity that came their way from Irv going down.”

There are still multiple free agent veteran tight ends that could come in and give the Vikings offense a boost.

Given Smith’s injury history, it makes sense to add another playmaker to the group, whether he’s ready to return or not by Week 1. The last thing the Vikings want is to be back here again, scrambling for an insurance policy at a position clearly lacking depth.

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Former Alabama TE Irv Smith Jr. underwent surgery for an injured thumb

Former Alabama TE Irv Smith Jr. suffered a thumb injury during Vikings training camp. He underwent a successful surgery on Tuesday.

Former Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr. suffered a thumb injury during Vikings‘ training camp. According to Ian Rapoport, Smith Jr. underwent successful surgery on Tuesday. The organization as well as Smith Jr. are optimistic that he will be able to return by the season opener against the Green Bay Packers on September 11. He has not played a snap since 2020 after he underwent surgery to repair meniscus damage in his right knee.

The Louisiana native has been productive at both the college and professional levels. At Alabama, he hauled in 58 receptions for 838 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. As a junior, he broke the record for most touchdown receptions by an Alabama tight end with seven receiving touchdowns. He would also receive honors as a member of the All-SEC second team for his stellar play as a junior.

In 2019, he was drafted in the second round by the Minnesota Vikings. Since being drafted, he has had 66 receptions for 676 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He played a huge role in Mike Zimmer’s offense while he was still the head coach in Minnesota. Now, he will have to prove himself to new Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. With a good nucleus of playmakers around him, Smith Jr. should have favorable matchups with slower linebackers from across the league.

He was known for his great route-running and athleticism in his time at Alabama. He has shown that at the professional level but has intentions of proving himself even more as he enters his fourth season in the league.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to keep up with Smith Jr.’s injury as well as other former Alabama players in the NFL.

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Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. underwent thumb surgery on Tuesday

Irv Smith Jr. underwent thumb surgery on Tuesday.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. underwent thumb surgery on Tuesday, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.

It’s a devastating blow for the 23-year-old standout, who missed all of the 2021 season with a torn meniscus. The good news is the team is hopeful that he’ll be ready to return, barring any setbacks, in time for the season-opener against the Green Bay Packers.

There were concerns of an injury when Smith left practice early on Monday with a trainer. He later returned to the field but remained on the sidelines without his helmet.

The Vikings don’t have many options behind Smith as far as receiving tight ends are concerned. Johnny Mundt would likely be the next man up, despite only catching 10 passes for 93 yards in the five years he’s been in the league.

Minnesota likely had an opportunity to sign Kyle Rudolph, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat them to the punch. Don’t be surprised to see the team move in on another veteran player at some point.

But for now, fans hold their breath in hopes that Smith will be better in time for the season-opener.

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Leftover notes from Vikings’ first padded training camp practice

Some leftover notes from Monday’s first padded practice.

The pads came on for the very first time to kick-start the second week of training camp practice for the Minnesota Vikings, and things were certainly more physical than what we saw from the team on Saturday.

This was the first real practice to get a sense of where players are at in their preparation for the regular season, whether that’s longtime veterans or rookies in their first NFL year. There’s no better simulation of real football than a padded practice.

The Vikings clearly have some work to do with a couple of trouble spots, such as tight end and the interior offensive line, continuing to show up as possible concerns for the team.

But there were obviously major positives to take away as well, most notably the contributions from many of the new faces in the locker room.

Here are some leftover notes from Monday’s practice.

Irv Smith Jr. leaves practice early with ‘possible injury’

Irv Smith Jr. left the field early on Monday with a “possible injury.”

UPDATE: After leaving practice with a possible injury at Monday’s training camp, Irv Smith Jr. has returned to the sideline without a helmet.

It’s only the first day of padded training camp practices, and Minnesota Vikings star tight end Irv Smith Jr. already has fans holding their breath.

Per the Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson, Smith left the practice field early on Monday with a “possible injury,” but it was noted that it didn’t necessarily appear to be anything serious.

The 23-year-old is playing in a contract year after missing all of 2021 with a meniscus injury.

Stay tuned for more updates as they come.

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Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. dedicated new neck tattoo to NFL return

Irv Smith Jr. got some new ink in anticipation of the 2022 season.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. has patiently waited for an opportunity to show the rest of the football world just how much he’s improved as a player.

There were definitely glimpses of it in last year’s training camp before he went down with a season-ending knee injury.

Now, after months of rehabilitation, Smith was back in front of the media on Tuesday, all smiles and determined to pick right back up where he left off.

“I got a butterfly right here on my neck, and it’s like a new beginning,” said Smith. “All the things that I’ve done in my past I still reflect on, but I’m excited for the future and what the future holds for myself and for this team—for this offense. And we’re just going to take it one day at a time. But it’s definitely a new beginning for me, I’d say.”

There’s hope Smith can settle into what should be a powerhouse offense featuring one of the most talented skilled groups in the NFL.

He’s a versatile playmaker capable of lining up anywhere on the field. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell should get plenty of enjoyment utilizing Smith in ways that’ll create serious mismatches for opposing defenses.

It could potentially lead to him being the breakout player on the roster.

In the two healthy seasons that he’s played, he’s mustered a total of 66 catches, 676 yards and seven touchdowns. Those stats don’t match the talent, and considering it’s a contract year, Smith will be extra motivated to take his game to another level.

A new beginning sounds about right for a fourth-year player with a lot to prove and coming up on the biggest season of his career.

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Kevin O’Connell expects Irv Smith Jr. to be “full-go” at training camp

Irv Smith Jr. expected to be a “full-go” at training camp, per Kevin O’Connell.

The 2021 season was a lost one for many reasons. Perhaps the biggest being the loss of starting tight end Irv Smith Jr.

Primed to have a breakout season as the top tight end on the depth chart in his third year, Smith Jr. was a shining star during training camp, including a banner game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Unfortunately, he suffered a meniscus tear that would either require him to be out for 4-6 weeks with surgery that could hinder him long-term or 4-6 months for a better outlook. The Vikings chose the latter and lost him for the 2021 season.

However, going into training camp, all systems appear to be a go for the fourth-year product from Alabama, via the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling.

Being that we are 10-plus months removed from surgery, you would expect that Smith Jr. should be 100 percent ready to go, but you can’t be too careful with knee injuries, especially with a dynamic player in the open field.

The 2022 season looks primed to be his breakout year. New head coach Kevin O’Connell comes over from the Los Angeles Rams, where Tyler Higbee put up a nice stat line of 61/560/5 over 15 games. These should be similar numbers for Smith Jr. with the potential to be even higher with the added element of speed in contrast to Higbee.

With the Vikings set to run a lot of 11 personnel this year, Smith Jr has the ability to take advantage of potential mismatches in the open field.

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Key injury updates heading into Vikings training camp

Checking back in with some key injury updates ahead of training camp.

The Minnesota Vikings are one day away from the entire team taking the field to kick-start training camp. So of course, it’s important to see where some of the key players dealing with offseason injuries have progressed heading into the 2022 season.

Injuries have been a major issue for the Vikings over the last couple of years, especially when it pertains to key players on both sides of the ball.

All teams deal with injuries, but it would be nice to see the injury gods smile on the Vikings for a change instead of pulling the typical Miley Cyrus wrecking ball routine.

Here’s where things stand right now with some of the key players dealing with previous ailments.

Vikings could be an Irv Smith Jr. injury away from disaster

Tight end depth could be a real trouble spot for the Vikings.

Irv Smith Jr. returning has the Minnesota Vikings offense looking scarier than it’s ever been on paper. However, that reality hinges on the 23-year-old tight end’s health, which is shaky ground to stand on considering he’s coming off a season-ending meniscus injury.

If Smith goes down with an injury, the paper pipe dream gets wadded up and rainbowed right into the trash.

There will be no Tyler Conklin to step in and save the day at a tight end position that’s looking pretty barren at the moment. The safety net option that came up big for the team in 2021 signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the New York Jets in the offseason.

That leaves the Vikings with Johnny Mundt, Zach Davidson, Ben Ellefson and rookie Nick Muse as their backup options, if catastrophe strikes again.

Mundt has some familiarity with head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive play-calling from their time together with the Los Angeles Rams. So he’d be the next man up in an emergency glass case situation. Sure, there’s a lot of intrigue with him for the coaching staff, but the fact remains that he’s only caught 10 receptions for 93 yards in five NFL seasons.

He’s at his best on the field as a blocker, and it would be asking a lot of him to suddenly morph into a guy catching 40-plus passes for 400-plus yards. As for the other backups, it’s a bit of a stretch to think any of them would be ready to step into that starting role for the Vikings.

Granted, that doesn’t mean the offensive soiree in 2022 would be dead in the water if they lose their best playmaker at tight end. O’Connell is a mad scientist at work concocting different ways to use tight ends and even his running backs, particularly Dalvin Cook, as receivers.

But there’s no doubt that the Vikings are a far more scarier team to defend with Smith on the field. It essentially gives quarterback Kirk Cousins another high-end receiving weapon to punish opposing defenses with in games.

With training camp around the corner, the team will likely go in as currently constructed, but there’s always the possibility they could look to bring in an outside veteran as an insurance policy for Smith.

Some interesting options out there are Eric Ebron, Jared Cook, Jimmy Graham and former longtime Viking Kyle Rudolph. At the very least, one of those players would be a viable safety net for the Vikings to shield themselves from a sure-fire disaster at the tight end position.

They’ve invested too much into this win-now season to have it derailed by another injury.

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