Kendall

Blanton

Blanton had played just 25 snaps for the team since signing in late September. The Rams have barely used sets with two tight ends this year and he was behind Brycen Hopkins for work in those.

The reunion that has been months -- no, about exactly a month -- in the making. The Rams lost Blanton on waivers after preseason Week 2. He’d been hanging out on the Chiefs practice squad after being released by Washington. Now that he’s back with the Rams, he’ll function as depth behind Tyler Higbee.

It was a short stay for Blanton in Washington, as the Commanders claimed the veteran off waivers on August 21. His release could signal a positive development for Logan Thomas’ early-season availability after a horrific 2021 knee injury.

Blanton started in the Super Bowl in February, and nearly seven months later is looking to settle as solid depth on the Commanders. With Logan Thomas still on PUP and three rookies on the current depth chart, two of whom weren’t drafted, it seems plausible that Blanton can make the Commanders 53-man roster.

Blanton played for the Rams in 2019 and 2021, catching four of his seven targets for 37 yards as a rarely-used option behind Tyler Higbee. Blanton, 26, should be able to land on a tight end-needy roster in the coming weeks.

Higbee will miss the Super Bowl, which leaves Kendall Blanton as the Rams starting tight end. Blanton ran a route on 75% of dropbacks against the 49ers, and that was with Higbee posting a 21% route rate before being injured. Blanton is far from a household name in fantasy circles, but he can be expected to operate as a full-time tight end in the Super Bowl. It’s also possible that Higbee’s absence opens up additional routes for No. 4 wide receiver Ben Skowronek. Skowronek ran 10 routes against the 49ers after running just two combined routes in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Rams also placed T Joseph Noteboom on injured reserve.

“We’ll see,” McVay added. Higbee sprained his MCL in the NFC title game against the 49ers and hasn’t been on the field since. He has six more days to get ready for the biggest game of his life. If Higbee can’t go, Kendall Blanton will be an every-down tight end for the Rams.

Super Bowl LVI, of course, is still 10 days away, but the teams actually install their offense this week as opposed to next. In other words, these are important reps to miss, but Higbee still has ample time to rehab. Supposedly day to day, the Rams will undoubtedly take their starting tight end’s status down to the to the wire for the most important game of the year. If Higbee doesn’t go — which is probably the most likely outcome — Kendall Blanton is the next man up as an every-down player.

Tyler Higbee exited with a first-half knee injury and never returned, giving Blanton every-down work from there on out, finishing tied for third on the team with his five targets. If Higbee is unable to play in the Super Bowl against the Bengals in two weeks, Blanton will have a case for fantasy lineups as an every-down tight end.

Blanton notched his first career touchdown near the end of the first quarter. Stafford found him one more time late in the game. Blanton still played a minor role in this game and remains off the fantasy radar outside of single-game contests as a punt option.