Drew Sample

Sample is returning from a lost 2022 season in which he played only two games due to MCL and PCL injuries suffered in the Bengals' second game. The 2019 second-round pick out of Washington has never played a big role in the passing game, and that will likely continue after the team added Irv Smith via free agency.

After netting 53 targets in his second season in 2020, Sample's opportunities dried up last season with C.J. Uzomah returning healthy. Sample had just 11 catches on 15 targets for 81 yards. The 2019 second-round pick could be similarly limited this year after the Bengals brought in Hayden Hurst to start ahead of him.

Sample was pressed into more action for the Bengals in 2020 than was initially expected following the Week 2 injury to C.J. Uzomah. Sample, a second-round pick in 2019, ended up with 40 catches for 349 yards and his first NFL touchdown in Week 16 against the Texans. With Uzomah returning, he may end up being the backup again in 2021.

Rookie tight ends rarely produce much in the NFL, and that was certainly the case with Sample, who had only five catches for 30 yards on six targets in nine games before an ankle injury ended his season. A second-round pick in 2019 out of the University of Washington, Sample was selected more for his blocking than his receiving skills, topping out at 25 catches for 252 yards in his senior season there. So while there will be more opportunities for him to see the field following the departure of Tyler Eifert, it's unlikely to translate into fantasy production.

Sample went in the second round of the draft as the 52nd overall pick after the Bengals traded down earlier in the round. He's well-regarded for his blocking skills and good hands, but is not a big-play receiver, with just average speed. Rookie tight ends usually take awhile to develop, and it's likely that Sample will be undergoing that developmental process as the third-stringer behind C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Eifert, who signed a one-year deal to remain with the Bengals this offseason.