Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Noah Fant, TE DEN

Dwight Peebles Posted On May 17, 2019

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Name: Noah Fant

Position: Tight End

Pro Team: Denver Broncos

College Team: Iowa Hawkeyes

Draft Status: Round one, 20th overall

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

COMBINE REVIEW

Height: 6’4”
Weight: 249 pounds
Arms: 33 1/2”
Hands: 9 3/4”
40-Yard Dash: 4.50
Bench press: 20 reps
Vertical Jump: 39.5”
Broad Jump: 127.0”
3-Cone Drill: 6.81 Seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.22 Seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A

STRENGTHS

Initial burst creates separation off the snap quickly
Long strider and fast, faster than some defensive backs
A nightmare to cover in the red zone, nose for the end zone
Can get up and win contested high passes
Gets open at any level and solid route running
Hands are phenomenal, catches low passes and doesn’t fumble
Uses hands well in blocking, stays balanced and engages

WEAKNESSES

Affected by contact in routes, needs strength while running
Not a strong blocker at the point of attack – can be pushed around
Doesn’t adjust well to the ball when in the air at times
Needs to learn to read zones and adjusting to what defense gives him
Can drop the ball if a big hit is coming, loses focus

OPPORTUNITIES

Fant was the man in Iowa in 2017 before the emergence of TJ Hockenson hampered his production in 2018. He caught 30 passes for 494 yards and 11 scores in 2017, leading the Hawkeye aerial attack on an offense which focused on the run and controlling the clock. He started gathering buzz as being the next great Iowa tight end and was expected to take a huge step forward. 2018 brought in Hockenson and Fant’s production stalled a little – another 39 catches for 519 yards and seven scoring grabs – not bad by any means but not the progress most were expecting.

The Scouting Combine brought one of the most impressive showings ever by a tight end. Fant displayed his impressive athletic acumen and destroyed all the drills. His times weren’t the most impressive aspect, I was on hand and the way he ran the drills was eye-opening. He caught everything thrown his way and ran with a speed which made all the other tight ends look like they were lineman running the drills.

Drafted in the first round by the Broncos, Fant will see the field early and often. He is already listed as the starter in early depth charts. The Broncos have searched for an answer for years; the depth chart also consists of Jeff Heuerman, Troy Fumagalli, and Jake Butt.

THREATS

There isn’t a credible threat to block Fant from getting targets early and often, as long as he can grasp the NFL game and playbook. Heuerman will likely see a good share of reps, specifically in run formations, but he hasn’t been a pass catcher consistently. Butt is a talented tight end but hasn’t been able to see the field due to injuries. Fant will get in the game early and specifically in pass-catching formations.

SHORT-TERM EXPECTATIONS

As stated above, Fant will see the field. I expect some of the typical growing pains associated with learning the nuances of a tight end in the NFL but I don’t see the Broncos requiring Fant to learn much regarding run-blocking. I could see them employing him more as a move tight end, similar to how the New York Giants used Evan Engram his first two seasons. A stat line in the 45-50 catch range with 600 yards and seven touchdowns is what I project for 2019.

LONG-TERM EXPECTATIONS

Fant will be the next of the tight ends to make a big splash in the NFL from Iowa and he is going to be a TE1 for many seasons. A lot of people want to project George Kittle numbers to him and Hockenson, I believe those are a bit lofty – not every offense will employ and use the tight end the way San Fransisco has. That said, I see Fant consistently being a tight end who tallies in the 75/900/10 range for at least the next six to eight years. He is an extremely talented pass-catching tight end with upside to post those numbers and more. If he can develop his blocking capabilities, he will never be taken off the field and could even put up better touchdown numbers.

NFL PLAYER COMPARISON

I comped him recently on a podcast as a more talented Eric Ebron. They have similar athletic profiles. Fant is a much better pure pass-catcher and will not be plagued by drops as Ebron was early in his career with Detroit. Both were drafted high with expectations to be huge difference makers in their respective offenses.

PROJECTED ROOKIE DRAFT RANGE

According to our Rookie ADP, Fant is currently 11.0 on average in the first ten rookie mocks since the NFL Draft. In a TE-premium format, I believe Fant should be taken in the 6-7 range. The tail-end of the first round is the sweet spot to grab the talented Bronco in standard formats.