MAC Daddy Series - TEs

The final installment of the 2023 MAC Daddy Series is here, and we're wrapping things up with the TE position.

Aug 22, 2023

There are rich teams and there are poor teams. Then there's 50 feet of crap, and then there's us.

- Billy Beane, Moneyball (2011)

In the vast realm of collegiate sports, where powerhouse teams often dominate the landscape, there exists a parallel that resonates beyond the silver screen.

The sentiment of the above quote, though spoken in the context of baseball, finds an intriguing parallel in the world of college football, particularly within the realm of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The MAC football conference stands as a testament to the spirited pursuit of excellence by programs that might not bask in the grandeur of multimillion-dollar facilities or championship pedigrees. In the shadow of collegiate football giants, the MAC teams defy the odds, striving to make their mark and etch their stories into the annals of the sport. Just as Billy Beane's words captured the essence of defying odds in sports, the MAC conference embodies the indomitable spirit that fuels the underdogs of the gridiron.

Welcome back, my friends, to the MAC Daddy Series. We’re wrapping up the series with today’s article on TEs, and on a Tuesday evening no less (IYKYK)—but fear not, we’ll be right back here this time next year to que it up again. The good news? Wrapping up offseason content means the season is right around the corner…

TE is a difficult position to find value in as it relates to CFF, and the MAC is no exception to that rule. There are, however, a few notable names—headlined by Ball State’s duo of Tanner Koziol and Brady Hunt, as well as BGSU’s Harold Fannin. I’ve added a few names as dart throws to keep an eye on. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Ball State TE Tanner Koziol — 6’7, 230

2022 FPG: 9.5 (1-ppr)

Normally, when there’s two CFF relevant TEs on the same team, it means neither of them will really be very good. In the case of Ball State’s Tanner Koziol and Brady Hunt, that might be true for 2023, but they both performed decently well together in 2022. Koziol averaged just under 10 FPG in 1-ppr formats, Hunt just over 10.

Koziol finished the season with 35 receptions, 373 yards and seven TDs on 64 targets in 12 games (~5.3 targets per game). Seven TDs in 12 games is pretty good for a TE, if you ask me. Koziol’s stature and build reminds me of a former favourite of mine at the TE position, a VP alumni no less—former Nevada Wolfpack TE Cole Turner. Koziol is definitely a redzone target for this team which gives him a slight edge in priority for me over his teammate Hunt. Though, I don’t think there is much difference between the profiles of the two.

Koziol’s FPG average also includes two games with ‘0’ scores. In one, I’m not sure if he played at all, in the other, he was targeted once so he must have played at least a bit. If we remove these two bizarre performances from the equation, Koziol averaged 11.4 FPG. In six of his 12 games, he scored more than 10 FPs in a game, that’s pretty strong. On the flip side, he finished three games with less than two FPs scored, so there was some volatility with his production. That’s not a big deal at TE, most of the players at this position bring a similar level of volatility.

According to C2C, Koziol has an ADP around 181.7, which is approximately the 15th round in a 12 team league. I can only go off what the numbers say, but I think in most competitive CFF leagues he’s probably off the board earlier than that. If players like Luke Lachey, Jalin Conyers, or even Koziol’s teammate have just come off the board, Koziol is a guy I’d look for next—that range will vary depending on your league.

Ball State TE Brady Hunt — 6’6, 245

2022 FPG: 10.6

Hunt is the teammate of the aforementioned Koziol. He was pretty productive last season, catching 46 passes for 498 yards and 5 TDs on 62 targets in 12 games (5 targets per game). Despite a similar FPG average, Hunt was a much steadier option compared to Koziol. Hunt only scored less than 5 points once—week one vs. SEC opponent Tennessee. On the flip side, he only went over 10 points scored four times.

Hunt’s ADP is 151.6, which is around the 13th round. His July ADP of 125 suggests he’s climbing in drafts right now, though, so like Koziol, this is a guy I’d target sooner than that. Whenever the first run of TEs starts happening, Hunt is another I’d look for. He and Koziol are both clearly in the next tier of TEs, they are not anywhere close to the top two—OGII and Bowers, so you shouldn’t be drafting these guys anywhere close to those two.

Now the question on your minds that you’d probably like me to answer is: so which one of the two is better? I don’t have that answer—nobody does. If one is better than the other it’s not by a wide margin. I mentioned that I value Koziol more as a potential TD merchant for this team vs. Hunt, but Hunt was also more consistent last year so it really comes down to preference.

BGSU TE Harold Fannin — 6’3, 230

2022 FPG: 6.3

We’re beginning to enter into the sicko zone here with Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin. He actually doesn’t have any ADP data currently, which is what tells me this is a sicko level prospect.

What intrigues me about Fannin is that the Falcons used him as a rusher last season in multiple games. He finished the season with four rushing scores—pretty good when you consider several CFF-relevant TEs finish the season with that many or less receiving. All told, he rushed 10 times for 53 yards and four TDs in 12 games. A rushing score every three games played? Now you have my attention…

He also added 19 receptions on 26 targets for 218 yards and another score. He seems like more of an H-Back type of player for BGSU than a classic TE. That’s fine by me, as long as he’s in the business of TD making.

As far as a game by game basis, like Koziol, there are two games in there where he finished with zero points from 2022. If I were to ignore those games and recalculate his FPG, the number comes out to 7.61, which is slightly better but still not a tremendous figure.

Oddly enough, Fannin’s best game of the season came against Mississippi State in week four, he scored 15.9 points in that game. He was targeted a season-high seven times, catching five of those for 49 yards and a score.

There’s a reason he’s largely going undrafted—but I think he’s worth a last round shot if you’ve punted on the position and just want to swing on an upside guy late.

Also, I don’t know about ya’ll, but the piercing yellows of the autumn foliage in the photo of Fannin has me giddy in anticipation of the season. You can feel it in the air, can’t you? The time is almost upon us, my friends.

Ohio TE Tyler Foster — 6’7, 249

2022 FPG 4.3

Forget the sicko zone, we’re putting the ‘G’ in degenerate now with Ohio’s Tyler Foster. The rising super senior finished 2022 with 13 receptions for 185 yards and four scores in 12 games on 22 targets.

This one is really a stretch, and more a name for those of you who are in restricted leagues, or very deep leagues. In 12 games, Foster finished with zero points in half of them (lol). But he did have single-season highs of 24.7 and 12.4 points vs. Fordham and Iowa State, respectively. I included him on the list today because the Bobcats figure to have a potent offence this season with Kurtis Rourke back at the helm. Foster is a potential redzone guy on a team that many (including me) believe will be an often-scoring team in the MAC.

Foster has no ADP data, if you draft him, you could very well be the first person to do so across any formats this summer.

WMU TE Blake Bosma — 6’3, 230

2022 FPG: 4.5

Like Foster, Bosma is an outer-worldly dart throw at TE. He played in nine games in 2022, finishing three with zero points. He caught 20 passes on 25 targets for 145 yards and a score for the season.

It appears Bosma redshirted his first season with the Broncos, so 2022 was basically his freshman season. You never know what could happen with a player like this—the potential here is strong. Year two could be a big jump for Bosma on a team that is starving for playmakers.

You already know that he has no ADP data.

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