2007 Outlook

The UCLA rookie was drafted to be a receiving tight end last year but he only logged 13 catches for 126 yards and scored just one touchdown in 2006. He missed almost the entire first half of the season with a high ankle sprain and never had more than three catches in any game. His numbers would suggest that he’s not worth a fantasy glance but that should prove wrong. Lewis lost most of his first year to that high ankle sprain and he had a change in quarterbacks by the time he returned. He was learning the offense for the first time but started to come to life in the final three games that he played.

The second year is the most common one for tight ends to break-out and the Jaguars have hired ex-Arizona State HC/OC Dirk Koetter to install a new offense. That offense will feature more two tight end formations meaning that Lewis is on the field more – a good thing. And Koetter likes to make use of his tight ends because the scheme calls for deeper, more vertical routes and when they are covered far downfield or the pass rush is coming fast, the tight end will get more passes. Last year at ASU, Koetter’s lead receiver was actually tight end Zach Miller (drafted by OAK at 2.06 last April). Miller had 50 catches - no wideout had more than 20 (though in fairness a dozen different ones had catches). Lewis is not a fantasy starter by any stretch, but he’s a good one to get as a fantasy back-up in case it happens for him in his second year – the stars are aligned right and HC Jack Del Rio already has said that Lewis will have a bigger role this year.

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