Colby Parkinson - Week 3 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks

BALLER MOVE: Start in 12+ Team Leagues

POSITIONAL VALUE: High-End TE2

ANALYSIS: Opportunities are no longer hard to come by for Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson. The 25-year-old has played over 80 percent of offensive snaps in each of the Rams' first two games this season.

Parkinson's increased playing time is a product of his talent and injuries to star pass-catchers Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle).

Parkinson has five catches for 59 yards so far, ranking as the TE18 overall in fantasy football. However, his underlying metrics suggest he has low-end TE1 potential, especially if he gets increased volume with Nacua and Kupp sidelined.

So far, Parkinson ranks first among NFL tight ends in routes run and third in route participation percentage. He's also seventh in snap share, third in target accuracy, and seventh in expected points added.

Happy camping, @CJ51 🤩 pic.twitter.com/DFEHalYzA3

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) July 25, 2024

A matchup against the 49ers isn't great for Parkinson given that San Francisco has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this year. However, those numbers are slightly skewed since the 49ers have faced Tyler Conklin and Johnny Mundt; they aren't necessarily major threats on offense.

In addition to Parkinson's prominent role on offense, the tight end stands to benefit from the 49ers being shorthanded on offense. Both Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf) and George Kittle (hamstring) are expected to be inactive this week. San Francisco's reduced production on offense could correspond to more opportunities for the Rams, including Parkinson.

Fantasy managers should view Parkinson as a high-end TE2 this week. He doesn't necessarily rank in the TE1 tier, but that doesn't mean that he should be benched in 12-team leagues, either. Managers looking for reinforcements after injuries to players like Kittle or David Njoku (ankle) should prioritize Parkinson over other streamers like Mike Gesicki or Zach Ertz.

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