Albert

Okwuegbunam Jr.

Guess that’s another year he’s not helping any best ball teams. Okwuegbunam was placed on injured reserve near last cuts, but the Eagles likely decided they’d rather have that IR spot open for someone else. Okwuegbunam should catch on with a new team soon.

The former Denver Bronco fantasy darling seemed likely to push for back-up duties behind Dallas Goedert but he underwent surgery to repair a core muscle injury and will be out for 6-8 weeks. It’s possible Albert O will return to the field in the second half of the season. For now, that means Grant Calcaterra is the only tight end behind Goedert.

Uzomah managed 29 receptions over 21 games with the Jets over the past two years, following eight seasons with the Bengals. The Eagles had signed the journeyman on a one-year deal in April, and had apparently seen enough in training camp. Philadelphia’s tight end depth chart now includes Dallas Goedert, fantasy folk legend Albert Okwuegbunam, and Grant Calcaterra.

Okwuegbunam was acquired by the Eagles at final cuts last August and proceeded to catch zero balls across four appearances. The 25-year-old did manage to avoid major injury, which has been his career-long bugaboo. There did seem to be something of a phantom I.R. placement in December. Okwuegbunam presumably has an uphill climb to re-secure his 53-man roster spot for 2024, but surviving through the entirety of the 2023 campaign will give him at least a fighting chance. Although he’s still somehow only headed into his age-26 campaign, Albert O’s Dynasty league moment has come and gone.

Okwuegbunam was set to be waived by the Broncos before the Eagles came swooping in to trade for the veteran tight end. Albert O will now get a fresh start in Philly after falling behind on the Broncos’ depth chart earlier in camp. Through 26 games, Okwuegbunam has caught 54 passes for 546 yards and four touchdowns. He could eventually slot in as the TE2 behind Dallas Goedert on the Eagles’ depth chart.

Okwuegbunam faced stiff competition from his fellow tight ends at Broncos training camp. While Greg Dulcich was expected to be the starter, the signing of Adam Trautman and Chris Manhertz this offseason only added to the challenges Okwuegbunam would face for playing time. A rookie fourth-round pick from the 2020 class, Okwuegbunam has elite athleticism and a receiving line of 54-546-4 through 26 NFL games. It’s unlikely he clears waivers.

“We’ll see,” Payton is quoted as saying. The Broncos added Chris Manhertz in free agency and watched Dulcich miss several games to hamstring issues. The Denver Post speculates it’s possible the Broncos add a tight end in the draft and notes that Payton’s response “said everything about the team’s lukewarm feeling about its tight end room.” These are not the notes you want to read if you’re invested in Greg Dulcich in dynasty leagues. The Post also notes that Albert Okwuegbunam could be traded or released if the team drafts a tight end.

A week after running a solid route rate and catching three of six targets for 45 yards and a score against the Chiefs, Okwuegbunam split pass-catching duties with Eric Tomlinson and was not part of the Denver passing offense. A healthy scratch for almost the entire season after falling out of favor with former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Albert O finishes 2022 with 10 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. He’ll face a steep climb to push Greg Dulcich for starting tight end duties in 2023, and could be trade fodder this offseason.

Many were asking. Okwuegbunam played 37 of 70 snaps in Denver’s first game since Greg Dulcich was placed on injured reserve. Finishing with a line of 3/45/1, Okwuegbunam profiles as a Week 18 tight end streamer who is squarely back on the fantasy radar. The Denver Post also noted that former coach Nathaniel Hackett did not trust Okwuegbunam as a blocker.

Active due to the season-ending injury to rookie tight end Greg Dulcich’s, Okwuegbunam snatched the opportunity by scoring the only receiving touchdown of the game for the Broncos and finishing second on the team in targets. The athletic profile is tantalizing, but the dynamic second-year tight end clearly fell out of favor with the organization as he had played only two offensive snaps since Week 5.