Preseason has officially kicked off, and we are less than a month away from the start of the NFL season! It is time for dynasty managers to put more of a focus on 2023 as we begin the chase for our next title shot. Tight-end premium leagues are quickly becoming popular, and finding elite producers on the cheap can be the key to unlocking a championship. Travis Kelce is the obvious cheat code in this format, but there is one player who will have quite the breakout season in 2023. Gerald Everett will be a top-five option at the tight end position and is my 2023 Flag Plant.
Why Gerald Everett?
What 2022 Looked Like
In full PPR leagues, Everett finished the 2022 season as the TE13 overall. However, he was the TE15 when you use points per game to account for missed time for other tight ends around the league. The 2022 Los Angeles Chargers were set up to make a Super Bowl run but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs thanks to a second-half collapse at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Despite the fumblings of the Chargers’ defense in that game, Everett himself went off with six receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. That marked the sixth time in 2022 that Everett could eclipse 50 yards and his fifth touchdown. It was also his sixth appearance as a top-twelve fantasy tight-end. Inconsistency was the name of the game for Everett as he had almost as many appearances, five, outside the top-twenty tight-end options.
Now we may look back and say that he was the beneficiary of injuries as both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams missed time last year, but two of his top-twelve finishes came when Allen was playing. On top of that, Williams was active every time that Everett finished as a TE1. Despite his inconsistent production, Everett was efficient when looking at certain advanced metrics via PFF.com. He finished top-seven in yards after catch per reception at the tight-end position. In addition, he was also bottom-twenty in pass-blocking snaps per snaps played. This stat is a great way to reveal the elite fantasy tight ends who aren’t wasted as blockers. For example, some of the top names above Everett (6.9%) include Mark Andrews (0.2%), Darren Waller (1.9%), and Travis Kelce (3.6%).
2023 Season Changes
If you read my article on Justin Herbert, you probably already know where we are going when discussing the 2023 Los Angeles Chargers. We must talk about the addition of Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator. For starters, we can look at the target share that the tight-end position saw while under Kellen Moore during his time in Dallas. In 2022, the Dallas Cowboys tight end room enjoyed a 24% target share in that offense. For comparison, the Los Angeles Chargers tight ends only saw a target 18% of the time. An increased target share will help, but it’s not the only improvement Kellen Moore brings with him.
Joe Lombardi was like the restrictor plate on the race car that is Justin Herbert. Herbert’s average target depth under Lombardi was at the bottom of the league. This is despite Herbert having one of the best arms in the league. Luckily, Moore brings an offense that has produced quarterbacks with the top half of the league’s target depth. This will be a plus for Everett and all other pass catchers on this squad.
How To Capitalize
Startup Rankings
Using August’s version of the DynastyNerds Startup ADP, Everett is currently going as TE28 and 195th player overall. There is much value to be had by taking Everett earlier than the 16th round, where he currently goes. Some earlier players that I would take Everett over include Greg Dulcich (TE14), Dalton Schultz (TE16), and Taysom Hill (TE18). These players are all going between the 11th and 13th rounds and are marked a sweet spot to ‘reach’ Gerald Everett.
Trade Market
The trade market is another great place to find some value and add Everett to your rosters before the start of the 2023 NFL season. In most of these deals, you can include Everett as part of a bigger trade package to sneak in the value. Look at some of the latest Everett trades you can find as part of the DynastyGM2.0 Trade Browser.
Want exclusive access to my rookie rankings and those of over twenty fellow analysts? Subscribe to the #NerdHerd, where you get exclusive content, dynasty/rookie rankings, and DynastyGM! If you want 15% off ANY SUBSCRIPTION, USE PROMO CODE “LUNA” or CLICK HERE.
I hope you enjoyed this piece on one of my 2023 flag plants. Be sure to check back often, as I will reveal all of them before the start of the 2023 season. For more content like this, follow me on Twitter @DanT_NFL. DMs are always open for questions, comments, or craft beer recommendations!
