Getty Gallery: 2/11
No. 10 InstaJimmyGraham
Jimmy Graham's fantasy value is seeing a nice boost with his off-season move to the Green Bay Packers. Graham never really fit with the Seahawks, who do not have a great history of using their tight ends in the passing game. The Packers have been looking for a premier tight end to pair with Aaron Rodgers, and it looks like they have found their man.
With Jordy Nelson now with the Raiders, there is even more opportunities for Graham to get targets this season. Football Outsiders' Scott Kacsmar spoke with SB Nation about how he expected the Packers to utilize Graham.
"I think it depends on how they want to use Jimmy Graham," Kacsmar told SB Nation. "In recent years he has been much more effective when lined up in the slot as opposed to a traditional, in-line tight end position. So in this offense, he could serve as a third receiver in the slot to go along with Randall Cobb and Davante Adams, while someone like Marcedes Lewis or Lance Kendricks plays the in-line role. I think that could work well, because unless a young wideout (J’Mon Moore perhaps?) steps up, this is probably the weakest the wide receiver depth chart has been in the Aaron Rodgers era. So I think they’ll want to look at Graham in the slot a lot, and he has always been a fantastic target in the red zone. That’s an area where Rodgers was so good with Nelson despite the receiver’s physical limitations in recent years, but I think Rodgers and Graham can have a great red-zone chemistry right away in 2018."
This would explain why Graham is being selected the highest we have seen since he was with the Saints. According to Fantasy Pros, Graham has an ADP of 52.6 as the fourth tight end being selected. Graham is being drafted in the early fifth round in most 12-team leagues. Rodgers appears to be thrilled with his new weapon.
“The guy understands the game as well as just about anybody we’ve had around here," Rodgers told USA Today. "The same category as a John Kuhn, Jordy Nelson. Those guys who really understand the game, who see it through the quarterback’s eyes and want to be right all the time. … I’m really pleased with him, he’s played great.”
Fans of Instagram may find this name from Athlon appealing. If you want to end up with Graham on your fantasy team, it looks like you will have to draft him early #FortheGraham.