Continuing our Dynasty Target series, how will Cole Kmet fit into this promising young Chicago Bears offense?
Background
Collegiate Career
Cole Kmet was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with pick #43. Kmet attended Notre Dame where he finished his junior year with 43 receptions, 515 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Aside from being the TE1 for the Fighting Irish, Kmet doubled as a pitcher for the baseball team. He finished his collegiate baseball career in his sophomore season in 2019. Kmet had 18.2 innings pitched, 27 strikeouts, and a 2.98 ERA. The ability to play two sports in college and be successful at both is something not many athletes can do.
Rookie & Second Seasons
Kmet spent most of his rookie season as the second-string tight end behind Jimmy Graham. He did find some production in his first NFL season, finishing with 28 receptions, 243 yards, and 2 touchdowns. It wasn’t until his second season that Kmet got TE1 action. He started all 17 games last season and finished with 60 receptions for 612 yards and no touchdowns. Put the lack of finding the endzone aside for a second and you can see that Kmet made a massive leap in production between his first two seasons.
Current Situation
According to FantasyPros, Cole Kmet’s ADP is 116 which makes him TE13 in half PPR leagues. His value is very low compared to other tight ends in the NFL. This may be because the offense overall has not had much success. But there is some upside to look forward to with the Chicago Bears. They are under a new coaching staff with the hiring of head coach Matt Eberflus and still have time to develop their young quarterback Justin Fields.
Outlook
When it comes to Kmet itself, his stats from last season make him a promising young player with tons of upside in dynasty leagues. Among tight ends who had at least 50% of 149 targets during the 2021 regular season, Kmet ranks 12th in yards per reception (10.2), 9th in average depth of target (8.1), and tied for 6th in PFF fumble grade (80.7).
Another reason why he might not have had much success in the NFL is because Kmet was tied for 5th in contested targets last season with 20. Hopefully, the Bears’ new coaching staff can get Kmet out of those tough situations and let his talent truly shine.
Price Range
Cole Kmet is absolutely dirt cheap in most dynasty leagues. A majority of teams are willing to give him up for a second or even a third-round pick. This is a fantastic price to pay for a player who has the potential to be a top ten player in his position. Just be aware of the market in your league and see what a team’s wants and needs are.
Thanks for checking out our Dynasty Target article on Cole Kmet. Over the course of the summer make sure to click here for more Dynasty Target articles discussing players for you to acquire this season!
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