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Many analysts regarded Ja'Tavion Sanders as the TE2 of the 2024 NFL Draft behind Brock Bowers. However, Sanders experienced a "draft slide" on draft night. The Texas product had to see three TEs (Bowers, Ben Sinnott, and Tip Reiman) get picked before his name was called.
The Panthers eventually picked Sanders with the 101st overall pick. He joins a young and hungry squad full of players who want to prove themselves under first-year head coach Dave Canales. Now, he has to battle with Tommy Tremble for the starting TE spot.
With Sanders now headed to Carolina, did he land in a good spot for fantasy? What is his fantasy football outlook for Year 1? Let's dive in and find out.
College Production
Ja'Tavion Sanders was an elite athlete in high school, playing as a wide receiver and a defensive end in addition to playing basketball for his high school team. Sanders was a five-star recruit, and he chose to stay close to home by committing to Texas. Texas' coaches didn't know where to play him in his first year, but he emerged as the team's starting tight end in his sophomore season.
Sanders caught 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 before increasing his efficiency in 2023. Sanders recorded nine fewer catches due to an ankle injury, but he still had 69 more yards, which boosted his yards per catch from 11.4 in 2022 to 15.2 in 2023.
POV: Ja'tavion Sanders runs right to our camera 👀@Jatavionsanders pic.twitter.com/mAiP9vunaU
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) September 3, 2023
Despite his poor blocking ability, Sanders' speed and expertise in deep routes made him the TE2 before the draft. However, a poor Pro Day caused his stock to plummet. According to Sanders himself, he was "overprepared" for the combine.
"That was on me. That's why my numbers were bad," said Sanders. "But I definitely play faster on the field. I feel like my film is showing that." Nevertheless, Sanders fell to the fourth round after many had anticipated him to be a second-round pick.
Rookie Year Situation
Sometimes, an event that appears to be very bad can actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. That's exactly what happened to Sanders in the 2024 NFL Draft. He wasn't picked in the first three rounds, but now he finds himself in the perfect situation. The Panthers have a very young roster and almost everyone has a chip on their shoulders. Bryce Young wants to prove himself after a terrible rookie season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had an awesome season.
The rest of the offense is like this, too. Chuba Hubbard wants to prove that he can be a franchise running back. Miles Sanders wants to prove that he can be a star again. Diontae Johnson wants to prove that he can be "the man" after becoming the Steelers' WR2 once George Pickens arrived.
“I told everybody I’m trying to be the next
Greg Olsen here.” - Ja’Tavion Sanders 🫡 pic.twitter.com/9yY6ZgSVQg— Michael Rimmer (@avl_mike) May 11, 2024
Rookies Jonathon Brooks and Xavier Legette also want to prove themselves. This level of competition also extends to the coaching staff, as Dave Canales is looking to prove himself after a big year in Tampa Bay. The high level of competition in the team should suit Sanders' personality.
Sanders will have to compete with Tommy Tremble for the starting TE spot. Tremble hasn't set the world on fire in his first three years. He has never had a season with more than 195 receiving yards. His other competitors are Stephen Sullivan and Ian Thomas. Sullivan has never caught more than 12 passes in a season, while Thomas hasn't eclipsed 200 receiving yards since his rookie season in 2018.
We all know that playing tight end in the NFL isn't just about catching passes. Tremble or Thomas might start over Sanders early on due to Sanders' poor blocking. Sanders will be fine with that, though. "If one person’s number gets called and mine doesn’t, I know they’ll make their plays and that is fine by me," said Sanders while he was at Texas. "It's not about yourself, it's about the team." His team-first attitude will be a positive asset for this hungry and young squad. Sanders always tried to lead by example at Texas, and he has a chance to do that in Carolina.
Ja'Tavion Sanders Fantasy Football Outlook
Sanders spent his entire freshman season working on his game and getting acquainted with an unfamiliar position. If Dave Canales starts Tremble over him due to his below-average blocking, Sanders will definitely put his head down, go to work, and come back as a great blocker. He might not be an immediate starter, but he's just 21, has tons of natural talent, and is a hard worker. Don't forget, Texas' QBs had a passer rating of 104.3 when targeting him.
Ja’Tavion Sanders getting that work in! pic.twitter.com/m2tbJD7ywA
— 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲 (@pantherscircle) May 10, 2024
Sanders' biggest pass-catching competition will be from Diontae Johnson, Xavier Legette, and the veteran Adam Thielen. By the time he improves (two or three seasons), Johnson and Thielen would be on the decline, and he can become Carolina's first or second option in the passing game. If Sanders can add more muscle to his frame and improve his blocking skills and footwork, he can become a scary prospect and dominate the NFL. Keep an eye out for him in dynasty leagues.
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