Who is Zach Miller?
Gone are the days when we had to clarify which “tight end Zach Miller” we are referring to. What was unexpected was that it was the elder Zach Miller, the one originally drafted by the Jaguars, who would have fantasy relevance in 2015. While Zach Miller (the former Raider and Seahawk) is currently out of the league, his counterpart is carving himself a role as the second tight end on the Bears’ depth chart.
Entering the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) as a quarterback and safety, Miller was coming off a senior season in which he set high school records for passing yards and rushing yards. After redshirting in 2003, Miller played sparingly until he took advantage of increased opportunity to rush for over 1,000 yards in 2006.
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He then threw for over 1,000 yards each of the next two seasons (including over 1,500 as a senior) and scored 18 rushing touchdowns in his final year, ultimately setting UNO records with 50 total touchdowns and 306 points. It wasn’t until the Cactus Bowl all-star game that he played significant snaps at tight end, but he shined in that role (five catches for 116 yards and a touchdown) and ultimately switched positions full-time.
Though he did not attend the 2009 NFL Combine, Miller posted impressive numbers at his UNO Pro Day. At 6-foot-4, 240-pounds, a 4.53-second 40-yard dash would have placed him second among tight ends (behind only Jared Cook) at the Combine. The two would have been battling throughout the event as Miller’s 37.5” vertical jump was second only to Cook’s 41” and Miller would have placed first with a 10’4” broad jump (Cook recorded 10’3”). He also would have placed seventh at the position with a 7.06-second 3-cone drill and first overall with a 4.22 second 20-yard shuttle. Unfortunately, he couldn’t participate in the bench press as he had a torn tendon in his hand at the time. His excellent Pro Day performance put him squarely on the draft radar for NFL teams despite his lack of experience at tight end.
To the chagrin of some Jacksonville fans, the Jaguars selected Miller with the 180th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The team had just concluded its failed experiment to move another athletic former college quarterback to receiver (Matt Jones), so the fanbase was wary of another attempt. However, Miller received favorable comparisons to Owen Daniels and Dallas Clark by the coaching staff.
What the Jaguars’ Offensive Coordinator, Dirk Koetter, saw was an intelligent player with good hands and run after-the-catch ability. His Pro Day results also confirmed the speed and athletic ability that was not abundantly available on tape given his late position switch, and his knowledge of the playbook and expectations for route-running helped assuage concerns over his inexperience. He also showed physicality and potential as a blocker, which are requirements at the position no matter how much the team anticipates using the player as a receiver.
Aside from the obvious downside as a developmental project player, Miller’s frequency on the injury report raised red flags. With the increased amount of pounding he would have to endure at tight end, an already oft-injured player at a higher level of competition would need to bulk up and prove that he can stay on the field.
With all this in mind, Miller made the 53-man roster out of the preseason. He played in 14 games, but only caught 21 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. His lack of involvement in the passing game may partially be attributed to the Jaguars not heavily the tight end position, given that the other two tight ends on the roster (Marcedes Lewis and Ernest Wilford) combined for just 641 yards and three touchdowns on 43 receptions.
In 2010 he regressed very slightly as he caught 20 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown, and endured an injury-plagued 2011 season in which he only played four games and caught four passes. As he worked back from his injury, he suffered a season-ending injury in the 2012 preseason and was placed on injured reserve, only to be waived in October 2012.
Tampa Bay signed Miller in early January 2013, but he was released near the end of training camp during roster cuts. He remained unemployed until the Bears signed him in late December. He proceeded to put together a stellar preseason, catching six passes (including two touchdowns) in the Bears’ preseason opener to be promoted to two-tight end sets as a starter. However, a freak Lisfranc injury ended his season before it started and he was placed on injured reserve. He quietly re-upped with the Bears in February 2015 for a relatively sizable increase in salary.
Thus far in 2015, Miller has remained healthy and is becoming a key cog in the offense. After catching three passes for 35 yards through the first eight weeks of the season, he has caught all seven of his targets for 130 yards and three touchdowns over the last two weeks. With Eddie Royal unable to stay on the field, to Miller’s advantage the Bears have used more sets with multiple tight ends on the field. Finally getting a chance to show his athleticism, it appears he will at least remain the target of a few passes each game until all of Chicago’s receivers (including Matt Forte) are healthy again.
Long-term, though Miller is not currently signed beyond the 2015 season, Chicago only has two tight ends (Martellus Bennett and Khari Lee) on the roster signed going into next season. If Miller continues to catch every pass thrown his way, he could be an inexpensive backup option (with familiarity of the offense) for the Bears to retain. He has the production and athleticism to rise to the occasion, though expectations should be tempered as long as Bennett is rostered and healthy.
Miller is worth a stash in tight end-premium leagues, but is otherwise a speculative add who is still buried on the Bears’ depth chart.
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