Mike Gesicki Agrees to Deal With Bengals: Fantasy Football Impact & Takeaways (2024)

Former Patriots and Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki is signing a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Let’s examine the immediate implications and fantasy football impact of Gesicki agreeing to terms with the Bengals.

Mike Gesicki Agrees to Deal With Cincinnati Bengals

It’s been back-to-back seasons where Mike Gesicki has just not “fit” the offensive system that he has been put in. He’s a tight end who doesn’t block and needs a team that will embrace that part of his game.

If put in a position as a hybrid slot receiver, the 28-year-old can be productive. He has shown that while playing in the NFL.

In 2021, Gesicki finished sixth in receptions, ninth in receiving yards, fourth in route participation (78%), and fifth in target share (17%) over 18 weeks. These impressive numbers translated to a TE9 finish (TE8 Weeks 1-17) in PPR (TE11 in half-PPR).

The fact that he already has multiple TE1 finishes on his resume (TE7 in 2020, TE11 in 2019) bolsters the case for Gesicki to be capable of bouncing back.

And Cincy could be that spot for him, given that they already have a TE (Drew Sample) signed for blocking duties.

However, the fact that Gesicki will be splitting snaps in any capacity with Sample hurts him from being a true TE difference-maker, until we see tangible evidence of him in a full-time role. Only if the team trades Tee Higgins, could we see Gesicki rise as the No. 2 target in the offense with Tyler Boyd already gone in FA.

Last season, we saw the Bengals hyper target tight end Tanner Hudson (currently a free agent).

From Week 9 onward, Hudson posted an elite 26% target rate per route run. If Gesicki takes on that role, he could be a sneaky tight-end sleeper for fantasy football in 2024.