What to Expect from Broncos TE Noah Fant in 2020
Entering the 2020 season, Noah Fant will benefit from the fact that he’s reinforced his standing as the Denver Broncos’ No. 1 tight end. He will be able to build off an impressive rookie season and ultimately post single-season career-best totals.
Beyond simply having the starting role from the start of Week 1 unlike last season, Fant will benefit from having Drew Lock at quarterback from the start, too. Joe Flacco struggled mightily with the Broncos and no longer having him for any games will help.
The Broncos will be tough to cover as a unit in 2020. Beyond just adding Jeudy, Hamler, Okwuegbunam into the receiving game, Denver will have Melvin Gordon. The circumstances are set for a strong play-action game while generally, defenses won’t be able to focus heavily on Fant.
There may not be a substantial increase in the number of targets Fant receives because of the other talented players added to the Broncos’ offense. It would be reasonable to expect around 84 targets, 57 catches, 684 yards, and five touchdowns from him.
The projection ESPN has for Fant is similar to ours. They expect the Broncos tight end to finish with 80 targets, 54 receptions, 613 yards, and four touchdowns. This type of production would place him towards the middle of the pack for Fantasy Football impact among starting tight ends.
When factoring in the circumstances, there is a real outlook for Fant to exceed expectations. The former first-round pick could end up surprising many if Lock appears to be ready sooner rather than later. He’s certainly a sleeper option with strong upside to consider.
A strong 2020 campaign should be expect from Noah Fant. He showed real potential during his first season of NFL experience and there’s little reason for him to not progress in his development.
