We’re approaching the 2024 season. Every year, a few players seize on the right opportunity and surprise for fantasy players. The value comes from trying to predict who it will end up being this time of year and stashing them. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at some 2024 sleeper candidates at each of the key fantasy positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. Hopefully, these are players you can acquire at a value that will propel you to fantasy glory.
We’re coming to the end of my look at Sleeper Candidates as we begin the pre-season in full this weekend. After looking at quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers, we come to the last position—tight ends. Here, I’ll be looking at a couple of players who are going under the radar and could help you win your league. These are some big swings that aren’t part of the conventional approach to the tight end position, so it’s not without risk. But they are players in situations that can’t be ignored. The first of those is Taysom Hill in New Orleans.
It’s hard to quantify Hill. He’s not truly a TE. We’ve seen him start at quarterback and he frequently carries the ball. But, for fantasy purposes, he’s given TE eligibility, which makes him a unique scoring player at an often difficult position. And he’s done better for fantasy than you might have realized. Let’s dive in.
The Case for Taysom Hill
As I mentioned, Hill isn’t a traditional TE. But he does count at that position—as well as QB on some platforms. And in 2023, he did post a career-high 33 receptions. So, with Derek Carr, the Saints did use him as a receiver. But that’s not the only place he was used. He caught two touchdowns, rushed for four touchdowns, and threw a touchdown. He does it all as a Swiss-Army Knife type player. That can be good for fantasy teams in need.
Hill, in the TE position, qualified as a Top 12 option in the last two seasons. He was TE12 in 2023 and TE9 in 2022. If you look at his scoring, though Fantasy Pros classified him as a QB, he would have qualified as TE19 in 2021 and TE9 in 2020. The point is Hill scores points and has for years. And he scores for the Saints, adding 49 touchdowns as a runner, receiver, and passer in his seven seasons. So, for as long as fantasy sites allow you to play him at TE, he’s worth keeping on the roster.
The Case Against Taysom Hill
When you have a player without a truly defined position and role, you roll the dice in fantasy. That’s especially true for Hill as we enter 2024 with a new Offensive Coordinator in Klint Kubiak. Sure, Hill has seen coordinator changes the past few seasons and remained viable, but you can’t take it as a lock. The appeal for Hill is that he gets so many opportunities that other TEs don’t get. If he isn’t involved in the run-and-pass game, he likely won’t see enough targets to make it worthwhile as a receiver.
I noted that Hill had 33 receptions in 2023, which is a promising sign. And yet, it’s the first time since 2019 that he’s recorded double-digit receptions in a season. Of his 49 touchdowns, only 11 have come in the passing game with six of those also in 2019. So, his role as a traditional TE is far from certain.
The Saints figure to have three running backs—Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, and Kendre Miller—in the mix in the backfield, too, as they run a new scheme. It’s the run game where Hill has thrived most, scoring 27 of his touchdowns and rushing for 300-plus yards the last four seasons, including three with more than 400 yards and one with more than 500 yards. That includes each of the last two seasons. If his role in the run game diminishes, so too will his upside.
The Bottom Line
Hill is a player who slides under the radar largely because he does not have a defined position. But if he finishes in the Top 12 in TE scoring and can start there, he can provide a stable floor at an unstable position. He should be rostered and could well be someone you start each week. But on teams where I snagged Hill, I’m sure to have a backup plan. It will also be worth monitoring as pre-season plays out, especially with projected starter Juwan Johnson currently out with an injury.
