Week 3 at Minnesota Vikings
Gerald Everett played fewer snaps than Donald Parham against the Titans but ended up out-producing his stablemate with three grabs for 47 yards on three targets. Everett managed 6.2 Half PPR points and finished as the TE20 in Week 2.
The Vikings do not pose an insuperable barrier to tight ends at present, but the tight-end timeshare on the Chargers offense puts a serious cap on Everett's floor and ceiling. He could and should be able to put up high-end TE2 numbers. But we've seen this movie before, almost too many times.
Week 2 at Tennessee Titans
It was a frustrating week for Gerald Everett managers in Week 1, with the Chargers tight end facing an enticing matchup against the Dolphins. Everett saw just three targets, which brought him two grabs for 21 yards and no touchdowns, bringing him a meager tally of 3.3 Half-PPR points. Everett finished the week as the TE28.
Everett's matchup against the Titans is, again, quite an enticing one. However, the prospect of a timeshare with Donald Parham at tight end makes both of them hard to trust going forward. Everett should probably be viewed as a TE3 this week.
Week 1 vs Miami Dolphins
In his first season with the Chargers, Gerald Everett had a career year in 2022. He caught 58 balls for 55 yards and four touchdowns, scoring 6.8 Half-PPR points per game on his way to a TE14 finish.
Everett, and his fantasy supporters - of which there are many - will be hoping that Kellen Moore brings some of his tight-end whispering ways with him from Dallas to aid Everett in 2023. Dalton Schultz was the TE10 in Half-PPR formats a year ago when Moore was calling the plays for the Cowboys. Everett should be able to start the season strong against the Dolphins, who struggled mightily against tight ends a year ago. They finished 31st in aFPA to the position in 2022. Everett is a high-end TE2, and is definitely an option if you need to stream at the TE spot this week.
Fantasy Upside
Gerald Everett joined the Chargers last offseason coming off the best year of his career — and promptly set career highs in catches and yards with the Bolts in 2022. As the team's official website notes, the versatile tight end's big year was even more impactful by the injury-plagued year that saw many offensive pieces miss time. Everett played in 16 games and set career bests in receptions (58) and receiving yards (555) while tying his career high with four scores during the regular season. Not only was Everett productive as a safety valve, SBNation notes he was also the team’s best YAC threat not named Austin Ekeler. After recording a new career high in 2021 with the Seahawks (249), Everett topped that by a good margin with 326 in 2022. He capped off the season by hauling in six passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the AFC Super Wild Card game. "I think that with Gerald Everett, we know that what we're getting," Staley said about Everett. "That guy was a weapon for us."
Fantasy Downside
Necessity was one reason Everett became a weapon. With injuries limiting Keenan Allen to 10 games and Mike Williams to 13 (not to mention the season-ending knee injury Jalen Guyton suffered early in Week 3), the tight end ended up drawing the fifth-most targets on the team (87). A similar workload is not guaranteed.
2023 Bottom Line
With a new wideout in the mix in first rounder Quentin Johnston, it’ll be interesting to see just how the target share gets split between the team’s playmakers. Assuming Ekeler, Allen, and Williams remain healthy, Everett's role could well be diminished. The concerns push him down to the tail end of the TE2 conversation.
Week 17 vs Los Angeles Rams
Despite playing 37 snaps against the Colts in Week 16, Gerald Everett failed to make an impact on the stat sheet. He was not targeted, even once, making him a leading contender for the Chris Hogan Wind Sprint award for Week 16.
If the Chargers decide they can spare a few targets for Everett in Week 17, then the matchup is actually quite an attractive one. The Rams rank 24th in aFPA to tight ends this season. But Everett has been such a volatile option, even for a tight end, that it is very hard to project him as anything other than a mid-tier TE2 this week.
Week 16 at Indianapolis Colts
Gerald Everett saw six targets for the Chargers against the Titans last week. He turned these looks into four grabs for 42 scoreless yards, extending his streak of games since his last touchdown to nine. Everett finished the week as TE21 with 6.2 Half PPR points.
Everett is facing a particularly tricky matchup against the Colts in Week 16. The Colts rank third in aFPA to tight ends this season. Everett is hard to trust, especially if you want more than a high-end TE2 this week.
Week 15 vs. Tennessee Titans
A week after a five-catch, 80-yard performance against the Raiders, Gerald Everett once more reeled in five passes in Week 14. This time however he could only muster 28 scoreless yards on his way to 5.3 Half PPR points, finishing as the TE13.
On paper, it's quite a good matchup for Everett this week against the Titans, who rank 26th in aFPA to tight ends. But Everett has been so volatile this season while lacking a genuine breakout game, that it is hard to get carried away about his prospects. Look for him to be at or around the low-end of the TE1 standings this week.
Week 14 vs Miami Dolphins
Gerald Everett had one of his best games as a Charger against the Raiders in Week 13. He saw six targets and caught five for a season-high 80 yards. He was held without a touchdown for the seventh game in a row, but his deeds brought him 10.5 Half PPR points, good for TE5 for the week.
It would appear that the stars are lining up for Everett to build on last week against the Dolphins in Week 14. The Dolphins rank 28th in aFPA to tight ends and only the Arizona Cardinals have allowed more receptions to tight ends than the Dolphins this season. With six teams on a bye, Everett projects to be a solid TE1 option this week.
Week 13 at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 12 was a very disappointing week for Gerald Everett on his return to the Chargers lineup. Playing a Cardinals defense incredibly friendly for tight ends, Everett was held to four catches for just 18 yards. He did catch the crucial two-point conversion from Justin Herbert to win the game and prop up his fantasy output, but he still only managed 5.8 Half PPR points and finished as the TE19 for the week. Everett averages 7.1 Half PPR points per game this season, good for TE10.
The Raiders' defense is not great, but it's not been terrible against tight ends this season. The Raiders rank 11th in aFPA to the position. Still, given the toxic nature of the position, Everett's presence a) on the field and b) in an offense likely to move the ball keeps him fantasy relevant, and he should be able to produce as a top 12 fantasy option this week.
Week 12 at Arizona Cardinals
Gerald Everett missed the Chargers' Week 11 loss to the Chiefs with a groin injury. But if he is able to return to action in Week 12, he couldn't really ask for a better matchup.
The Cardinals are 31st in aFPA allowed to tight ends, with no team allowing more receptions, receiving yards, or touchdowns to the position. Everett should be a borderline top 12 option this week if he can suit up.
