Fantasy Football: Where Does TE Zach Sudfeld Fit in to the Patriots Offense?
Alex Dunlap, Rosterwatch.com

Photo via Zach Sudfeld Twitter

Patriots rookie TE Zach Sudfeld is making an impression through camp in New England, and “making an impression” on Patriots HC Bill Belichick is huge. Especially in a system that is predicated on the run, the two-TE set, and the extension of the run through the intermediate areas of the field.

The Patriots had the second-most rushing attempts in the NFL in 2012. It is an offense predicated on the run. Its rush/pash ratio is not among the highest simply because it ran so many plays.

These run “extensions” in 2012 were often created with tight ends, Wes Welker or Danny Woodhead on the receiving end. Who’s left in New England in 2013 to serve this role? Welker and Woodhead are gone. Athletic TE Aaron Hernandez is in jail and has been cut. Stud TE Rob Gronkowski cannot stay healthy and will be considered a major injury concern moving forward.

RB Shane Vereen will take some of the volume in this receiving aspect, and fantasy players have seen Vereen’s ADP rise as a result. We at RosterWatch believe that Vereen served as a good value at one point, but currently may be being overhyped. Refer to the Free Cheat Sheet for details.

FA addition WR Danny Amendola is an obvious beneficiary, and in the most optimistic case, could end up a Top 10 WR in standard leagues leagues and possibly Top 5 in PPR. It’s very hard to bank on that, though, and the tight end will still have to be very much involved. Every year recently, we hear about split ends looking great in Patriots camp, and every year recently, the position has done nothing for fantasy owners.

Watching Sudfeld’s tapes from Nevada, he’s a tight end that a whole heck of a lot of was demanded of in Coach Ault’s revolutionary offense. Everything from pulling inside on power runs as a lead blocker to flexing out and going vertical on pass routes. Like Grokowski, Sudfeld is tall and Incredible-Hulk-like in his movements as opposed to being necessarily fluid. Also like Grownkowski, he runs faster than he looks like he’s running. Sudfeld was an excellent blocking TE in college, using size and power to his advantage through engagement rather than seeming gangly and uncoordinated. Sudfeld also seems like the type of smart player Belichick loves.

Sudfeld won’t be used in the same way as Aaron Hernandez, but it seems like he has a good shot to be on the field for a lot of snaps in a great offense.

We are recommending dynasty league players with open waivers or with upcoming supplemental drafts/waiver openings to take Sudfeld early. He went 1.01 in my supplemental draft last week. The coming two weeks, and more definitive news about Rob Gronkowski’s estimated recovery time from back from back surgery will determine Sudfeld’s value in redraft formats, but for now we can only recommend taking a high-upside TE2 flier in the last round before kickers and defenses. (Always see the Free Cheat Sheet for final decisions.)