Player: Martellus Bennett
Position: Tight End
Team: New England Patriots
2016 Statistics | Receptions | Yards | AVG | TD | Points | Ranking |
| 55 | 701 | 12.7 | 7 | 140.60 | 8th |
2016 Review
Bennett stepped up big time with Rob Gronkowski suffering through an injury-plagued 2016 season. Gronk missed the first two weeks of the season, at which point Bennett responded by putting up eight receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns. That set into motion a stellar first season with the Patriots after being dealt from the Chicago Bears during the spring.
All said, Bennett caught 75 percent of the 73 passes thrown in his direction, tallied a tremendous 12.7 percent touchdown rate and finished as a TE1 option. This came after Gronkowski also sat out the final five games of the regular season with a herniated disc in his back.
The issue here for fantasy owners is that Bennett wasn't necessarily a consistent fantasy performer. A total of 45 percent of his fantasy points came in just three games. That was primarily due to a lackluster conclusion to the regular season that saw him catch 11 passes for 88 yards in his final four games.
Dynasty Outlook
Bennett will be 30 by the time the 2017 season comes calling. That's not necessarily too long in the tooth for a tight end. It should also allow him to remain fantasy relevant for some time now.
Remember, Bennett didn't suddenly just come out of the blue as a TE1 option with Tom Brady tossing him the rock. He finished ninth overall among tight ends with the Bears back in 2013 before finding himself rank in the top five at that position the following season. There's definitely a track record of success here.
Free Agency Outlook
Bennett has indicated that he'd like to return to the Patriots next season. That's more than fine, but New England has in the past let free agents walk when their markets increase. That will likely be the case with Bennett being in high demand during free agency.
Realistically, as many as 20 teams could use some sort of an upgrade from a pass-catching tight end in free agency. This will make Bennett a wanted man.
Potential Suitors: Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals