Elijah Arroyo News: Door to starting job opens

Arroyo will compete with AJ Barner for the starting tight end job after the Seahawks released Noah Fant on Sunday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

A rookie second-round pick, Arroyo was going to be in the mix for the starting job regardless, but Fant's departure opens the door further. Arroyo (6-foot-5, 254 pounds) struggled with knee injuries during his second and third seasons at Miami before reeling in 35 passes for 590 yards and seven touchdowns in his final collegiate campaign. He didn't test at the NFL Combine or pro day due to a knee injury, but he's considered a standout athlete anyway. Barner is considered a better blocker and held his own as a rookie, starting six of 17 games and finishing with a 30-245-4 line. According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, Arroyo impressed at rookie minicamp with his ability to challenge safeties with his size and speed. There's probably room for both tight ends to have significant roles in this offense, but for fantasy purposes, Arroyo has the more compelling upside.