Week 5 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Evan Engram had 6 catches (on 11 targets) for 62 yards last week against the Bucs. Engram has now been targeted at least 7 times in each of his past three games, and he’s yet to gain less than 44 receiving yards this season. He should continue to be an active part of the Giants passing game all season.
The Chargers haven’t given up a touchdown to the tight end position yet this season, but they do give up 7.4 yards per pass attempts, which is 20th in the league. They have injuries in the secondary that may free up some space for Engram to work the seam, and he has the speed to beat them deep. We have him as a top-10 option at his position this week.
Week 4 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evan Engram has been targeted 19 times through his first three games, and he has at least 40 yards receiving in each outing. That kind of consistency makes him an interesting option throughout the rest of the season, as the Giants seem ready to feature him in the middle of the field.
This week, he has upside against the Bucs, who allowed Case Keenum to throw 3 touchdown passes against them last week. Engram is in the concussion protocol, so be sure to monitor the inactives list for his status. If healthy, Engram has some streaming potential.
Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles
The Giants targeted Evan Engram a team-high 7 times on Monday night against the Lions. He caught 4 passes for 49 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Engram should continue to be an excellent option in the passing game for Eli Manning, who has been known to use his tight ends well in the past.
Engram will face an Eagles team that gave up 103 yards and a touchdown to Travis Kelce last week, so he has some upside. It’s still scary to trust a rookie, but if you’re looking for a streaming option this week, he might be worth picking up as a guy with short-term use and long-term upside.
Week 2 vs. Detroit Lions
The Giants targeted Evan Engram 5 times on Sunday night against the Cowboys, and he wound up with 4 catches for 44 yards. He flashed the receiving talent that made him a first-round pick, and he looks like he has quite a bit of upside moving forward.
The Lions kept the Arizona offense in check Week 1, but Arizona doesn’t feature the tight end position, and this week will be a better barometer for the Detroit defense. Engram has some upside as a fringe starter this week, but he’s a better stash option than a streaming pick at the moment. Rookie tight ends are still hard to trust in fantasy.
Week 1 at Dallas Cowboys
Evan Engram caught 65 balls last season at Ole Miss and he has the size and playmaking ability to cause mismatches in the NFL. He’s in a good position with the Giants and has the rare potential to make an impact as a rookie.
Eli Manning targeted his vastly underperforming tight ends 113 times last season. Engram has a chance to produce at a high level if he gets that kind of work this season. While it’s hard to trust a rookie tight end in Week 1, Engram is still worth rostering in large leagues or as a potential long-term option. I’d sit him against Dallas, and keep an eye on him for future use.
Fantasy Upside
Evan Engram demonstrated elite receiving skills at Ole Miss last season, putting up 926 yards and eight touchdowns on 65 receptions. He also demonstrated excellent speed at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds. Engram is a new-wave “move” tight end in the same mold as Jordan Reed, and he should line up all over the field for the Giants. Eli Manning has made quality fantasy targets out of his tight end position in the past, and holdover Will Tye is coming off a down year. Engram will get every opportunity to make an early impact on this roster.
Fantasy Downside
Tight ends don’t traditionally have great fantasy success in their rookie seasons. While Engram comes in as a first-round pick, he’ll still need to work his way into the lineup and Will Tye is still lurking. Tye was productive in 2015 for the Giants and we might see New York use multiple tight end sets. Additionally, there could be limited targets to spread around with Brandon Marshall arriving from the Jets and Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard already on the roster.
2017 Bottom Line
Engram should be an early target in dynasty league formats as he has a rare skill set that should make him a long-term fantasy stud at the tight end position. He’s an interesting option in redraft leagues, but is probably more of a late-round flyer or streaming option in most formats. The tight end position has become so deep in recent seasons that it’s hard to bank on a rookie.
