2022 Fantasy Upside
It's not hard to find reasons to get excited about Albert Okwuegbunam this season. Albert O entered the NFL with a 99th percentile speed score in part due to his 4.49 40-yard-dash time. That kind of speed comes in a 6'6", 260-pound package that will look to fill the void left by Noah Fant's trade. Speaking of that trade, Okwuegbunam will now be catching passes from Russell Wilson instead of Drew Lock, a significant upgrade to put it mildly. Fant's departure has opened up a great opportunity for Okwuegbunam to put his physical talent on display and break out in his third season.
2022 Fantasy Downside
Okwuegbunam will have to compete for targets with a stacked pass catching group in the new-look Denver offense. Okwuegbunam posted improvements on his rookie numbers across the board last season, but he still only caught 33 balls for 330 yards and a pair of touchdowns working behind Fant in the passing game. Okwuegbunam's physical talent is enticing, but he doesn't have much of a track record to show for it quite yet. While a breakout season is certainly within Albert O's range of outcomes, his stiff target competition could lead to some slow weeks along the way.
2022 Bottom Line
Okwuegbunam represents an exciting upside pick for those who like to wait until the later rounds to grab a TE. While he will have to show he can handle a starter's workload and be efficient in the passing game, Okwuegbunam has the physical tools and QB to pull it off. You could do a lot worse at TE than drafting Albert O in the mid-to-late rounds and hoping you cash in big.
