The Injury Files: Robert Tonyan

In this series of articles, I’ll be looking at players who missed significant time last year  and how it’s affected their Fantasy Football value for the 2022 season. Some of these guy’s may have had people step up in their absence, their team signed another player to fill the void or they could be heading to a new franchise off the back of an injury. I’ll be diving into several players, at numerous positions and how their value differs from last off-season. 

 

Robert Tonyan

Part 4 in the series and we move on to Tight End. In 2020 Robert Tonyan had a monster year in Fantasy Football. The Green Bay Tight End finished as the PPR TE4 on the season. Catching 52 of 59 targets from Aaron Rodgers for 586 yards. An outstanding 11 Touchdowns came from the efficient pass catching. A real breakout year in Fantasy Football for the former undrafted free agent. 

Entering 2021, Bobby had proven to be a reliable redzone target for his QB. He only amassed 2 TE1 weeks before injury. Finishing as the TE5 in weeks 2 and 7, notching his only 2 scores for the season in those weeks. On October 28th in the week 8 win over the Arizona Cardinals, Tonyan tore his ACL. He missed the remainder of the 2021 season. 

 

Is the grass greener?

Davantae Adams has jetted off to Vegas. Marques Valdez-Scantling has landed in Kansas but Robert Tonyan has signed a 1 year deal at Lambeau Field. The cheese heads’ MVP Quarterback is gonna need a friend right? Why not Robert? 

The former Indiana State Sycamore’s 2020 year isn’t exactly what it seems when you dive a bit deeper.

 

 The fact he only had 59 targets for a start is worrying for someone who is going to maintain a high production in Fantasy Football. Catching 52 passes is very efficient but only a low % of those was contested and a high percentage just single coverage. 11 scores, again, fantastic but just shows how touchdown dependant Tonyan’s

fantasy numbers were in 2020. Below are 2 players that were used a lot more in their team’s offence than Tonyan.

 

Dalton Schultz – 2020 TE11 – 149.5 points – 27.1pts behind Tonyan.

89 Targets, 63 catches for 615 yards. All 3 more than Tonyan. Only 4 Touchdowns. 

Evan Engram – 2020 TE16 – 145 points – 31.6pts behind Tonyan.

109 Targets, 63 catches for 654 yards. All 3 more than Tonyan. Only 1 Touchdown. 

 

We all see what Schultz went on to do in 2021. An integral part of the Dallas offence for the second season running and went on to a TE3 finish. Across Tonyan’s 8 games he only had 29 targets and 18 receptions. So the volume still wasn’t there but neither were the Touchdowns. After his injury in week 8’s game, Tonyan was just the TE22 in 2021. 

 

You’ve left it late to grab a Tight End. Or you’re about to grab a TE2 for your team. In either circumstance, I still wouldn’t be targeting Tonyan. Although a former TE4 finish is appealing and currently is a screaming value.(TE26 Underdog fantasy ADP) I’d rather punt on Gronkowski returning to Tampa(TE22) 1 round earlier in drafts. Or even Gerald Everett(TE27) now with Justin Herbert’s chargers. I’m out on Tonyan for 2022 as I see more of the pre-2020 numbers than a drastic improvement after a serious injury.

You can follow me on Twitter – @lvenes1