2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Jaheim Bell, TE Florida State
Jaheim Bell is one of the more unique prospects in the 2024 class. At 6’2” and 241 pounds, he is undersized as a tight end and supersized as a running back, the two positions he most often occupied during his time at both South Carolina and Florida State. Bell offers versatility, though in this case versatility may not be a huge plus as his deficiencies limit his upside at both spots.
Of course, you do not need to be a perfect player to succeed. There are tools to be tapped into; it will be up to a coaching staff to sort out how best to utilize them. We will examine Bell’s potential below.
The Stats
The Seminoles featured Bell as a receiver, allowing him to post the best numbers of his career as a senior. The numbers are modest when you compare them to some of the elite talents in this class, but few collegiate programs utilize the tight end position to a great degree. Bell has consistently been one of the nation’s most involved and productive tight ends over the past three seasons.
The Gamecocks fed Bell 73 carries in 2022, showcasing his unusual traits. The production, however, was not really there, and he is at his best detached from the line of scrimmage and working the intermediate parts of the field. Bell’s move to Tallahassee proved a wise one as it showcased what he does best.
The Film
Pop on any tape of Jaheim Bell and you will see the variety of ways offensive coordinators deploy him. He lines up in the slot. He will operate in the screen game. He will sprinkle in the occasional carry. There is nothing standard about his usage as a tight end.
One reason he is schemed touches is because he can be a nightmare for defenses after the catch. It is easy to see why he moonlights in the backfield; with the ball in his hands, Bell is a rugged runner, churning his legs to keep the pile moving and showcasing excellent speed for the position once he hits the open field. He is a natural runner who navigates seams in the defense expertly.
He is not going to line up as a traditional tight end and move defenders with his blocking skills, a real weakness in his profile when portending a future in the NFL. As fantasy managers, we do not care much about blocking skills but it is a hurdle Bell will have to surpass if he is to find snaps at the NFL level, especially given he does not have the prototypical size of a mismatch weapon.
The pros and cons when you flip on the tape are obvious. While I tend to be more concerned with the ways prospects win within their game, the cons for Bell are enough to question his overall fantasy upside.
The Measurables
The measurables support pretty much every notion we have regarding Bell. He is extremely undersized, both when measuring height and weight. He would be a real outlier if he can carve out a long career at tight end given his size.
On the flip side, he has the type of athleticism which gets us excited. Across the board, he is a plus athlete, with excellent speed and strong scores in explosive drills. The athleticism shows up on the field, as Bell routinely looks like a different breed compared to those tasked with covering him. The athletic tools keep the lights on for him as a prospect.
The Value
Courtesy of NFL Mock Draft Database.
Trends were aggressive on Bell early before falling into a more reasonable range: a day three selection. As more of a niche player who offers little value in-line, he is likely being pegged as a rotational tight end, albeit one who at least offers the playmaking skills we would need to see to acknowledge him as a fantasy asset.
Courtesy of March 2024 Rookie ADP.
Bell is part of a large swath of players who get selected in the back end of rookie drafts. Once you press into the fourth round or further in rookie drafts, the room is essentially just tossing darts at players they think have a fraction of a chance to make an impact. Bell is one such player, and barring some surprising draft capital, he figures to remain in this range post-draft.
Dynasty Outlook
It is difficult to get excited about tight ends in general, let alone those who lack a clear fit at the position. Even acknowledging he is an athletic player with some interesting tools, I have a hard time seeing Bell carving out a significant role within an NFL offense. I would much rather look elsewhere in the range he is going in, even acknowledging the player I take in place of Bell is a long shot in their own right.
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