Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith Do NOT Have Big Fantasy Upside With Patriots
Our intern Kam Moos has written some questionable posts in the last few weeks. It’s been a flurry of articles that have led me to this point. I can’t let this man continue to get away with these things.
First, he called Kellen Mond an elite arm talent. If Mond is an elite arm talent, I’m an elite car mechanic. For the record, I don’t know how to change a tire.
Kam then wrote a post about how Zach Wilson is better than Justin Fields. I’m not saying it is or isn’t a valid opinion. I like both prospects coming into the 2021 NFL Draft. However, when you say Wilson is more accurate than Fields and your sole evidence is using completion percentage… I just can’t.
Mitchell Trubisky completed 67.5% of his throws at North Carolina. Is he accurate? Do better man. Just do better. Not even a mention of one guy plays in the Big 10 and the other plays against Panera Bread State every week?
We also have a post about how Kam called John Ross a dominant prospect coming out of the University of Washington. I just can’t with this man. I have no words for him. Watch the Bowl game against Alabama with Marlon Humphrey. Not a person alive takes Ross in the first round with a brain. It’s why I gave the Bengals a D for their draft in 2017. Carl Lawson is the only thing that saved it from an F. Turns out I was right again.
Are you all caught up now? K… Good. Mr. Moos wrote a post about Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith having big time fantasy value. I’m writing the counter post because I just flat out disagree. Come draft day, I will let someone else take Henry or Smith.
It’s way too early for the initial fantasy rankings to come up from the so called “experts” that I continue to put in my back pocket every year when it comes to fantasy. However, I would anticipate Henry and Smith being anywhere from the TE3 to TE6 range. There’s just no way you can justify that value.
Talent and opportunity creates fantasy success. I think both tight ends the Patriots signed have talent. This idea that the Patriots are the landing spot that creates fantasy success is flat out laughable.
Over the last two years, the Patriots have thrown three end zone targets to their tight ends the last two years. THREE. The Patriots also had the second fewest pass attempts in the NFL a year ago. Only ahead of gimmick Baltimore that has a running back playing quarterback.
So let me get this straight, we’re now getting excited about a pair of tight ends in fantasy going to an offense that doesn’t throw and doesn’t target the tight end at a high rate in the end zone? What are we doing here?
This is not Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. That was a Patriots team dropping points left and right. This New England team isn’t even the king in their division anymore. Even if the Patriots are more competitive, we know their defense and run game is still very much part of the formula.
Finding a functional tight end in fantasy is hard enough. Why would you want one in the middle of a time share in a putrid offense? A great example is Dallas Goedert. Sure, there are weeks he had good fantasy weeks. The fact of the matter is he was playing second fiddle to Zach Ertz and never put up the numbers he should. Then a year later, Ertz’ production took a massive hit out of nowhere screwing every fantasy owner. There’s a huge unpredictability aspect here.
Even in pass happy Tampa, the Bucs couldn’t find sustainable fantasy success for Rob Gronkowski or Cam Brate. Tight end duos should always be something to avoid.
Regardless of what the Patriots put out there at wide receiver, the ball is going to be spread around. Julian Edelman, Kendrick Bourne, and Nelson Agholor will have their targets. Furthermore, we know it’s an offense that dumps a ton of balls down to a pass catching running back like James White.
Bad offense, limited throwing opportunities, time share at the position, and … Cam Newton as the quarterback? Light me on fire before I take either Jonnu Smith and or Hunter Henry in fantasy this year.
My fantasy draft comes before the NFL Draft so sure, things can change. However, it’s safe to assume Cam Newton will be the Week 1 starter with the Pats. Outside of a Jimmy Garoppolo trade, Cam should be the guy to start the year.
New England is definitively in the quarterback market. I’m not disputing that. The Patriots likely will take a quarterback in the draft. At the end of the day, does it matter who the Patriots take?
A: Does Bill Belichick seem like the kind of guy that will just throw a rookie quarterback into the fire? Maybe, maybe not. I can’t answer that. It’s also rare to find rookie quarterbacks that give teams massive fantasy value for the supporting cast.
B: Given Belichick’s draft history, he’s going to whiff and take Kellen Mond or Jamie Newman in the second round. Hey, good luck with that.
Cam Newton will do no favors for his tight ends in fantasy. Cam had 12 rushing touchdowns a year ago. All those red zone scores that could go to Henry or Smith get flushed down the toilet. Newton also had a 8-10 TD to INT ratio a year ago.
Is it possible Cam improves in 2021? 100 percent. What’s the high end of touchdown passes we’re looking at with Cam? 20? Where exactly is the touchdown production coming in a time share tight end split?
You guys can take Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry in fantasy. I’m way out. No thank you sir. I’ll buy my chicken elsewhere.
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