Fantasy Football 2017: So you want to wait on tight ends?

4. Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions

Fantasy Football Calculator ADP: 13.05

Many were hoping and expecting a breakout season from Lions tight end Eric Ebron last year. The former first-round pick out of North Carolina was entering his third season in the NFL and he showed a lot of promise in the previous two seasons. Although Ebron did manage to set career highs in both receptions (61) and receiving yards (711), he only finished as the 14th PPR tight end. Despite not finishing as a TE1, Ebron showed he can easily be a TE1 in 2017.

Ebron missed three games with ankle and knee injuries. Between Weeks 8-17 (after he returned from injury), Ebron was the No. 8 PPR tight end. Maybe the most impressive part about Ebron’s second-half performance is he finished as a TE1 despite not catching a single touchdown pass (he did have a rushing touchdown in Week 11). His one and only touchdown reception in 2016 happened in Week 1. I’m all but certain he’ll have more touchdowns this season.

Last year Anquan Boldin led the Lions in touchdown receptions with eight. Five of Boldin’s eight touchdowns came inside the red zone. With Boldin not with Lions in 2017, Ebron who stands at 6-4 and 253 pounds, should be one of Matthew Stafford‘s favorite targets near the end zone. If he can manage to grab a handful of touchdowns just like he did in 2015, he should finish as a top five-to-eight PPR tight end.