Randall Cobb will be the No. 1 wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers following Jordy Nelson's ACL tear, but he won't be the only pass-catcher asked to pick up the slack. For too long the Packers have failed to elicit significant production from the tight end position. That trend may come to an end this year as second-year TE Richard Rodgers appears ready for a breakout season.
ESPN Fantasy Football writer Mike Clay believes Rodgers will have plenty of opportunities to be a contributor in Green Bay's productive offense this season. He compares him to New York Giants tight end Larry Donnell who emerged as a quality fantasy football sleeper last season.
"New York's every-down tight end by default last season, Donnell took the football world by storm with 63 receptions and six scores en route to finishing as fantasy's No. 11 tight end," Clay wrote. "Similarly unheralded, Rodgers - a third-round pick in 2014 - finds himself atop the high-scoring Packers' depth chart with Andrew Quarless his only competition for snaps. Rodgers caught only 20 passes as a rookie and isn't particularly big or fast, but opportunity is king in fantasy football. The Packers and Giants use their personnel similarly, so don't be surprised when Rodgers emerges into a quality TE2 option...Like Donnell in 2014 (and 2015 for that matter), Rodgers is all but free to acquire in the later rounds."
Rodgers produced just 225 yards and two touchdowns last season, but should see a significant rise in snaps this year. While second-year WR Davante Adams is expected to assume the No. 2 target role in Green Bay's passing offense, there will still be plenty of targets to go around. Aaron Rodgers attempted 33 passes per game last year, putting him in the upper half of passers in terms of volume.
Rodgers may not be a Rob Gronkwoski or Jimmy Graham type of tight end. But he could prove to be a good value pick as a late round flier.
