The Miami Dolphins signed veteran Jonnu Smith this offseason to provide a receiving threat at tight end, but Jody Fortson Jr. stood out during spring practices. Fortson has a wide catch radius and has flashed the ability to pick up yardage after the catch. The former Kansas City Chiefs tight end has a challenging road to a meaningful workload in 2024 with both Smith and Durham Smythe on the roster, as well as the plethora of pass-catchers in Miami's offense, but the early returns on Fortson say he will be able to contribute when called upon. The 28-year-old spent all of last year on the Chiefs' Injured Reserve after having shoulder surgery, but he's healthy now and is a tight end to watch for now as we approach training camp this summer. The fifth-year pro could become an intriguing waiver-wire pickup this year if one of Smith or Smythe miss time due to injury.
Kansas City Chiefs tight ends Blake Bell and Jody Fortson are both listed as early fallers for The Athletic's Nate Taylor. Bell is 31 and appears to have lost a step in speed, especially compared with Travis Kelce, Matt Bushman and Noah Gray. He's still capable of being a quality pass-catcher in the flat and middle of the field, but if Bushman continues to look good, Bell could be in danger of losing his roster spot. Fortson, meanwhile, continues to have inconsistent practices. He struggled in 7-on-7 repetitions on Wednesday while dropping a few passes from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Both Bell and Fortson could be in danger of being cut this summer unless they turn things around.
Jody Fortson Designated To Return From Injured Reserve
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed on Tuesday that tight end Jody Fortson (elbow) has been designated to "return to practice" from Injured Reserve, which officially opens the 21-day window for the team to officially activate him from Injured Reserve to the active 53-man roster. Fortson is returning to practice on Tuesday after missing the last three regular season games with a sublexed elbow, but it remains to be seen if he'll be active this Saturday for the Divisional Round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 27-year-old has no business being in playoff lineups if he plays this weekend, as he caught only nine passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games in 2022 in his second NFL season.
Jody Fortson Catches Two Touchdowns In Preseason Win
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson caught four passes for 19 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's preseason win over the Commanders. Both touchdowns were thrown by Patrick Mahomes, as Fortson saw a lot of action with the starting offense. While Fortson is unlikely to have much standalone fantasy value this season, his red zone rapport with Mahomes is worth paying attention to, as it could impact opportunities for other players in this offense. Or, this could just be preseason noise it'll be interesting to see how the Chiefs treat Fortson in the team's preseason finale on Thursday.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson (Achilles) tore his Achilles in the game against the Washington Football Team on Sunday. Fortson wasn't making much of an impact in fantasy nor for the Chiefs, but this is still devastating for his career. The 25-year-old did have two touchdowns so far this year, so perhaps tight end Noah Gray or other Chiefs options will get some extra looks behind star Travis Kelce at the position. There's not much to act on here, but Fortson's absence could play a minor role in streaming Chiefs players.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson was carted off the field during Sunday's game against the Washington Football Team and has been ruled out with an Achilles injury. Fortson being downgraded to out that quickly seems like a bad sign for his ability to get back on the field this season a torn Achilles would instantly end his 2021 campaign, if that winds up being the issue. Fortson had a 27-yard catch in the game. His role as the No. 2 tight end behind Travis Kelce isn't a fantasy-relevant role.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson scored for his second consecutive game in a Week 4 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles. His touchdown was for two yards and was his only target on the afternoon. A standout in training camp this year, Fortson has now scored in consecutive weeks and has four receptions for 20 yards and a pair of touchdowns to start the season. The touchdowns have been nice, but he doesn't play nearly enough snaps to be considered in any format at the moment. Fortson can remain on the waiver wire for a Week 5 battle against the Buffalo Bills.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson caught two balls for seven yards and a touchdown in a Week 3 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Fortson's touchdown would be the first of his career and it came on a two-yard pass in the third quarter. Spending last year on the practice squad, Fortson had a strong training camp and earned himself a backup spot on the roster. Despite the touchdown, the Chiefs have many offensive weapons ahead of Fortson and he should remain on the waiver wire.