Bears TE Trey Burton Filling Nagy’s Kelce Role to Perfection, Rising Fantasy Floor

Earlier this offseason, fantasy owners salivated when Trey Burton was pegged for the Travis Kelce “U” role. Saturday’s contest versus the Broncos illustrated just how valuable this could be. Burton was used all over the field and on a variety of route combinations, ultimately hauling n 4-of-5 targets for 45 yards and a TD. 

Burton’s “Usage” this preseason has been extremely encouraging. He’s been on the field for  92% of Chicago’s first-team pass plays, while accounting for a team-leading 6 of Trubisksy’s 18 throws (33%). Moreover, Burton’s been split out in the slot on 47% of his routes, nearly-mirroring Kelce’s 50% slot usage from 2017.

Keep in mind, Nagy’s very first personnel conversation with GM Ryan Pace revolved around finding his next Kelce. This is a crucial cog of this attack, in which Kelce racked up a TE-leading 122 targets.“It’s an important role,” Nagy said. “It’s easy to create some plays for.”

Burton was far and away Nagy’s top choice for this job, which makes perfect sense considering the former Eagles’ insane athleticism. At 6’3″, 235 lbs, Burton is a physical freak, logging 2014 Combine bests in the 40 (4.62), the 3-cone (7.14) and the 20-yd shuttle (4.32). Nagy’s well aware of this athletic upside, stating:

“And when you have a guy that has the size that Trey has and the speed that he has, it’s about mismatches. That’s one of the things that I learned through coach Reid is getting mismatches throughout, and that’s what Trey does.”

The early results suggest a perfect fit. Carrying a 99 ADP and 93 ECR, Burton seems likely to bring a high-yardage floor to an otherwise uncertain position in this price range. This makes him a steal, and a Must-Target if you miss out on a more established Top-6 option. He’s risen into the 70s on my Big Board.

For more on Matt Nagy’s impact on the entire Bears’ offense, click here.

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  • Founder of Roto Street Journal. Lover of workhorse backs, target hog wideouts, and Game of Thrones. Aspiring to be the "Brady" and "Leo" of the fantasy universe.

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