Cincinnati Bengals - Fantasy News

Tyler Eifert 2017 Fantasy Projections

by Aaron Bowers

8/13/17

NFL

Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Eifert

Heading into the 2016 NFL season, Tyler Eifert was one of the hottest names at tight end. After finishing 2015 with 13 touchdowns in 13 games, most considered Eifert to have jumped into the top tier of fantasy tight ends.

Though Eifert’s season was ultimately derailed by injuries, he played well when he was on the field in 2016. He averaged almost 50 yards per game and scored five touchdowns in eight contests, giving him a per game total of 10.61 Dober Fantasy points, which ranked 4th among tight ends.

Eifert is back with the Cincinnati Bengals for his fifth season. If he can stay healthy, he should be one of the best fantasy options at tight end in 2017.

Why Tyler Eifert Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Stud

The latest in a long line of excellent tight ends from Notre Dame, Eifert has established himself as one of the best players at the position. He excels in the red zone, where he uses his 6-foot-6, 265-pound frame to box out smaller defenders. He is deceptively quick and can surprise linebackers who let him get a clean release off the line of scrimmage.

Eifert plays on a balanced Bengals offense with a lot of other weapons. A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and John Ross on the outside will force defenses to spread the field, allowing more room for Eifert to work up the seam. Adding Joe Mixon to an already loaded Bengals backfield should open up some play-action passes, allowing Eifert to get a step on the linebacker.

The new offensive weapons should also improve scoring opportunities for Eifert. Most of his fantasy points come from touchdowns, though the Bengals didn’t score many in 2016. The team averaged only 20.3 points per game, 24^th in the league. If Cincy’s weapons can stay healthy, the offense should be much better in 2017, allowing Eifert more chances at touchdowns.

Why Tyler Eifert Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Dud

Last year, Eifert suffered a preseason ankle injury that required surgery, causing him to miss the first few games of the year. As he was nearing a return, he suffered a back injury and wasn’t able to play until Week 7. His back injury popped up again before Week 16, forcing him to sit out the final two games of the season and undergo offseason back surgery. Eifert has missed 26 games in three years and may have a difficult time coming back in peak form in 2017.

During his best fantasy season, he averaged four receptions and 47 yards per game, worth 6.7 Dober Fantasy points per contest. Eifert doesn’t get many yards or receptions for owners to fall back on when he fails to score. This makes him difficult to rely on in Dober’s weekly format.

Most of Eifert’s fantasy value comes from his production in the red zone, where his touchdown rate is probably not sustainable. There are only a couple players in NFL history who have maintained rates as high as 18 touchdowns in 21 games. Regression to the mean is more likely for Eifert, and his fantasy value will take a hit as a result.