Similar to his wideouts, Pat Shurmur’s track record with tight ends feels pretty consistent: when he’s had talent, he’s put it in position to succeed. Over his last four campaigns, Shurmur has targeted his tight ends at least 80 times, including an insane 132 targets for Kyle Rudolph just two seasons ago. He loves the play action ball and sending his tight ends streaking down the seams, while also crafting up tight end screens.Rookie tight ends notoriously translate slowly to the NFL, so Evan Engram’s 722 yards, 6 TDs and TE5 fantasy campaign emphasizes his immense talent.
Again, Shurmur crafts opportunities for his playmakers, and Engram will certainly be towards the top of his priority list. He’s a true matchup nightmare with a blazing 4.42 forty at 6’3″, 234 lbs and butter smooth route running.
He’ll see immense red zone volume and have plenty of space underneath, as Beckham’s return should only further shake Engram free. Not to mention the addition of Saquon Barkley. “You look at teams with a solid running game and great running back, it opens the doors for a lot of things in the passing game,” Engram said. “Especially in the middle of the field. And that’s where the tight ends usually get a lot of their production. So it’s exciting. I’m excited to see him come in and make the transition.”
Expect Shurmur to capitalize upon these physical gifts, while Engram takes the usual sophomore leap himself.
He may struggle for the volume to reach Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz territory, as Engram will be below Beckham, Barkley, and likely Shepard most weeks on the target totem pole. Still, the quality of these looks will be sky-high, and Engram should approach or surpass double-digit scores with similar yardage and reception totals.
