LA Rams: Tyler Higbee worth drafting for your fantasy football

LA Rams fans need to give Tyler Higbee consideration in their fantasy football league draft

When fantasy football owners discuss drafting a tight end, Tyler Higbee gets lost in the shuffle. Is he a prime time target in the LA Rams passing offense? Not yet, but he should be worth consideration on fantasy draft day.

If you pick up a fantasy football magazine, tight end Travis Kelce and George Kittle will be the prominent players mentioned. You will also see both Zach Ertz and Mark Andrews talked about next. Unfortunately, few mention Higbee, who remains a steady performer for the Rams.

In his career, he has caught 129 passes for 1406 yards with 7 touchdowns. Higbee averages 10.9 yards per reception. Most of all, 71 of his 129 receptions resulted in a first down for LA. He is able to move the chains.

Past performance demands a solid look

Last season, Higbee caught 69 passes for 734 yards with three touchdowns. He was the Rams third-leading receiver behind Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. Keep in mind that over 500 yards happened in the month of December 2019.  If that late surge continues, you can expect him to remain the third option is the Rams passing offense.

Multiple tight end formations have grown in popularity since New England and Philadelphia have had success with them. There is a good chance that the Rams will employ more multi-tight end packages under new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Gerald Everett and Brycen Hopkins will probably alternate as the additional tight end.

If your fantasy league offers the flex position for offense, Higbee should be drafted to fill that slot. Many times, fantasy owners try to plug slot receivers or third-down running backs into that spot, only to be disappointed with modest results. You want someone who will see their fair share of opportunities and will make the best of those opportunities.

Currently, Scott Pianowski of  Yahoo fantasy sports suggests that Higbee is the real deal at tight end. He writes the following:

"The Rams have plenty of other weapons for opponents to focus on, so Higbee should have some protection in this offense. And McVay is fond of 12 personnel, which would play Higbee and Everett together. A healthy Everett shouldn’t push Higbee off the field."

Remember, the 2020 Rams offense will be different than the 2019 offense. Higbee could become a major contributor to key areas. Let’s see how everything plays out this summer.