Fantasy Football

Adam Trautman

TE - NO

Height: 6-6

Weight: 253 lbs

Age: 26

College: Dayton

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2022 Season Outlooks

Trautman entered the NFL with plenty of sleeper buzz as a Day 2 pick in 2020, but he spent his rookie season largely playing second fiddle to Jared Cook. Even with the latter moving on in 2021, Trautman only saw a brief window as a leaned-upon option in the passing game despite the offense's need for someone to emerge for much of the season. From Weeks 8-11 he saw at least six targets in all four games yet averaged only 35 yards per game while scoring just once before suffering an MCL injury that limited him to only three targets the remainder of the year. Even with Jarvis Landry aboard as a short-to-intermediate option in the passing game, Trautman retains some deep sleeper potential if he can stay healthy this year, but it only makes him a TE2 in most leagues worth keeping on the watch list rather than the roster to begin the year.

Trautman hasn’t given us reason to believe that a big breakout is coming. But he has also done so little through 2 seasons that the price to acquire him has nearly bottomed out. He remains the best bet on the Saints roster to become a well-rounded TE. His blocking has come along well, and Trautman’s college record shows potential for receiving upside. Targets might be spread thin if New Orleans doesn’t jump its passing volume vs. the past 2 years. But the talent at WR also has the potential to help create space for Trautman to work. Keep him in mind as a late 3rd TE in best ball and deep stash or “watch” player elsewhere.

Trautman enters his third NFL season yet to emerge as much of a factor in fantasy. The 2020 third-round pick seemed to be on the verge of a breakout around the midway point of last season, racking up a team-high 28 targets (18% share) during Weeks 8-11 before going down with an injury. However, he did that damage with Trevor Siemian under center. In six full games with 2022 starter Jameis Winston, Trautman averaged 2.0 targets per game. While we don't want to get tricked into extrapolating that four-game stretch in the box score, Trautman was a major receiving force in college and remains New Orleans' starting tight end. Hope remains for a third-year breakout, so the 25-year-old is a fine late-round flier in deeper leagues.