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NFL free agency is just around the corner, and one fantasy-relevant sleeper stands out in this class. Of course, you have guys like Mike Evans, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry, but my eyes are on a player that nobody wants. Noah Fant was once viewed as a consensus top-five dynasty tight end, and after a disappointing first contract, he’s set to hit free agency. Below, I’ll be breaking down why Fant is a high-upside tight end you should acquire before free agency starts.
College Prospect Profile
Coming out of Iowa, Noah Fant was viewed as a fantastic tight end prospect despite not putting up big numbers in college. Fant’s lack of productivity was because the best tight end prospect in his class went to the same school as him. T.J. Hockenson was Iowa’s starting tight end and was dominant in the two years he was in college.
In Hockenson’s last collegiate season, he posted a remarkable 49-760-6 season. Fant, on the other hand, still had a really good year, putting up a 39-519-7 statline. Coming into the 2019 NFL Draft, Hockenson was projected to be a more complete tight end, while Fant was viewed as the athletic freak and a great receiver. In the 2019 draft, Hockenson went 8th overall to the Vikings (TE1), and Fant went 20th overall to the Broncos (TE2).
Here's video of the Broncos first round draft pick, Noah Fant - TE from Iowa pic.twitter.com/nf7ll4CW36
Denver Broncos (2019-2021)
After watching Sam LaPorta crush in his rookie season, many dynasty owners have become impatient with the development of these young tight ends. Fant was no different and only scored 6.9 PPG with a 40-562-3 rookie season. During his 2020 season, however, Fant drew 93 targets, caught 62 passes for 673 yards, and scored 10 PPG, which caused him to become the TE5, according to KTC. In 2021, Fant drew 90 targets, caught 68 passes for 670 yards, and scored 9.9 PPG.
Seattle Seahawks (2022-2023)
Despite having a strong start to his career with the Broncos, Fant was traded to the Seahawks in the infamous Russell Wilson deal. Heading into the season, Fant was being valued as the TE12, but there was hope he could help the Seahawks become an elite receiving corps. Even though Geno Smith came out of nowhere and had an amazing season, Fant did not.
In 2022, Fant took a massive step backward, only drawing 63 targets and putting up a 50-486–4 season (7.2 PPG). 2023 was even worse as Fant scored a meager 4.3 PPG while all his stats reached a career low. For one reason or another, once Fant came over to the Seahawks, his play took a massive hit.
Future Dynasty Outlook
I don’t see a possibility that Fant stays with the Seahawks in free agency, as he just doesn’t fit well on the offense. Now that the Seahawks have DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, they don’t need a receiving threat at tight end. Instead, they’d be much better off sticking with Will Dissly or Colby Parkinson at cost.
The 2024 draft class lacks depth at the tight end position, so I expect that whatever teams miss out on, Brock Bowers and Ja'Tavion Sanders will give Fant a call. Right now, the number one option seems like the Commanders, which could be great, assuming they take Drake Maye. All they really have is Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, so Fant could be the perfect number two or three option.
A few other landing spots would be the Bengals or the Colts. With the Bengals, Fant could replace Tyler Boyd as the number three option and get a significant amount of targets because they throw the ball so much. Fant thrives in the red zone, so playing for a high-powered offense would be great. Depending on what the Colts do with Michael Pittman, Fant could also be a nice fit there. Again, Fant would likely slot in as the number two or three option behind Josh Downs.
also why noah fant could be a pretty good free agent signing for certain teams
very high RAS, ranked 12th in EPA per target last season and age 26 is usually when we see tight ends start to break out https://t.co/0i5VUkgpSH pic.twitter.com/BWrKN4CjUP
It’s also worth noting that many tight ends tend to break out in the last year of their contract or after their first contract is over. Just look at David Njoku, who was a great prospect but didn’t fully develop until his age 27 season. I still believe Fant is a talented player, and it seems like his situation, not his talent, caused a drop in production. At the end of the day, you’re getting Fant behind guys like Brevin Jordan and Luke Schoonmaker, so there’s no risk in taking a shot on Fant.
