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If there’s one way to gain a massive edge in fantasy, it’s at the tight end position. Of course, rookie tight ends don’t typically roll out of bed and go for 68-1026-1 like Kyle Pitts did in 2021 but ensuring you have an elite option at the position tends to be #good.
We’ll touch on some other tight ends later in the season, but Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer, the No. 1 ranked tight end of the 2023 class per NFL Mock Draft Database, continues to build his pre-draft resume.
Through five games, Mayer has gone for 33-351-5, ranking fifth in the nation in yards for a tight end. A player who can lineup inline and also in the slot (50% slot rate), Mayer has scored in four of five games this season and has gone for 88+ yards on three occasions.
Mayer and the Irish saw some offensive struggles to start the season, but have rallied behind quarterback Drew Pyne after starter Tyler Buchner suffered a season-ending in Week 2 against Marshall. Mayer is the No. 1 pass-catching option for Notre Dame and is the only player on the team with more than 260 receiving yards through five games.
On pace for another elite season, Mayer looks like a player who will make fantasy managers very happy in the near future.
This week we touch on a few new players to know and highlight some big-name players who had much-needed rebounds in Week 6.
Note: Stats and information courtesy of PFF.com, CollegeFootballData.com and Sports-Reference.com.
Dontayvion Wicks, WR (Virginia)
Receiving: 4 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
We’ll touch on two Virginia receivers here, but Dontayvion Wicks gets the headline for being the guy who scored last week. It also helps that he’s the higher-rated NFL prospect.
Wicks and fellow receiver Keytaon Thompson have had a rough start to their 2022 season. This comes on the heels of a head coaching change after last year’s head coach, Bronco Mendenhall, stepped down at the end of the 2021 season.
Last season, Mendenhall’s Broncos went 6-6, ranked 21st in the nation in points per game (34.6), and were second in passing yards per game (392.6). Thompson (78-990-2) and Wicks (57-1203-9) were the two leading receivers and garnered some NFL hype heading into this year. On NFL Mock Draft Database, Wicks is ranked as the WR13 of the 2023 class, while Thompson is ranked as the WR25.
Now, through six weeks, Thompson is barely on pace to replicate last season’s numbers, while Wicks is pacing well below his 2021 production.
Last week against Louisville, Wicks showed some signs of life, turning in his most productive game of the season. Going for 4-69-1 on the day, Wicks’ biggest play came on a 40-yard touchdown in the first quarter, which was good for both his first touchdown and longest play of the year.
2021 Brennan Armstrong drills Dontayvion Wicks downfield for the 40 yard Touchdown! #CollegeFootball
— The College Experience (@TCEonSGPN) October 8, 2022
https://t.co/Ssy4qZwjqI
Thompson, who has been the more consistent producer this season, enjoyed a 9-98-0 day and has caught five or more passes in all but one game this season. Strangely, the 6-foot-5, 216-pound receiver has yet to score on the year despite his tremendous size at the position.
Both Wicks and Thompson should see more opportunities to correct this season. Virginia is throwing at a 54.8% rate and is 38th in pass attempts per game (35.5). The two teammates are worth monitoring in the coming months and could be names to know by the time the combine rolls around.
Josh Downs, WR (North Carolina)
Receiving: 6 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
Last season, Josh Downs was the Tar Heels’ No. 1 receiver by an overwhelming margin. His 144 was 97 more than the second-most targeted receiver, while his 101-1335-8 line ranked him among the best in the nation.
A knee injury suffered in the first game of this season kept Downs out for two games, but his last three weeks have made for a productive bounce back.
Since returning in Week 4 against Notre Dame, Downs has posted a receiving line of 19-221-3 on 21 targets. In last week’s game against Miami, Downs turned in one of the more absurd touchdowns on the weekend.
🔥 First downs
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 8, 2022
🔥🔥 Touchdowns
🔥🔥🔥 Josh Downs
Is the UNC WR is headed for the first round of the ‘23 #NFLDraft?
CFB Live Blog: https://t.co/9B6PmLuKF8
pic.twitter.com/ATq5sbSaJV
Assuming he declares for the draft, Downs will flirt with first-round draft capital. A career-slot receiver, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound prospect has seen 90.6% of his snaps come out of the slot. He’s also shown a knack for evading defenders, ranking 33rd in the nation among qualified receivers in YAC/REC at 7.5. NFL Mock Draft Database has him ranked as the No. 5 receiver of the 2023 class, which is probably close to his ceiling unless teams view him as more than a slot receiver.
Tyler Van Dyke, QB (Miami)
Passing: 496 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Props to Tyler Van Dyke for a bounce-back performance against North Carolina. After being benched in Miami’s Week 4 loss to Middle Tennessee, Van Dyke got right over the team’s bye week and returned in Week 6 to look like a prospect worthy of preseason hype.
Last week against the Tar Heels, Van Dyke threw for a career-high 496 yards while tossing touchdowns from seven, 16 and 20 yards out. His longest throw of the day came on a 41-yard pass to Jaylan Knighton, but Van Dyke connected on several deep balls on his way to a big day.
.@ColbieYoung's first touchdown as a Cane 🙌
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) October 8, 2022
UNC 27, Miami 24 | 2:20 4Q
Watch on ESPN2: https://t.co/ljZhljtEV0 pic.twitter.com/7rDSBmO64c
Playing under a new head coach, Van Dyke will get some grace for his slow start. Heading into ACC play, strong performances against the likes of Virginia Tech, Florida State, Clemson and Pittsburgh will go a long way in boosting a draft stock that has taken a slight hit.
Van Dyke was never going to compete with C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young for the overall QB1 spot in this year’s draft, but he could still earn first-round draft capital with a solid second half to his season.
Quentin Johnston, WR (TCU)
Receiving: 14 receptions, 206 yards, 1 TD
I opened last week’s article with a brief update on Johnston, who was off to a brutal start through his first four games.
A highly-touted 2023 NFL Draft Prospect, Johnston was in desperate need of last Saturday’s performance against Kansas after opening his year with a 12-114-0 line.
In a battle of undefeated teams, Johnston rose to the challenge to help TCU down the Jayhawks by a score of 38-31 last weekend, putting the final nail in the coffin with a 24-yard touchdown in the final minutes.
Johnston showed great hands and some “toe drag” swag in securing the game-winning reception, but that felt like a footnote on what was a breakout performance for the explosive receiver.
Heading into halftime, Johnston had eight receptions for 139 yards, which included a 53-yard play in which he totaled nearly 40 yards after the catch.
Johnston saw an absurd 17 targets on the day after drawing 21 targets through the first four games. While that volume is certain to regress, it’s an encouraging sign for the potential NFL first-rounder. An elite player with the ball in his hands, Johnston has a 7.8 YAC/REC for his career and has forced 10+ missed tackles in every season -- including 2022 (11).
