Exception Report: Evan Engram, successful rookie tight end?

Welcome to the Exception Report. This series is designed to examine players and their impressive seasons, games, and/or plays. It looks for the outliers and helps understand how they are doing it and if it can continue.

Four weeks in and there is a rookie tight end who is currently setting a pace that is rare in an inaugural season. Evan Engram, the first-round pick of the New York Giants, could become just the fifth tight end to reach 800 receiving yards and just the second to surpass 80 receptions since 1920. Currently, he has 19 receptions and 200 yards through the first four games, making both milestones attainable at this point. The list below is courtesy of Pro Football Reference:

How did he get here?

Unlike many college tight ends, Engram required less projection as a receiver. At Ole Miss, he finished second among tight ends last year with 65 receptions and first with 926 receiving yards. Engram was a playmaker too, leading the position in yards per route run (2.59) and was one of just two tight ends to catch seven deep passes of 20-plus yards. He also was fourth in percent of routes run out of the slot (73.2 percent) and had the most targets from that alignment among all tight ends.

That last point is part of what concerned some NFL teams. They questioned if Engram could be a traditional tight end or if he required a move to wide receiver. The selection by the Giants was telling, as they already had Sterling Shepard, the player who led the NFL in routes run from the slot in 2016, and added Brandon Marshall during the offseason. Clearly, the Giants were investing in a tight end, not a wide receiver, and since Engram’s debut, it’s held true.

As an NFL rookie, Engram is running only 26.5 percent of his routes out of the slot, a far cry from that 2016 college figure. Among tight ends with 100-plus total routes run, Engram has the third-lowest percentage of routes run out of the slot.

Can he set the mark?

Overall, Engram has been on the field most of the time, being a part of 156 of Eli Manning’s 176 dropbacks. That figure is tied for first with Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett and one ahead of Rob Gronkowski. Interestingly, Engram leads all tight ends in total routes run with 147. His pass-blocking hasn’t been tested much as he only has nine passing plays where he has been asked to protect the quarterback. While that seems low, it is actually similar to players like Jimmy Graham (seven), Antonio Gates (seven), and Delanie Walker (six).

As an NFL rookie, Engram is running only 26.5 percent of his routes out of the slot, a far cry from that 2016 college figure. Among tight ends with 100-plus total routes run, Engram has the third-lowest percentage of routes run out of the slot. And he is not making big plays like he did in college. His yards per route run (1.36) is tied for 20th, while he has just two targets (one catch) for 20-plus yards. There is some optimism that big plays are coming — only Gronkowski has broken more tackles than Engram so far.

With Marshall struggling and Odell Beckham Jr. continuing to deal with ankle issues, Engram has been a consistent option. He has at least four receptions and 40 yards in each game this season. Week four represented highs in targets (10), catches (six), and yards (62). Add in the fact that Manning is completing at a career high rate (69.9 percent) and is leading the league in total completions (116) and volume is not an issue.

Will he set the mark?

Engram came into the NFL as a well-rounded pass-catcher who featured good speed and athletic ability for the tight end position. So far, Engram has failed to disappoint. He has shown an ability on all three levels of the field, albeit inconsistently. Not all of that can be blamed on him. The Giants’ offensive line is in shambles, evident by Manning’s 2.37 seconds to throw, second-fastest in the NFL. That leaves little time for complex or deep routes to develop.

While it’s a lot to ask for either of these marks to be hit, Engram has more upside in the yardage department. Right now, he hasn’t broken the big plays he was accustomed to in college and it seems to be a matter of time before they occur. Engram’s target share seems less certain. The Giants don’t have much of a run game, but Beckham should round back into good health and while Marshall has looked like a shell of himself, a few big games could still be in store.

Engram should surpass 800 receiving yards but fall short of 80 receptions.

Confidence Level: 50%

What does this mean for fantasy?

Engram’s current pace would have placed him seventh at tight end for 2016. Right now, he is seventh among tight ends in total points and eighth in average points for position (as of this writing, Travis Kelce has yet to play in Week 4). Only 10 tight ends are averaging 10 points per game through four weeks. Considering the consistency in scoring mentioned above, that is a valuable piece to plug in at tight end and focus on upside at other positions.

While most rookie tight ends are difficult to rely on due to the nuances of the position and limited opportunities, neither of these are impacting Engram. The Giants are letting Engram focus on his strength, impacting the receiving game, and limiting his exposure to the blocking aspects where he needs to grow. Touchdowns will be difficult to come by, but that shouldn’t scare off fantasy owners from plugging Engram into their lineup on a weekly basis.