Who Should I Start? Eric Saubert or Jake Ferguson

Monday, March 24, 8:25 PM

The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran free-agent tight end Eric Saubert to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to Seahawks.com's John Boyle. Saubert, originally a fifth-round selection (174th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 out of Drake, will now join his eighth NFL team as he heads into his ninth year in the league. The 30-year-old spent last year with the San Francisco 49ers, where he caught 11 of 14 targets for 97 yards and one touchdown in 17 games (three starts). Saubert will remain in the NFC West and will serve as a backup behind Noah Fant and A.J. Barner in Seattle, leaving him virtually no fantasy appeal. Barring injuries to Fant and Barner, expect Saubert to mostly factor in on special teams. His best season came back in 2022 with the Denver Broncos, when he caught 15 of 24 targets for 148 yards and one touchdown in 17 games (six starts).

Friday, December 12, 7:51 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (calf) carries a questionable tag into Sunday night's contest against the Minnesota Vikings and would be viewed as a low-end TE1 if cleared for action. Ferguson opened the week as a limited participant but was downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday, putting his availability in jeopardy. However, on Friday, the veteran tight end was able to practice in a limited capacity, which keeps him in play to suit up. Additionally, Todd Archer of ESPN reported that HC Brian Schottenheimer said he is "relieved" that Ferguson was able to "answer the bell" on Friday, suggesting he should be in a good position to play. From Weeks 1 through 7, Ferguson was on pace to compete for the overall TE1, as he averaged an elite 17.2 PPR points per game and found the back of the end zone six times. However, since Week 8, Ferguson's production has dropped considerably, averaging only 8.7 PPR points per game. During this stretch, he has scored just one touchdown. Even though Ferguson's production has continued to decline, managers should still view him as a reliable low-end TE1 given his elite offensive environment. He should be primed for a bounce-back in a projected high-scoring affair (O/U 48.5) against the Vikings on Sunday evening.