Who Should I Start? Eric Saubert or Drew Sample

Sunday, November 17, 8:33 AM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Eric Saubert is on the fantasy radar for Week 11 after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that George Kittle (hamstring) is expected to be inactive Sunday. Kittle has only missed one other game this season, but in that contest, Saubert played 86 percent of the offensive snaps and caught two passes for 41 yards. While his production wasn't otherworldly, he clearly earned additional looks on offense, and that should remain true this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Saubert finds himself ranking as a low-end TE2 at best.

Monday, March 11, 4:49 PM

The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Drew Sample to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension on Monday, according to a source. Sample will receive $3.5 million in 2024. In his fifth year with the Bengals in 2023, Sample had 22 catches on 27 targets for 163 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in 17 games (10 starts). Tanner Hudson, Mitchell Wilcox and Irv Smith Jr. are all free agents, but one or more of them could be retained or the Bengals could add competition at the position through the NFL draft. The 27-year-old Sample has accumulated just 80 receptions (103 targets) for 621 yards and three touchdowns in his five years in the NFL with Cincy, so it would be unrealistic to expect the Bengals to utilize him as their unquestioned No. 1 pass-catching TE in 2024.