Evan Engram
Engram is Denver's No. 1 pass-catching tight end, and he has a bigger snap share than last year. His production is modest, and the targets are spread across a crowded receiver group.
Role
Snap share was about 57% through the first two games, up from 42% last year (Denver Gazette, Denver Sports, late September). Fox Sports noted he led Denver tight ends with 40 offensive snaps against Adam Trautman's 27 in one game. A separate Fox note had him as co-starter with Trautman at 32 of 62 snaps (51.6%). RotoWire's snap table, which I read from a search snippet and did not fetch, lists Engram first at the position with Trautman, Nate Adkins and Dallen Bentley behind him. The same page shows 17 targets and 10 catches for 121 yards and 1 TD this season, and 101 routes. He caught 4 of 4 targets for 55 yards in Week 5 against the Chargers (RotoWire, Oct. 13). The Thursday night wire note has him 2 for 2. Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton take most of the target priority. The preseason coverage names Justin Joly as another tight end in the room.
Coach Sean Payton said Engram is blocking well and "doing well within the role." Quarterback Bo Nix said Engram has put in work on his blocking this year. That has widened his snap share and put him on the field in more play-action and multi-tight-end looks under first-year coordinator Davis Webb. He has also been efficient when targeted: 10 catches on 17 targets, and 4 of 4 in Week 5. Some analysts see him as a safety valve when defenses focus on Waddle and Sutton.
Volume is thin even with the snap increase. Fox Sports said he had one or zero catches in three straight games and called him an unattractive fantasy asset after 6 catches for 66 yards on 13 targets through four games. Some of those snaps are blocking snaps, and Trautman is a blocking specialist who has split time with him. Engram has caught both of his targets on Thursday night and four of four the week before, so the counts are low. Last season's touchdown total was one for the second straight year (RotoWire).
Where analysts split
The disagreement is whether the extra snaps from blocking turn into targets. Denver's own coverage and Payton say his role is growing. Fox's player notes say the output is too small to rely on, and he is still behind the wideouts in the pecking order.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at TE
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Tuesday, and checks again before kickoff.
Connect your league: 14 days free