O.J. Howard

An exciting athletic profile pushed Howard into the first round of the 2017 draft, but he's never been able to put it all together in the NFL. He maxed out in 2018 with 34 receptions for 565 yards, and his average yards per target has gone down every year since. The Bills gave him a shot, but Howard ultimately was released at the end of the preseason, making him a free agent again.

Howard's career arc is less than promising, but even after back-to-back disappointing seasons, we don't need to look too hard for signs of the talent that made him a first-round pick in 2017. After struggling through his first year in Bruce Arians' offense, Howard came out of the gate strong in 2020, scoring a Week 1 touchdown en route to catching 11 passes for 146 yards and two TDs in the first quarter of the season. Unfortunately, he suffered an Achilles tear Week 4, bringing his season to an early end while opening the door for Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate to see more targets. Gronkowski wasn't the peak version of himself by any means, but he largely avoided mistakes and even scored a pair of TDs in the Super Bowl. The 32-year-old thus figures to remain the starter this season, so Howard's upside scenario likely entails a major injury or a trade.

A popular breakout pick last summer, Howard took a big step backward instead of a big step forward, despite setting career highs for snaps (782) and targets. He played at least 75 percent of snaps in 13 of his 14 games, but drops (six) and penalties (five) led to criticism from coach Bruce Arians, whose limited praise focused on Howard's blocking. Howard's 71 pass-blocking snaps were 14th most among TEs, while 21 TEs bested his 145 slot snaps, in part because he was replaced by Cameron Brate on some passing downs. Howard averaged 56.5 yards in a four-game stretch Weeks 13-16, but his solid finish wasn't enough to prevent the Bucs from trading for Rob Gronkowski, and it isn't quite clear how Howard fits the plan, if at all.

If you're low on cash but feeling thirsty, head down to the local tavern armed with some O.J. Howard trivia. Howard led tight ends in YPC and YPT last year, which is sure to win you a few free libations. He certainly made an impression with quarterback Jameis Winston, who initially said the sky was the limit for Howard, then changed that to the moon. We always knew Winston was something of a space cadet; now we have deeper confirmation. A high-ankle sprain kept Howard out of six games last year and probably masked what was in all actuality a breakout season. He's also a capable blocker, which can be a double-edged sword - the teams love it, the fantasy honks not so much. A third-year breakout would make sense from a linear perspective, and we're also expecting coach Bruce Arians to have a ball with Howard's size and athleticism. There are other talented pass catchers in Tampa Bay (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin wave hello), but Howard deserves consideration as the top tight end chosen after the first tier is depleted.

The Buccaneers were judicious in their usage of Howard, but the rookie made splash plays when his number was called. A mark of 16.6 YPC is snappy for any player, but especially for a rookie tight end. And Howard somehow scored six times on just 26 catches. He also deserves high marks for snagging two-thirds of his 39 targets. Howard is an elite athlete, and that might actually work against his fantasy potential a bit - unlike teammate Cameron Brate, Howard is a strong blocker and will be deployed in that role often. But if you're merely thinking about TE upside in the secondary stages of your fantasy draft, Howard is a name to underscore. He has a pedigree (the 19th overall pick in 2017) and most of his Combine stats were impressive. At the end of the day, Tampa Bay can't ignore that Howard is slightly bigger than Brate, significantly faster and has a much wider catch radius. Both Howard and Brate played for Crimson-colored colleges (Alabama and Harvard, respectively), but if we're picking between them, we'll tap the Tide for maximum upside. Just remember that both tight ends likely will face a challenge early in the year, as QB Jameis Winston will serve a suspension for the first three weeks.

The Bucs have to feel good about landing Howard at No. 19 overall, as his realistic range stretched as high as the No. 6 pick to the Jets. He was the top tight end prospect in the draft, and he received plenty of exposure playing at Alabama. When examining his college stats, it's probably best to focus on the 15.1 YPC and not the seven TDs in 46 games -- Nick Saban is in the business of winning NCAA titles, not assembling a pinball offense. What's realistic for a rookie tight end, production wise? In this century, we've seen eight go past 500 yards and 10 get five touchdowns or more. Howard should have an immediate role, but Tampa already has an elite WR in Mike Evans, a proven red-zone TE in Cameron Brate and a deep threat in DeSean Jackson. And keep in mind a big part of Howard's appeal is his in-line blocking ability.