Fantasy Football Player Notes
2024 Draft Rankings
1.
Sam LaPorta
DET
Sam LaPorta was a revelation as a rookie, catching 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns to finish as the overall TE1. What can LaPorta do for an encore in Year 2? It might be hard for Sammy Ballgame to improve upon or even equal his 2023 touchdown total, but it's reasonable to think he could improve upon his average of 52.3 receiving yards per game and his 7.4 yards per target. LaPorta's age-22 season was a triumph, and he could be one of the top tight ends in the league -- and in fantasy football -- for years to come. Based on the splash he made at such a tender age, there's a strong case to be made that LaPorta should be the first TE selected in 2024 fantasy drafts.
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2.
Mark Andrews
BAL
An ankle injury in Week 11 ended Mark Andrews' regular season prematurely, but before he went down, he was having a characteristically productive season, ranking fourth among tight ends in fantasy scoring. Andrews' yearly finishes in fantasy points per game (0.5 PPR) since his second-year breakout in 2019: TE4, TE4, TE1, TE3, TE4. Over that fruitful five-year run, he's averaged 4.9 receptions, 60.6 receiving yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Andrews should once again be a prominent contributor in the Baltimore passing attack in 2024 and should be one of the first three tight ends to come off the board in fantasy drafts.
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3.
Travis Kelce
KC
Once the gold standard at the TE position, Travis Kelce will still be the overall TE1 for a lot of people in 2024 fantasy drafts, but he will no longer be a unanimous choice. Kelce finished the 2023 regular season for 93-984-5. That would be a terrific season for any other tight end, but it was the first time since 2015 that Kelce fell short of 1,000 yards. The statistical decline suggests that the 34-year-old Kelce is starting to slow down, But then Kelce went on a postseason rampage, with 32-355-3 in four playoff games. Obviously, playing with QB Patrick Mahomes is a big plus for any pass catcher. Kelce might not be a first-round pick in fantasy leagues anymore, but he's still an immensely valuable asset.
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4.
Trey McBride
ARI
Trey McBride had an impressive second-year breakout in 2023, finishing with 81 catches for 825 yards and three touchdowns, good for a TE7 fantasy finish in PPR scoring. McBride's 2023 season got off to a slow start. He had two or fewer catches in each of his first five games, and after seven weeks he was TE30 in PPR fantasy scoring. Then, Cardinals TE Zach Ertz went on IR with a quad injury, and McBride caught fire in an expanded role. From Week 8 on, McBride was TE3 in PPR scoring, averaging 6.6 catches and 65.5 receiving yards per game. McBride became the go-to receiver for An Arizona offense thin on talent at the WR position. It's a good bet that the Cardinals will bring in new blood at wide receiver in the offseason, which could cut into McBride's target total. But the talented McBride figures to be a high-end fantasy tight end for years to come and is likely to be one of the first 10 TEs to come off the board in 2024 fantasy drafts.
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5.
George Kittle
SF
If you value week-to-week consistency, George Kittle might not be the tight end for you. But if you're an adrenaline-fueled roller-coaster enthusiast, Kittle is your guy. In 2023, Kittle had seven games in which he produced 16 or more PPR points and six games in which he produced 6 or fewer PPR points. The drawback with Kittle is that he doesn't see as many targets as other top tight ends. Over the last three seasons, Travis Kelce has averaged 8.5 targets a game, Mark Andrews has averaged 7.8, and Kittle has averaged 6.0. Kittle's well-rounded skill set can actually be a hindrance, since the 49ers like to leverage his exceptional blocking ability. But Kittle is quite a pass catcher, too. He's topped 1,000 receiving yards in three of the last six years and has averaged 9.8 yards per target for his career -- almost a full yard better than Kelce's career average of 8.9 yards per target. The TE5 in fantasy scoring last season, Kittle will again be a good bet for a top-five positional fantasy finish in 2024. Just realize it might not always be a smooth trip.
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6.
David Njoku
CLE
David Njoku was superb in in 2023, his seventh NFL season, establishing new single-season highs in receptions (81), receiving yards (882) and touchdowns (6). But Njoku was far more productive with Joe Flacco at quarterback than he was with Deshaun Watson and other QBs. In the six games he played with Flacco (including the playoffs), Njoku averaged 6.2 receptions and 80.5 receiving yards per game, and he had four TD catches. In 11 games with QBs other than Flacco, Njoku averaged 4.6 receptions and 44.7 receiving yards per game, and he had two TD catches. In the five full games Watson played, Njoku averaged 4.0 catches and 35.2 receiving yards a game, with one TD catch. Njoku is one of the most athletic tight ends in the league, and despite his ample NFL experience, he'll only be 28 when the new season begins. The question is whether Njoku can replicate the success he had with Flacco as his quarterback if the Browns, as expected, open the season with Watson as their starting QB.
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7.
Evan Engram
JAC
After being considered a fantasy disappointment for the majority of his first five years in the league, Evan Engram has become one of the most productive pass catchers at the position. Engram finished TE6 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring in 2022, then finished TE2 last year (though it should be noted that three TEs finished less than 3 points behind Engram). With 114 catches in 2023, Engram shattered his previous single-season high by 41 receptions. He also had a career-high 963 receiving yards, though Engram averaged a career-low 8.4 yards per catch. As QB Trevor Lawrence's favorite security blanket, Engram had four games with double-digit reception totals in 2023 and eight games with seven or more receptions. Drops are seemingly always an issue for Engram, and he hasn't scored more than four touchdowns in a single season since he was a rookie in 2017. But Engram has become a high-quality fantasy asset and will be a good bet to once again return TE1 value in 2024.
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8.
Kyle Pitts
ATL
Kyle Pitts was regarded as one of the best TE prospects to enter the league in years when the Falcons drafted him No. 4 overall in 2021. But after debuting with a 68-catch, 1,026-yard season as a rookie, Pitts has been considered a disappointment the last two seasons. Pitts played 10 games in 2022 before a torn MCL ended his season prematurely. He ranked TE18 in PPR fantasy scoring when he went down, with 28 catches for 356 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, Pitts had 53 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns, finishing TE13 in PPR scoring. There are reasons to be optimistic that Pitts will rebound in 2024. Arthur Smith, notorious for not getting the ball into the hands of his best playmakers, was dismissed as Atlanta's head coach. Also, it's possible that Pitts was still bothered by the lingering effects of the knee injury, as we learned that he had also sustained PCL damage in addition to the MCL tear. Pitts has immense athletic talent and entered the league with a sterling college résumé. This might be a good time to buy in, with two dissatisfying seasons likely meaning a discounted price for Pitts in 2024 fantasy drafts.
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9.
Brock Bowers
FA
Widely considered one of the best TE prospects to enter the league in recent years, Brock Bowers is expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 6-4, 230-pound Bowers had at least 56 catches and 714 receiving yards in all three of his seasons at the University of Georgia. He also scored 31 touchdowns in 40 collegiate games, including five rushing touchdowns. Bowers has good speed, terrific hands, and he's an absolute best after the catch. He lacks prototypical TE size, but Bowers plays bigger than he measures. Expect Bowers to make an immediate fantasy impact upon his arrival in the NFL and become fantasy-relevant right away.
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10.
Dallas Goedert
PHI
By now, we have a pretty good handle on what sort of player Dallas Goedert is. He reliably puts up good reception and yardage totals, but he's not a prolific touchdown scorer, and he gets banged up quite a bit. Over his last five seasons, Goedert has averaged 4.1 catches and 48.6 receiving yards per game. But Goedert has never scored more than five touchdowns in a single season, and he's missed 14 games due to injury over the last four years. Goedert's efficiency numbers slipped in 2023. After averaging better than 10 yards per target in 2021 and 2022, he averaged 7.1 yards per target last season. he also averaged a career-low 10.0 yards per catch. Goedert's fantasy ceiling may be somewhat limited due to the presence of Eagles WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who give Philadelphia one of the best wide receiver combos in the league. Consider Goedert a low-end TE1 for 2024 fantasy drafts.
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11.
Dalton Kincaid
BUF
The first tight end selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Dalton Kincaid had an uneven but promising rookie year, finishing with 73 catches for 673 yards and two touchdowns, good for a TE11 finish in PPR scoring. Kincaid was especially productive over a five-game midseason stretch when fellow Bills TE Dawson Knox was out with a wrist injury. With Knox on the shelf, Kincaid averaged 7.4 targets, 6.2 catches and 56.2 receiving yards per game. He also scored both of his touchdowns over that span. In games that Knox played, Kincaid averaged 4.9 targets, 3.8 catches and 35.6 receiving yards per game. Kincaid has considerable talent and plays with one of the NFL's best quarterbacks in Josh Allen. But with Knox on the roster sharing snaps and targets, Kincaid's fantasy ceiling may be capped at midrange to low-end TE1 value.
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12.
Jake Ferguson
DAL
One of the best fantasy values at the TE position in 2023, Ferguson had an average draft position of TE25 in PPR leagues, according to FantasyPros ADP data, but finished TE9 in PPR scoring. A fourth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin in 2022, Ferguson emerged as a dependable target for QB Dak Prescott, finishing with 71 catches for 761 yards and five touchdowns. There might not be much more room for statistical improvement out of Ferguson, but he should once again be a prominent part of the Dallas passing attack in 2024.
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13.
Cole Kmet
CHI
Credit Cole Kmet for defying the limitations of the Bears' low-octane passing attack. Over the last three seasons, Chicago has finished 25th, 32nd and 28th in passing yardage, but Kmet has finished with 612. 544 and 719 receiving yards in those three seasons. He had a career-high 73 catches last year and scored six touchdowns, finishing TE8 in PPR fantasy scoring. If the Bears spend the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft on QB Caleb Williams, the Bears' passing game could get some added juice, giving Kmet an even higher fantasy ceiling. But the Bears could also add WR help in the offseason, increasing Kmet's target competition. Depending on what sort of moves the Bears make ion the offseason, consider Kmet to be either a low-end TE1 or high-end TE2 for 2024 fantasy drafts.
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14.
T.J. Hockenson
MIN
T.J. Hockenson would have been drafted as a top-three tight end in the vast majority of 2024 fantasy leagues if he hadn't torn his ACL and MCL on Dec. 24, putting his early-season availability for the new season in doubt. It's possible that the recovery from multiple ligament tears will keep Hockenson out until midseason or later, and that he won't be his typically impactful self immediately upon his return. A healthy Hockenson is a fantasy difference-maker. He had 86 catches for 914 yards and six touchdowns in 2022, good for a TE2 finish in PPR fantasy scoring behind only Travis Kelce. Hockenson was having an even better season in 2023, with 95 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns before the injury. Monitor the reports on Hockenson's recovery throughout the offseason, and resist the temptation to overspend on a player trying to come back from major knee surgery.
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15.
Dalton Schultz
HOU
Dalton Schultz hasn't been able to recapture the glory of his 2021 season, when he had a career-high 808 yards and eight touchdowns to finish as the fantasy TE3, but he's been a decent fantasy performer over the last two years. Schultz had 57-577-5 in 2022 and 59-635-5 in 2023, finishing TE10 and TE11 in PPR fantasy scoring in those two seasons. Schultz will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so his fantasy value will largely depend on where he lands. But Schultz has firmly established himself as a useful fantasy asset over the last four years, and he'll be entering his age-28 season, so we needn't worry about an age-related drop-off yet.
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16.
Pat Freiermuth
PIT
After averaging 9.5 and 9.9 PPF fantasy points per game in his first two seasons in the league, Pat Freiermuth averaged only 6.4 PPR points per game in 2023, as he was thwarted by uneven QB play and a hamstring injury that cost him five games. Freiermuth had seven TD catches as a rookie in 2021. He only scored two touchdowns in 2022 but ramped up his yardage, finishing with 63 receptions for 732 yards. Freiermuth is adept at working the middle of the field, has dependable hands and is tough to bring down after the catch. A nine-catch, 120-yard performance vs. the Bengals in late November showed what Freiermuth is capable of, but will he once again be hindered by subpar QB play in 2024? Consider him a midrange QB2 for 2024.
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17.
Michael Mayer
LV
Michael Mayer had a somewhat disappointing rookie season for the Raiders, with 27 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games, but he's a second-year breakout candidate who could become fantasy-relevant in 2024 if the Raiders find a way to upgrade the QB position. Mayer was wildly productive in college, with more than 800 receiving yards in his final two seasons at Notre Dame. Mayer averaged only 2.9 targets a game in 2023, and it probably didn't help that Las Vegas started fourth-round rookie Aidan O'Connell at quarterback for much of the season. Mayer is a sneaky late-round target for 2024 who could potentially take a major step forward in Year 2,
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18.
Darren Waller
NYG
Darren Waller was routinely coming off the board in the fifth or sixth round of 2023 fantasy drafts, but he was a major disappointment last year, missing five games due to a hamstring injury and averaging 9.4 PPR fantasy points in the games he played. He finished the 2023 season with 52 catches for 552 yards and one touchdown. Waller was once among the most impactful tight ends in football, producing back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Raiders in 2019-2020. But Waller is entering his age-32 season and has missed 19 games over the last three years. Insist on a discount if you're thinking about investing in the oft-injured Waller for 2024.
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19.
Tucker Kraft
GB
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20.
Juwan Johnson
NO
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21.
Luke Musgrave
GB
Rangy and athletic, Luke Musgrave has the tools to become one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the league. A second-round draft pick out of Oregon State, Musgrave produced modest rookie-year numbers: 34 catches for 352 yards and one touchdown. But Musgrave missed six games with a lacerated kidney and was averaging a respectable 7.3 PPR fantasy points per game before he got hurt. Musgrave gets to play with QB Jordan Love, a rising star. One concern, however, is that the Packers spent a third-round draft pick on another tight end last year, Tucker Kraft, who also had some impressive flashes as a rookie. Musgrave profiles as a midrange TE2 for 2024 fantasy drafts, but he could come on fast.
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22.
Hunter Henry
NE
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23.
Ja'Tavion Sanders
FA
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24.
Taysom Hill
NO
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25.
Isaiah Likely
BAL
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26.
Cade Otton
TB
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27.
Chigoziem Okonkwo
TEN
A trendy sleeper choice a year ago, Chigoziem Okonkwo turned in a mildly disappointing season in 2023, but he's an intriguing post-hype sleeper candidate for 2024. After a promising rookie season in which he had 32 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns, Okonkwo boosted his reception and yardage totals in 2023, with 54 catches for 528 yards. But Okonkwo scored only one touchdown last season, and he went from 14.1 yards per catch and 2.61 yards per route run in 2022 to 9.6 yards per catch and 1.31 yards per route run in 2023. If young Titans QB Will Levis endures growing pains, Okonkwo's breakout chances could suffer. On the other hand, the Titans don't have a great deal of firepower at the WR position, which boosts Okonkwo's target outlook. Consider Okonkwo a midrange TE2 for 2024 fantasy drafts.
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28.
Noah Fant
SEA
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29.
Gerald Everett
CHI
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30.
Jelani Woods
IND
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31.
Tyler Higbee
LAR
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32.
Tyler Conklin
NYJ
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33.
Dawson Knox
BUF
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34.
Logan Thomas
FA
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35.
Mike Gesicki
CIN
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36.
Greg Dulcich
DEN
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37.
Jonnu Smith
MIA
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38.
Zach Ertz
WAS
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39.
Hayden Hurst
LAC
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40.
Noah Gray
KC
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41.
Brevin Jordan
HOU
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42.
Irv Smith Jr.
KC
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43.
Donald Parham Jr.
LAC
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44.
Colby Parkinson
LAR
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45.
Tanner Hudson
CIN
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46.
Ben Sinnott
FA
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47.
Daniel Bellinger
NYG
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48.
Kylen Granson
IND
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49.
Jaheim Bell
FA
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50.
Cade Stover
FA
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51.
Dallin Holker
FA
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52.
Jeremy Ruckert
NYJ
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53.
Will Mallory
IND
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54.
Davis Allen
LAR
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55.
Cole Turner
WAS
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56.
Jared Wiley
FA
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57.
Tommy Tremble
CAR
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58.
Harrison Bryant
LV
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59.
Theo Johnson
FA
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60.
Durham Smythe
MIA
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61.
Foster Moreau
NO
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62.
Luke Schoonmaker
DAL
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63.
Josh Oliver
MIN
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64.
Johnny Mundt
MIN
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65.
Darnell Washington
PIT
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66.
Brenton Strange
JAC
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67.
Charlie Kolar
BAL
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68.
Robert Tonyan
CHI
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69.
Adam Trautman
CLE
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70.
Will Dissly
LAC
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71.
Bryson Nesbit
FA
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72.
Austin Hooper
NE
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73.
Elijah Higgins
ARI
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74.
A.J. Barner
FA
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75.
John Bates
WAS
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76.
Tanner McLachlan
FA
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77.
Jimmy Graham
NO
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78.
Mo Alie-Cox
IND
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79.
Erick All
FA
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80.
Andrew Ogletree
IND
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81.
Brevyn Spann-Ford
FA
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82.
Charlie Woerner
ATL
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83.
Jordan Akins
CLE
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84.
Connor Heyward
PIT
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85.
Pharaoh Brown
SEA
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86.
Lucas Krull
DEN
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87.
C.J. Uzomah
FA
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88.
Stone Smartt
LAC
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89.
Zack Kuntz
NYJ
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90.
James Mitchell
DET
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91.
Albert Okwuegbunam
PHI
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92.
Peyton Hendershot
DAL
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93.
Drew Sample
CIN
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94.
Trey Knox
FA
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95.
Devin Culp
FA
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96.
Benjamin Yurosek
FA
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97.
Hunter Long
LAR
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98.
Brock Wright
DET
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99.
Josh Whyle
TEN
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100.
Payne Durham
TB
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101.
Cameron Latu
SF
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102.
Jack Stoll
NYG
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103.
Josiah Deguara
GB
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104.
Teagan Quitoriano
HOU
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105.
Grant Calcaterra
PHI
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106.
Julian Hill
MIA
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107.
Tip Reiman
FA
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108.
Geoff Swaim
ARI
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109.
MyCole Pruitt
ATL
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110.
Luke Farrell
JAC
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111.
Luke Lachey
FA
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112.
Shane Zylstra
DET
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113.
Stephen Sullivan
CAR
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114.
Quintin Morris
BUF
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115.
Ian Thomas
CAR
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116.
Chris Manhertz
NYG
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117.
Marcedes Lewis
CHI
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118.
Giovanni Ricci
CLE
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119.
Jacob Harris
PHI
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120.
Jody Fortson
KC
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121.
Brycen Hopkins
LAR
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122.
Blake Bell
KC
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123.
Kenny Yeboah
NYJ
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124.
Ben Sims
GB
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125.
Ross Dwelley
SF
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126.
Jesper Horsted
LV
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127.
Mitchell Wilcox
CIN
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128.
Anthony Firkser
DET
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