2017 Buccaneers Fantasy Forecast: TE, Cameron Brate
The Buccaneers just had their “Weapons for Winston” summer campaign. How will this impact Brate’s production?
Additions:
WR, DeSean Jackson
TE, O.J. Howard
Losses:
RB, Doug Martin (Suspended 3-Games)
Analysis:
Brate and receiver Mike Evans combined for over 150 receptions for the Buccaneers in 2016.
Considering Winston completed 345 passes all year, this gives them nearly half of all receptions for the team.
Good news for Brate owners and fans is the fact no other tight end had more than seven catches all year.
Bad news is the team just added a wide receiver by the name of DeSean Jackson.
The veteran finally took his talents outside of the NFC South, and is a big reason Winston’s stock is climbing steadily in fantasy football communities.
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However, Winston’s treasure may not necessarily be gold for Brate.
Jackson has brought in less than 50 receptions just three times in his ten seasons as an NFL receiver.
Each of those year’s saw the speed-demon miss at least two games to injury. So, if D-Jax stays healthy, then there’s no less than 50 balls off the board for everyone else.
Now, they aren’t all coming out of Brate’s hands, but some of them will. Don’t underestimate this.
Let’s say only 10% of Jackson’s catches are taken out of the paws of our subject here. This is five catches. Not bad right? Wrong.
This drop would bring Brate below 55 receptions. This is in the same neighborhood as Coby Fleener, Ryan Griffin and Lance Kendricks.
Fleener finished last year as TE15 while Griffin and Kendricks finished in the 20s.
Not good folks. At least not from a fantasy football standpoint.
Now, let’s talk about the addition of O.J. Howard.
While the Alabama product isn’t going to be the full-time number-one guy in Tampa, he is going to get snaps.
Where there’s snaps, there’s targets. He’ll get his own share. Now, how many is still unknown, but there will be some.
Any of them which go to the rookie, don’t go to the veteran. Any attention not spent on Brate at the tight end position here is bad news for team owners with him on their roster.
Finally, there’s the Doug Martin saga.
Jacquizz Rodgers did splendidly in his place last year, but if the Buccaneers want a consistent rushing attack, they need Martin back.
For the first three weeks of the season, this means teams will focus more on stopping the pass, and this hurts Brate.
We all know he isn’t a run-blocking specialist. In games where the team will need more run-blocking than ever, we could see this favorite of Winston’s come out the gates rather slow.