Anthony

Firkser

Firkser will return to the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He’s spent time with the Lions and most notably with the Titans where he went 26-277-1 in four seasons (2018-2021). He’ll look to provide solid depth behind Tyler Conklin.

Firkser caught just nine passes in 11 games for the Falcons last season, deployed mostly as a a blocking tight end in Atlanta’s run-first offense. He managed 73 receptions and three touchdowns between 2020 and 2021 as a rotational player for the Titans. Entering his sixth NFL season, Firkser has a decent shot of making New England’s final roster if the team keeps three or four tight ends.

With Kyle Pitts active, Firkser won’t be needed against the 49ers.

An April signing, Firkser played in all three preseason games but could not beat out Parker Hesse or John FitzPatrick for a roster spot. It’s possible he catches on elsewhere, but there didn’t seem to be much interest in him in the offseason. Firkser has five career receiving touchdowns and has managed between 204 and 387 receiving yards in each of his first four NFL seasons.

Firkser had a career-low 8.6 yards per reception last season, and has scored five touchdowns in 106 career targets. Kyle Pitts will be the No. 1 tight end for Atlanta next season, leaving Firkser to work in two tight end sets unless Arthur Smith gets creative with Pitts out wide. There won’t be much fantasy juice to squeeze, but Firkser should be a decent real-life option for a Falcons team that doesn’t have many capable wideouts.

Firkser was a beneficiary of Ryan Tannehill’s scorching four-touchdown day, but he still only had four targets on 32 team passing attempts. The efficiency is good to see, but Firkser is a committee tight end on a run-heavy team, so don’t get too excited about his productive Week 18. The Titans head into the playoffs with the top seed in the AFC and the first-round bye that comes with it.

Just days after Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Firkser was a special-teamer who may play some on third downs, the veteran tight end tied for second on the team in targets with five. With that being said, this is likely more of a mirage than a sign of things to come for Firkser, so you can safely leave him on the waiver wire for Week 15 and beyond.

It’s confirmation for what we already knew: Firkser, a popular late-round tight end pick in the spring and summer, isn’t the Titans’ primary pass-catching tight end. Vrabel labeling Firkser a special teamer is salt in an open wound. Firkser is actually tied with Geoff Swaim for the team lead with 20 tight end receptions, and Firkser has run the most pass routes among Tennessee tight ends. Seeing a target on a meager 13.7 percent of his routes, Firkser isn’t fantasy relevant.

Firkser’s target share is encouraging, but the Titans aren’t going to throw it 53 times unless they have no other choice. Firkser hadn’t been targeted seven times since Week 13 of last season against Cleveland, and will remain mostly a touchdown-or-bust TE2 who has no receiving touchdowns this year. If Tennessee’s injuries continue to keep their main targets out, though, Firkser might make an interesting volume play against a tough Patriots defense in Week 12.

Firkser has 11 catches on the season and isn’t a fantasy option despite the offseason hype. He’s splitting reps with Geoff Swaim and MyCole Pruitt, who caught a five-yard score in this one.