Tag: Mike Gesicki

Watch: Tua Tagovailoa throws TD pass for Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoar hit Myles Gaskin before finding Mike Gesicki in the end zone for Miami

It was a quiet first half for Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The former Alabama star got on track in the second half with a pretty pass on the run that set up a TD pass to tight end Mike Gesicki,

First the pass on the move to running back Myles Gaskin.

Then the score that gave Miami a 13-7 lead in the third quarter after the PAT.

Latest illustration of Dolphins’ team culture should have fans excited

Latest illustration of Dolphins’ team culture should have fans excited

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki would describe fellow tight end Durham Smythe as his best friend on the team. It makes sense, given that Smythe and Gesicki have been with the Dolphins for several seasons now and as two players at the same position, they are around each other all the time. The teammates are committed to improving one another’s craft together and share the same aspirations for the gridiron.

So when Smythe scored his first career NFL touchdown on Sunday against the New York Jets, you figured Gesicki would be amped up and excited for his best friend. But not like this! Gesicki’s excitement, which was showcased by the Dolphins on Monday morning after the win, shows a terrific example of Miami’s team-first culture and the excitement for winning: no matter who is doing the scoring.

You’d have thought Miami just scored the game winning touchdown of the Super Bowl with how excited Gesicki was for his best friend’s touchdown. And while we certainly don’t expect that level of excitement from all 53 players on the team any time Miami finds the end zone, this kind of reaction is certainly a byproduct of what Brian Flores and the rest of the Miami Dolphins have been trying to build.

Hopefully Smythe’s next career touchdown comes sooner rather than later. But no matter when it comes, you can rest assured to know that at least one man, Mike Gesicki, is going to be super fired up to see it.

Tunnel Vision of Week 6

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Ryan Tannehill 364-0 4
 Matt Ryan 371-8 4
 Carson Wentz 213-49 3
 Kirk Cousins 343-0 3
 Lamar Jackson 186-108 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Derrick Henry 22-212
2-52		 2
D’Andre Switft 14-116
3-7		 2
James Conner 20-101
1-1		 1
Myles Gaskin 18-91
4-35		 0
Ronald Jones  23-113
2-8		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Justin Jefferson 9-166 2
Julio Jones 8-137 2
Will Fuller 6-123 1
A.J. Brown 5-56 2
Brandin Cooks 9-68 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Anthony Firkser 8-113 1
Trey Burton 4-58 2
Darren Fells 6-85 1
George Kittle 7-109 1
Hayden Hurst 4-57 1
Placekickers XP FG
Brandon McManus 0 6
Younghoe Koo 4 4
Justin Tucker 3 3
Cairo Santos 2 3
Joey Slye 1 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Steelers 4-2 1
Ravens 1-6 0
Buccaneers 2-5 1
Giants 2-2 1
Broncos 3-4 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Baker Mayfield – Benched
RB Mark Ingram – Ankle
RB Joe Mixon – Foot (returned)
RB Miles Sanders – Ankle
RB Raheem Mostert – Ankle
WR Antonio Golden-Gandy – Hamstring
WR C.J. Board – Neck
TE Tyler Eifert – Neck
TE Zach Ertz – Foot
TE Jonnu Smith – Ankle
TE Robert Tonyan – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

A lighter week is always welcomed.

RB Mark Ingram – Early speculation was that his ankle injury would not be anything significant and that he has a bye week to heal up in any case. Notable was that the Ravens turned to the rookie J.K. Dobbins for nine runs while Gus Edwards ended with 14 on the day. Unless surprising news comes back, Ingram should be fine for Week 8 against the Steelers.

RB Miles Sanders – Injured himself at the end of a 74-yard run when he was pulled down from behind and lost a fumble that was recovered by J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for the touchdown.  There has been no word by late Sunday as to his status but he remained on the sideline after leaving the injury tent – usually a positive sign.  Boston Scott would take his place if needed against the Giants this week, but an MRI on Monday should determine the severity.

RB Raheem Mostert – Left the win over the Rams with an ankle injury, and this time it didn’t just turn into Jerick McKinnon as the replacement. JaMycal Hasty is an undrafted back out of Baylor who was promoted from the practice squad. Hasty closed out the win over the Rams with nine carries for 37 yards. If Mostert’s ankle ends up costing him even more missed games, Hasty is making a case for a shared backfield with McKinnon.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

Monday Night – The Cardinals are at the Cowboys on ESPN at 8:15 PM EST as was always scheduled. The Chiefs are at the Bills on Fox at 5:00 PM EST as the “early” game.

WR A.J. Green – Faced the Colts defense and still caught a season-best 8-of-11 targets for 96 yards. This was the first sign of life in the aging wideout and enough to get him back off the waiver wire after just one catch over the last two games combined.

WR Tee Higgins – The Bengals rookie caught six passes for 125 yards for his first 100-yard game. By the looks of his growing chemistry with Joe Burrow, it is the first of many to come.

QB Philip Rivers – After five mediocre games that never produced more than one touchdown, Rivers posted 371 yards and three touchdowns in the Colts’ win over the Bengals. And he did it, sadly, without the use of T.Y. Hilton (1-11).

RB D’Andre Swift – Enjoyed his breakout game in the Lions’ win over the Jaguars. The rookie ran for 116 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns while Adrian Peterson ran 15 times for 40 yards. Swift added three receptions for seven yards as well. This was the first time that he was allowed more than five carries in a game.

WR Justin Jefferson – The Vikings rookie already recorded a 100-yard effort in Week 4 and upped that with nine catches for 166 yards and two scores in the loss to the Falcons. He’s just a rookie and the Vikings don’t throw as much as most teams, but Jefferson is currently the No. 6 fantasy wideout.

RB Phillip Lindsay – The Patriots have long had a good defense and yet Lindsay replaced the ill Melvin Gordon and ran for 101 yards on 23 carries at their stadium. The Broncos line has exceeded expectations.

QB Baker Mayfield – Benched in the third quarter for Case Keenum, Mayfield only passed for 119 yards and one score with two interceptions when he left. HC Kevin Stefanski said it was to protect his quarterback in what had become an obvious loss and he had already been sacked four times. It was the first time that Mayfield was held to fewer than two passing scores since Week 1but also his fourth game with under 200 passing yards.

TE Anthony Firkser – Jonnu Smith had a nice matchup with the Texans but sprained his ankle after just one catch. In his place, Firkser became the receiving tight end and led the team with eight catches for 113 yards and one touchdown that helped no one.

The Jets – It bears mentioning. The Jets are now the only winless team in the NFL and come off a shutout loss to the Dolphins, 24-0. HC Adam Gase remains employed despite being only slightly more popular than COVID-19.

TE Mike Gesicki – No matter that he caught five passes for 91 yards in Week 5 in the win at the 49ers. Or that Adam Shaheen only totaled two catches for seven yards on the year. In Week 6, Gesicki failed to catch either targets while Shaheen led the Dolphins with 51 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.

The NFC East – The Cowboys are guaranteed to lead the division after playing the Cardinals on Monday night because they are already 2-3 and none of the other three teams have more than one win after six games. And yes, they still get to send a team to the playoffs.

RB Ronald Jones – The Buccaneers running back gained 113 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries and added two catches for eight yards in the dominating win over the Packers. That makes three straight weeks that Jones rushed for over 100 yards and even less reason to expect Leonard Fournette will experience a resurgence in 2020. Jones is currently the No. 12 fantasy running back despite being drafted as just fantasy depth.

RB vs. TE touchdowns – Only 13 running backs scored a touchdown in Week 6. There were 14 tight ends with a touchdown. That’s just wrong. Only George Kittle, Hayden Hurst, Rob Gronkowski, and T.J. Hockenson are likely on a fantasy roster and the 10 others are not. Trey Burton, Cole Kmet, Anthony Firkser, Nick Boyle, Logan Thomas, Adam Shaheen, Durham Smythe, Darren Fells, Jack Doyle, and Jason Croom – take your pick.

WR Travis Fulgham – The Eagles wideout turned in 75 yards and a touchdown on six catches. He’s only played in three games this year and scored in each while averaging 95 yards.

QB Kyle Allen – The starting quarterback of the Football Team may not sound that fantasy relevant, but Allen threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Giants. More notably, they play the Cowboys this week and then the Giants again in Week 9 after their bye. Those two matchups alone make owning Allen worthwhile.

Where’s the aspirin? – Of the 24 quarterbacks that started so far this week, 12 of them failed to pass for over 200 yards. Only four failed to throw for over 200 yards in Week 5.

Huddle player of the week

Derrick Henry  –  The Titans remain one of only three unbeaten teams and Henry has been instrumental in attaining that record. He had yet another of his monster games when facing the Texans on Sunday. King Henry ran for 212 yards on 22 carries and added two receptions for 52 yards. His first touchdown was merely a 94-yard jaunt and his last was as the wild cat quarterback when he won the game with a five-yard run.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Philip Rivers 371 3 QB Aaron Rodgers 160-14 0
RB Giovani Bernard 8-15
3-13		 1 RB Mark Ingram 5-20 0
RB Phillip Lindsay 23-101 0 RB Alexander Mattison 10-26
1-4		 0
WR Keelan Cole 6-143 0 WR Mike Evans 1-10 0
WR Travis Fulgham 6-75 1 WR T.Y. Hilton 1-11 0
WR James Washington 4-68 1 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 2-6 0
TE Anthony Firkser 8-113 1 TE Mark Andrews 2-21 0
PK Brandon McManus   6   FG PK Jake Elliott  zip
Huddle Fantasy Points = 146 Huddle Fantasy Points = 24

Now get back to work…

DFS Fantasy Football: Favorite Pro Plays – Week 4

WinDailySports’ CEO Jason Mezrahi checks in with his top Week 4 DFS fantasy football for FanDuel and DraftKings

Top-ranked daily fantasy sports pro Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite DFS plays at various salary ranges for Week 4 of the NFL season.

Even though we have had great results in picking top DFS plays in this article every week, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Our projection model at WinDailySports.com has been firing on all cylinders for the first three weeks so what I will do in this article is list some of our highest projected players based off raw points and our highest point per dollar plays based on DraftKings.com pricing.

These are some of the players Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel for this weekend’s slate.

QUARTERBACKS

RUSSELL WILSON, SEA

$7,800 DRAFTKINGS, $9,000 FANDUEL

Call it what you want, but I can’t fade Russell Wilson at this point in the season. He won me another $5,000 in Week 3 and I’m going back to the well in Week 4. Check the game logs and that’s all you need to know as to why I will be hitting the lock button on Wilson in Week 4. He has thrown for 5 touchdowns in each of his past 2 games (could’ve been 6 if Metcalf walked into the endzone with the ball still in his hands) and has averaged 36.3 DraftKings points on the season.

On paper, this might be his best matchup of the year versus the Miami Dolphin defense. They are towards the bottom of the league in passing and total yards allowed per game. Wilson has the safest floor of the entire slate and the highest ceiling. Lock him in your cash lineups and go over the field in tournaments.

RYAN FITZPATRICK, MIA

$5,400 DRAFTKINGS, $7,100 FANDUEL

It was a close call here to either target Ryan Fitzpatrick or Cam Newton as my value starter in Week 4, but I give a slight lean to Fitzpatrick due to the discount and better overall matchup. Even though I like Cam’s running upside and will be using him in tournaments, I like the matchup better for Ryan.

The Seahawks have been in shootouts every week regardless of matchups and I believe that will continue in Week 4. Fitzpatrick has looked great outside of his Week 1 matchup versus a stingy Patriots defense. He bounced back with 27- and 25-point performance in the last 2 weeks and I believe the floor in this matchup is 20 with a ceiling of 30. If you need some salary relief, buy some shares of Fitzmagic in Week 4.

RUNNING BACKS

ALVIN KAMARA, NO

$8,000 DRAFTKINGS, $8,800 FANDUEL

Alvin Kamara is back to his old self after having a down year by his standards last year. He has dropped 23, 38, and 47 DraftKings points to start the season and now draws a matchup versus the 3rd worst run defense in the league.

The Detroit Lions have allowed 172 rushing yards per game and Kamara will gash them all day Sunday. He has been productive on the ground and through the air. I’m hitting the lock button on DraftKings in cash games and will have a nice share of ownership on him for tournaments. This will be the last week you can get Kamara at $8,000 so enjoy the discount!

KENYAN DRAKE, ARI

$6,000 DRAFTKINGS, $7,000 FANDUEL

I believe the field was one week too early on Drake. He was highly owned in what looked to be a good matchup in Week 3 and disappointed a ton of people at over 30% ownership in tournaments and even higher % in cash games. Typically after weeks like that, you will see ownership drop off dramatically and that’s the best time to hop on board.

We saw it last week with guys like Derrick Henry and it will be a repeat performance this week for Drake.

His price went down on both sites, his ownership will drop by half on both sites. Meanwhile, he is still good at football and the matchup got better than last week. Carolina is the 2nd worst at defending running backs and I can easily argue that they are the worst overall. If game script goes as planned and Kyler Murray doesn’t vulture touchdowns away I see a huge game coming here for Drake.

WIDE RECEIVERS

TYLER LOCKETT, SEA

$7,000 DRAFTKINGS, $7,500 FANDUEL

The saying goes “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. I had almost 100% shares of Lockett in Week 3 and I owe him a night out for drinks after his monster three-touchdown performance.

The combination of Wilson to Lockett brought me to the promise land and I’m riding that same boat into Week 4.

As I stated above, the matchup is ideal versus Miami and the underlying numbers look great. Locket has hauled in 8, 7 and 9 receptions to start the season and I can see a double digit reception game out of him this Sunday. If you look at contests across the industry this weekend, you will see a bunch of Win Daily logos with Wilson/Lockett stacks in both cash games and tournaments.

JULIAN EDELMAN, NE

$5,700 DRAFTKINGS, $6,400 FANDUEL

Julian Edelman wasn’t needed much in Week 3 versus the Las Vegas Raiders, but the Patriots will need a massive game to out of him to stay within distance of the Kansas City Chiefs.

You want exposure to this game from the Patriot side because they should be playing catchup and Edelman will be the biggest beneficiary on this offense.

He is underpriced on both sites due to a down week and he provides great value because of it. The floor is safe here with Edelman and lets not forget about his 8-reception, 179-yard game in Week 2 versus Seattle. I can’t predict the same output, but I will have some shares of Edelman across both sites in Week 4.

TIGHT ENDS

MIKE GESICKI, MIA

$5,100 DRAFTKINGS, $5,700 FANDUEL

I typically look for discounts and red zone targets from my tight ends and I believe you get a little bit of both with Gesicki.

The Dolphins should be playing catchup throughout this game and I like a full game stack in tournaments where I run Wilson and Lockett with Gesicki.

The Seahawks have defended the tight end better this year than in years past, but still have allowed an average of 430 yards passing over the first 3 weeks. Not many tight ends provide the upside that Gesicki does, so get some shares of him in Week 4.

EVAN ENGRAM, NYG

$4,400 DRAFTKINGS, $5,600 FANDUEL

Evan Engram hasn’t had his breakout game yet in 2020 and it’s been a long time since he has shown his true talent. Injuries and inconsistencies have been his issue, so there is risk here with this play but we need upside and value at tight end and Engram has the talent to break a slate.

The Rams defense are 23rd in the league against tight ends and have allowed 253 passing yards per game, which will present opportunities for Engram. The Giants are building for the future and if Engram wants to be in that future he better start producing.

The motivation and matchup are there so don’t be surprised when he puts up 15+ points in Week 4.

DEFENSES

BALTIMORE RAVENS

$4,000 DRAFTKINGS, $5,000 FANDUEL

Lets keep this simple. The Ravens are coming off a bad loss to the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs and will be hungry to get back into the win column. Pair that with a matchup with Haskins and the Washington Football Team and they come in as one of the easier decisions to lock in on defense in Week 4. Whenever you have the salary lock in the Ravens do so in both cash and tournament lineups.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

$3,900 DRAFTKINGS, $4,800 FANDUEL

I like the Ravens slightly ahead of the Rams, but they are a close second. The Giants can’t protect Daniel Jones and Jones can’t protect the football. It’s been a turnover festival in NY and I don’t see this team getting better anytime soon.

The Rams have 7 sacks on the season and have caused 5 turnovers as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see 5 sacks and 2 turnovers in Week 4 versus an offense Vegas has projected to score only 17 points. The Giants total is the second lowest on the board, with the Washington Football Team projected to score 16.

Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than eight years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, expert chat, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.

[lawrence-newsletter]

Anatomy of a play: Ryan Fitzpatrick to Mike Gesicki

When Ryan Fitzpatrick connected with Mike Gesicki for a second-quarter touchdown, a week of film study paid off for the Dolphins.

Sometimes a touchdown scored on Thursday night is built Monday in the film room. The NFL is a copycat league. If something works for one team, you can be sure that when other organizations see that on film they will emulate that design. Particularly when it comes to game-planning for a future opponent.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie cornerback C.J. Henderson was on the wrong end of one such instance of this fact on Thursday night.

Jacksonville’s first of two first-round picks – and the ninth-overall selection – has enjoyed an up-and-down start to his NFL career. Henderson entered Monday night with an interception and four passes defended to his credit, but he had also given up some receptions and a touchdown through his first two professional contests.

One of those receptions came on this throw from quarterback Ryan Tannehill to Tennessee Titans tight end Anthony Firsker:

Let’s unpack this play a little bit. The Titans face a 3rd and 6 just outside the red zone, on the Jaguars’ 26-yard line. They align with Tannehill in the shotgun and three receivers to the right. Firsker is the middle receiver in this trips alignment. Henderson aligns outside the boundary receiver, and will be the outside-third defender in this Cover 3 coverage:

Here is the route concept:

This route design is going to test the rookie in coverage. Tennessee runs a flood concept, with Adam Humphries releasing to the flat while the boundary receiver runs a post route. Firsker’s route, the out pattern, is highlighted in yellow. Henderson is responsible for the outside third of the field, and will initially cover the vertical release from Corey Davis on that post route. However, he will need to pass that off to the free safety in the middle of the field and work back to the route from Firsker. If he is late to do so, the tight end will be open on the outside.

Which is what happens:

Henderson comes off the post route a step or so late, and Tannehill targets the tight end. The throw is slightly being Firsker causing the TE to adjust, and Henderson rallies to make the tackle.

But the seed is planted for Chan Gailey sometime on Monday afternoon as he prepares the gameplan for the Miami Dolphins.

Fast forward to Thursday night. The Dolphins have a 14-7 lead in the 2nd quarter and face a 1st an 10 on the Jacksonville 15-yard line. This is the route concept they dial up:

Look familiar? Except for the route from the running back being a swing route, this is almost the exact same design as the throw from Tannehill to Firsker. Now, they couldn’t be hoping to catch Jacksonville in Cover 3, thereby seeing if Henderson will be slow again to come off the post, could they?

Well:

As pointed out by Troy Aikman during the broadcast, the Jaguars indeed drop into Cover 3 on this play, putting Henderson in the same exact position he was under a week ago against the Titans. Ryan Fitzpatrick knows exactly where to look, which is that out route from tight end Mike Gesicki:

Again, Henderson peels off the post route a second too late, and that is all that Fitzpatrick needs to find his TE for the touchdown.

This is a difficult route concept for any cornerback to handle, as it will stress you in this coverage scheme. If you are a second too late to come off the post route, the out pattern is going to be there. Conversely, if you come off the post route too soon, the free safety will not be able to get there in time. Henderson will learn the timing on this concept as he gains experience, but it is a difficult one to master.

On the flip side, you have to give a tremendous amount of credit to Gailey – and his staff of scouts – for identifying this route design and getting it into the gameplan. If the NFL is indeed a copycat league, you better have the people on your staff to take advantage of those moments.

 

Silver linings to the Miami Dolphins’ 0-2 start to 2020 season

Silver linings to the Miami Dolphins’ 0-2 start to 2020 season

Starting 0-2 isn’t fun. And the Miami Dolphins are certainly not where they want or need to be as a franchise after the first two games of the 2020 season. But even amid the poor results on the field, the Dolphins should be encouraged by some of the individual player development that we’ve seen materialized through this two game stretch. Consolation prizes can only make you feel so much better — but there are a number of them that could ultimately have a hand in the Dolphins getting over the hump with time this season.

Here are some of the silver linings to the Dolphins’ slow starts.

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki (88) makes a one handed grab over Buffalo Bills strong safety Dean Marlowe (31) in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, September 20, 2020. [ALLEN EYESTONE/The Palm Beach Post]

Mike Gesicki’s continued emergence

Gesicki’s dominant performance in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills should have Miami fans feeling very excited about the development of their third-year tight end. With Gesicki continuing to trend upwards as a player and the successes proving to not be dependent on a certain offensive playbook, the Dolphins have to figure they’ve got a cornerstone player to work with here moving forward. That is, of course, provided the progress continues throughout the course of this season. But Gesicki is a player Miami should probably look to feed week in and week out given his early play.

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Three biggest surprises from Dolphins’ initial depth chart

Three biggest surprises from Dolphins’ initial depth chart

The Miami Dolphins have released their first official depth chart of the 2020 NFL season and, generally speaking, there weren’t too many surprises along the way. The Dolphins’ offensive line appears to be set — with rookies Austin Jackson and Solomon Kindley locking down starting jobs entering Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Add in Ryan Fitzpatrick commandeering the starting quarterback position and everything appeared to remain fairly in line with what training camp reports seemed to indicate for the Dolphins.

But that isn’t to say this depth chart didn’t offer at least some surprises. Here were the three biggest curveballs that Miami’s depth chart provided entering Week 1.

Dec 29, 2019; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki (88) catches the winning touchdown behind New England Patriots strong safety Patrick Chung (23) with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Gesicki as TE2

Durham Smythe, starting tight end of the Miami Dolphins? This was a bit of a surprise, but then again you have to consider the format of the depth chart. The Dolphins’ depth chart was listed in a traditional ’21 personnel’ presentation: with a tight end, running back and fullback all getting credited with a “1st-string” role. The Dolphins aren’t going to run a lot of 21 personnel (or maybe they will, but we shouldn’t expect it). Durham Smythe is also a better blocker than Gesicki, so traditional tight end reps will rightfully go to Smythe this his hand in the dirt over Gesicki.

But if you think that means Gesicki won’t play on Sunday, guess again. We’d be willing to bet Gesicki gobbles up more reps than Smythe in Week 1 despite what the depth chart reads.

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Sleepers and Value Plays: Tight Ends Update

2020 Sleeper and Value Plays at Tight End

A sleeper tight end is a player taken as a backup who ends up worthy of being a starter or at least far outplays the draft slot where you selected him. Average Draft Positions (ADP) are taken from MyFantasyLeague.com  using only recent drafts.

See also:
Sleepers and Value Plays: Quarterbacks Update
Sleepers and Value Plays: Wide Receivers Update
Sleepers and Value Plays: Running Backs Update

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.

Average Draft order – Value plays

Sleepers and over-valued players

Best of the Rest

Jordan Akins (HOU) – Third-year player with the Texans has drawn rave reviews for looking ready to step up this season. Texans will have to figure out exactly how to fill the hole left by DeAndre Hopkins and Akins could find a larger role.

Watch: Mic’d up highlights from first week of Dolphins practices

Watch: Mic’d up highlights from first week of Dolphins practices

The Miami Dolphins have been hard at work for the past week now, looking to work their way into proper playing shape for the upcoming 2020 season. It’s no easy task, not with the unorthodox preparation window that teams have been dealt thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But one thing that we do know is that Miami’s on-field banter appears ready for game day, even if the player’s bodies need a little extra time.

The Dolphins have released the week-long highlights of players being mic’d up for practices — and the results are hilarious. Linebacker Jerome Baker, tight end Mike Gesicki and defensive end Shaq Lawson all sport a microphone for different practices throughout the week, affording fans a glimpse underneath the helmet and a much-welcomed look at each of these players (and those around them) in a more personal light.

Through the first week, Miami has released over 13 minutes of mic’d up footage for fans to watch and get to know the players — we’ve embedded the video below so that you, too, may get to know Miami’s prominent talents a little better. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/MiamiDolphins/posts/10157831193954611

 

Third-year tight ends taking over the NFL

Six new starting tight ends that were all in the 2018 draft class

The role of an NFL tight end is one of the more complicated in any offense. They are responsible for blocking like a lineman and also run patterns and catch passes like a wide receiver. This dual responsibility usually results in the position requiring two years of experience before realizing their full potential. And this season welcomes an astounding six starting tight ends from that class of 2018.

Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens) – He wasn’t even the first tight end drafted by his team that year, but Andrews emerged as a starter. He caught 64 passes for 852 yards and ten touchdowns during the Raven’s perch atop the regular-season standings. His ten receiving scores tied for second-most in the league last season.

Hayden Hurst (Atlanta Falcons) – He was the first-round pick for the Ravens in 2018 but he fell behind Andrews and was just traded to the Falcons to replace Austin Hooper. He gets to resume his career on a team that ranked Top-5 in receptions and yards by their starting tight end last year.

Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) – Goedert was drafted by a team that already had an elite starting tight end, but he’s been far more than just a depth player. The Eagles lead the league with 155 catches for 1,610 yards by their tight ends last year. His 607 yards ranked No. 10 in the position for 2019.

Mike Gesicki (Miami Dolphins) – He notched 51 catches for 570 yards last season and can mature along with his new rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Gesicki was the second tight end drafted in 2018 and is in a great situation for another leap in production. Rookie quarterbacks often love their tight ends and the 6’6″ product from Penn State offers a huge target closest to the pocket.

Ian Thomas (Carolina Panthers) – After two seasons with Greg Olsen as the starter, the Panthers allowed him to leave. That gives Thomas his shot as the primary receiving tight end in the offense installed by new head coach Matt Rhule. No longer in Olsen’s shadow, Thomas becomes the unquestioned starter in a scheme that is expected to be pass-heavy.

Christopher Herndon IV (New York Jets) – After a promising rookie season with 39 receptions for 502 yards, Herndon missed last year due to a suspension and injuries. He’s back as the starter and already receiving rave reviews from coaches as a possible breakout player this year.

It is rare that more than three or four starting tight ends are produced by any draft class, let alone six in only their third seasons. The 2018 draft class gets its shot at being one of the strongest sets of tight ends in NFL history.