New Orleans Saints tight end Adam Trautman was carted off the field during the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As reported by Adam Schefter last night, Trautman seemingly injured his ankle/foot during the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This could potentially be a serious injury for the sophomore tight end. (As soon as we have definitive knowledge of his injury or expected recovery period, we will update this article.)
Saints’ TE Adam Trautman was carted to the locker room with an ankle/foot injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2021
What Should Have Been
Some fantasy analysts were calling for Adam Trautman to be a breakout tight end in 2021. With the departure of Jared Cook, who is now a member of the Los Angeles Chargers, Trautman was expected to be the next man up in New Orleans.
You get a reception! And you get a reception!
Adam Trautman is the 9th receiver to catch a pass from Drew Brees tonight, and it's a touchdown 🙌#Saints | NBC pic.twitter.com/mySf1LXaKh
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) November 9, 2020
Although he has looked good in camp, Trautman hadn’t made much of an impact in the preseason games when he was on the field. He was widely considered a breakout candidate this season by analysts and was likely heavily targeted by fantasy managers in drafts or picked up off the waiver wire.
As of now, the Saints have not publicly shared the extent of his injury. Best-case scenario, the team has him take it easy the rest of the preseason. Worst case scenario, what’s next?
Hold or Fold?
Hold. Don’t panic drop Trautman! His x-rays came back negative, and he’s expected to have an MRI today. Tight End Nick Vannett should be the next man up for the Saints, but he also suffered a knee injury during the preseason game last night. Juwan Johnson should see meaningful stats. The Saints seem to be pretty high on him. Either way, it may not be as bad as it looked. So, hold him for now!
A more interesting scenario could be if Jameis Winston wins the starting quarterback job. His competitor, Taysom Hill, could go back to seeing snaps at the tight end position while Trautman is out. The Saints love to use Hill in a variety of ways. If he regains his tight-end eligibility, that’s who I’d put my money on to be fantasy-relevant.
Thank you for reading! You can read all my work on my IDP Guys Author Page. Keep your eyes peeled for my “Last IDP Candidates for Breakout in 2021” article coming out soon! Follow me on Twitter at @ZMagsIDP — I always enjoy chatting about all types of fantasy football with the Twitterverse. Please subscribe to IDPGuys.org for all your fantasy football needs, and check out our customizable IDP scoring tool! Also, don’t forget to order the IDP Guys Rookie Magazines — both offense and IDP — for your league drafts. As always, Live Long and Prosper!
