Road to TE1: Evan Engram

Continuing his career resurgence in Jacksonville, Evan Engram increased his output in 2023 to a career-high TE2 finish in PPR leagues. Entering his third year with the team and eighth overall, Engram is much closer to fantasy dominance than many managers may realize.

It may be shocking to some, but Engram led all tight ends in 2023 with 143 targets, a significant step above TJ Hockenson, who was second with 127. Engram turned those looks into career highs with 114 catches and 963 yards. His reception total was also the most amongst tight ends with his receiving yards third behind George Kittle and Travis Kelce.

With Calvin Ridley signing with Tennessee in the offseason, Engram is the Jaguars' top returning receiver heading into 2024. The team will feature a revamped receiver room with Christian Kirk being the only started from 2023 maintaining his role. Without Ridley and Zay Jones, Jacksonville signed Gabe Davis from Buffalo and drafted rookie Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round.

Even with the new additions, Engram is expected to remain as Trevor Lawrence's most reliable option after collecting 241 targets in his first two seasons in Duval County.

How Evan Engram can become the TE1 in 2024

Without Calvin Ridley, Engram has a real shot to be Jacksonville's leading receiver in 2024. Both Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. are excellent additions as playmakers but Thomas is not expected to immediately take the reigns and Davis has never topped 900 receiving yards in his career.

Since they began to play together, Engram showed instant chemistry with Trevor Lawrence as the quarterback's go-to target in short-yardage situations. That may be relied on again in 2024 with the Jaguars' offensive line being ranked in the bottom 10 by PFF, suggesting more quick releases will be needed from Lawrence, who was sacked 35 times in 2023.

Jacksonville is expected to have an above-average defense in 2024 but the passing volume will still be there on offense. Lawrence has improved in his efficiency and per-game yard production in each of his first three years in the NFL, most recently notching a career-high 251 yards per contest.

To become the overall TE1, Engram desperately needs to increase his presence in the red zone. Unlike most other players of the position, Engram has never been known as a big-bodied physical threat, thus garnering just nine red zone targets in 2023 and scoring just four touchdowns.

His value has always been in PPR leagues with his high catch rate and unique athleticism once he has the ball in his hands but scoring has never been the focal point of his value with a career-high of six touchdowns. Four touchdowns are not nearly enough to surpass the likes of Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta even with some of his peers aging out of their prime years.

If Engram is to reach his full potential and top the position as the overall TE1, it will likely be in PPR leagues. Still without elite name value, any PPR manager fortunate enough to find Engram in the middle rounds of their draft will be handsomely rewarded with his ceiling being just as high as those who will be taken in the early rounds.