Dynasty Debate: Tyler Eifert vs. Eric Ebron

Coin Flip Posted On August 26, 2015

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Across the fantasy ethos, tight ends can be summed up in one syllable, UGH. After the top end talents, dynasty players are all looking for the next diamond in the rough – some are just searching for the rough. Today, we bring you two of the “next generation” of tight ends. Both of these players have a ton to prove and the physical gifts to do it, but which one would be better to have on a dynasty roster?

The Case for Tyler Eifert
Carla Gruse

I have started this debate seven times on Tyler Eifert and had to backspace and start over. I couldn’t be more excited to write about Eifert, my sleeper tight end of 2015. I realize had he not sustained an elbow injury in the Bengals first game of the season last year, he might be on everyone’s radar. It is almost as if Tyler wanted to be my 2015 sleeper pick and sacrificed a year in the NFL to make it happen. It is time for us as fantasy football fans and fans of football to grasp the idea this could be the year Tyler Eifert breaks out.

He began his NFL career when chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013 as the 21^st pick in the draft. He fits the statue of a tight end physique in the NFL standing at 6’6″ inches tall and weighs in at 250 lbs. He should be a terrific target for Andy Dalton to hit in stride downfield and especially the red zone. Jermaine Gresham’s departure from the Bengals will put Tyler Eifert in the spotlight. There is very little competition at the tight end position for Cincinnati this year. When looking over the depth chart, I noticed Ryan Hewitt from Stanford had the most experience with two years in the NFL and the others seem to be all rookies who may not even make the 53-man roster. Tyler Kroft, from Rutgers, is one rookie some are familiar with as he entered the draft forgoing his senior year after Rutgers moved to a run-dominated approach.

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Eifert is turning heads in practice and earning the confidence of his teammates every step of the way. Last year, Andy Dalton leaned on Jermaine Gresham for a healthy 78 targets. Eifert is a younger, faster and so far healthier player than Gresham and could easily have a 60-catch season. If you are in a PPR league, your ears just perked up. If I haven’t grabbed your attention by now, keep in mind his auction value should make your budget smile. I personally purchased him last week for $14 in an auction where we are given a $400 budget. To help understand the true value, Rob Gronkowski went for $77, while Jimmy Graham ($46), Greg Olsen ($43) and Travis Kelce ($35) were all purchased for top dollar. I understand Eifert may not be as talented as some or all in this group, but his price of $14 is perfect for a player who is now in line for the 78 targets Gresham received last year. I recently completed a serpentine redraft where Eifert went at 9.05 in a 12 team league. He went in another league that caught my eye in the tenth round. He is great value at this spot.

Whether you believe this is Tyler Eifert’s breakout year or not you have to agree his ADP in the ninth or tenth round is worth a flyer. I encourage you to jump on this train and enjoy the ride.

The Case for Eric Ebron
Adam Tzikas

While I do like both Eric Ebron and Tyler Eifert, I chose to argue the Ebron side. I think he gets a bad rap for being a rookie tight end. It’s not his fault, it’s just when he was born and drafted. The Detroit Lions selected him as the tenth player off the board in a draft last season which turned into being stacked at the wide receiver position. Just remember, he was the third offensive skill player selected over O’Dell Cornelius Beckham, Brandin Cooks and Jordan Matthews, among others. This is screaming the Lions clearly believe in his talent and upside.

Ebron is a big man. Standing at 6’4”, 265 lbs, he has the surprising speed which makes tight end coaches giddy and line backers shake in their cleats. He also ran a 4.6 forty yard dash, which is quite speedy for someone that large. Much can (and has) been said about rookie tight ends. There are a large number of studies and articles basically all saying the same thing, judging a tight end by his rookie year is a mistake. The modern day tight end is asked to be less of a run stopper and much more of a pass catcher, it’s the reason Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski are so highly praised. Being the big guy on the line, acting as another lineman at times and then going out and being a matchup nightmare for linebackers is the name of the tight end game. As the all-time ACC record holder for tight end yards in a season, Ebron can be that passing threat the Lions were hoping for.

Looking at his college tape, Ebron shows massive ability to be a pass catcher. He can body almost anyone in the air for the ball, has decent body control and actually runs a nice route tree. His main knocks are well known, a slight case of the dropsies and a strong lack of blocking skills. In his one year as a professional, he has shown a lot more of the same weaknesses. His blocking rated out to #67 amongst tight ends with 25% of snaps – he also had an 11% drop rate. Both of these areas are places where he can improve, especially in the blocking assignments.

His current situation couldn’t be better, though.

Ebron gets the benefit of lining up across from one of the best wide receivers in the game in Calvin Johnson and the underrated Golden Tate. Both of those players will command a ton of attention. Add in the fact that the Lions offense has been top ten in passing attempts over the last three years (over 700 in 2012) and Ebron is poised for a massive breakout. He also has one of the better gunslingers in Matthew Stafford tossing him the rock instead of the inconsistent Andy Dalton. In his entire career as an NFL quarterback, Stafford has targeted the tight end on 21% of his attempts. His recent news out of camp have been very positive, especially the praise from his signal caller. He has the physical tools needed to be a stud tight end in the NFL and it’s a situation I want to buy, especially at his ADP of 109.

So, which of these two young tight ends would you rather have? Let us know in the comments below.

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