Who Should I Start? Mo Alie-Cox or Eric Saubert

Friday, February 23, 2:30 PM

The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox is an easy target if the team wishes to create more salary cap space this offseason. He's entering the final year of a three-year, $17.6 million contract extension that he signed in 2022. Alie-Cox is due the last $5.9 million of that in 2024, but none of it is guaranteed. The 30-year-old is the team's best blocking tight end and has recorded at least three touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, but he's not getting any younger and is unlikely to develop into a true No. 1 pass-catching tight end at this point of his career. Both Will Mallory and third-year tight end Jelani Woods, who missed all of 2023 with hamstring issues, give the Colts more upside at the position amid their current youth movement. Alie-Cox hasn't been much more than a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 option for fantasy managers in deep leagues.

Monday, April 8, 6:15 PM

The San Francisco 49ers signed free-agent tight end Eric Saubert to an undisclosed one-year deal on Monday. Saubert was initially drafted in the fifth round (174th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 out of Drake. The 29-year-old spent the first two years of his NFL career in Atlanta before stops with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. He was with the Cowboys and Texans in 2023 and caught all three of his targets for 12 yards in 10 games (one start). Saubert has 36 career receptions on 55 targets for 292 yards and two touchdowns in 84 games (16 starts) in his seven NFL seasons. In San Francisco this year, Saubert will operate as tight end depth behind starter George Kittle alongside Brayden Willis, Cameron Latu and Jake Tonges.