Who Should I Start? Connor Heyward or Elijah Arroyo

Tuesday, April 7, 5:24 AM

Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo finished his rookie season with 15 receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown, but he did show signs of encouraging usage. His 90.8% route participation was highest among rookie tight ends, while his average depth of target and yards per route run were both close to the top of the class. While it was AJ Barner, in a second-season breakout of his own, who saw the vast majority of high-value touches out of the tight end room, a new offensive coaching staff could help to clear the slate for Arroyo. Brian Fleury takes over as the offensive coordinator in Seattle after four seasons as the 49ers' tight ends coach. While George Kittle can potentially make said position look easy, Fleury and the Niners offense got several fantasy-relevant performances out of Jake Tonges in Kittle's absence. It's worth noting that while Seattle deployed 12 personnel at a top 10 rate under Klint Kubiak, San Francisco ranked near the bottom of the league in each of the last four seasons, though context is important here. The 49ers ran the highest rate of 21 personnel over that time, and while San Francisco boasts arguably the best halfback/fullback duo in the league, Seattle might not have either position figured out heading into the NFL Draft, while tight end remains a strength in 2026.