After three years of Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce's dominance as fantasy football's renowned TE1, Mark Andrews was able to dethrone the future Hall of Famer in 2021.
The Baltimore Ravens tight end is coming off a career year that saw him record 107 receptions for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the league in all three categories for tight ends. His catches and yards also set Ravens' single-season records and Andrews' accomplishments were not unnoticed outside of Baltimore. The former Oklahoma Sooner was voted into his second Pro Bowl, and was a First-Team All-Pro selectee.
After a stellar year for the Ravens, it is difficult to not keep Andrews at the top of most fantasy football boards at the tight end position. At a position of scarcity, Andrews provides some stability on a week-to-week basis, while also being capable of going off for a huge performance.
With that being said, here is the fantasy football outlook for Mark Andrews in the 2022 NFL season.
Mark Andrews 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
As previously mentioned, Mark Andrews finished last year as football's TE1. Will he be able to replicate his performance in 2022?
The Ravens, while still a run-first team, found themselves throwing the football far more frequently in 2021. With Lamar Jackson battling injury, the Ravens had to focus more on the passing game, which helped Andrews record the highest numbers of his career. For instance, in games where Jackson left early or did not play, Andrews averaged 10.8 targets and 22.3 yards-per-reception. When Jackson was active, Andrews' numbers dropped to 8.0 targets and 14.4 yards per catch as the Ravens returned to their run-heavy style of play.
In 2019-20, the Ravens passed on fewer than 46% of the team's plays. In 2021, that number went up to 56%. With the former MVP healthy, it won't be a surprise if Andrews' target rate to drop a bit and the Baltimore offense returns to its older form.
Still, Andrews will probably keep being the team's top option in the air. His main competition, wide receiver Marquise Brown, got traded to the Arizona Cardinals. The team's 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman is still battling to show he can be the replacement for Brown.
The team did take two tight ends in the 2022 NFL Draft in Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely, but considering they were both in the fourth round, there will probably battle for a place in the 53-man roster before challenging for Andrews' spot on the field.
Andrews is one of the most experienced and reliable players on the offense and has proven he can contribute at a high level. Last season, Andrews' 1,361-yard campaign was the third-most from a tight end since 2012.
For this season, Andrews has +2000 odds to lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns by FanDuel Sportsbook. He is also projected to have around 8.5 scores and more than 1,000 yards on almost 100 catches. Those are still phenomenal numbers, even if the Ravens do revert to a more run-oriented playstyle.
With all that, Andrews will very likely be one of the top tight ends selected in most fantasy football leagues, probably drafted in about the same round as Kelce. He is likely a solid investment in the third round and should not go past the fourth round. Getting Andrews could mean a guarantee of multiple targets and catches every week, and he can outplay his current ADP with ease if he continues to receive a significant target share.
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