Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Harrison Bryant, TE CLE
The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty owners we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In the Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profile and where they fit.
Name: Harrison Bryant
Position: Tight end
Pro Team: Cleveland Browns
College Team: Florida Atlantic
Draft Status: Round four, 105th overall selection
Video Highlights
Combine Review
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 243 lbs
- Arms: 30.675″
- Hands: 9.5″
- 40-yard dash: 4.73 seconds
- Bench press: 13 reps
- Three-cone drill: 7.41 seconds
- Vertical jump: 32.5”
- Broad jump: 110”
Strengths
- Age – he is only 22 despite playing four years in college.
- Started for three seasons and caught 148 passes during his career. Extremely productive.
- Opportunity could be there with David Njoku on his way out of town by the end of 2021, in time for Bryant to become a developmental project who can get on the field.
- 2019 Mackey Award Winner as the nation’s top tight end.
Weaknesses
- Size – 29 BMI does not bode well for him to be a full-time TE and he will likely need time to develop his body into a place where he can get regular playing time.
- Arm length (second percentile) and hand size (20th percentile) are well below-average; they may impact his blocking ability and mean less time on the field.
- Strength – he posted only 13 bench press reps.
- Average to above-average athlete, but not special enough to overcome other weaknesses.
Opportunities
Austin Hooper is a lock to start after signing a four-year, $42 million contract with the team in March, while David Njoku is still only 23 years of age and a former first-round pick. After them, Bryant will battle sophomore Stephen Carlson and third-year pro Pharaoh Brown for reps. Both played limited snaps last season after injuries to Njoku and figure to be in the mix again as both are on cheap contracts. Neither offer much of a threat in the passing game and if Bryant can show he belongs on the field, he likely surpasses both in the target pecking order at the position.
The Vikings under new Browns coach Kevin Stefanski used the second-most multiple tight end sets in the league last season and this should point toward two players at the position being fantasy-relevant. With the outside chance that Njoku is moved before he becomes a free agent after 2021, an opportunity for Bryant could come as soon as the 2021 season if all things shake out in his favor.
Threats
Bryant steps into a crowded situation. Hooper signed a big contract while the team also picked up David Njoku’s fifth-year option and will keep him under contract through 2021. Both players have a superior profile and commitment from the team (despite Njoku’s 2019 season) and will not cede reps to Bryant. Combine this with his lack of strength and missed summer reps as a rookie, Bryant is likely a redshirt candidate for at least one season.
The Browns have Jarvis Landry under contract through 2022, Odell Beckham under contract through 2023 and combined with the aforementioned tight ends, Bryant is pretty far down in the pecking order even if he is ready to physically contribute as early as 2021. The team also selected Donovan Peoples-Jones in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, and he represents another athletic freak at the wide receiver position who will also be fighting for targets within one or two seasons.
Short-Terms Expectations
I do not expect a role in 2020. Given the current depth chart at the position, Bryant’s raw physical ability and a delayed off-season program for rookies, chalk up next season as a punt year for the fourth-round pick. He would need an injury and trust of the coaching staff before getting active on game day, let alone being a consistent target in the passing game.
Long-Term Expectations
Njoku being moved before 2021 is the best-case scenario for Bryant and more than likely, 2022 is the target season for him to find his footing. Two years of development gives him enough time to build up his body to compete at the NFL level and if he can progress in this area, the skills to be a fantasy weapon are there. I expect a window near the end of 2021 where we see flashes of his potential and a chance in 2022 to make an impact. A lot can happen with the team in this time, but ceiling projection could easily see Bryant as a top 12 player at the position in dynasty by the end of his rookie contract (2023).
NFL Player Comparison
Jace Sternberger comes to mind as a good comparison. I was a big Sternberger fan, but his value has gotten to a point where it is all hype. At TE22 in the current ADP, attrition, and the lack of target competition in Green Bay has been favorable to his value rise. As noted above with Bryant, I anticipate an up-and-down year for Sternberger in Green Bay with a valuation decision to be finally determined on him by the end of year three (2022). Give the same patience to Bryant and then make a final decision.
Projected Rookie Draft Range
According to the June DLF superflex ADP, Bryant is going at pick 58 or the 5.10. In a draft that only goes four rounds, he likely falls to the waiver wire. Adding him to your roster is likely dependent on league format and roster space. In deep tight end premium leagues (30 or more roster spots) or start two tight end leagues, consider Bryant a priority waiver addition or even a player worth moving to the very back of the fourth round to secure his services. I would draft him over Josiah Deguara (4.09) and Thaddeus Moss (5.07)
Conclusion
Approach the tight end position with caution and be patient. This class is very weak at the position, but the numbers say that one or two of the tight ends in this class will outkick their ADP valuation. If your approach is to add these guys cheap, Bryant should be at the top of your list.
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